Senior Prank (9781620957295)

ISBN: 9781620957295

The rubber band streaked through the air bypassing Lindsay Leeham's ear by inches as it headed toward the blackboard. Then in less than a second, it smashed into the blackboard about two feet from where Mr. Potts was writing. Quickly, disruption ended the history lesson.

Mr. Potts had a good idea where the rubber band came from and who launched it, but, as usual, not seeing the act itself, he could only call a bluff. “Well, I think we have a wise guy or girl here,” he said. “Seems the trajectory of that indicated it came from the back right side of the room. Mr. Hernandez, did you see anything?”

“No sir,” said Jose Hernandez, who always seemed to be in the mix of trouble and school antics. “I know you like to blame me, but I had nothing to do with that. I wish I could help you,” Jose said in a sarcastic, sorrowful tone. “Besides, if it was me I'd have used a bigger rubber band,” he added, as his classmates roared with laughter.

“Well, I will get to the bottom of this,” said Mr. Potts. “That could injure someone in the eye. It's dangerous. If it happens again, and I find out who did it, I will guarantee three days suspension. Everybody understand? Now let's get back to the lesson.”

Mr. Potts regained his composure and started back with the 12th grade American history lesson. It was only five weeks into the school year and he had his hands full.

Hernandez and two of his buddies, Lamont Sheen and Elvis McGraw, seemed to have singled out the veteran teacher for terrorism this year. Since he was known for big talk and little action, he played right into their hands.

“Mr. Hernandez,” Mr. Potts said, “let's get back to today's lesson. I want you to tell me what event brought the United States into World War II?”

“I think that was the Japanese action on Pearl Harbor,” Hernandez fired back.

“No offense to Chin Lee up there in the front row, but the Japanese shouldn't have done that,” he added, getting in his dose of political incorrectness. “That really pissed off the Americans.”

“That's correct Senor Hernandez,” Mr. Potts answered, “but in the future please refrain from the political comments and rough language. Got that? Now here are some of the facts about that day.”

The students learned that the date of December 7, 1941, will forever be a “day of infamy.” The Japanese attacked the United States naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in an attempt to destroy enough military power to keep the U.S. out of World War II. Instead, the next day the nation declared war on Japan, a few days later Germany. After some discussion about that day, the bell rang, ending class.

“Ms. Leeham, I want to see you before you leave,” said Mr. Potts. He knew that Lindsay, Miss Goody-two-shoes and possible Homecoming Queen, would help him solve the rubber band mystery. He thought she'd provide a quality lead.

“Lindsay, did you see who shot that rubber band?” Mr. Potts asked.

“No, sir, I didn't,” she quickly answered. “All I know is it came from behind me. It almost hit my ear. Mr. Potts, you put me in a tough position. If I say anything, I will be the target of those who did it. I certainly think people ought to behave in school - I'd never do anything like that - but I don't want to develop enemies. Is that all you need? I got to go to my advanced math class.”

“Yes, that's all I needed,” Mr. Potts answered. “Thank you and I understand your situation. I just thought you might help.”

As the class filtered in for the next period, Mr. Potts tried to replay the rubber band incident. But with his back to the class, the evidence could only be circumstantial.

He could try to shake down a few students who might provide an answer or he could call the bluff of a few of the likely candidates. He could just forget about it and learn that a back turned invites trouble. Then trouble number two walked in, greeting him with a “Yo, Mr. Potts, what's shakin'?”

“Not much, Mr. Sheen,” Mr. Potts offered. “Hope you're doing well.”

Lamont Sheen was one of the class's trouble finders. Good friend to Jose Hernandez and Elvis McGraw, Mr. Potts figured he'd play that card. “You talked to Jose recently?” he asked. “Did he say anything about last period?”

“Ya,” Sheen said, “he said somebody's shooting rubber bands in class. Man, that's so wrong. Childish, immature behavior. That's cold!” Sheen offered in a mocking, righteous tone. “Jose's a bad aim, anyway. It wasn't him.”

So, Mr. Potts had his first clue. The word was out and students were talking. His hope was for loose lips. In the meantime, he had a new class to educate. So, it was time to move on. That's what he almost did this school year. He had been teaching for 30 years, now tiring of it. However, the star potential of three or four of his track team athletes brought him back for one final year. If his star runners could win a state championship he thought it would be the ideal way to retire.

This class sailed along, probably the result of word getting out after the last class, so students were less likely to try to test Mr. Potts. The students learned that 2,402 Americans were killed, 1,282 wounded, and four battleships and 188 aircraft were destroyed at Pearl Harbor. He showed photos from the attack on his overhead, including one of the present day Arizona Memorial. It was times like this when the students are quiet and into the lesson that made teaching the dream job.

However, that peace wasn't going to last. In the back Lamont Sheen was fiddling with his phone. He seemed to be texting someone. Leave it alone Mr. Potts thought to himself. Let sleeping dogs lie. But phones were off limits in class, and he thought if he allows it, the door for more phones in class will be open.

“Put the phone away Mr. Sheen,” yelled Mr. Potts. “You know the rule. No phones, anytime. If I see it again, it's mine.”

Sheen hurriedly placed his phone in his left pocket. “It's cool,” he said to nobody in particular. “I don't want you to Pearl Harbor my phone. I'm a ghetto boy and I can't afford a new one. That's how life is in the ghetto.”

That seventh period of the day always seemed to bring Mr. Potts' toughest challenges. It was a lively group. Perhaps it was the lunch time sugars. More likely it was the collection of personalities that seemed to feed off each other. Most days it was a handful and took all of his abilities to keep the class on task and in line.

The biggest tormentor in the class was Elvis McGraw. He was loud, obnoxious, and an instigator. Elvis could play a prank in a phone booth without a phone. In order to keep his sanity, Mr. Potts had him taken out of the same class as Jose Hernandez because together the pair could wreak havoc in any situation.

“Mr. Potts, I heard about that rubber band thing,” said Elvis, sticking up his hand to get Mr. Potts' attention. “It's a shame some students get their kicks doing things like that. I hope you find out who did that. They deserved to be punished.” Mr. Potts knew B.S. when he heard it.

Midway through class, Elvis decided he needed to have some fun. As Mr. Potts turned to write some of the World War II terms on the board, a loud belch rang from the back of the room. Ignoring the sound, Mr. Potts pressed on. This time the sound of a loud fart hit the air.

“OK, Elvis, that's enough,” Mr. Potts said. “I'm not in the mood for your shenanigans today. Let's concentrate on school for once. Maybe you'd learn something.”

“Thank you, thank you very much,” said Elvis, “but you're giving me a bad rap. I didn't do it. I'm always blamed for stuff when I don't do most of it. Cut me a break once in a while. Don't be cruel.”

Now the game was on. Mr. Potts knew he'd have to watch the class for the rest of the period. He knew he'd have to tighten the screws. He went to his desk, pulled out a disciplinary referral, walked over to the board, and posted it to the board, declaring, “the next person misbehaving will get a referral. If you're going to goof off don't let me catch you. It's an instant, no questions asked, referral.”

In the game of teaching, threatening a referral usually works to end misbehavior or buys a teacher time. Referrals mean suspensions, detentions, loss of privileges, and even expulsion. It's even worse when they get the parents involved. That could have even greater effects on the student's social life, such as grounding or the loss of driving privileges.

Elvis looked at referrals as challenges. He realized his task began once he got the referral. How could he get out of it or at least get the smallest punishment possible? To him, referrals were the cost of doing business in high school. He even had times when he talked his way out of them. His mother often defended him, saying he was always getting caught in a trap. Her boy, named after the famous singer, would never cause trouble. She loved him with a hunk, a hunk of burning love.

Around the school though, if there was commotion or trouble, it was usually thought that Elvis was in the middle of it. Faculty, students and administration differed on his personality. He could be the model kid in the school in the first five minutes, then the most mischievous in the next five. He liked to have fun. His pranks and jokes often added much needed school levity.

Then Elvis went into action. He used his feet to snag his neighbor's backpack, reeling it in like a championship fisherman. Bringing it up to his lap, where the desk screened the view, he took out the live frog from his backpack and placed it into that of his neighbor. Then he slid it back into its original place under his neighbor's desk.

Elvis next utilized his hall pass. Through his mother's persistence he had been declared ADHD throughout his school days, and he took advantage by claiming unlimited hall passes. Around school it was said that Elvis spent more time in the halls than in the classroom. Yet he managed to pass his courses and move on to the next level.

Elvis left the room and headed for the men's room. There he took a pee and left. He was always afraid there were hidden cameras so he limited his time in those areas. He thought they'd catch him in the act in using the facilities.

He preferred to just roam the halls. He had his favorite teachers to visit, who always seemed regard his interruptions as the cost of dealing with Elvis. Other teachers despised him, threatening him with a referral for even being in the same time zone.

He went by the gym, joined in a basketball game before the teacher told him to leave. Elvis went by the driver's education course, but after being spotted by the instructor he quickly left. The year before he was accused - although it was never proven - of putting nails on the driver's course, resulting in a number of flat tires.

Then he went back to Mr. Potts' history class, about fifteen minutes after he left. He went back to his seat and attempted to join the lesson.

“Welcome back, Elvis,” said Mr. Potts. “We are now studying about the battle of Midway in the Pacific. It was the turning point of the war against Japan. Four years after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese finally surrendered. The war in the Pacific was over. What convinced them to give up, Elvis?”

“Bet it was the atomic bomb,” Elvis answered loudly. “I think they even dropped two of them. Killed lots of people.”

“Sometimes you surprise me, Elvis,” said Mr. Potts, “but that is true. The first atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Three days later a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Over 200,000 Japanese were killed. What it did was convince the Japanese leaders to surrender.

“Why was this important?” continued Mr. Potts. “Because the American military leaders thought that if they had to invade Japan millions of Americans might die. The Japanese had an honor code to fight to death, never surrender. It was dishonorable to surrender. It was thought they should fight to their death.”

Potts then reminded the students they had two minutes until the bell and that they should review what they learned today. Usually he asked one student to do a quick review for the class. He did this, as was his daily custom, by pulling a name out of a hat.

Today, it was Felix Jordan.

“The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor,” started Jordan. “The United States declared war on both Germany and Japan. The war in the Pacific turned when the United States won the battle of Midway. It ended when the Japanese surrendered after the atomic bomb.”

“Very good,” said Mr. Potts, again cherishing another one of those moments when teaching seems to return the reward. “Just remember, President Truman chose the bomb over an invasion and that decision turned out right for the Americans, not so for the Japanese.”

“Dumb ass Japanese,” opined Lamont. “Should have never messed with the Americans. Teach them to disrespect the USA.”

With that the bell rang and the students left the classroom. Another day of teaching completed, Mr. Potts rested his head in his hands for a few moments as he collected his thoughts. He had the last period off, but often spent that time in the track coaches' office. He would wait ten minutes after Elvis's class had left, then head out. This way he could avoid the chaos in the hall and give students a last chance to see him for the day. He gathered his briefcase, turned off the lights, and prepared to lock his door. Before he had a chance to leave, one of his students from last class, Melody Ryden, frantically ran up to the door.