Chapter 19

Thursday

The next day brought a light drizzle. We started extra early for school but pedalled slowly and talked as we rode the bikes. In a way I was not surprised to see Rita now with three girls who stayed close to her and not ten feet away. We talked where it was dry: inside the school. I went through an abbreviated monologue of the events yesterday but still gave some of my feelings. We got down to business as soon as possible and Rita took out a notebook right away and so did the other girls.

She read off what she had written the day before and again what she had done from memory at her own house. I changed some things to make it easier to understand. The other girls were given dictation about some of the finer points but I was not going to micromanage this or even come close. That was the benefit of getting some good employees or, in this case, volunteers.

We all went to the office. We talked to Linda about some of her ideas for identification. I thought of having a red pair of crotchless panties but decided not to mention that idea, especially with all the young girls present. I did say, "Talk among the girls and get their ideas. Make what you think best. It just has to be cool and easily visible. Helen will give you the money when you have decided."

Valerie was directed to meet with Izzy and discuss what she would need. She was still very unsure of how to deal with a hundred thousand people and what babies and toddlers were among them. I used pen and paper to make an advertisement to be posted in the school, asking for girls to baby-sit on a rotating basis and the pay they would get. Valerie got this and then she and the girls made six more copies by hand for posting on the doors. She was shocked to see only her name at the bottom as the one to contact.

Rita's girls put down the information in their notes, too. We all trooped to Laura and I got a hug, which was acceptable in this case as a hero. The idea about attendants trained in first aid intrigued her. We made more signs for paid volunteers. I expected to make enough money to pay the workers and more for the church roof. My costs though would be much larger and it would take years to completely write off. Since this was charitable it would be paid partially by my taxes.

My entourage continued to draughting and I found Mr Clark drinking coffee and reading his newspaper. The girls looked around because they had never been in this classroom before. Mr Clark congratulated me on the bank incident. Again I gave him the story and got into what I wanted him to do. He had now finished the project with Izzy and the prefab homes.

"Sir, would you take on a new task?"

"What is it?"

"Get the students school-wide to suggest games and activities that could make money for the fair. There should be a hundred thousand visitors to the fair and we need to find many ways of getting them to spend their money."

"A hundred thousand?" He said with considerable surprise. "That is almost three times the size of our city."

"All the more reason to plan big just in case. Helen Lowca here will be my bookkeeper and Rita will try to do her own organizing to make sure everything is considered. She will second guess you and make you think. If you wish, you can pay some of the better students to make drawings of the booths. You can give marks, too. After school the same students can build the structures with Izzy for pay. Your students will be very highly trained by the time they graduate."

"You can say that again."

Mr Corfu came into the classroom. I hardly ever saw him outside the confines of his office. He said, "Hello, girls. Hello, Alex. I see you found your way back into the news. I want to give my congratulations on keeping our city safe but you took a fantastic risk in doing that stunt."

"When the first man ran into me I really had no alternative."

"I don't know about that but I will take your word. Would you be a guest speaker at an impromptu assembly again?"

"I can do that but if it is has to be for one complete period, then I can get some dialogue started about the fair we are having, and the opportunity this presents to the students and our city."

"That sounds fair."

"Thank you, sir. Would you be interested in helping to plan this fair with us?"

"Well, I don't know," he said uncertainly.

"This is a community effort that may boost employment in the city, broaden our tax base and increase the number of residents and students. This is good for the city and the school board. Other teachers are helping with bookkeeping, design and construction and maybe I can get our cafeteria to do something inspiring with the food but that may not be humanly possible." He smiled but didn't say anything.

Mr Corfu left and during the announcements we were all told to go to the auditorium for another special announcement. This was similar to the last time but I did not have to put up with strangers. I explained again what had happened and hammed it up only a bit to stay in character, or at least that is what I told myself.

I went on to talk about the upcoming party I was hosting for the people who had helped. Others were encouraged to assist in the arrangements since everybody was going to be invited.

I then went on to talk about the fair and what I thought it could do for our community. I pointed out the benefits to the residence and especially how the people in this room could make some money. The rewards for entrepreneurial skills were stressed. If conditions worked out, then perhaps this could be a summer-long activity for many summers to come.

Many different stalls could offer a wide range of articles, like the farmers' market that happened once a week. The number of people coming, though, was neither understood nor believed. None of them knew of my two aces in the hole.

I mentioned the need for paid workers, the jobs to be done and the people to see. The older girls took this in stride but Helen, Rita and Mike were a little flustered to hear that they were the leaders of certain sections.

With a careful monitoring of the clock I was able to talk the whole period and just give Mr Corfu time enough the make his closing remarks. This time the clapping I thought was more for the coming prosperity than an appreciation for stopping some thieves.

After school the reporters descended. The ones from CBC were the same as before and so were two others including our own paper but the rest had changed. I greeted them by name and asked about their families before they could start talking about me. This threw them off stride and I kept it up as long as I could.

When I discussed the reason for going to the bank I said it had to do with getting some money from the Toronto Dominion bank and Mr Jackson in particular. I hinted at a secret project with him but did not elaborate. These plugs would not hurt me and may make the bank more favourable to some of my needs. The reason for the money was to fund the fair that was to be held in July. I gave as many plugs as I could for products and services. Mario's got a special point because his food was the current craze of the city.

I got one question that was foolish, when the man said, "What does it feel like to be a hero?" I ignored the man and he asked it again.

I asked him, "Speaking hypothetically now, how would you feel if I asked you if you were still on speaking terms with your homosexual lover?"

The conversation all around stopped dead. "How can you say that?"

"I didn't; I prefaced it by saying it was hypothetical. Now, answer the question so that it allows you to avoid ridicule by your friends and co-workers."

"I can't."

"Well, choose the questions you are asking me so I am not forced to say something that is not true. Now, do you have a proper question?"

"How does your family feel about this?"

"Aron is eight and thinks it is great. The rest either do or would think I was foolish for doing such a stunt."

Another man came close and asked, "What are you going to do next after finding gold, saving a child, trying to reform the school system and single-handedly stopping a bank robbery?"

"Your question is as foolish as the last gentleman's, especially after you were warned. Next time your paper sends a reporter up, they better send someone with more insight and possibly intelligence. I am leaving now and perhaps you can interview the robbers next."

The man that asked the last question said, "We can't. Two of them are still in the hospital; one is undergoing an operation and the other one is close to needing it, too. The third man won't talk about it."

I left through the ring of spectators and went back to the school. I used the phone in the office and called the bank and Mr Jackson. I said, "I just had a talk with the reporters and I slipped in that you and I are working on a secret project for the fair. Keep up the pretence, if you would."

"I don't know any secret," he almost cried.

"Ah, then you can keep it very well, can't you?"

"I guess I can in that case. Mr Jenkins has been trying to get you last night and then again this morning but nobody is answering your phone."

"Do you know what he wanted?"

"I am too far down the totem pole to be given that kind of information."

"That may change. By the way, I talked quite a bit about your bank and you, so be suitably humble to the depositors."

"What did you do?"

"I said that I was coming over there to see you when the robbery took place, to discuss a secret project for the fair."

"Oh."

All through the day people congratulated me and even the older students stood taller when I walked by. The girls gave me a second or third look too and this made me stand up too.

After school, I talked to Izzy, who was presently putting one half of the kitchen on his truck for completion tomorrow morning.

He slapped me on the back and congratulated me. "I wish I could have seen that. It must have been interesting."

"Scary too, I think but at the time I just knew that it had to be done." To change the subject I asked, "When can Morris start on the bus?"

"We are done after tomorrow morning. You were going to keep us employed, remember?"

"I sure did and now you will have lots of work. You and your men are invited to the party I promised when we started this project. We also have to prepare for the fair that is coming this summer."

"I heard about that. It is all over town but the only name mentioned is yours."

"There are a lot more people involved. I want everybody in the town to help, if I can. We need you to build booths. One will have our bus. Morris will have his name on the interior, along with the other tradesmen. We may even build more of these buildings here to show the world how well they are constructed. This time it will be built lighter and on two axles so it can be moved."

"That sounds interesting. I mean the show. You already told me about the wheels. Which unit or units are you going to put on display?"

"The kitchen is the most interesting but costs the most money. I can't see me selling the unit during the show."

"Alex, m'boy, you have lots of construction to make in the next few years. We can use it. Hell, you can hire my wife and she can cook here for all of us."

"Hmmm, a package deal I suppose. You want me to hire your dog, too?"

"Now that's a good idea! We can have site security. 'Ripper' will not even have to be fed much if we get enough unwelcome visitors."

Helen and I waved to the people who saw us off and we hurried to the intersection to meet Aron. He was not there and the marker rock was where it was supposed to be, so we peddled to his school. Aron was the centre of attention with many of his admirers being girls. Helen and I just stopped at the edge of the property and watched from a distance.

Helen and I talked for a while and just looked at the group interaction. Aron finally got on his new bike and drove off. He was almost on us before he noticed. We just got on our own bikes and followed him.

I said while we rode, "Well, Aron, it looks like there were a lot of girls over there talking to you. Are there any there whom you like?"

"A few, I guess but they are too young. I think I have to get a few girls like those you have. My teacher wanted to know why I wanted to learn 'sommets' but I didn't tell her."

"You may have your sights too high. Maybe you can find a smart girl in grade three or four."

"I looked but they are not pretty like your girlfriends."

"Pretty is inside, too. Also, people change, as they grow older. Most but not all, get their best looks in their twenties or even thirties."

Helen started to make supper after we got home and Aron answered any phone calls. I was in the barn doing chores and Aron could truthfully say that I was not in the house. I expected some important calls, so Aron could safely filter them for me. The horse was put out in the corral while I cleaned her stall. I shovelled the manure into a wheelbarrow, took the load out and dumped it on the pile. A second load was shovelled and I put down new straw.

Aron came in and said, "There is a guy from the bank who wants to talk to you."

"Tell him that I will be able to talk in a moment, Aron."

The last load was dumped and I put the wheelbarrow away. Before leaving the barn I took off my boots and put the shoes back on.

"Hello, Alex Kramer here."

"Hello, Alex, this is Martin Siddeley. I spoke with you for a few moments yesterday afternoon."

"I do remember you and our conversation Mr Siddeley. How are you doing?"

"Quite fine Alex. Please call me Martin. I heard you were out working in the barn cleaning a stall."

"Yes I was. I was getting in practice for some board meetings."

The laughter started and then I heard the phone hit the floor at the other end. In a moment the laughter slowed a bit and Martin managed to say, "I am sorry, Alex. It is just that I can see your analogy so well."

"I might point out that a horse only digests a small portion of the food it is given, not unlike some irate investors or even some management types that were promoted over their ability."

The laughing gradually quieted and he said, "That is very true. Those conservative Canadian banks can get very exciting at times. One of those times was today."