"Ms. Mackillop, were you aware you were teaching a terminally ill child?"
"Was I-? What? What are you talking about?"
"Mr. Anderson here took it upon himself to try and arrange a field trip for your class this weekend. The secretary politely informed him that applications for field trips must be submitted at least two weeks in advance. Then Mr. Anderson went on to explain that he was dying of highly terminal cancer and couldn't possibly wait that long. Isn't that right Mr. Anderson?"
"Mrmph." Billy mumbled noncommittally.
"A field trip?" Mary asked. Even for Billy this was a really odd prank. The worst before was when he stole the eyes from some frogs in the dissection lab, and she couldn't even guess what that was about.
"Mr. Anderson really seems to believe that the sophomore biology class needs to go to the Fairchild Memorial Aquarium this weekend. To convince the secretary of this fact he did a really impressive fainting act in her office. Scared her quite badly actually. Isn't that right Billy?"
"Hmthph." The words didn't even sound human now, let alone English.
"The aquarium?" Mary asked, slightly breathily.
Could it be a coincidence? Alex disappeared for a week and then suddenly appeared, claiming to have miraculously gotten a job at the aquarium. And now, immediately after she learned this fact, her most troublesome student was so desperate to go there that he was claiming terminal cancer.
"Yes." The principal's eyes turned suspicious, "Why? Does the aquarium have some significance?"
"No, I mean, yes." Mary wasn't used to lying, so she tried to be as truthful as possible, "I mean. I mentioned to the students that there was a really interesting exhibit this weekend. My boyfriend just got a job there and I was going to go. I wanted to ask if we could take the class there, but since it is such short notice, I knew it would be difficult. I guess Billy just took matters into his own hands."
Billy looked at her like she had turned into a chicken. She glared at him, and he resumed his downcast appearance before the principal could notice.
"Ms. Mackillop. Knowing our policy, why would you encourage your students to think you could make such an arrangement."
"Well Mrs. Burber, Fran. Do you mind if I call you Fran?"
"I don't think that kind of friendly display is appropriate in front of a student-"
"Was I-? What? What are you talking about?"
"Mr. Anderson here took it upon himself to try and arrange a field trip for your class this weekend. The secretary politely informed him that applications for field trips must be submitted at least two weeks in advance. Then Mr. Anderson went on to explain that he was dying of highly terminal cancer and couldn't possibly wait that long. Isn't that right Mr. Anderson?"
"Mrmph." Billy mumbled noncommittally.
"A field trip?" Mary asked. Even for Billy this was a really odd prank. The worst before was when he stole the eyes from some frogs in the dissection lab, and she couldn't even guess what that was about.
"Mr. Anderson really seems to believe that the sophomore biology class needs to go to the Fairchild Memorial Aquarium this weekend. To convince the secretary of this fact he did a really impressive fainting act in her office. Scared her quite badly actually. Isn't that right Billy?"
"Hmthph." The words didn't even sound human now, let alone English.
"The aquarium?" Mary asked, slightly breathily.
Could it be a coincidence? Alex disappeared for a week and then suddenly appeared, claiming to have miraculously gotten a job at the aquarium. And now, immediately after she learned this fact, her most troublesome student was so desperate to go there that he was claiming terminal cancer.
"Yes." The principal's eyes turned suspicious, "Why? Does the aquarium have some significance?"
"No, I mean, yes." Mary wasn't used to lying, so she tried to be as truthful as possible, "I mean. I mentioned to the students that there was a really interesting exhibit this weekend. My boyfriend just got a job there and I was going to go. I wanted to ask if we could take the class there, but since it is such short notice, I knew it would be difficult. I guess Billy just took matters into his own hands."
Billy looked at her like she had turned into a chicken. She glared at him, and he resumed his downcast appearance before the principal could notice.
"Ms. Mackillop. Knowing our policy, why would you encourage your students to think you could make such an arrangement."
"Well Mrs. Burber, Fran. Do you mind if I call you Fran?"
"I don't think that kind of friendly display is appropriate in front of a student-"
