A Most Unusual Passage
Copyright© 2026 by J&J
Chapter 3
My knees were aching something fierce. I managed to knock the sleep out of my eyes, work my way out of bed and into the bathroom. After I’d finished my morning ritual and downed a couple of aspirins to ease the pain in my legs, I found Martha in the kitchen and our breakfast on the table. Even after forty-eight years of being married, it still amazes me that she finds a way to get up before me and fix breakfast before I’m out of bed.
Martha and I don’t usually have much to say to one another over breakfast. I’m normally not awake enough for a decent conversation, and she’s smart enough to know it. Today was no different. Besides, as long as we’d been married, it wasn’t necessary.
I gave Martha a quick kiss, grabbed my hat, made my way to the car, and headed for town. I usually didn’t leave quite this early, but the meeting with Everett dictated my early departure.
I found myself the only customer when I entered the restaurant.
“Morning, Hazel,” I said, to the small lady behind the counter.
She looked up from the paper she was reading, and replied, “Good morning, Marcus. Now what on earth you doing here this time of day? Knowing Martha, you’ve already had breakfast.”
I snorted out a chuckle, and then answered, “Yup, I’ve already eaten. I’m supposed to meet Everett here this morning.”
She nodded her head in answer, and I ordered a cup of coffee. Hazel drew a fresh cup for me, and then I made my way to the rear booth and hung my hat on the peg on the wall. I figured Everett would be along shortly, and was not disappointed. He walked through the door a few minutes after I’d sat down.
“Good morning, Marcus,” he said, as he took a seat opposite me.
I nodded my head, and then said, “Looks that way. Might be a might warm this afternoon though.”
“Yeah,” Everett replied, “I caught the weather report out of Denver this morning on the way in. It’s supposed to get into the low eighties today.”
Hazel showed up to take our orders just as he finished talking. I asked for another cup of coffee, and Everett ordered bacon and eggs with a glass of orange juice. She wrote down our order and set off for our drinks.
Hazel returned with our drinks and sat them on the table and then left us to our business. I figured it was time to find out what Everett wanted. Knowing him, he’d beat around the bush for the next half hour if I didn’t start.
“OK, Everett,” I said, after taking a sip from my cup, “just what’s this all about?”
He looked at me and started in, “Well Marcus, the county school board has been talking. We’ve come to the decision that we need to change a few things in the school system.”
“Yeah,” I answered, “so how does that affect me.”
Now I’ve known Everett most of his life. Hell, I’d been his teacher in several courses while he was in high school. Even back then he couldn’t come right to the point, but had to hem and haw around a subject. He hadn’t changed much with the years. He still couldn’t come straight out with what he wanted to say.
He started, “It’s kind of hard for me to say this, and I don’t really know how to start.”
He paused for a moment, and then continued, “I really don’t want to do this, but I was kind of elected...”
I broke in, “Everett, quit beating around the bush, and just say what you mean!”
He dropped his head for a second, then looked at me and said, “The school board thinks you should retire.”
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