Come to think of it, I never did get them back for that. I guess I’ll consider Larry’s broken leg as debt paid in full.
There was a really loud voice that shook the door of the Principal’s office. I still couldn’t tell who was shouting, but I guess Stacks could.
She let out a nervous sounding comment, “Sounds like your Grandpa is ripping her a new one.”
“A new what?” I asked ignorantly.
She looked at me as though she couldn’t believe that I didn’t know what she was talking about.
We both heard knocking on the glass behind us and we turned in unison to look. There was Bertha looking at me and shrugging her arms and hands as if to ask what was going on. I shrugged back, but Stacks just waved at the three of them as if she was annoyed that they were even there.
“Sorry, my sister’s so nosey. She’s got to be in the middle of everything!” Stacks said.
Talk about something coming from out of nowhere. She might as well have hit me over the head with her hockey stick. There was no way I could have ever, not even in a million years, made that connection.
“YOUR SISTER?” I shouted, momentarily forgetting where we were and why.
Stacks recoiled, probably because I’d just screamed right into her face. “Well… uh… my step-sister, but yeah. Didn’t you know that?”
“UH NO!” I said, turning to look at Bertha through the glass again and saw that she was covering her mouth and laughing; at least I think she was laughing. Anyway, I guess she had heard me through the glass too.
I was sitting there with my mouth hanging open. I was physically and mentally stunned by that bit of news. “But, but, but you… I mean, she… I mean… Oh hell!” I finally cussed and shook my head as though I was trying to shake my brain awake. “Let me guess, they are your brothers?” I said meaning Fish and BB.
Stacks was so taken aback by my comment that she got choked for a second. She coughed as she said, “Oh my gawd! No way! Gross! It’s bad enough being related through marriage to her.” she motioned toward Bertha without looking, “If I was related to those horrible retches, I’d have to kill myself.”
The door of the Principal office opened and first out was the teacher that had intended to come to my rescue earlier. She was followed by my Grandfather and then the Principal. However my teacher never came out.
Grandfather looked at me and winked, then turned to the other teacher and shook her hand. I didn’t hear what he said to her or what she said back, but I did see her blush slightly.
Next Grandfather shook the Principal’s hand and I heard him this time as he said, “When the weather’s right we’ll have to play some golf.”
“Absolutely,” the Principal said, “But you’ll have to spot me the first two holes.”
“Is that all?” Grandfather laughed.
Grandfather looked at me, “Up and at’em delinquent!”
He looked back to the Principal, “And we’ll expect you and the misses at the end of the month?”
Grandfather looked at me again, “Ho-Ho-Ho! Let’s go Kido! What-What!” and he was smiling again… I think… it could have been gas though.
“I’ll have the wife call to set a date.” He said over his shoulder to the Principal.
“And Al, thanks again for your understanding.” The Principal said as I stood up.
“See you tonight.” Stacks said to me.
“Ok and thanks again.” I said to her.
Grandfather paused to give Stacks an approving smile and nod.
Oddly enough, when Grandfather and I stepped out of the school office and back into the hallway, Bertha and the guys were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps when they saw the Principal come back out they made themselves scarce.
“You have everything?” he asked me, “Where’s your coat?”
I shook my head as I said, “No, need to go to my locker.”
“Lead the way my boy! What-What!” Grandfather said, nudging me ahead of him.
On the way home Grandfather explained that he and the Principal, whom he kept calling Carl, have been friends since their early High School days. He also told me that I wouldn’t have any more problems with that teacher. He didn’t say why that was or what happened in the office, but I didn’t care. I was just so amazed how cool Grandfather was being about the whole thing and how he’d stood up for me like he had.
“Do you think Stacks is going to get in trouble for pushing my teacher?” I asked him.
“Well,” he started to say, but paused as if in thought, “I can’t speak to that. I just don’t know.”
And then as if he’d been waiting to ask me he said, “Say! Who was that revolting boy that came to the car?”
“Huh? Oh that wasn’t a boy that was Bertha.” I said with amusement.
“That was a girl?” Grandfather asked with incredulity.
“Yeah, she’s…” I started to say, but Grandfather finished for me, “a walking cesspool!”
“Yeah, but she’s mostly okay.” I said, surprised that I was defending the likes of Bertha.
“So, that girl in the office, what did you say her name was?” he asked.
“Stacks,” I answered.
“Odd name for a girl.” Grandfather commented.
I felt that need to explain to him the reason why she is called that, “It’s just a nickname on account that she really stacks up the hockey points.”
“Is Stacks the one you’re going to the dance with?” Grandfather asked as he pulled into the driveway.
I was surprised that we were already home as I answered, “No, that is her sister. I mean step-sister.” And I don’t care how many times I say it that is never going to right.
Grandfather replied with “Ah.”
The garage door closed, but Grandfather didn’t turn off the car right away. Instead he tightly gripped the wheel and almost speaking as though he was thinking aloud he breathily said, “Your parents are stressed enough. And Lord knows we don’t need your Grandmother getting involved. So,” he thumped the steering wheel with both thumbs, “I think we should keep this between the two of us?”
“Uh, yeah!” I agreed quickly.
With that he turned off the car and started to get out.
“Grandfather?” I called from the passenger seat.
He stopped with both feet out of the car, but his backside still on the seat. Without him looking at me or acknowledging me I went on to say, “Thanks.”
He turned back around, pulled one leg into the car again and grabbed my thigh, “My boy, I might be old and bad-tempered most of the time, but I’ll be dead and buried before I let someone I love be mistreated like that. What-What!”
That was all that was said, but dang, it was enough. That one statement absolutely blew me away. Grandfather loves me!