Chapter 7

Monday Morning

It was my birthday, well other than the normal hugs and kisses from mom and dad; we had already celebrated my birthday on Saturday. But even so, I still had to return to school. I was surprised that my parents let me drive to school. But that wasn’t the only surprise: the mere fact that I was returning to school so soon after starting the lawsuit. Well, dad explained time critical lawsuits take priority. That and the run-in with the police didn’t hurt at all for speeding things up. Besides this deal was struck outside of a courtroom.

Upon entering the school, I was immediately sent to the new principal’s office. Her name was Dr. Clare Drumskin. She was about 60, silver-haired and she didn’t know how to smile. Talk about how to make a bad first impression. This woman could give lessons. Oh, maybe that’s why she went into teaching in the first place.

“Well young man,” she started, “I will not tolerate any misbehavior from you. You are to consider yourself on probation for the remainder of the school year.”

“Pardon?” I asked.

“Don’t give me that innocent routine. I am not happy that the school board has ordered an expelled student reinstated. I checked the report of your PE teacher and I do not doubt that you are a disruptive influence in this school.”

“Maybe we should be having this conversation with my lawyer present.”

“That kind of threat will not work with me, young man.”

“I wasn’t making a threat ma’am, it’s just that my legal counsel said that the terms of my return to school were without restriction.”

“Are you calling me a liar here?”

“No ma’am, I am wondering if I shouldn’t be calling him for clarification.”

“That does it, you are suspended for three days. If you want to go for an expulsion again, keep it up.”

I got up and left her office. I went to the pay phone to call my father when she came up and slammed the hook down. “Get out of here or I will call the police and have you arrested.”

One of the secretaries spoke up, “Dr, Drumskin, that would be a very bad idea.”

“Shut your mouth, if I want your opinion, I will ask for it.” Sheesh, I thought this woman does not know how to make good impressions on people.

I shrugged my shoulders at the secretary and started to walk away. I heard the doctor say to the secretary, “Draw up the expulsion papers, that boy is not going to be allowed back in my school.”

Talk about unreasonable people. As I was exiting the school, I ran into one of my lawyers. Well, the one that was handling the school system problem. Talk about convenience. His face turned bright red when I explained what happened. Apparently, the principal saw us talking outside and had called the school officer to have us removed from the premises. He came out of the school and over to us. I recognized Officer Clayton and remembered that he didn’t know who I was. I guess that’s a good thing. Come to think about it, that has to be a good thing. Well then again maybe it wasn’t.

“I am afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave the school property immediately.” The only thing lacking in his voice was any kind of hint he was sorry at all. Actually, in light of everything that’s happened I’m surprised he came near me. Then I realized that maybe him not knowing who I was might be a problem after all.

My lawyer, his name was James (what a name for a lawyer), introduced himself.

“Officer Clayton, (He read the name tag) I am the attorney for this young man. I have official business with the school here today. Are you telling me that you are going to block an officer of the court from carrying out his duty?”

Clayton, “You may be what you say you are, but I have my orders to remove the two of you from the premises. So, are you going to go quietly or what?”

“I see, we will go quietly, but I must also inform you that this action you have taken will probably cost you your job.” It must be a lawyer thing; they have this uncanny need to be confrontational. I could have told him it would be a mistake to say that. I mean you could just read it in Clayton’s eyes. He looked like a man that had to be right even when he was wrong.

Officer Clayton moved fast. He wasn’t going to put up with someone else being right and him not. He had James handcuffed and was leading him out into the parking lot. “I am placing you under arrest for trespassing, failure to obey an officer, and whatever else I can think up.” That had to be the dumbest thing I ever heard a cop say to a lawyer.