Wisps of Snow

by Ross Richdale

  Ryan laughed, gave her a kiss and told her that if she was going to get drunk she'd better walk the two blocks to the pub. She slapped his shoulder before she climbed into the car and backed it down the drive.

  At the tavern she was surprised to find not only Deanne there but half the teachers sitting around a corner table. She frowned when three others arrived. Oh hell, it was Rita and Helen and Peter, two other Year 13s. Made up and in modern clothes the girls in particular, looked twenty.

  "Hi Karla," Rita said with a laugh. "We're eighteen and allowed on licensed premises in this country."

  "Hi Rita and you too, Helen and Peter. I didn't expect to see any of you here."

  "Deanne said you'll be coming. First time is it?" Helen said.

  "Well, with a two year old toddler to look after, my evenings are pretty well used up." She accepted the mug of beer Deanne placed before her.

  "And so are your days straightening our lot out," Rita replied.

  "Teachers or students?" Peter chipped in.

  Karla grinned but ignored his question. "It's the first time I've ever been in a public bar with my students but no more school talk... agreed?"

  She stayed for longer than intended but finally thanked Deanne and slipped out. Back home, Ryan met her at the door. "Hi Sweetheart. You're home early."

  "Didn't like to leave you too long. How's Alexis?"

  "Sound asleep. Want to go back?"

  "No thanks. When one's pupils are in the pub with you it makes one realise how old one's becoming."

  "But still the most beautiful lady in town." Ryan grabbed her in a massive hug and deposited a kiss on her lips.

  EXCEPT FOR A SMALL social event when they had first arrived, the Monday evening meeting was Karla's first with The Board of Trustees. She had already researched the attitudes of the members and had found a diverse range of personalities. Keeping in mind John Cosgrove's comment that she could have the board disestablished if they were uncooperative she hoped but was by no means certain that her changes made or about to be brought in would be accepted.

  Everyone had arrived early and looked serious as she walked in and accepted a seat at the end of the tables pushed together in the staffroom.

  The meeting began with a lot of formal stuff such as reading of minutes, official mail, the paying of accounts and so forth. Finally, it was the time for her report. She stood up and without even glancing at her notes, told of her findings and suggestions. She attempted to be positive and as she spoke noted the body language of those there. The board consisted of five parents, the principal a staff member and a student representative. She knew that two of the parents, Adrian Flavell and Blake Turner supported chairperson Sonya Bray and the other two Don Trow. Jasmine Scott, the staff representative and Rita who was the student representative now appeared quiet and seemingly neutral. As well, Roxanne was there as a non-voting secretary and treasurer.

  Karla finished her report by saying. "I hope to have a total integration of the two sections of Tuckett Area School completed by the end of next term. There are other issues such as trying to keep students here for their high school years and..."

  "And you're doing that by making the high school into a primary school with just older children?" Don Trow stood up looking black across the eyes. "I totally oppose shifting the Year 11s and Deanne Waitapu into the very centre of the Junior Block and the idea of letting her take the whole school's music is ludicrous. She's had no experience and her math teaching is not getting through because she can't control the classes. But what do you do? You give her a pat on the back after criticising two of my long serving staff." He was shaking in anger as he glared at her with his arms out straight towards the table and hands flat on it with fingers expanded. "You know nothing about how a high school is run, Mrs Spicer and having a drink with them in the local tavern does not help." He turned to a now stern looking Sonya Bray. "I am placing a vote of no confidence in Change Principal Karla Spicer and put forward a motion that the Board of Trustees of Tuckett Area School ask the Ministry of Education to replace her with a Change Principal who comes from a high school environment and knows how they operate."

  Sonya glanced up. "Does anyone second that motion?"

  However even before there was a reply Karla, also angry and determined stood up. "If I can make a point of order, Madam Chairperson?" she asked in a determined formal voice.

  Sonya almost looked relieved. "You may Karla."

  "I wish to speak to you and Mr Trow in confidence."

  "This is out of order," Trow thundered again. "I have nothing more I want to hear from Mrs Spicer."

  "Oh it is your best interest that you hear what I wish to say, Don," Karla almost whispered and stared at him with a fixed gaze. He couldn't hold it and looked away

  "Very well," he grumbled.

  "This meeting is now in recess," Sonya said. "However, will members please remain here as we will reconvene after Mrs Spicer has spoken to Mr Trow and myself in private."

  She nodded and Karla led the pair along to her office where her computer monitor was showing a screen saver.

  "Take a seat," Karla said and waited as the angry Trow and serious but obviously curious Sonya sat and both fix their eyes on her.

  "I have serious information about a hidden account of the defunct PTA that is being used for personal gain."

  Karla clicked the monitor and the Fun World Casino - Where your dreams true come flashed on a purple screen. Don Trow's angry expression changed to a shocked look of almost fear.

  "How did you?" he gasped.

  "There's more..." In a quiet voice Karla told the pair everything Ryan had found out, leaving out only how he had hacked into the schools system to get the information. "There are no extra iPads coming here. The accounts are faked and the twenty five thousand missing dollars have been used by you to pay off gambling debts to this Russian Casino, Don," she said.

  "Is this true?" Sonya spat with her own face looking angrier than Trow's had earlier.

  "It wasn't only me." The principal almost whimpered like a child caught stealing in a supermarket.

  "So it's true?" Sonya retorted. "We need to call in the police immediately, Karla. This is criminal behaviour!"

  "I was going to pay it back. In fact, I already made one deposit of eight thousand back into the PTA account," the principal almost croaked.

  Karla nodded and hit some keys on her computer. Ryan had set it up perfectly and the Income and Expenditure Account of the PTA flashed onto the screen. She zoomed in on one section and it did show that a deposit of the amount stated had been made only a few days earlier.

  "That's all very well but..." Sonya began.

  Karla held her hand up and turned to Trow. "I intend to keep this confidential in the meanwhile and will give you the time I am seconded here to have the stolen money repaid. Also, I shall be bringing in a central monitoring system that records every internet connection made within the school." She grimaced. This was already in operation but she wasn't going to admit it. "That includes the illegal downloads of music and videos made in the Year 12 and 13 common room."

  "You're thorough," Sonya whispered.

  "In exchange for what?" Trow stuttered.

  "Withdraw your vote of no confidence and give me your full cooperation in my attempt to help Tuckett Area School out of the problems I was called in to solve."

  "That's blackmail!" The tremor in Don Trow's voice could not be covered by his raised voice.

  "It is, isn't it?" Karla smiled sweetly and turned the computer monitor off.

  WITH THE MEETING RECONVENED in front of the curious board members, Sonya turned to the principal. "In light of the confidential information that Mrs Spicer has told us, you may wish to make a statement before the motion on the table is seconded, Mr Trow."

  Trow stood up. "I wish to withdraw the motion, Madam Chairperson," he said. "Instead, I wish to place another motion that we accept Mrs Spicer's recommendations and offer the Board's full support of any future
changes she wishes to make."

  Everyone looked astonished but nobody spoke. Within moments, the new motion was passed by six to zero with two abstentions from Ian Holland and Tyler McKegg who originally supported Don Trow. A few final business matters were hastily covered before Sonya declared the meeting closed.

  AS KARLA WALKED ACROSS the parking lot towards the schoolhouse, a car pulled up beside her and the passenger door flung open.

  "Get in!" Soya called out..

  Karla glanced around, noticed that all the other vehicles had left and shrugged. She climbed into the still cold car and gazed through the dim light at her companion.

  "You're a tough old girl, aren't you?" Sonya said after leaving the engine idle so the interior would warm up.

  "I don't know about the old bit, Sonya. Do you have reservations about what I did?"

  "I would have called in the cops. The bastard's probably been ripping us off for years."

  "And have him suspended and dragged through a criminal court? Oh, the school would get plenty of publicity. Imagine the six o'clock news on the main television channels? If that happened, we might as well close the school down and I'll go home, for nothing could be done to redeem the school and district's reputation, let alone improving it."

  "Not only tough but brainy," Sonya retorted. "How did you find all this out anyway?"

  Karla shrugged.

  "It was Ryan wasn't it? I heard he was a whizz at anything to do with computers or the internet. He hacked into the school system, didn't he?"

  Karla just grinned but said nothing.

  "Okay, I get the drift. So what now?"

  "You say nothing and leave everything to me."

  "Fair enough but if Don Trow doesn't pay back the rest of that money by next year, I'm going to report him to the police. I want updates on anything you find out, too." She raised her eyebrows. "What was that bit about the Year 12 and 13 common room downloads?"

  "They've been stopped. Ryan has placed in a firewall that I doubt if ever Peter can bypass. All they get is a little cartoon cat telling them not to be naughty and only go into official sites. He has also cut out Facebook and other social sites that teenagers go into."

  Sonya grinned. "And what did they say about that?"

  "Not a word but Rita, Helen, Peter and the others know that I know what they've been doing."

  "You've said nothing to them?"

  "Nope!"

  "Not only tough and brainy but sneaky, too."

  Karla laughed. "I'm here to make friends, not enemies." She frowned. "I had hoped I wouldn't need to pull rank on Don but I'm glad I had everything ready, just in case."

  "You've forgotten one thing, Missie."

  "And that is?"

  "The rumours. I reckon every mobile phone in town is running red hot, right now."

  Karla nodded. "I changed my mind. Don't leave everything to me. I'll leave it up to you to stop or neutralise the rumours that get around."

  "How?"

  "I don't know. You're the local. Make up a rumour of your own that sounds possible and squashes the other ones. Coming from you, it will sound authentic."

  Sonya also laughed. "Leave it to me. I think I'll enjoy my new assignment."

  CHAPTER 5

  It was cold with an air temperature of minus five Celsius for the opening of Tuckett Area School ice skating season. Karla had declared that between eleven and twelve thirty, every pupil who wanted to skate could do so. There were several provisos, parents had to sign a permission slip and every student in the senior school who was going to bring their skates was assigned two or three younger pupils to oversee. The class teachers had sorted it out.

  Also every child in the school had made a flag to fly with the seniors helping their younger charges. These now flew or hung frozen from wires that Brody had erected across the tennis court. Most of the seniors had screen printed their flags or had sewn collages in the art or technology rooms while the little children had cloth flags cut out and drawn on with special crayons that melted into the cloth. Even young Lionel who had only been at school for three weeks had a flag flying.

  Now it was in full swing after fifteen minutes with music picked by the students blaring out. Almost every pupil in the school was on skates and twirling around in all manner of bright attire. Clouds of condensation rose from a hundred and fifty mouths or noses. The few timid ones were helped or pushed in special skate equipped carts and everyone co-operated to the extent that when one little fellow crashed down on his bottom, three seniors rushed across to help him up.

  Karla was amazed that some of the five year olds could skate better than many of the high school students while some of the older girls tore around in their leotards on one leg extend behind or made professional looking spins. The boys were actually less capable than the girls as they zigzagged around by and through youngsters on the rink.

  "So this is your idea of how the school should operate?"

  Karla turned and smiled at Sonya who stood there puffing out clouds of condensation from her mouth as she spoke.

  "It's even better than I imagined," she replied. "Look at those little ones... they're fearless and, My God did you see that girl and her triple twirl... looks as good as the Winter Olympics."

  "Yes, some started skating at three." Sonya laughed and pointed at three children, two boys and a girl who were hanging onto a side rail that Brody had also erected. "You can tell the new kids from the locals can't you?"

  "That's about my skill," Karla replied. "I did a bit of skating in Canada on an overseas trip a few years back but could barely keep to my feet."

  "So have a shot now," Sonya replied.

  "Me! I haven't any skates."

  "I have and your size wouldn't be a lot different than mine."

  Karla stared at her, back at the throngs of children twirling around, pushing little carts or helping less confident pupils and grinned. "Why not! I'll probably end up on my bum ..."

  FIVE MINUTES LATER she somewhat nervously made her way out onto the ice. The skill came back to her a little and she managed to skate reasonably well across the rink. Suddenly, she was surrounded by half a dozen senior pupils who skated with her and encouraged her stilted efforts.

  "For a North Islander you're not bad," a familiar voice came up behind her. It was Rita dressed in a red leotard under a Scottish tartan kilt, long tartan scarf, knitted woollen hat and upmarket white skates. She circled around Karla in a graceful movement and grinned. "Thanks!"

  "What for?" Karla puffed.

  "Us girls won the wager. The boys reckoned you'd never have the guts to get out here on the ice with us."

  "Wager!" Karla retorted with faked annoyance. "School students should not be gambling on school property." She broke into a grin. "So it was all set up?"

  "Yeah," Helen laughed. "We persuaded Sonya to bring her skates along and ask you to have a go."

  "I see," Karla replied and tried to skate in a circle on one leg. She almost did but would have fallen if a male hand hadn't seized her arm and helped steady her. "Thanks Brian," she said to the Year 12 boy grinning at her.

  "No problem Mrs Spicer." He nodded and skated away while she watched.

  He was one of the seniors that she had had trouble relating to and had barely spoken more than a few words to her in class or the common room. If talked to, he usually just shrugged or muttered something under his breath. But now... she waved as he turned around and skated backwards for several metres. He waved back, turned and disappeared around a group of ten-year-olds holding hands as they skated along.

  A few moments later as she made her way back to the assembly hall and gymnasium that opened out to the end of the rink and provided changing rooms for the skaters, she noticed Don Trow standing to the side glowering. Her euphoria of the occasion plummeted like a balloon that had burst. He hadn't really changed at all! Carrying the skates that she had just taken off, she walked directly up to him.

  "Oh lighten up, Don," she said in firm voice tha
t reflected her new emotion, glowered at the man and walked away without looking back.

  She glanced sideways and saw his reflection in a tall wall mirror. Don was staring at her with the strangest expression on his face. It wasn't of anger or even surprised; he just looked like a little old man with sad eyes of one who was utterly depressed. Perhaps she had been too tough on him.

  "KARLA," RYAN YELLED from the sitting room while she was putting the finishing touches to their evening meal "Come and look at the news. Quick!"

  She rushed in to watch the weather lady who was speaking.

  "And now to conclude this evening's weather report, have a look at what they do in the Deep South when the temperature drops below zero. Here is a clip sent to us. The entire school at Tuckett Area School in Central Otago are using their very own ice skating rink."

  The scene changed and there for the whole country to see, was them all skating around to the music with big and little children zigzagging around each other.

  "Those flags you see were all made by the pupils," said the anchorman's voiceover. "Wow, look at that young lady doing that twirl. Oh oh! Now who can this be?"

  Karla gasped for she saw herself skating clumsily out onto the rink, surrounded by the seniors and even her fall being stopped by Brian.

  "That's the school principal, you guys," the anchorman continued. "We never had principals like that when I went to school."

  The scene faded and the weather woman reappeared. "That was a while ago Doug." She giggled. "Times have changed, you know." She turned to face the viewers. "It will be fine and frosty at Tuckett tomorrow with the maximum predicted to be hovering around zero. But as you just saw, they bred them tough down there..."

  "Oh, My God," Karla muttered. "But who?"

  "Sonya sent me a text a few moments ago telling me to make sure that you were watching."

  Karla grinned. "I should have guessed."

  "And think what it's done for our public relations. That three minute clip is worth more than a twenty-thousand word report."