Mad, Mad World Part 4

Chapter 262-3

Mad, Mad World

Part 4

 

I once I had placed my ruined clothes into my paper bag with my penny loafers. It would be out of place for me to wear them wearing my gym clothes. Instead, I put on my gym socks and my gym shoes. And walked to the principal office with Mark noticing the likeness of this hallway compared to the set hallway; where once again Mr. Tate and Stringum had decided to replicate it the two schools for easy access.

Not that he paid a lot of money to do what they both like, but for a different reason. Personally, we were all glad that he was no longer running things and more so that he is dead and won’t be coming back. I wanted to shout it so loud that everyone could hear me, but that would be very, very bad for all of us, not knowing how many clients he had that were teachers here.

The students watched as we walked down the hall to the principal’s office. It was between classes so Mr. Kirkland could film actual real students and their reactions as they parted the hallway for me and Mark as Mr. Bronson manhandled us to the principal office and forced us to take a seat on the hard bench outside the office. Mark took the far left side holding his paper bag with his clothes in it. I took the right far side as Mr. Bronson knocked on the door while women a the desks in front of us tried to look busy, but also did their best to catch the eye of the camera.

Our school principal was enjoying the show as he stayed back as everyone watched the big screen that would show the next scene. The fact that it was passed the lunch hour and the bell had rung for the last class of the day. Nobody could resist seeing how a movie was being made. The only thing was the movie they were watching was a smut film. Yet all they knew was it was a new film that had captured everyone’s interests; after all, Mr. Tate and Stringum paid a lot of money in the advertising wanting to catch as many bad guys as possible.

Mr. Bronson knocked on the door when everyone was in place; said. “Principle Wallis I have brought the boys just like you told me too.” Mr. and Mr. Earl and Dad were inside the offices waiting for us. We were told to take a seat. Their faces unreadable as Mr. Bronson took a seat as well. Stating he had his class covered today, that they were just watching a move about the Civil War. Mom was wearing her earlier pantsuit that didn’t make her look like a cheap w***e. She looked very professional behind the desk as she pointed at the seats she wanted us to take while our parents sat on the couch.

She stood up and started to pace, reading her lines off the cue card. “I have called your parents and have explained to them what you two boys have been doing the moment you arrived in school today. Normally we would suspend both of you, but being as this is a new semester and it is Marks and my first day here at Bingum High School and in this town. We as your parents are in agreement that suspending you would do no good.

“I know without a doubt being as Mark started the fight in the hallway and most like started the fight in the gym today. It is his last chance before I have no choice but to send him to a school for troubled teens. Where trouble makers like him learn real quickly that this attitude he has displayed in the other schools he has been in… counting this one, will not be tolerated

“It is unclear what happened inside Mr. Bronson’s classroom. Some say Mark was responsible and with Terry’s Jacobson’s help caused the disruption in Mr. Bronson’s classroom during Earth Science. I have already taken care of that problem and now it’s up to me nip this problem in the butt the best way I know possible. I have decided with your parents Steven that you and Mark are going to be joined at the hip. I understand that you are not a bad kid and only tried to defend yourself. So I am being leant, but harsh, so I don’t look like I am going too easy on you.

“We as parents have decided to give you boys another chance. Starting immediately, every classroom teacher will be notified that you two will have assigned seats together, for the rest of the school year. You will be paired together on every assignment, every project. Your grades will be your own downfall. Meaning if Steven gets ‘A’ you get an ‘F’ then you both fail. Fail means summer school, failing means you both will be grounded. You either do the work together or fail.

“Do the work and you both get the same earned grade? Also starting first thing Monday you will be assigned one small table in the lunchroom reserved just for you, and only you for the rest of the school year. If all goes well and I see you and Mark making friends, instead of terrorizing my school I will allow extra privileges being restored. For now, you will spend your after school hours in Mr. Bronson’s detention on the nights he is here which are Tuesday and Thursday for two hours each day or longer until you have your grades up. So he can see the progress you have made and report back to me, along with the rest of our teachers, where you stand on your homework, tests and grades giving me and your parents a complete progress report.

“By doing this we are hoping that you boys become quick friends, and Steven being a good student will rub off on you Mark. This is your last chance and only chance Mark. I have had it with your disregard of school rules and taking my role as a principle for granted. This isn’t just about you Mark; this about how you are affecting our income our friends and destroying your future.

“Your Dad and I have done all we can for you, but you spit in our faces, causing trouble everywhere we have moved too. This is your 5th school in the last two years. We can’t afford to move again, either you straighten up or we send you to military school and we will sell your new bike that you worked so hard for, doing odd jobs for the last 5 summers to get. We will use the money to send you to military school until you graduate when you turn 18. Then go on to college, now you are leaving me no choice.

“Mr. Bronson has a reputation for working with the bad boys like you Mark and turning them into good students a parent can be proud of. Many of his students have gone to good colleges. I hired Mr. Bronson as my vice principle since the role hasn’t been filled as of yet. I still have to clear it with the school board, but I have spoken to them and they are in agreement that he could fill those shoes. He has an excellent resume and we are proud to have him.

“Now then, school is about out today, I have taken the liberty of assigning you new school lockers. I will give you the rest of the day to gather your things and move your stuff into these new lockers. Then you will come by the office pickup your new class schedules and your assignments you have both missed for the day. Then go home and think about your boy’s action and how you plan to rectify the problem.

“I will expect you boys on time Monday morning in class when the bell rings. If one of you is tardy you are both tardy. If one of you is absent you will both be counted as absent regardless if one of you are here or not. So it will be up to you to make sure your assignment is done on time, and you are in your seats when the bell rings; as I said joined at the hip. You go where he goes and vice a versa. Do I make myself clear boys?”

We both nodded and I said. “Yes, Ma’am. But….I thought you said you were being leant on me, considering I didn’t start any of the fights, Mark did; so why I am being punished for his bad behavior?

Mom (principle Wallis) smiled at me, said. “Because son you let Mark goads you into the fight instead of just walking away. I am being fair… Your parents have agreed that unlike Mark will not be grounded or punished the second you get home. You will be able to do whatever you like, as long as you make certain that Mark does his homework over the weekend and Mark catches the bus on time or he will be walking to school, which will make him late for school, earning you both a demerit for being tardy.

“If I recall that 3 tardy’s make 1 absent, 4 absents make it so you spend a week in detention, adding three more days per week you boys have to spend in detention with Mr. Bronson if you are late the entire week. However, I am changing that rule for your benefit. That if he causes you to be late or is absent on purpose, he will be the one spending that week detention; if you are in your seat and on the bus and Mark isn’t and you have made an effort on your part. He will be the one held responsible.

“I will also make it clear that if Mark doesn’t put his best foot forward, and causes another fight, disrupts another class in any way and you tried your best to be his friend and he refuses your friendship. You will not be held responsible for his actions. Is that a fair deal, knowing that Mark will be held to a higher standard than yourself? You have good grades and you are a remarkable good student. I am paring you up so Mark can benefit where everything else we have tried has failed.

“I’ll go one step further. I know you trying to raise a thousand dollars for the big Scout Camp out. I am willing to pay you 50 dollars a week just for helping Mark with his homework and making friends here. Mark will also be earning his fair share of the money he needs for his portion so he can go on the Scout Camp out. 

"In fact, his Dad and I are insisting he is going, regardless if he wants to or not. Adding when he has earned the money he will get his bike back as an added initiative. No camp out, no bike. No homework, no grades. No grade below a B- means summer school, and F means military school. It’s that simple. Now go down clean out your lockers and move your things to your new ones then you are free to go home with your parents.”

I nodded left out the door picking the locker number and my new class schedule which was just a bunch of meaningless words, but the lockers weren’t had been reassigned to me and Mark. Mr. and Mrs. Earl followed me being as they were my movie parents. The camera crew followed me as I cleaned out my locker as Mark cleaned out his kicking madly at the locker not liking what had just transferred as the mics and cameras panned around us. Mark angrily opened his locker next to mine. I offered my hand in friendship only to have him spit on the floor at my feet. After all, he was the bad boy and I was the clean-cut good boy that did no wrong.

The moment I walked past door with my movie parents, while Mark followed behind with Dad. Mr. Kirkland yelled; “cut that’s a wrap boys and girls.” Mark smiled and said. “I never realized how much work is being the bad boy.”

I smiled putting my arms around him. “Very true, being bad just isn’t what it is cracked up to be.”

Dad said. “I am very glad to hear boys say that. I only wish Shawn understood that.” I had to admit Dad was right, but the moment he mentioned Shawn it ruined the mood I was in.

Mr. Vincent quickly came to my side and said. “Well, boys I guess we better get a move on it. Chef Phillips really needs you, boys… We are little late being as your Mom got a little long-winded, going off script, but everything she said made it clear that we are not doing just a smut film for those damn perverts we are making a movie where everything is a life lesson in this mad, mad, world we live in. Now it’s up to us to make sure that we make a difference.”