Chapter 01

Registration

“He can’t be exempted from all sport and physical education,” the senior clerk exclaims, “It’s a requirement of the school curriculum.”

Mrs Smith sighs and says, “My son, Hal, is exempted from all sport and physical activities beyond a slow walk, due to a medical condition. I’ve a medical certificate here signed by his doctor, his specialist, and the doctor the Department of Education sent him to last year.” She hands over the certificate which is one of several she has and adds, “Also, here’s a signed letter to authorize Hal to leave the grounds for lunch when he wants to and to come home early if he has no more classes that day.” She hands over another document. “Now, can we please look at both his schedule and the list of other classes on at the same time as Physical Education is for his class?” Seeking time to gather herself and to check things the clerk hands over the copy of the Hal’s class schedule with her copy of the master class schedule. While the mother and son look over the papers the clerk goes to a desk at the back of the room to make a phone call to get clarification on the situation from the regional office.

It’s the Wednesday of the week before the first day of school for the year and a lot of parents are at the school to finalize the registration of their children as new students, especially those who’ve just moved into the area. Which is the case with the Smith family. Mr Smith took up a post as a senior administrator with the city council the Monday of the week before. Today Mrs Smith is registering her son at Central High School. At sixteen years of age Hal is her eldest child and in year ten this year while his eleven year old sister, Joanna, is in year six at the primary school just down the road, and she’ll be registered at that school when Mrs Smith is finished registering Hal here.

“Well, Hal, your PE classes are just before lunch on Monday and last period on Wednesday. Thursday afternoon is sports day, as expected. Let’s look at what’s available in those two PE periods.” Mrs Smith and Hal look over the master schedule for what classes he can do. They have to be subjects that are stand alone ones which don’t require passing lead up classes last year. As expected, most of them are academic subjects that are ruled out: subjects like Maths and English, etc. “Well, you can come home early on Wednesday, but it looks like the library on Mondays.”

Hal frowns and sighs, then he smiles when he taps the listing of a class on the schedule. “Given a choice of that or the library,” he says, “I’ll take that, even if it is a year nine class.”

His mother looks at the class he’s pointing to, and smiles. “Yes, that would be useful to you in later life too! Let’s hope they let you do it.”

The senior clerk comes back to the counter. It’s clear she’s not happy with the results of her calls. “Missus Smith, the regional office confirms he can avoid the physical aspects of the curriculum, they have a file on the matter. But he does have to stay in school for the periods unless he’s finished for the day and going home.”

Hal looks up as he says, “Yes, Ma’am, we know that because it was made very clear to us at my last school. I’ve got PE just before lunch on Mondays and on last period Wednesdays. So, on Wednesday and Thursday I can head home as soon as I finish the class before PE and sport.” The clerk gives a weak smile while she nods her agreement as she really hates it when someone has a valid reason to do something out of the usual pattern. “We’ve checked the master schedule, and I’d like to do this class here,” he says while pointing to the class he was just showing his mother. “It has no prerequisites and it shows as having room for a couple of more students. I would think there should be no trouble with me doing that year nine elective!” The clerk looks at the class, then she nods agreement while she pulls over some papers to note the class change for Henry John Smith, called ’Hal’ Smith.

First Week

The school bus pulls up outside Central High School at 8:30 a.m. on the Tuesday morning in February which is the first day of school for the New Year, and the students get off the bus. The last off is a boy of average height and build for his age: 170 centimetres tall while weighing 65 kilograms with collar length light brown hair and grey eyes. With a wry smile Hal Smith makes his slow way up the path to the school. Armed with the map of the school plus his class schedule he heads to his first class while most of the students stop to chat with their friends before the classes start. On his way to his first class Hal checks the location of his next two classes as he has to pass very close to the rooms on his way to his first period class. At his regular slow walk he gets to the classroom with several minutes to spare. He walks in and sits at a desk.

A few minutes later other students start to wander in, and most stand around near the front of the room as only a few students sit down, to the smiles of the standing students. Hal thinks, They must know something we don’t know. I wonder if only the students new to the school have sat down!

Just before the bell goes a tall and very stern looking man walks in and goes to the teacher’s desk. He has a small carry basket with some things in it. After putting the basket down he takes a clipboard out of it as he looks up at the students and says, “OK, you new students sitting down need to get up to stand at the front until told to sit down.” They all stand and join the rest of the students. “The first student to be named will sit at the desk in the front row on the left as you face the front of the room. The next student will take the seat beside the first student. When your names are called you take the next vacant seat, going across the row and then starting the next row. Please note where your seat is since you’ll be sitting in those seats for all of your classes, except for some of the electives. That’s the way things are done here and you will do it that way, or you’ll explain why to the principal.” The teacher starts to read names from the list. While he does that the students start sitting down while Hal looks at the desk arrangement in the class room. He assumes most of the rooms must be set up the same: six desks to a row with five rows to seat thirty students. Beside the window is a single desk, then a walk space followed by two desks side by side, another walkway, two more desks, a walkway, and finally another single desk against the hall wall.

It doesn’t take long to work through the list. The nineteenth name read out is Else Smit and a nice looking blond walks to the seat beside the window. This is followed by Freda Smit and Else’s duplicate takes the seat across the aisle from her. Hal Smith is next so he sits beside Freda. The class has twenty-five students and all are soon seated.

With that done the man takes a moment to study the class, then he takes a pen out of his basket when he puts the clipboard back. He turns to the whiteboard to write, ’Mr Jackson - Year 10 Maths’ on the board. He turns to the class, “Many of you know me from previous years, I’m Mister Jackson. I teach Mathematics. You are here to learn Mathematics and you will pay attention and learn Mathematics.” The class starts in earnest while they all take out their work books and text books to start in on the class work.

This school uses five one hour periods per day, starting at nine with a one hour lunch at noon and ending at three in the afternoon. The bell for the end of the period goes at ten o’clock so everyone packs up and leaves. Hal is last out of the room while moving at his usual slow walk. This room is about as far back amongst the classrooms as you can go in this school as only the gymnasium and the sports fields are behind it. Hal’s next class is back the way he came in and is near the front of the school, just down from the administration office. That’s about as far apart as two classrooms can get in this school, so he’s a long time getting there.

Hal arrives at his history class just as the teacher is writing her name on the whiteboard. She gives him a glare while she watches him make his slow way to his seat. She says, “Get a move on, young man.”

Hal glances over his shoulder, “Sorry, Ma’am,” he says, “but I’m going as fast as my doctors say I’m allowed to go. It’s a long walk from the top floor of F Block.” The teacher and students watch while he walks to his seat with slow, deliberate care then he sits down. The teacher, Mrs James, is watching so close she can see it’s more than a normal limp with his left leg, and that his left leg and foot don’t move like normal - especially the foot. She nods an acknowledgement of his statement to him while she wonders about what his mobility problem is.

After an hour of history Hal is off to B Block which is just back a bit from where he is in A Block. Even with the block so close he’s the last to arrive in the classroom. Again, all watch while he makes his slow way to his seat. After an hour of English the bell goes and it’s time to go to C Block as the ground floor of it is the school cafeteria.

Hal makes his way to the drinks cabinet to select two five hundred millilitre fruit juice drinks, both are orange and mango juice. He pays for them and he goes to the first empty table he can find. Luckily for him the students tend to fill the tables near the back of the room first, to get as far away from the adults on duty as they can. He smiles when he sits down, then he opens his bag to get his lunch out.

A few people, students and teachers, watch when he takes out a box with two sandwiches, a measuring cup, an apple, a bottle, and a spoon. He takes care while he pours three hundred and fifty millilitres of juice into the measuring cup and adds two spoonful’s of powder from the bottle. While he stirs the drink with his left hand he uses the right hand to open the sandwich box and take out half of a salad sandwich. He starts to eat the sandwich, and he soon finishes the first half. When he picks the cup of mixed juice and powder up to drink a teacher stops in front of the table to ask, “What’s that powder you just put in your drink?”

Hal looks up, “A vitamin and nutrient supplement, Sir,” he replies while he pulls papers out of his bag. “I used to take a drug as a single tablet, but the department rules about administration of drugs by staff made it hard to ensure I had the drug at the right time each day. So my specialist had me switch to a much tighter diet with a larger dose of a natural vitamin supplement which is outside of the departmental drugs rules.” He hands the papers over while also pushing the bottle toward the teacher so he can read the label. “I’m to have one and a half sandwiches for lunch plus two juice drinks of three hundred and fifty millilitres with two spoonful’s of nutrients in each one. If you know anyone who wants half a sandwich and the rest of the juice please call them over to finish this off for me, as I don’t like throwing it away.”

The teacher is quick to scan the papers which give a very detailed diet to stick to, and he also reads the label on the bottle. He notes down the name and details as well as taking a sample to have it tested. Hal smiles when the teacher takes the sample, thus showing he has no concerns and he has had this happen before. The teacher says, “I’m Mister Barber, the senior science teacher. I’ll check this out and I’ll get back to you if there’s a problem.” He looks up and he waves a young girl over, “Miss Denning here usually can’t afford a lunch, so if you don’t want the rest I think she’ll finish it for you.”

The girl is quick to arrive, so Mr Barber explains about the tight diet and the excess half salad sandwich and juice. She smiles at Hal and says, “If you really don’t want it I’ll be very glad to have the food.” Hal nods to her, so she reaches for the half sandwich left in the box while he slides the part bottle of remaining juice across the table.

“I’m on a very strict diet for medical reasons and my mother hasn’t worked out how to make half a sandwich so I usually have to throw the remains away. I hate to see it wasted, so please enjoy it.” He stops for a moment of thought, and adds, “Why don’t you talk to the cooking teachers about getting the student cooked food that they don’t wish to eat themselves. It may not be the best made food, but it’s still food.”

“Please call me Jenner. My mother is an alcoholic and nearly all of the money goes on booze, so my sister and I are glad for any extra food we can get. We do get a little bit of food at home because someone set up for some of the money from the government to be provided as food from the local IGA supermarket, but it’s not nearly enough now due to price rises. I can usually scrounge a bit here, so I make sure my sister has a lunch and I worry about what I can find for myself.”

Hal looks at her thin frame, and he wonders how much she does get to eat. “Well, as I said, talk to the cooking teachers. They usually have food to throw out they’ll happily let you take home.” She smiles as she gives a slow nod in reply. Both make a note to speak with the cooking teachers about unwanted food from the classes.

The rest of the day goes in a very similar way to the morning, and Hal takes the bus home. It’s not all that far, only several streets away, but way too far for Hal to walk in any reasonable time frame. The rest of the week goes along similar lines and it passes very well.

First Monday

Hal starts his day at the administration office. On Friday he got a note to see them first thing to return a letter signed by his parents. They have to give special permission for him to do the year nine class, and the letter is about that. The department is concerned about a year ten student later complaining about being in a year nine class, so they want it in writing they all agree and it’s his decision. When he hands over the letter at the office he’s given a note to give to the cooking class teacher.

The first two periods go without any trouble. By now all of Hal’s teachers are aware he sometimes arrives a little late because he’s slow to move between classrooms. The shift from the second period class to the third period classroom isn’t that far, but he’s still the last to arrive there.

Everyone else has taken places at the two person work benches and the teacher is calling the class roll when Hal walks in. The students are murmuring when he arrives. But all of the noise stops and their eyes turn to him when he makes his slow way to the front desk to hand the note to the teacher. She reads it, and her eyebrows go up. She puts her class roll on the bench to write his name on the end of it before waving for him to find a vacant work spot. There’s twelve benches in four rows of three across. All but the back two corner ones are full; the one on his right has a girl who gives him a dirty look when he starts walking toward the class, so he moves to the vacant spot on the bench nearest the back window. The blond girl there looks a little familiar to him, but he can’t quite place her.

The teacher goes back to calling the roll. He’s almost at the target bench when the teacher calls out ’Greta Smit’ and the girl there says, “Here, Ma’am.” The roll is soon finished with his name being called last and he acknowledges his presence with, “Here, Miss.”

The teacher says, “My name is Missus Wells, the correct etiquette for addressing me is to use my full name or Ma’am, not Miss, and definitely not miz. I noticed you all have carry bags of gear, so I take it you have the required self-supply items for this class for the next few weeks. Speak up if you don’t, or if you have any questions.”

Hal puts up his hand, along with two other students. When pointed at he says, “Missus Wells, I’ve got a medical condition that has some odd dietary needs. As such, there are things in the class plan we have which I can’t consume. I’ve no intention of trying to have the plan changed, but I do seek permission for someone else to do my tasting for me when we have something I’m not allowed to have, and I’ve extra containers so I can take my creations away for others to consume away from the classroom.”

Mrs Wells looks at him for a moment, then asks, “Greta, do you mind helping Hal out with that?” Greta indicates she’ll help him. “Hal, you’re a year ten student and a boy, mind telling us why you’re doing a year nine elective cooking class?”

He grins as he replies, “I’m exempt from all physical education and sports. My usual class is doing physical education in this period. Of the other classes happening at this time this is the best choice for me as I’ll be learning something I can use later in life, but, more importantly, when faced with a period in the library under the eye of Missus Hall or being in a class with a group of pretty girls, well, I don’t see there’s any choice at all. Do you, Ma’am?” The whole class grins at his comment.

“I’m not sure our senior librarian would agree that time with young students would be more productive than time with her. But, for a teenage boy, I can see your priorities are different and our wonderful librarian isn’t of the same grade. Since this is an elective of advanced cooking I gather you have basic cooking skills from other studies?”

“Yes, Ma’am, my mother made sure I can cook the basics and look after myself. She’s a great believer in individual independence.”

“Good. Now let’s get started on our first recipe.” The class goes well, and all have fun cooking some sponge cakes. In some cases it’s a matter of attempting to cook a sponge cake. Mrs Wells is starting off with a recipe that’s very close to what they finished with in last year’s basic class to help the students slip back into proper practices and skills.

During the class Hal notices Greta isn’t as exact with measurements as she should be, with the predictable results. The cake is edible, just, but it looks a real mess. Hal offers to dispose of the evidence for her.

At lunch Hal has five cakes to give Jenner to take home. Not exactly the best food, but it’s better than nothing. She enjoys his half sandwich and extra juice as well, again. He’s also getting to know the fourteen year old girl well and learn all about her family: father’s whereabouts unknown, mother is a drunkard, and an eleven year old sister. Hal wonders if she’s at the same school as Joanna and if he can organize some help there as well. After a few more questions he learns Jenner’s sister, Julie, does go to the same school as Joanna. A text message to Joanna on his mobile phone should have her seeking Julie out during the afternoon. Hal also learns they live just a couple of streets away from Hal’s home, so he gives Jenner an open invitation to come to visit any time, and to bring her sister as well.

While they’re talking Greta joins them. She can see her failed cake on the table beside Jenner, so she wants to know what’s going on. Seeing Greta at the same table as Hal has Freda and Else stopping by on their way out to ask them about them being together. They both have a good laugh at him doing a year nine cooking class, and a bigger laugh at the reason he gave in class on why he’s doing it. Hal knows they catch the same bus as he does so he gives them an open offer to drop by his house any day. They say they’ll think about it, but they live several streets further away and they don’t like the idea of the long walk home after a visit.

The rest of the day and week go as well as can be expected.

The Mall

On the Saturday morning following the fourth week of school Hal and Joanna are at the nearest major mall to their home along with an older cousin, Liz, who lives next door and drove them over in a dark blue Subaru WRX STI hatchback. This mall is a few kilometres from their homes, but it’s much bigger than the small set of half a dozen shops two streets over from where they live. The local shops are handy for groceries etc., but for real shopping the girls have to come to the mall, and Hal is with them to get out of the house. They don’t mind his slow walking as it gives them more time to window shop, and they like his insights into what clothes look good on them. There are many other reasons too, including their personal feelings for each other and how well they get on as a group. Liz is twenty-three years old, but the three fit together well.

While they move through the mall with Hal carrying the bags of gear they’ve already bought, things the girls got in teen clothing shops, Hal spots Jenner and another girl walking around the mall in clothes his mother would throw out as rags. They’re standing in front of one of the cheapest teen clothing stores while looking in the window with a big longing for what’s on display obvious in their faces.

Pointing to the girls Hal asks, “Jo, is that Julie Denning?”

“Yes, and that must be her sister, Jenner.”

“It is, I know her from school, but not Julie.”

All three Smiths watch the two girls for a moment while the girls point at items of clothing and discuss them. “Jo, Liz, take them into the store and buy a couple of outfits, get them to give you their thoughts on the outfits to see how good their opinions are. I want the four of you to end up in new outfits that are the same, please. I’ll pay.” Both his sister and cousin give him a quick glance, but go to do as he asks. They’ve seen him in this helping out mode before, so they know things will go better if they just do what he wants them to do and not waste the time arguing.

Hal lets them move ahead of him and he watches when Jo greets Julie, then the others are introduced. After a few more words they all turn to see Hal still approaching from several metres away. More words, then the girls enter the store together. Hal is in no hurry and he’s not able to hurry, so it’s some minutes before he reaches the store to make his slow way through to the corner of the store where the change rooms are. He has to go very slow through the store because the displays are close together and there are a lot of girls in the store moving about.

Jo sees Hal looking the four of them over while they stand there in some nice matching outfits. They all look good. He nods his head to give his approval. Before the two sisters can react Jo rips the labels off of the clothes they’re wearing, adds Liz’ and hers while saying, “Now find some clean underwear to put on as well.” Both Jenner and Julie start to argue. Jo hands the tags to Liz while she responds to Jenner and Julie. Liz takes the tags to the cashier, who is near to where Hal is, so he diverts to arrive in time to hand over his credit card for the payment.

A smiling Liz takes the receipt back to the girls to show them the clothes are all paid for so they now have to keep them. Both girls are not happy about this trick to give them charity. The argument is still going on when Hal arrives. They all turn when he says, “Jenner, Julie, I never give charity, but I do give help to those who need it. But that doesn’t apply here. I want you two to join us for a few hours and I refuse to walk around with someone in those rags you had on earlier. I paid for the clothes. Now accept the situation and go get some clean underwear to wear too.” Both girls are taken aback by his very forceful manner, Jenner especially so because he’s so quiet and compliant at school. She looks into his eyes, and she sees he’s not taking no for an answer. While gulping she nods and moves over to the underwear racks. Julie follows her sister.

Half an hour later all four girls are wearing new matching outfits that look good while they show off the girls’ assets. All four are dressed from the skin out at Hal’s expense. Even down to new socks and comfortable slip on walking shoes that aren’t quite running shoes.

The next few hours are fun while the five of them explore the various stores with Jo and Liz buying many things. Jenner and Julie don’t realise some of the items are for them because they didn’t spot Liz getting their sizes earlier in the day. The stop for lunch is at Hal’s expense too, while he has his usual supplement and gear with him in a backpack. He buys two salad sandwiches and the usual two five hundred millilitre fruit juices. Despite being in a mall food court the way he sets up his lunch is so like at school that Jenner is eating the extra half sandwich before she remembers she has some other food of her own to eat as well. This automatic reaction causes a few smiles from the rest of the girls.

When they’re nearing the end of the shopping trip the group runs into the Smit family out shopping. Freda, Else, and Greta introduce Hal to their parents, and he introduces his group to them. They join forces for a couple of shops before going their separate ways again.

Liz offers Jenner and Julie a lift home, and both girls love the idea of a car ride instead of a long walk. At the car the girls ooh and ah over the sporty looking car while the purchases are placed in the back. Hal holds the door open for Jo, Jenner, and Julie to sit in the back before holding Liz’s door open for her, then he sits in the front passenger seat. Julie is sitting in the centre in the back with Jenner on the passenger side.

After Hal sits down he uses his left hand to lift his left leg to hold it up while he turns to sit in the car properly. Jenner watches this with a frown, but she doesn’t see Jo watching her. When Jenner goes to speak Jo reaches over to tap her arm. Jenner turns to her, and Jo shakes her head to indicate she’s not to ask about it. Jenner’s eyes go wide, but she nods her agreement to not discuss what she saw.

Several minutes later Jenner and Julie are getting out at their home, and Jo hands them both a few bags from the back. Jenner goes to argue, then she sees Hal giving her an intense stare, so she just accepts the bags.

He smiles, “Most of those outfits are acceptable to wear at school. I’d like to see you in them on some days.” She smiles and nods, then she shuts the car door. The car sits there while the two girls walk up the path to their front door. When she shuts the door Jenner sees the car pull out and drive away. She’s very thoughtful when she goes inside to put her new clothes away. The first new clothes she can ever remember having, as it’s always been used stuff before, often free from the welfare shops.

On the drive home the Smiths have a discussion about the two girls and Hal’s mother-hen gene kicking in. Nearing their two homes Liz hits the remote garage door opener, then she enters the space nearest the house in the garage after the door opens up. She parks the car and they all get out. After unloading their plunder the car is locked. Hal helps Jo carry her gear into the house through the door connecting the garage to the house while Liz leaves by the front garage door before she hits the manual garage door button when she walks out of the garage on her way to her home next door.

Arrangements

At lunch the next Monday Hal smiles when Jenner walks up in one of the new outfits he bought her. She sits down to start on her half sandwich while eyeing the seven plates of spinach quiche sitting on the table. A few of the girls didn’t wish to eat their cooking class results. It looks like she and Julie will have some nice food for a few days. The extra food from the cooking classes is helping and now they don’t feel so hungry all of the time, even if it is an odd diet. Jenner gets something from the cooking teachers each day now, but usually it’s only a couple of items each day. Except for Mondays when Hal brings things from his class where the count varies between five and nine items on Mondays.

After a few minutes Hal looks up while asking, “Would you and Julie like to earn some money?” She nods. “Good. Mother is having trouble hiring a full-time person to help clean the house. I said I should be able to get some girls to work part-time after school and some weekends. She’s agreed to let me organise it, but she insists we pay the proper rates and we get all of the proper legal approvals.” He pulls some papers out of his bag to hand them over. “You need to fill these in and get your mother to sign them. We’ll get the rest sorted out.” Jenner slowly nods when she takes the papers while she thinks on how to get her mother to sign the forms. She smiles when she realises her mother will probably sign completed forms she thinks are from the school, so she now has to work out how to give that impression without telling her any lies.

Later that day, on the bus home, Hal has a similar talk with the Smit girls and he hands them a bunch of papers as well.

Tricky Talking

Jenner and Julie arrive home from school at the same time. As per their current system Julie talks to their mother in the lounge room while Jenner takes the food through to the kitchen to put it away without their mother seeing the food. After putting the food away Jenner sits down to complete the papers Hal gave her. A couple of hours later she and Julie prepare dinner. When it’s ready their mother gets up from her chair to stagger into the kitchen for dinner.