NOW & FOREVER
Chapter Two
"Well, class, let's get down to
business. Open your texts to page twelve. We will be studying past tense verbs,
but before that, let me review the rules that I expect to be followed by the
entire class. There will be no note passing, no gum chewing, no talking, and
when answering or asking a question, you will say it in French. Is that
clear?"
"Oui, Madame," the class said in
unison.
During that whole class, Jack's mind was
nowhere near the lesson. He had taken enough French lessons back home to know
past tense verbs, so he took out his charcoal pencil and just sketched little
drawings of nothing in particular. He drew a sailboat, Lake Superior,
and...Rose. He thought that it was some of his finest work, for just doodling.
"Monsieur Dawson! I believe I asked you
a question?"
"Could you repeat the question?"
"All right, but only because it's the
first day. After this, you are expected to pay attention! And after you answer
the question, I want to see what you were doing."
Jack answered the question even better than
some of the French immersion students. When Madame Franks came by to see what
he had been doing, he reluctantly showed her his portfolio.
"Jack, this is exquisite work! I'm going
to see if Mr. Clarkson has a free period during any of your French
periods."
"Why?"
"You have a gift, Jack. You do. You see
people, and I believe that with just a little more instruction, your drawings
could be even better. You might have a lot of homework in my class, but if what
you demonstrated answering that question is any indication, you already can
speak fluent French. And I'm sure Miss DeWitt-Bukater would be pleased to pick
up your homework for you."
With that, the bell rang. They were off to
their next class, Phys. Ed.
"Who do we have for gym?"
"Well, I don't really know. Last year we
had Mrs. Dufame, but she's on maternity leave, so I believe we may have a supply."
“What’s a supply?”
“You know, a teacher who takes over when the
regular teacher is out. Don’t you have them in Wisconsin?”
“Oh, a substitute!”
“Is that what you call them there?”
"All right! A sub! Wahoo! I feel like
the king of the world!"
"And why is that?"
"Well, back home, me and my friends were
holy terrors to the substitute teachers we had. We never had the same one
twice, because they refused to come in and teach us!" Jack had a gleam in
his eye, and Rose could tell he was planning something.
"Well, come on, Jack. Tell me what are
you going to do."
"Well, this I usually save for more
important times, but I'll do it just for you!" With that, he whispered in
her ear what he was planning to do.