Between the Prison and the Sewage Works by Maryline Suchley (snow like ashes txt) 📖

the pigeon holes and blinked in disbelief. A guy was empting the pigeon hole below hers.

That must be the elusive Mr Manuelle. She thought. I wonder if I should go over and introduce myself as the other RE teacher, considering I’ve covered so many of his bloody lessons. Mara watched him look around and then throw all the contents of his pigeon hole in the bin.

I suppose there’s little point him reading that bumf; he’s never here to do anything about it. If he misses any deadlines then he can blame it on being absent. Mara thought sarcastically, as she watched him walk over to the notice boards and make a vain attempt to be interested in what was written up, then warily scan the room and walk out.

Grabbing her coat and bag off the seat she said good bye to James and Daniel and walked out of the staffroom and down the corridor.

‘Mara, hold up.’

She turned around it was Mat. Her heart jumped. She hoped he would never talk to her again.

‘Hello Mat, how are you?’

‘Fine, Fine. I just wanted to speak to you about that night after the staff dinner.’

‘Look there’s no need.’

‘Yes there is every need, I have to apologise for my actions, and I shouldn’t have walked out like that.’

‘Really Mat no need.’

‘Look do you accept my apology. I would feel better is you did.’

‘Okay.’

‘Thanks, still friends?’

‘Yeah of course.’

I feel uneasy about this? Mara thought watching Mat walk away. No, it’s nothing, he’s just trying to rectify things she further reassured herself.

 

Chapter nine

9

 

Mara switched off the radio alarm before Pastor Cosmos had a chance to preach. It was five thirty, she couldn’t sleep and kept looking apprehensively at the clock.

‘I might as well bloody well get up,’ she told to herself. ‘It’s a morning for bacon and eggs and plenty of coffee.’

Changing into her clothes it was evident she had drunk to much coffee.

Bloody hell I hope this wears off before lessons, she thought, as she sat on the bus shivering. The briefing was short with Jim emphasising that students should not be allowed out of class.

Mara spent the first lesson still on a high from the caffeine; she couldn’t focus probably and her lesson delivery was appalling, she assumed no inspectors would visit her class this far into the lesson, so gave up the pretence of teaching.

By the end of the period the effects of the caffeine had worn off and Mara continued to teach the rest of her lessons without an inspection. Keen to find out if anyone had been seen, Mara called into the prep room after school. Gordon had indeed been observed by an inspector and to add insult to injury it was his unpleasant year eight class.

‘It was bloody awful! Those little shits messed about all lesson, they even started throwing pieces of potato at the inspector when she wasn’t looking,’ he said submissively. ‘I shouldn’t have done an experiment!

Jeremy and Piles had also had a call. Jeremy saying all was fine, while Piles shrugged and asked if anyone had come across at disc with his name on it.

Day two, Mara’s luck had taken a turn. As she started her lesson the door opened.

Why did it have to be year eleven discards? She sighed, smiling at the short hefty woman who had walked in. Mara confidently executed the lesson as planned, however she had not anticipated Levi Lambert’s outburst.

‘Miss Thompson doesn’t usually teach us anything, she’s such a dog.’

Mara sent Levi straight to Jim without even entering into a conversation. She had reluctantly agreed to him being allowed back in class on strict conditions and calling her a dog had broken the terms of the agreement.

The next three days saw two more lesson assessments both of which Mara was pleased with. During the course of the week Daniel had raved about his observations; saying that he wouldn’t be surprised if he were recommend for teacher of the year. Piles still gave nothing away and Gordon didn’t fair to well again and was seemingly going downhill health wise. As expected, Roger had had a rough week. One inspector ran into the prep room asking for assistance, as the kids in his opinion were out of control and he was afraid someone would get hurt. Mara saw the same inspector that came to see her leaving Roger’s room looking shell shocked and shaking her head.

Rumours in the staffroom reported Boyo having difficulties too, with one inspector taking control of the class until help arrived. Other staff had said they spotted OFSTEAD inspectors hiding behind doors, or suddenly appearing when there was an incident at break or lunchtime. By now the inspectors had gained a reputation, probably unjustly, of looking for things to find wrong and appearing out of nowhere like ghosts.

Friday arrived and the Inspectors packed up and left the school. All the teachers breathed a sigh of relief and drinks had been arranged in the staffroom after school. Mara needed a wine; she had gone without since Sunday night, due mainly in part of her realisation that she drank too much and needing to keep a clear head for the week.

Alan was in the staffroom standing behind the makeshift bar that had been erected. He was handing out plastic cups filled with wine and cans of beer. Mara didn’t want to speak to him directly, so asked Daniel if he would get her a red wine. She talked to James with the expectation that he would ask her out for a drink at the weekend, now that the inspection was over. He didn’t!

She went home via the off licence. Friday evening consisted of getting drunk, phoning her friend Sam and asking her what was wrong with her.

Monday suddenly appeared; Feeling dejected and hung over Mara reluctantly went to work instead of taking a sick day. She read the notices, bad tempered and short of patience.

He’s a Git, perhaps Daniel was right, he’s just a charmer! Bloody hell another free period take away, why don’t they just get a long term supply teacher for that guy!

I hate this fucking place! Mara said to herself now reading a note from Alan asking her to attend a meeting on Wednesday after school in his office.

Like a lamb to the slaughter she went to Alan’s office after school for their meeting.

‘So Mara, how did your inspection go?’

‘Okay I think.’

‘Well I’ve had the feedback from the inspectors. They have expressed serious concern about your teaching abilities.’

‘Uh, oh, like what?’

‘Lots of things, anyway the crux of the matter is that you will have to be put on a special programme for failing teachers; if of course you have any intention of passing your probationary year?’

Mara just felt numb, she responded with an accepting nod.

Alan spent the next thirty minutes outlining her short comings and the steps that would have to be taken in order for her to be deemed fit for teaching.

‘I thought you only had to have at least one limb to be fit for teaching? Mara replied angrily.

‘You don’t seem to be taking things seriously young lady! Alan snapped back.

She left Alan’s office frozen and wounded. She didn’t even notice James calling her name down the corridor.

‘Mara, Mara, Wait!’

‘Hi James,’ she said heavily.

‘Are you okay?’

She nodded.

‘No,’ she blurted, crying and screwing her face.

James put his arm around her shoulder.

‘It’s okay, tell me what’s wrong?’

‘Well, heeemhmh, ic, picic, mhmh on meeee.’

‘Perhaps we should go somewhere else!’

She nodded.

‘I’ll take you for a drink at the pub up the road; not the Pig’s Gut, it’s on the way back to Lewisham, I’m using my mate’s car at the moment.’

James drove to another pub a few minutes up the road.

‘So are you going to tell me what happened?’ he asked.

His voice and his words were soothing; she just wanted to tell him everything and she did, despite how odd and sometimes illusory the story sounded.

‘Mm, that’s quite some predicament you have yourself in. Why don’t you get the head of science to do some lesson observations on the quiet for you?’ James suggested.

A very sensible idea thought Mara now feeling calmer. James dropped her home and said that they should go out for a drink this weekend; he would call to see what she was up to.

The person that had left the Alan’s office earlier on was a different person to the one now lying on the sofa drinking a glass of wine; she was now in a more optimistic frame of mind and even managed to get through Thursday and Friday with a smile.

Mara waited by the phone all Saturday, she even went to the gym early so that she would be back at her flat at a reasonable time should the phone ring.

It was four thirty. No phone calls.

The phone rang.

‘Hello,’ she said expecting James.

‘Hi Mara, how’s it going?’ It was her brother.

‘Oh hi. How are you?’

‘Good, listen, I’m flying back to Hong Kong next Sunday. I was going to come and spent the weekend with my favourite sister.’

‘How many sisters do you have?’

‘You’re a card! Anyway do you want to meet up in the city or should I come directly to Afghanistan?’

‘Yeah, come here and you can dump your stuff and we can go from there.’

‘Okay, it’s arranged, see you on Friday, bye.’

‘Bye,’ she replied and put the receiver down.

The phone immediately rang.

‘You forgot to get directions to Afghanistan?’

‘Why would I want to go to Afghanistan?’ it was James.

Mara was sure he had stood her up.

‘Sorry I thought you were my brother.’

‘Ah. Well, would you like to go for a drink and some dinner tonight?’

Would I! Thought Mara?

‘Yeah, that would be good. When and where?’

‘Do you want to get to Lewisham and I’ll meet you at the station, we can go into the city from there.’

‘Great. Half seven okay?’

‘Perfect. See ya later.’

Now in an excited frenzy she raced around the flat looking for a suitable outfit.

‘Must be smart, but casual, glam but not over the top,’ she said throwing clothes onto the bed.

Sitting on the bus the butterflies were making her feel nervous. She kept checking her face in the window. Not even the drunk who sat next to her stinking of booze and dribbling could dampen her spirits.

Mara got off the bus and walked to the train station. Sure enough waiting in front of the station was James looking striking with a blue shirt that perfectly matched his eyes.

‘Hi, you look lovely,’ James complimented.

They caught the train to Clapham chatting easily about James’s home town and vice versa. James suggested drink at a nearby bar before dinner.

‘Yeah, sounds good,’ Mara replied.

The two of them walked into the bar, ordered drinks and found a seat.

‘Beats the Pig’s Gut!’ Mara joked.

‘Hey James, Mate. Fancy seeing you here?’

It was Daniel, with Lucy hanging off his arm giggling and smiling.

Why the bloody hell does he have to be here. Mara thought donning a fake smile.

James looked just as surprised as Mara. Nevertheless he invited them to sit down.

Mara was annoyed that Daniel had interrupted her date with James, and to add insult to injury, Daniel proceeded to invite himself and Lucy to dinner as well. The evening was now a foursome, with Daniel spouting crap and Lucy giggling like a bimbo at his drivel. The evening ended with them all catching the Train back to Lewisham and Mara catching a cab to her flat.

Sunday afternoon Mara received a phone call from James who apologised, saying he had no idea that Daniel was going to that bar, what’s more he would rather have spent the evening with her, and could they try again next weekend. She said she would love to, but wasn’t able because her brother was staying with her before he flew out to Hong Kong.

‘Maybe another night Mara, speak to you tomorrow.’

Monday morning brought with it the usual chaos in the corridors, kids had escaped from Roger’s classroom and were running around laughing. Characteristically lethargy dogged Mara’s students. She attempted to teach the year elevens