Wisps of Cloud

by Ross Richdale

  "You know the history of our school and many staff members. If you were successful in this application how would you manage Val Cook and Gillian Elston, both of whom I am permitted to say, have applied for this principal's position."

  So Val applied, too but Stephanie had not been mentioned her. It seemed, therefore that she had not even been shortlisted.

  "Professionally," Karla replied. "All staff have their own personalities and this needs to be considered…" She expanded on her answer and noticed that three women in particular were writing copious notes about her reply.

  The interview continued with little being portrayed by the committee members' body languages. They were all, including Pauline, entirely professional in their approach. No more mention was made of her pregnancy or any of the events that had happened at Top Plateau or Chrissy's circumstances though they all, no doubt knew that she was now at her school. Murray Norwood's name was never mentioned. It was as if the committee had agreed cut him from the school's records.

  Finally it was over, hands were shaken and she declined an invitation to have a guided tour around the school. Pauline's eyes caught hers but gave no indication about any thoughts she might have. As she was about to leave, though Pauline smiled. "So Stephanie was there to meet you?"

  "She was."

  "The little monkey. I told her that under no circumstances was she to approach if you arrived. I don't know how but she found out you were on the short list."

  "You're lucky to have such a bright daughter, Pauline. I hope mine will be as perceptive as she is."

  Pauline smiled. "You're having a daughter?"

  "Yes. I found out last week. Lucky aren't I?"

  "Boys are easier to handle." Pauline reached out, brushed her arm and walked away.

  *

  Three days later, Karla was in her classroom just before noon when the telephone rang. The duty pupil answered it and returned to say that a lady wished to speak to her. Karla thought back to Lorena and Jason. They had both moved onto high school now, Jason boarded at Wairarapa College while Lorena began at Solway College, the private boarding school she was originally going to go to in Year Seven, at the high school Year Nine entry at the beginning of the year. She saw them both occasionally when they returned during school holidays and actually missed them at times like this.

  "Karla Spicer speaking. May I help you?" she said into the phone.

  "I hope so. It's Pauline McKay here."

  "Hello Pauline," Karla said

  "It was a close call between you and Gillian," Pauline began. "Several committee members sympathised with her as she's worked hard to hold the school together after the scandal. I know as well as Joanne, Chrissy and you were involved in exposing Murray Norwood's deviant behaviour. If we had only known...."

  "We were," Karla interrupted.

  "How you coped at that little school of yours after the fire, the crooked lawyer, your predecessor and even the bikie gang as well as your time here as senior teacher was weighed against Gillian's efforts as acting principal. However, most of these items could not be mentioned at your interview." She chuckled. "The men also had second thoughts when they saw your size but I pointed out that by the time the new principal took up the position, your daughter would have been born."

  Karla's heart dropped as she waited for the inevitable words saying that she had missed and barely heard Pauline's last sentence.

  "Taking everything into account, the committee unanimously considered that you were the strongest candidate."

  "What?" Karla gasped. "You mean…"

  Pauline laughed. "To put it formally. Mrs Karla Spicer, The Appointments Committee of the Tui Park Board of Trustees has appointed you as principal of our school. You have three days in which to accept or decline the position and if you accept, we'd like you to begin next term."

  That was only six weeks away.

  "That's soon?"

  "Yes. The school needs you Karla. We will though, offer you the statutory maternity leave for the term if you request it. Between you and me, Gillian had the sympathy of the committee but little more and we have to be professional, don't we?

  "Of course and her reaction to my appointment?"

  "It's confidential so, in theory she doesn't know. However, the rumours are flying around faster than when Ryan was on the staff. My daughter didn't help. The young madam got a ripe telling off, I tell you."

  Karla's heart began thumping as the news began to sink in. Oh my God! Was it happening?

  "Are you there, Karla?" Pauline's voice pierced her thoughts.

  "Yes. It's just sinking in, that's all. I'll contact you about my decision within the three days you allowed. Thanks Pauline…'Bye."

  She clicked off and felt adrenalin pounding through her body as she reached for her mobile and sent Ryan a text.

  'Got the job!' were her only words written before she hit the send button.

  *

  Because of the protocol involved, Karla was not on the committee to select a new principal to replace herself at Top Plateau. Dillon, however, arrived at her place the following Sunday.

  Clive and his wife had retired and now lived in a new home in one of the better suburbs of Masterton and the old homestead was being ungraded with a whole new wing being added to one side. The whole area now looked like a suburban street and, in her opinion had lost something in the transformation.

  "So how can I help you, Dillon?" she asked after inviting him into the kitchen.

  "It's about your replacement."

  "I'm not meant to have anything to do with it. You know that."

  "No but you have the right to speak as a referee. Chrissy has applied for the position and nominated you as one of her referees."

  "True. I told her she should apply for the position."

  "She's so young and green," Dillon blurted out. "The inexperienced not ecological kind. I hate it when ordinary words take on new meanings."

  "Many thought I was when I arrived."

  "Okay, I know she does a good job in the junior room but can she handle the older children as well as do all the administration work involved?"

  "Yes!"

  Dillon grinned. "We only received seven applications and out of those, three were worse than useless. That leaves only four, including Chrissy." He shrugged. "There's one male."

  "But!"

  "He sounds like a younger version of Ted. His principal at the school where he is the deputy principal supported him but further enquires left a strange taste in my mouth; you know it's as if they were saying great things to get rid of him."

  "That can happen. Nobody is completely neutral in this situation. If you want to get rid of someone from a staff, it is silly to stress the reasons why to someone considering employing them."

  "Narwood at Tui Park had nothing nice to say about Chrissy. If we had gone by his recommendations she wouldn't be here now." He grimaced. "Sharon told me some of her story but at this point I don't really want to hear the rest."

  "Fair enough but let me say that Murray was quite a vindictive man. Bet he never said anything good about me either."

  Dillon grinned. "No, just the opposite. Perhaps he was trying to get rid of you like that guy we just mentioned a minute ago."

  "Thanks Dillon!"

  "Okay. We're having a meeting tonight to make up our list of short-listed candidates."

  *

  On Tuesday morning Dillon arrived at school just before morning interval and tapped on Karla's door.

  "Can I borrow your office?" he asked. "I need to speak to Chrissy."

  "Of course,"

  "Give me ten minutes then ask her to come in."

  Karla stared at him but he told her no more.

  Ten minutes later Chrissy burst into the staffroom and headed for the instant coffee.

  "Dillon wants to see you in my office," Karla whispered.

  Chrissy swung around. "When?" she hissed.

  "He's in there now."

  "Oh hell!" Chrissy sw
ished back her hair and glowered at Karla. "What do you know about this?"

  "Nothing. He just asked to use my office."

  Chrissy sucked on her lip, brushed her top and jeans down and muttered. "I knew I should have worn a skirt today."

  "Just relax. I'll send the duty pupil into your room after interval so there's no hurry." Karla said. "You look just fine."

  "That's easy for you to say." Chrissy grabbed a chocolate biscuit and headed out the door towards the office,

  Half an hour later she walked into the senior room and stood silently beside where Karla was taking a reading group.

  "Well?" Kala asked.

  "They aren't even having interviews," Chrissy whispered. "And I know you had a lot to do with it."

  "With what?"

  "Oh don't plead ignorance, Karla. Dillon has offered me the principal's position here. Said I was the best candidate and they are not interviewing anyone else."

  Karla grinned. Even this was different from Tui Park School. She stood and gave Chrissy a hug. "As your referee, I told Dillon you could do the job but I had no other input."

  "Of course not." Chrissy smiled and disappeared out the door.

  *

  The following day during the lunch hour, Karl received a call from Tui Park School. The office receptionist, who was new to the school and unknown to her, asked if she had time to speak to Gillian Elston or alternatively call them back when it was convenient.

  Karla grimaced at Chrissy who was also in the staffroom and replied that she would speak to Gillian. "Gillian Elston," she whispered after she pushed the mute button.

  "Interesting," Chrissy replied but made no attempt to leave the room.

  "Hello Gillian," Karla said with caution in her voice. She had been quite good friends with the DP but having beaten her for the principal's position, wasn't sure how her colleague would react now.

  "First of all, congratulations, Karla," Gillian said.

  "Thank you, Gillian. I've been going to contact you but..."

  "Weren't sure how I'd react?"

  "Something like that. Sorry!"

  "What for? Between you and me, I found being the acting principal difficult. I guess I'm a teacher rather than an administrator. The reason for this call is to inform you about one job that needs to be done before you arrive. The Board and I thought you might like to participate. Pauline was going to call you but I offered to do it instead."

  "Is there a problem, Gillian?"

  Gillian laughed. "No! One solved, actually."

  Karla caught Chrissy's eyes. The phone had been switched to the speaker and her friend sat there absorbing every word. Karla placed a finger to her lips and returned to listening to Gillian's voice.

  "Val's resigned as Associate Principal, as from the end of this term. Said she is taking early retirement as she could not work with you and your autocratic ways."

  Chrissy cut in. "Val the Viking! What a hypocrite! She's the last one to call anyone autocratic."

  "Oh hello Chrissy. I recognise your voice," Gillian said.

  Chrissy flushed bright red. "Hi Gillian. It's true, though."

  "That's a somewhat sever reaction. I would have worked with her," Karla muttered.

  "Of course you would have. We both know that and even Pauline commented that Val's opinion was out of order. Now my question! Would you like to participate in selecting the new Associate Principal?"

  Karla stared at Chrissy who shrugged. "Who else would be on the selection committee?" she asked, mainly to give herself time to digest the information.

  "Mainly the ones who selected you but for positions such as this, the principal is always included and probably has the greatest say."

  "And that at the moment is you, Gillian. Thank you for the offer but I'm sure you will be able to select the best candidate."

  "You mean that or are you just being polite?" Gillian's voice, though sounded relieved.

  Karla chuckled. "There will be many staff appointments in the future that I can be involved in. Just pick somebody who is modern, thinks of others and doesn't just want promotion."

  "An attitude like your one, Karla?"

  "No like ours, Gillian."

  "Thanks. You sound just the same. I know you're coming in to see what's been going on in the school next month but can we get together sometime for a coffee before you shift here?"

  "I'd like that," Karla replied. "I'll text you before our next visit to Wellington. It'll probably be in a couple of weeks." She chatted a while before finishing the call and turned to the smirking Chrissy.

  "Well, what?" she almost snapped

  "You got rid of the Viking and kept Gillian as a friend. Not bad for one phone call."

  Karla smiled. "I admit I was worried about hurting Gillian's feelings but as for Val; that woman is her own worst enemy. I doubt if she'll ever change."

  "True," Chrissy replied. "So true!"

  *

  Ten weeks and one birth later, Karla stood in the kitchen of her little Wellington home where Ryan and her were now living. They decided to look for a bigger place later but with everything happening, it could be left for a while. It was the second week in November and almost exactly three years since she had left to go to Top Plateau School. In some ways, though, it was like a lifetime.

  "It has been an interesting three years," she said to Ryan as he handed her two pieces of toast and a coffee and she sat down at the kitchen table. "Who would have thought that I'd be back here and the circumstances involved. There's that damn trial that you have to be a witness at, too."

  Ryan grinned. "My part is relatively minor. All I need to do is explain how I was hit by that arrow. Fitzgerald's defence team can't really deny that happened but I heard they are going to say it was set up to kill approaching wild pigs and deer but not humans."

  "And can they?"

  Ryan shrugged. "Reasonable doubt comes to play, here. If the charge of assault with a deadly weapon is not proved, all the other charges and the confessions of his cronies will be enough to put him away for quite a few years, anyway. Crooked lawyers are as unpopular as crooked teachers."

  "But you're still suffering and possibly always will."

  "A bit of pain when the weather changes." Ryan stepped across, tucked his arms around her and kissed her firmly on the lips. "I'm not really interested in the man."

  "Ryan! You'll smudge my make up." She kissed him back, stood and lifted their tiny six-week-old daughter who had just awoken, out of the adjacent bassinette. "You know what to do for Alexis?"

  "Except for breast feeding, I can do everything you can for her." He reached across and took their daughter out of her arms. "Away you go! Tui Park is awaiting!"

  "Perhaps I should have taken up more than one month's maternity leave." She grinned. "I'm glad you persuaded me that I'd get no thanks for not taking it. I never realised what hard work a new baby is."

  "Just go!"

  Karla kissed her husband and little daughter on the head and headed out. There was going to be an official welcome in the Tui Park Assembly Hall at nine-thirty and she was told not to come before then. She hated these formal occasions but guessed they were part of her new position.

  Damn, the rain had started again! Another southerly storm was over New Zealand's capital city. She drove across the suburb and into the Tui Park School car park. There before her was the two storey building that looked so huge when compared with Top Plateau. It looked strangely silent in the sweeping rainsquall as all the children and staff would now be in the assembly hall waiting for her.

  Just as she wriggled into her raincoat and was about to leave the car, her mobile chirped. There was a text message.

  'Hi Big Boss, Little Boss here. Love and all the best. Chrissy'

  *

  The End

  If you enjoyed Wisps of Cloud, you may also be interested in reading the following novels by Ross Richdale about school principals in New Zealand.

  Wind Across the Playground

 
Blemished Jewel

  Long Valley Road

  All are available on Kindle

  Visit Ross's homepage is at http://www.rossrichdale.com