"All right, boys."
Jim was startled. Father Carrick had been close behind him. His nickname was "soft shoes" and he seemed to especially like to catch people off guard.
"You know why you're all here. You're all being expelled. You failed courses. Some of you failed our courses."
The boys started at their shoes and shifted their stance. But Jim looked at the priest in disbelief.
"Father, I didn't fail two courses."
"You wouldn't be here if you didn't fail at least two, Mr. Shea. You failed French and physics."
"I did not fail French."
"Are there any other Shea's in your French class?"
"No."
"Then you're the guy."
"I passed French."
"Come into my office, Shea. You boys wait out here."
Father Carrick closed the door, grabbed Jim by the arm, and shoved him across the room toward the opposite a wall. Shea lost his footing and fell head first onto a radiator.
"You just called Father O'Connor a liar." Father Carrick spoke through clenched teeth. "Priests don't lie. They are instruments of the Lord. You failed French. If you didn't fail French, you wouldn't be here. Get it?"
"Yes, father."
Jim was startled. Father Carrick had been close behind him. His nickname was "soft shoes" and he seemed to especially like to catch people off guard.
"You know why you're all here. You're all being expelled. You failed courses. Some of you failed our courses."
The boys started at their shoes and shifted their stance. But Jim looked at the priest in disbelief.
"Father, I didn't fail two courses."
"You wouldn't be here if you didn't fail at least two, Mr. Shea. You failed French and physics."
"I did not fail French."
"Are there any other Shea's in your French class?"
"No."
"Then you're the guy."
"I passed French."
"Come into my office, Shea. You boys wait out here."
Father Carrick closed the door, grabbed Jim by the arm, and shoved him across the room toward the opposite a wall. Shea lost his footing and fell head first onto a radiator.
"You just called Father O'Connor a liar." Father Carrick spoke through clenched teeth. "Priests don't lie. They are instruments of the Lord. You failed French. If you didn't fail French, you wouldn't be here. Get it?"
"Yes, father."
