Willsburg Academy I knew I shouldn't have done it. But I did it anyway. All of my friends warned me that putting mustard in the headmaster's bed was not a good way of endearing myself to him. I said, "Who wants to be endeared of the Headmaster?" So they left me to pull my little prank. Well, I certainly didn't think that I had anything to lose, only everything to gain. Demerits, that is. I already had six demerits, and I was going for the record of fourteen. No one in Willsburg Academy had ever gotten fourteen demerits and been allowed to stay, and that suited me just fine. I never wanted to come here in the first place. It was my father's idea. He believed that I needed more discipline than he was able to give me. "Stanley," he'd said, "I've a mind to send you to Wilsburg Academy. It's a nice place, full of wisdom and knowledge, and abounding with bounteous opportunities. What's more, it has very strict rules and regulations that should enact a healthy amount of discipline in you. You're a growing boy, and in order for you to get anywhere in life, you need to learn discipline,". End of speech. At first I didn't think he was serious; sending me to Willsburg?! But he was serious, adamant at that, and he marched down to the registrar's office that very afternoon to enroll me. The day I was to go dawned gruesome and dark...Okay, so it wasn't gruesome and dark. In fact, it was quite sunny and cheery, full of summery breezes and birds chirping their pretty little heads off. But the way I was feeling, it really didn't matter what the weather was like. All I could think about was the fact that I was going to some stuck-up, nose-in-the-air academy, while all of my friends were free to enjoy their fantastic summer plans, far away from such chilly places such as -dare I say it?- WILLSBURG ACADEMY!!! As my father and I sat down to breakfast, my mind was buzzing with ideas of how to escape this predicament. This is what I finally came up with: "Won't you need help in the store?" I asked. "Are your bags packed?" my father replied. My father owns a small, but well know bookshop in the little town of East Rockford, Indiana. People would come from everywhere just to read our books. Just stop any person on the street and ask where Geoffrey's famous bookshop was, and every person would be able to give you directions. That is how well known my dad's store is. Now that we have a little background about my father's profession, we can get back to my story. We drove in silence the seventeen miles into the country where the Academy was located, and pulled up at the gate. The guard who was on duty seemed to be expecting us, and he opened the gate for us to drive through. Seeing this as my last hope for escape, I turned to my father. Before I could even say one word, he looked at me and said, "It's for your own good, son,". With that, we pulled into the drive in front of the main building, and unloaded my gear. After checking me in, my father left without another word or even a glance. He was out of the building, in his car, and had driven out of sight before I even had time to blink. I didn't bother trying to follow him, I knew there was no point. He had made up his mind. As bad as I was feeling, I found that there was no time for self-pity. Because as soon as my father left, the Headmaster appeared. He called all of the new cadets (or "Greenies", as we were more well known) to attention, and we were solemnly marched into the Great Hall for orientation. This consisted of several long and boring speeches, made by the proprietors of this "Grand Institution", and an endlessly long list of rules and regulations--The kind my father was so happy about. As if this wasn't enough, they included a slideshow that was enough to lull anyone to sleep. Until something happened that nobody expected (especially the proprietors of this "Grand Institution"). A small commotion had started somewhere in the back of the room, and was making its way towards the front. No one noticed it at first; everyone was almost asleep after the presentation. But, slowly every person began turning their heads towards the back of the room. At first glance, all I or anyone else saw, was some of the other cadets in the back of the room, jumping up on their seats, and scampering down the aisles toward the exit. But we didn't know why. That is to say, we didn't know why, until we looked down. There they were; the entire, slimey lot of them. All six lizards, one huge iguana, and a boa constrictor. All scampering and slithering under the seats and down the aisle. It was a reptilian stampede!! Most of the other cadets were afraid of reptiles (wusses), and they bolted out of their seats and ran for the nearest exit. The others left during the pandemonium, simply because they were bored. I however was not afraid of the reptiles, as I had worked at a pet store part-time the previous fall. I also was no longer bored, and elected to stay rather than leave with my fellow "Greenies". I was content to sit in my chair, and watch the plot unfold. The Headmaster's face and neck were turning a deep, purple hue, that of an overripe grape. "WHO LET THOSE REPTILES LOOSE IN HERE!" He bellowed, his shout echoing throughout the near empty hall. He jumped off of the podium and strode down the aisle, intent on the task at hand of finding the culprit, or culprits, at any cost. Then his angry, gray eyes settled on the only person left in the building...ME. The Headmaster's eyes narrowed into a freezing glare, as if I had been the one to commit the crime. Then without a single, solitary word, he strode angrily out of the room. I sat there for what seemed like an hour, wondering what I had done to cause such a coldness in the Headmaster. Then I realized that it wasn't my fault. The Headmaster had become so enraged at this episode, that he was willing to pin the blame on anyone within sight, which just happened to be me. I figured that he probably would come to his senses, and know that I wasn't the guilty person.....But I was wrong. That evening at suppertime, the Headmaster decided to make an example of me. No dinner or recreation time, and I had to run eight miles around the track in the back of the school, before I was allowed to sleep (one mile for each reptile I and my non-existant cohorts supposedly set loose in the Great Hall). On top of that, I received three demerits on my record, even though it was the first day. I truly believe that, deep down, the Headmaster knows I am innocent. But because of hurt pride, he will not acknowledge it. So you see, the pressure began to build up between us from the very first day. And that is why I play all of these pranks on the "Dear" old Headmaster. I'd rather be punished for something I did, instead of something I didn't do (actually, I would rather not be punished at all. But since I wasn't given that option...). Well, as my detention is almost up, I will say adieu 'til next time. The End
by Celia Helen Tracy
copyright © 2001 Celia Helen Tracy
Spelling/Vocabulary Words Discipline, Escape, Every, Hour, Loose,
Lose, Lull, Pressure, Your, You're.