Chapter 2: His First Day

The sun was shining and the birds were singing, and he was eager to start this his first job since leaving university. He parked his car in the staff car parking area, and made his way to the front entrance, becoming very conscious of the stares of three attractive young ladies watching him from the office window.

In hindsight, he was fairly sure that it had been because he was a man, was the main reason that he had been rejected for the job initially, and that he had only been invited for interview to make up the minimum numbers in line with the college constitution for job interviews. He knew that the students were mainly girls, and young women, and that they attended on full time and part time courses at the college. Obviously these days' computer skills were an integral part of secretarial work, and he was under no illusion that his work would be mainly with the female sex. When he had been offered the job eventually, the Principal had been warned that he would be the subject of a lot of attention from students, and she had gently warned him about fraternization and the possible consequences to him if he was foolish enough to get himself entangled with a student.

He was taken to the Head of Departments room as soon as he arrived, and Miss Rita Cox the Head of Department stood up and shook hands with him. She was a lovely looking lady in her mid thirties and he thought quite fanciable. She apologised profusely for being so busy, and asked to be excused. She said she would pass him over to his Senior Lecturer who would as she put it "Put him in the picture." But she assured him she would be available for the induction process the next morning. She telephoned for the section leader, a Mrs. Riddick a very sour looking lady, who shortly made her appearance. Tony recognised her from the interview process. He had privately named her 'sourpuss.'

That morning she made it obvious from the very beginning that she did not approve of him, a point she made repeatedly during their time in the lift and the short walk down the corridor to the staff room. Tony did not respond, but by the time they got to the staff room he was fuming. He stopped outside the staff room door and asked her.

"Where is the Principals office please?"

"What do you want the Principal for? She asked sounding a bit shocked...

"To make an official complaint about your sexist behaviour" Tony replied Not waiting for her response, he turned and walked away back towards the lift; she ran after him and pulled him back.

"I am sorry Tony" She said contritely.

"I was in the wrong, I did not want a man for this job, but I should not take it out on you."

In the end after a lot of pleading on her part, Tony allowed her to take him back to the staff room. She kept apologizing on the way, and Tony was very relieved to see the back of her. He found he was sharing his room with a Miss Dora Dixon a sexy looking luscious blonde of about 26 who wore plenty of make up, and a petite rather shy lady of Asian origin of about the same age, who said. "Call me Kris" when they were introduced. As the Senior lecturer left, Dora said "Wow you certainly showed her. Take no notice of Randy Riddick; she is a man hater since her husband left her - the poor sod." Tony was not sure whether she was sorry for the husband or Randy as she was commonly known.

It did not take long that morning for him to get settled in, and Dora and Kris started telling him about the college politics over numerous cups of coffee, Dora did say however. "They must be barmy to appoint a young stud like you; these girls will have you for breakfast, most of them are raging hormones on legs, and if they see a pair of mans trousers on a washing line they get excited."

He had to smile at her statement but as time went on he found that the lady staff members were almost as bad as the students. The students had nothing to lose if they seduced him. But he could be dismissed and possible prosecuted and also be banned from teaching for life. Especially so, if the girl was under the age of 16, as it would be classed as statutory rape. If two members of staff had an affair, that was certainly frowned on, but tolerated, or often ignored as a rule. But as their were only four other male lecturers on the staff, all of who were happily married and rather elderly the situation rarely arose.

Mrs. Gladys Riddick the Senior Lecturer was a very bitter woman, she was commonly known as "Randy" for no other reason than it sounded right in relation to her name. She was a divorcee, her husband having decamped one dark night with his secretary to parts unknown; having decided that being married to a constant moaner was more than he could stand.

She was a woman in her 40's and still in good physical condition; she kept herself smart, and well groomed. But as one of her colleagues said in passing to a friend "Given a personality transplant and a smile, instead of a permanent frown, and a sense of humour instead of a permanent burning sense of injustice would make her a passably pleasant and good looking woman."

Randy had been at the college for fifteen years. Experience had taught her that having young male tutors frequently led to problems in this nearly all female environment, and to that extent she was probably right. She felt that it was her duty to protect the girls from the attentions of these Romeos. No amount of persuasion by her younger female colleagues could convince her that the men were the ones more likely to be entrapped by these young females and it was they who really stood in mortal danger.

In fact it was a cause for constant regret by some of her younger female colleagues that there were not more males on the teaching staff. It would at least relieve the boredom and provide a bit of interest in the staff room.

Her vilification of Tony Nash started as soon as she heard that he had been appointed, some days before he reported to the college, and to be fair, some of the tutors delighted in teasing her to get her on her 'high horse.' That morning she had been well primed when Tony reported, and could not contain her anger at his appointment. The fact that she had found herself up against a man who was not prepared to take her sarcasm and obvious dislike had made her even angrier. The fact that she had been forced to apologise was anathema to her. She returned to her staff room swearing revenge, and vowing that she would get him in the end.

Meanwhile that day the annual enrolment process started, with most of the staff engaged in interviewing potential students, compiling records and ensuring that equipment and resources were all in place after the summer shutdown. The enrolment period would last for three days and start at 9.00 am and finish at 9, 00 pm every day. Staff not involved would be busy compiling lists of recommended books and other administrative duties.