Chapter 2

The Principal’s office was a small cozy one. He had made it that way because, according to him, big offices were not only inconvenient but also uncomfortable. He was seated on his mahogany cushion chair behind his moderate table. On his table were books and report sheets of all kinds, neatly arranged and stacked in an orderly manner. A stationery case and an office telephone had been kept on the left side of the table. Behind the Principal were two flags, one of the school, and the other of the country each placed on both sides of a huge framed picture of the Principal which was hung on the center of the wall. Two cushion chairs were in front of the Principal’s table. The chairs were of a lesser quality than the Principal’s own. A bookshelf full of books stood on the left side of the room and on the wall was a timetable of all various subjects offered in the different classes. On the right side was a map of the school and a roster, both pasted on the wall.

Mr. Matthew pulled one of the chairs opposite the Principal's table closer to himself and attempted to sit but was stopped by the Principal. “No, no, you don’t need to, Mr. Matthew, I can’t have you staining the seats twice in a day,” the Principal said as he picked up a notebook from the stack and opened it, avoiding eye contact with Mr. Matthew. 

Mr. Matthew smiled, slightly embarrassed, and stood straight, adjusting his tie in the process. The Principal looked up at him.

“What do you have against these children Mr. Matthew?” he asked as he scribbled something into the open book. 

“I'm sorry sir, but I do not understand your question,” Mr. Matthew said.

“Look at that box Mr. Matthew, just take a look,” the Principal said, pointing at a box that was at a corner, under the book shelf. Mr. Matthew walked up to it and dragged it out. In the box, lots of notebooks were seen. Mr. Matthew sighed. He knew what that box was. Every time a parent reported him, or he was suspected to be giving the pupils a tough time, his ‘sins’ were written in notebooks, and the notebooks just kept increasing until it had almost filled the box.

“I’m speechless sir,” Mr. Matthew said and pushed the box back under the bookshelf. 

“Mr. Matthew, just today alone, you got 47 sins, let me read out a few,” the Principal started. “First, this morning, three of the third grader’s parents reported you and each said something similar, you scare the kids a lot with your loud booming voice. Jamie’s mom even said that every night, Jamie prays to Jesus to protect him from you,” the Principal concluded and frowned. Mr. Matthew looked surprised.

“Sir, Jamie is not among the top ten brightest kids in the class, and it is a class of only twelve pupils, that is why I always shout at him in order to make him work faster and harder. He is a lazy boy and needs serious disciplining,” Mr. Matthew said and adjusted his tie again. “Instead of Jamie to be praying for more wisdom and understanding, he was praying for protection, just imagine,” Mr. Matthew thought.

“And Susie’s dad says that she is always scared whenever she has a toothache and is given medicine, because she doesn’t want to turn out like you, Mr. Matthew. How do you explain this?” the Principal asked yet again.

Mr. Matthew frowned deeply this time. “Sir, firstly, my toothache medicines are not the cause of my sudden outbursts, and sir, I think Susan has a medicine phobia or something,” he replied defensively, a deep frown etched on his face.

“Medicine phobia?” the Principal asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Mr. Matthew with contempt.

Mr. Matthew looked away. The Principal just shook his head.

“And now, you accuse the pupils of setting booby traps for you,” the Principal said. 

“Sir, it pains me to see that you believe the children's testimony instead of mine,” Mr. Matthew said, pretending to look hurt. To him, he saw the Principal as a man who was easily swayed by the googly eyes of children. To him, no one in the school was as strict and highly disciplined as he was, and that knowledge made him think so highly of himself. 

“Mr. Matthew, you had problems with the fifth graders, that was why I had you take Mr. Simeon’s class when he left. I could have chosen any other teacher to take that spot but I chose you, because I thought that would be a great new experience for you, but it seems I was wrong,” the Principal said.

Mr. Matthew shook his head. “No sir, I appreciate you for that, but these third grade children need serious discipline in order to make them maximize their full potentials, and I just am the man for that,” he said.

The Principal shook his head. “And you intend to do this by flogging them with a rod?! Shouting on them?! Taking drugs in front of them?!” the Principal said and closed the book as he looked at Mr. Matthew squarely in the face.

Mr. Matthew wanted to say something but a look at the Principal’s facial expression was enough to keep him shut.

“Molly, Caleb, Mia, Jamie, Edgar, Susan, Vanessa, Lily, Pete, Charlotte, Roy and Gabriela are all wonderful children, Mr. Matthew. If you'll only get to know them personally,” the Principal started. “With all these your actions, I am supposed to have let you off, but you are one of the brightest teachers here, and so I have no other choice but to keep you here”, the Principal said again. Mr. Matthew sighed. That was what had been his saving grace all the while.

The Principal dialed a number on the office telephone and called for Miss Stacy. In no time, she had reached the entrance to the Principal’s door. She met a little girl there eavesdropping and giggling.

“What are you doing there?” she asked and the girl turned to her quickly, having been startled.

“Uhm, ma’am, I’m just waiting for my teacher, we all miss him so much back in our class,” Lily said and gave an innocent look. Miss Stacy raised an eyebrow. She knew that this was one of the third graders who Mr. Matthew always complained about in the staff room.

“Hurry now to your class before you get a whacking,” she scolded and watched Lily rush off hurriedly to her class. She shook her head and knocked on the door.

“Please come in Miss Stacy,” the Principal called and Miss Stacy did as she was told. She greeted the Principal and Mr. Matthew.

“Please have a seat,” the Principal said and smiled. Mr. Matthew grimaced. “What injustice!” he thought.

The Principal then explained all that had happened between Mr. Matthew and the third graders that morning, and showed her the box which contained the many notebooks in which Mr. Matthew’s ‘sins’ were written.

“Miss Stacy, I called you here to tell you that you will currently be taking the third grade class, as Mr. Matthew here is going on a two week suspension from work, so that he can relax and clear his mind,” the Principal started. Mr. Matthew tried to plead with the Principal but he was ignored.

Miss Stacy was an assistant teacher in the kindergarten class, so it would be easy for her to fit into that position as she would not be really missed in the kindergarten class which had two other teachers posted there as well. She nodded. 

“So here’s what we’ll do, “the Principal began.”The mid-term break is coming up next week, I will organize a little camping event for the third grade class only, so that Mr. Matthew can get to bond well with them, and you shall follow in order to assist and make sure everything stays calm,” the Principal continued, giving Mr. Matthew an even gaze when he said the word ‘calm’. 

The Principal turned to face Mr. Matthew. "Mr. Matthew, you would be allowed to complete the day's duty, but do not come tomorrow. I only want to see you twice, first, on the day the camping trip is to commence, and second, when your suspension has been completed. Remember, the mid-term break is only a week, so that would be enough to have a firm standing relationship with the children," the Principal said and clasped his hands together. "You can both leave now," he said and made a hand gesture, directing them to the door. They both nodded and went out, Miss. Stacy preceding Mr. Matthew.