A bell breaks the silence of the room, my stomach lurches and I hear scraping chairs above me heralding the change of a session. In my earlier career no one questioned my word, everyone was polite. That has all changed. A noise on the corridor outside and bodies burst into the room screaming and shouting.
‘Keep quiet!’ I shout but there is no response, ‘I said keep quiet!’
‘Sir?’ shouts Jenkins, a small spotty boy with strong body odour.
‘Yes Jenkins?’
‘Are we going to do any work today? ‘Cause the Head said in assembly we might get inspected.’
The noise had now reached a pitch where the supercilious Geography teacher, Mr Dawson, would pop his head into the room and ask if all was well.
‘Sod off the lot of you,’ I screamed. The room went deadly silent. All eyes looked at me in expectation. I had never seen the class so attentive what the hell was I to do now? Mr Dawson appeared at the door looked surprised and disappeared.
‘Now that I have your attention the next boy to shout out or speak will be castrated,’ I said with a smile on my face. I was well aware they had no idea what the word meant.
I walked across to the bookcase and removed a set of English textbooks which had the hideous turquoise covers. Jenkins made to turn towards Butler I was on them in a flash. My hand came crashing down on their desk the sound reverberated. ‘What did I say?’ both faces went white there was fear in their eyes. Perhaps I had discovered my former self. I now had to act upon my word. I pointed at them and indicated for them to rise from their seats. A damp patch had appeared on Jenkins’ trousers. This was the boy who had made my life hell for the past year. It was good to be in control again.
‘You will both stand outside of my room whilst I prepare the instrument of torture.’ There was a gasp from the other students.
‘Sir? You aren’t going to ... you know...’ blurted out Tomlinson.
‘I can do what I like,’ I said quietly, ‘now give out the text books Tomlinson.’
The gentle thwack of books being placed on each desk was music to my ears. Today I will be able to teach because I had re-established order. Jenkins and Butler will sweat it out in the corridor wondering what I will do to them. Revenge is so sweet.
A tap at the door and in entered the Headmaster, ‘Mr Lucifer may I have a word.’
‘Headmaster?’
‘There are two boys in the corridor.’
‘Really Headmaster.’
‘Do they belong to your class?’
‘I doubt it Headmaster I only have well behaved students as you can see.’
At the end of term the parents of Jenkins and Butler approached me at the school gates and apologised for their offspring’s behaviour.