Chapter 9: New Beginnings

Registration: our high school's version of a three ring circus; fifteen hundred students milling around campus for two days trying to get their class schedule organized. Okay, it's not really that bad. They break the alphabet up into blocks, everyone has a time slot based on their last names, and the time slots are random. It's a two-day event running the full eight hour schedule each day, so they break it up; Juniors and Seniors go the first day, allowing seniors first shot at any required classes they may need to graduate. They draw the different groups out of a hat to assign time slots in an effort try and make it as random as possible. It does make students plan their day if nothing else. Trying to get all of your required classes in an order that allowed you to take the elective classes you wanted was a challenge. Many times you would find yourself in a line waiting to add a class, only to find that the class was full, or not offered at the time you had set aside. Or you may discover upon arriving at the table that there was a prerequisite you needed, either way it was back to the drawing board to try again. You may be forced to drop that shop class you worked so hard to get into because the class available for your English requirement was in that time slot. As this was my second year I was a little more prepared this time. I had my schedule mapped out in my head pretty well and even had room to make changes if necessary. My biggest advantage was that I didn't need to worry about my elective class. I didn't have one.

Bob had already spoken to me about it and set aside space not only for me in the advanced class, but also for Shannon in his beginning class. In addition to this he had slotted me to be his TA for Shannon's class. Sweet! It had taken a little work on his part, first he had to secure a free period for me, something normally only allowed to third and fourth year students, but then also make a suitable argument before the faculty board for why I, a lowly sophomore, should be allowed to take a TA slot normally reserved for upper-classmen. He pointed out that in the ten years he had been at the school he had only ever used a TA once. He also stated that he considered me the brightest and most promising student he had ever had, that he regretted that we did not have any more advanced classes available, and said that the responsibility of working with the first year students would prepare me to pursue college classes concurrently in my Junior and Senior years. Susan, Mel, and surprisingly, Coach Barnes, all endorsed me for the position. Faced with such a diverse field of supporters the administration had no choice but to approve the request. My greatest personal achievement in scheduling was securing a PE class the last period of the day. If there is one thing I hate it's getting all hot and sweaty first thing in the morning and having to rush through a shower. I always worried that I would smell bad the whole day. Besides, if I did decide to go out for a sport, I would already be dressed and ready for practice without having to worry about being late because a class was held over. Coaches were notoriously insensitive to the realities of life.

Since Allison was faced with a boring day alone she asked to tag along and get a little preview of what she was in for next year, so we headed over to pick up Mark and Shannon and all go out to an early breakfast. Shannon and Mark had lucked out and drawn the nine o'clock session. My session didn't start until noon. Rather than all of us trying to cram into my truck, Karen suggested we take her car. I love my truck but I had to admit we were a lot more comfortable in her Oldsmobile. With the seat belt laws we couldn't all have ridden in the truck legally anyway. Being in the first group neither of them had any problem getting the class assignments they were after. It was the later groups that would have the most problem. As I was walking around two different girls I didn't know waved at me. I waved back but really had no idea who they were. I was surprised to see the security staff, nicknamed 'The Goonies, ' in attendance, in fact they had a table set up with information and several were greeting the students and helping to direct them. I spotted Steve Dennis, the 'Head Goonie' at the table and went over to see him.

He spotted me coming over and stood at my approach, reaching out for my hand in greeting, "Matthews! Good to see you again. Welcome back to another exciting and fun packed year. What do you think?"

"Mr. Dennis," I answered, shaking his hand. "I think it's a good start. Get everybody used to seeing you and your people around, talking and interacting with them." I was looking around at the various security people as we spoke. "Yeah, I think you may be on to something here."

"Good, glad you approve. I've got another little surprise for you, here." He handed me a flyer off the table, along with a parental consent form. "Still willing to get arrested in front of the whole school?"

I didn't hesitate, "Absolutely, are they really going to let you do this?"

"It took a lot of convincing and the final concession was the consent form, but yes, they finally agreed. I had Phillip's parents come with me to a couple of board meetings and pitch the idea that if it could keep another child from dying needlessly it was worth trying."

Phillip was the student who had been shot by the police my freshman year. He was one of those lost kids that hung out on the fringes of the gangs, not really in, but wearing the clothes and trying to act bad. Then one day he had been in the wrong place at the wrong time: There was a robbery in the area and the suspect had been dressed very similarly. When the police approached him he had bolted, when they finally ran him down he had turned and reached behind him. After several minutes of running after him the police took no chances; fearing that he was reaching for a weapon the two officers had drawn and fired. He had been reaching for his wallet. Under the circumstances, pursuing what they believed to be an armed suspect, they had been cleared of wrong doing in the case but one of them, a fifteen year veteran who had never before had to fire his weapon on duty, had left the force as a result. The actual robber had been apprehended shortly afterwards but it was too late for Phillip. The subject had come up one afternoon when Steve and I were talking to Bob and this was one suggestion we had come up with. I was to play a part in one of two presentations on what to do when confronted by the authorities.

"Well, I'm glad you pulled it off. I hope it will help. I don't know how receptive a lot of the kids are going to be though. A lot of them may just tune the whole thing out."

"Oh, I think I have just the icebreaker to get everyone in the proper frame of mind and paying attention," he said with a smile. It was one of those smiles that screamed, 'He's up to something.'

"I'll be looking forward to it." Just then Shannon and Allison walked up. "Ladies, I'd like to introduce you to our head Goonie, Mr. Steve Dennis. He heads up our campus security. Mr. Dennis, this is Shannon Davis, she's a freshman this year, and this is my sister, Allison, who is just keeping us company today, she won't be joining us until next year."

Steve shook hands with both of them. "Ladies, nice to meet you both. One word of advice, Shannon, stay away from this character, he's nothing but trouble."

"Tell me about it," she said, shaking his hand. "He and my brother have been thorns in my side since forever. If it weren't for Allison, I don't know how I would have survived without killing one of them. Or both."

"Just for that, you're walking home," I said.

"Uh-uh, we brought mom's car, remember? Mark wouldn't dare. Not to mention what Allison would do if you even tried it. Remember, she knows where you sleep."

We all laughed. "Yeah, I guess it was sort of a hollow threat. You know I'd never leave you stranded."

"Jimmy, you would never leave any girl stranded and you know it," Allison said. "Your problem is everyone else knows it too, so you're kind of at a disadvantage."

"Being recognized as honorable is never a disadvantage," Steve said. "It is often mistaken for one and sometimes people will try to exploit it as a weakness, but it usually backfires. It's very hard to take advantage of an honorable man because everyone else is on his side. Your friend here is one of the better ones we've had in these halls for some time now, and he seems to be contagious. We've benefited greatly from his presence already and are looking forward to having him around again this year."

Allison wrapped herself around my arm, kissed my cheek and said, "My hero," in her best dramatic southern belle. That cracked everyone up and we were all laughing as Mark walked up.

"All set, guys, we need to hit it so I can get to work."

"Mark Davis?" Steve asked.

"Yeah," Mark answered tentatively.

Steve reached out his hand. "Steve Dennis. I've been wanting to meet you, son. I should have known you'd be hooked up with Matthews here. You know David Robertson?"

"Sure, I know David," Mark said, he shook Steve's hand but was clearly still uncomfortable with the whole thing.

"David is my godson, Mark, and I've wanted to thank you ever since you busted his ass last year. You made a big difference in that boy's life by standing up to him the way you did. You really changed the way he looks at things. It's an honor to finally meet you."

Mark was clearly embarrassed by the whole thing. "Well, uh, thanks I guess." Then he turned to us again. "We've really got to get going guys, I'm late already. Mr. Parry okayed me coming in late but I don't want to push it. He gets cranky if the warehouse looks dirty."

"You work for Scary Parry?" Steve asked, suddenly very animated. I glanced at the girls and saw the same surprised look on their faces. "Damn, I haven't seen him in years. We played ball together before he went off to college. He gives you any trouble you tell him Dennis the Menace said to behave himself or I'll come over there and kick his ass. How's he doing?"

"Okay I guess. He's a good man to work for. Tough, but fair."

"He been on you about trying out yet?"

Mark suddenly grew a grin. "Oh yeah, at least once a week."

"Yeah, that's Ray for you. If he was in charge you'd all have classes on football as part of your requirements for graduation. You tell him what I said and see what happens, then tell him to give me a call. I see a barbecue coming up in the near future."

"I will. Nice to meet you, Mr. Dennis," Mark said, shaking his hand once more. He was much more relaxed this time and it showed in the handshake as well as his body language.

The girls and I also shook Steve's hand and said our goodbyes, I told him I'd be back for my session around lunchtime and we headed out. Mark dropped us at his house and left straight away for work. The girls were planning to hang around the pool so I went back by myself to get my classes settled.

I had no trouble getting my classes and actually had one more surprise. Miss Swann was going to be my teacher in Sociology. As soon as I saw her I realized that I had missed another opportunity to introduce the girls to her. Stepping up to the table for my class card I tried my best to brace myself for what I knew was about to happen.

"Good afternoon, Miss Swann," I said, reaching out for her hand. She had been writing something down and hadn't seen me step up, but her head jerked up at the sound of my voice, and she stood up when she saw it was me.

"Jimmy! It's so nice to see you again. How was your summer?"

As she took my hand and shook it, she did one of those 'covering' things people do. You know, where as they take your hand to shake it, they cover them both with their other hand like they are afraid you're going to get away. If anything this just intensified the result as the expected shock ran up my arm and suddenly I felt like all my blood was rushing south. I took a slow breath and did my best to not let it show. "Hectic would be a good term. You know that old Chinese curse, 'May you live in interesting times?' Trust me, I know why they call it a curse."

"Oh come on," she laughed. "It couldn't have been that bad." Then she went on, "Are you going to be in my class this year?"

"Apparently so, that is if you still have room in second period."

"Of course I do, I use Bob's trick of holding out a couple of seats for special students. Welcome to second period Sociology, I'm looking forward to seeing if you have the same effect on my class that you had on Bob's last year. I hear he actually got you cleared as an aide for his beginning class. Congratulations!"

"Thanks, I'm a little nervous about how the upper crust is going to take having a sophomore over them though."

"Jimmy, that's their problem. You just do your job and let them adapt to you, not the other way around. They are going to be faced with this kind of thing all their lives in the business world, better they learn to deal with it now than have it cost them later. In fact, I wouldn't put it past Bob to sneak in a lesson on that. It was nice seeing you again. You better move on though, you're holding up the line and I'm sure you have other classes you need to secure. I'll see you Tuesday."

She shook my hand again. As we had been talking my blood flow seemed to have returned to normal but as soon as she touched my hand again it all started over again. The tingling ran up my arm and all the blood ran straight to ... yeah, there. I took my leave before any obvious problems presented themselves. Susan's touch was one of the great mysteries in my life. According to Bob, she had the same effect on him. I wondered if it was a universal thing or just us guys. Maybe I should ask Miss Jenkins if she felt it too?

I breezed through the rest of registration without a hitch. My Spanish teacher from last year greeted me in Spanish and told me she was glad I had decided to continue. I answered that given the growing percentage of Hispanic people in Southern California I thought it made sense to learn as much of the language as I could. "I'm sure if I lived in one of the Northeastern border states I'd be learning French."