CHAPTER 32
'This is what we'll do,’ said Louise, 'if you're really sure about trying a special school, Eldred.’
Eldred was watching her face. She had filled in the Patents Office application with admirable speed and conciseness. This woman was obviously intelligent. Eldred trusted intelligence. People who were confident in their own intelligence would feel no need to denigrate his. He could be himself.
'Yes,’ he said. 'I'd like to go.’
'Then the first thing is to go and look at one or two,’ Louise said, 'and the second is to appeal for some funds.’
‘Appeal to who?’ asked Mildred. 'Is there a grant he can get?’
Louise sighed. 'Slim chance, though it's worth trying. Some schools do have funds for children who are exceptionally able but can't manage the fees, but the kind of school we're thinking about for Eldred is likely to have a long waiting list of pupils in that category. There are so few schools for gifted children. If he was way below average, you'd have far less of a problem: everyone's aware now that children with learning difficulties have unfair disadvantages in schools designed for the average. But above-average children in average schools achieve average results, so they're not considered a problem, except to themselves. Unhappiness doesn't count as a problem requiring the use of government funds.’
'We've got a bit in the building society,’ Mildred said, 'but not enough.’
'What we do is this,’ said Louise. 'We attract a lot of publicity for Eldred. It won't be hard to arouse media interest if the story is presented in the right way.’
Mildred looked worried. 'You mean your article in the Telegraph?’
'Tip of the iceberg,’ said Louise cheerfully. 'I hate to give work away to other journalists but I've got a couple of friends in TV who will let me work with them and have a say in how we present this. You can make much more impact on television. I know what you're going to say,’ she added quickly, seeing Mildred open her mouth. 'You're afraid Mr Jones won't approve, yes?’
'He wouldn't want us begging for money,’ said Mildred. 'Not publicly like that. Eldred's our son. It's up to us to provide for him, not strangers sending in cash.’
'I appreciate your feelings,’ said Louise, 'but Eldred's situation is unusual, isn't it? You provide for all the needs that a child would normally have. But in an abnormal situation we have to face the fact that Eldred needs more than parents can provide, in the ordinary way of things.’
'Well,’ said Mildred, 'you may be right but I doubt his father will see it like that.’
Louise sat further forward on her chair. 'Suppose Eldred was disabled,’ she said. 'Would you prevent someone for appealing for funds for him to have an electric wheelchair?’
'No,’ said Mildred but her tone was doubtful.
'Talk to your husband about it,’ Louise suggested. 'We've got till Thursday anyway.’
'What do you mean, we've got till Thursday?’ said Mildred sharply.
'The researchers for the programme I have in mind will need to know the candidates by Friday,’ said Louise.
Mildred held her hand over her heart. Eldred found the gesture a bit dramatic. 'You mean, you've got something planned?’ she said. 'Without consulting us until now?’
'It was just an idea I was vaguely involved in,’ said Louise. ‘An informal discussion with these few people I happen to know. It was only when you said Eldred had decided he wanted to go to another school that I thought this could be the next step to try. I think we should go for it, personally. It could be a while before a similar opportunity arises.’
'How do we know you're not just using our son to make a name for yourself?’ said Mildred.
'Mum!’ Eldred protested. 'She's not!’
'I'm not stupid,’ said Mildred. 'We know what journalists are like.’
Louise, who had drawn in her lips, relaxed them into a smile. 'I don't blame you for being suspicious,’ she said. 'But we're not all tabloid foot-in-the-door guys.’
'You're young and you're ambitious,’ said Mildred steadily. ‘And television has more clout than newspapers - you said that yourself. I don't want to be unfair to you but how do we know this would be in Eldred's interests and you're not just doing it for your career?’
'Okay,’ said Louise. 'I'm not saying I'm being entirely altruistic - without self-interest,’ she added quickly, seeing Mildred look blank. 'I'm good at my job and that includes having a nose for a good story, and Eldred is one. But someone else could come along, do a mediocre job on this - like that patronizing article in your local rag - and get nothing out of it for Eldred himself. Now I'd like a chance to be in on this because I'd like to see it done well. I think Eldred is more unusual than just another bright child. He's original; he's got something to say for himself. Naturally, I'm not going to hand him over to some presenter as a free gift and let them get all the glory. I'm going to bargain fairly hard before I give names and phone numbers. All right. But I'll also do my best to make sure that Eldred, and you as his parents, get what you need out of this. What do you say?’
It was Eldred's turn to have doubts. He had thought Louise was doing this for his sake. She sounded tough when she talked like that. Mildred, however, seemed relieved.
'Well, now you're being frank with us,’ she said. 'That sounds more like it. I'll talk to my husband; that's all I can say. But I can't see anything against it myself - that's as long as they're not going to laugh at Eldred or make a fool of him.’
'Trust me,’ said Louise. 'These people are good at their job. It won't be a freak show.’ She held out her hand to Mildred.
Mildred held it a moment before she shook it. 'It had better not be,’ she said. There was a warning look in her eyes that Eldred knew meant business.
After Louise had left, Eldred followed his mother into the kitchen, where she had immediately gone to start peeling carrots, and gave her a hug.
'What's that for?’ she asked.
'I don't know as much about people's motives as you do,’ he said sadly.
Mildred wiped her hands on the apron she had just put on. 'Some things you learn with age,’ she said. 'The world's a hard place, Eldred. Most people are in things for their own gain.’
'Do you think the new school will be the same, then?’ asked Eldred. 'Will the teachers be like Mrs Garcia only with different names?’
'We'll have to see,’ Mildred said. 'I expect they won't take such exception to clever children, though. They must be used to them in those places.’
'Does everyone learn the same things there, only at a higher level than normal schools, or are people allowed to learn what they're interested in?’ Eldred asked.
Mildred patted his shoulder and pushed him away in one movement. 'I don't know,’ she said. 'You can ask all these questions yourself when we go to see the place. That's if the money can be found, Eldred. Don't get your hopes up too soon. Go and lay the table for me, there's a good boy. Your dad will be home in twenty minutes.’
Genius Page 32