Nothing but the Truth

by Avi

  DR. PALLENI: No problem.

  MISS NARWIN: I have a class….

  DR. PALLENI: Have a good one.

  3:45 P.M.

  Phone Conversation between Philip Malloy and Ken Barchet

  KEN BARCHET: Hey, Phil, what’s happening?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Nothing. Going out to deliver my papers.

  KEN BARCHET: I heard you got suspended.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Yeah.

  KEN BARCHET: For how long?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Couple of days.

  KEN BARCHET: What for?

  PHILIP MALLOY: You were there.

  KEN BARCHET: Because of your singing?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Yeah.

  KEN BARCHET: I thought that was funny. Too cool.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Wasn’t loud.

  KEN BARCHET: I heard it. She’d like to throw a fit.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Yeah.

  KEN BARCHET: I mean, far-out. What made you do it?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Free country.

  KEN BARCHET: Not as if you have a good voice. People were cracking up.

  PHILIP MALLOY: I know. Was Allison laughing?

  KEN BARCHET: I don’t know. We going to work out after your deliveries?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Sure.

  KEN BARCHET: See you at the park.

  3:48 P.M.

  Phone Conversation between Philip Malloy and Allison Doresett

  ALLISON DORESETT: Is this Phil?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Yeah.

  ALLISON DORESETT: This is Allison.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Oh, hi.

  ALLISON DORESETT: Is it true that you got suspended?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Yeah.

  ALLISON DORESETT: Why?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Nothing. You were there.

  ALLISON DORESETT: The singing?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Yeah. “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

  ALLISON DORESETT: That?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Yeah. Narwin got me kicked out.

  ALLISON DORESETT: You’re kidding. She wouldn’t do that.

  PHILIP MALLOY: She did. You saw it.

  ALLISON DORESETT: No, I mean, she’s nice.

  PHILIP MALLOY: I don’t think so.

  ALLISON DORESETT: For how long?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Two days.

  ALLISON DORESETT: Wow. You must have really got on her nerves.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Just singing … humming.

  ALLISON DORESETT: Well, I just wanted to know. People were talking.

  PHILIP MALLOY: What were they saying?

  ALLISON DORESETT: You know. How weird. See you.

  PHILIP MALLOY: See you.

  5:30 P.M.

  From a Letter Written by Margaret Narwin to Her Sister, Anita Wigham

  … So you see, Anita, what intrigues me about this new concept of teaching English—Whole Language—is that it has its focus on literature, and in a way that I think young people will find very interesting. Still, I can hear you say, “It’s just another education fad.”

  You may be right. But if the truth be known, Anita, teaching is exhausting. And what I say is this: if it takes a “fad” to pump energy back into the classroom, why, it’s worth it just for that!

  Sorry to have gone on so long about this. It’s just caught my fancy. I can hardly think about anything else.

  Oh, yes, do you remember my writing to you about a student I have, Philip Malloy? I’m convinced now that there is something going on in this boy’s private life that is deeply troubling to him. Twice this week I had to send him out for being disruptive in a singularly disrespectful way. Our society is always asking schools to do what is not done at home. Then Joe Palleni (assistant principal) felt compelled to suspend him for a bit, something I never believe is productive. I told him that too. In fact, Philip is a nice boy. So I do feel badly about the whole thing. I always do when I lose a student. Next week—when he comes back—I intend to sit down with him and have a heart-to-heart talk.

  This weekend I’ll be visiting with Barbara Benthave. She and her husband …

  6:45 P.M.

  Discussion between Philip Malloy’s Parents

  MRS. MALLOY: Oh, hi, honey.

  MR. MALLOY: Where’s Philip?

  MRS. MALLOY: Up in the shower. Just got back from running.

  MR. MALLOY: You talk to him about what happened?

  MRS. MALLOY: When I drove him home. But I had to get right back to work. It’s just what I told you. How was your day?

  MR. MALLOY: Rotten. Dexter is still sore at me.

  MRS. MALLOY: Get yourself a drink to settle down first. We have plenty of time to talk over dinner.

  MR. MALLOY: Sure.

  7:12 P.M.

  Discussion between Philip Malloy and His Parents During Dinner

  MR. MALLOY: Okay, Phil. Now, I want to hear the whole thing. Start to finish. Just understand, right from the start, we’re on your side. We don’t intend to just take it. But I have to know what happened. Go on now.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Same as before.

  MR. MALLOY: Same as what before?

  MRS. MALLOY: He’s trying to tell you, dear.

  PHILIP MALLOY: See, they play “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the beginning of school….

  MR. MALLOY: I understand. When I was a kid we pledged allegiance. Go on.

  PHILIP MALLOY: A tape.

  MR. MALLOY: Okay.

  PHILIP MALLOY: When—before—when I was in Mr. Lunser’s class, he was like, almost asking me to sing out loud.

  MRS. MALLOY: I always thought Philip had a good voice.

  MR. MALLOY: That’s not exactly relevant! Go on.

  PHILIP MALLOY: But this teacher—

  MR. MALLOY: Mrs. Narwin.

  PHILIP MALLOY: It’s Miss.

  MR. MALLOY: Figures.

  MRS. MALLOY: That has nothing to do with it, Ben!

  MR. MALLOY: Go on.

  PHILIP MALLOY: She won’t let me. Threw me out of class.

  MRS. MALLOY: The principal said it was a rule.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Ma, he’s the assistant principal.

  MR. MALLOY: But why does that mean suspension?

  PHILIP MALLOY: She threw me out twice this week.

  MR. MALLOY: It seems arbitrary. Outrageous.

  MRS. MALLOY: Stupid rules.

  MR. MALLOY: Right. How can you have a rule against singing “The Star-Spangled Banner”?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Ask Narwin.

  MR. MALLOY: You know who I bet would be interested in this?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Who?

  MR. MALLOY: Ted Griffen.

  MRS. MALLOY: Why?

  MR. MALLOY: He’s a neighbor. A friend. And he’s running for school board. He should be interested. That’s what the board does. Keeps the schools in line.

  PHILIP MALLOY: He won’t be able to do anything. If I could just get out of her classes.

  MR. MALLOY: Maybe. Maybe not. Phil, we intend to support you on this.

  8:40 P.M.

  Conversation among Philip Malloy, Mr. Malloy, and Ted Griffen

  PHILIP MALLOY: Dad, I don’t think he’ll be interested.

  MR. MALLOY: Of course he will. Now, just let me do the talking. Ted! Hello.

  MR. GRIFFEN: Oh, Ben. Hello. Is that you, Philip? How you guys doing?

  MR. MALLOY: Ted, got a minute? This a bad time?

  MR. GRIFFEN: Well, I am in the middle of a talk with—why, what’s up?

  MR. MALLOY: Something about school. And Phil here….

  MR. GRIFFEN: I’m not on the school board yet, Ben. Trying, but not yet.

  MR. MALLOY: That’s the point. This is something that happened to Phil at school.

  MR. GRIFFEN: I don’t know if I should …

  MR. MALLOY: He was suspended for singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

  MR. GRIFFEN: What?

  MR. MALLOY: You heard me. Phil was kicked out of school for singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

  MR. GRIFFEN: Are you serious?

  MR. MALLOY: I know. It’s crazy. Today.r />
  MR. GRIFFEN: That true?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Yes, sir.

  MR. GRIFFEN: Singing?

  MR. MALLOY: We couldn’t believe it at first either. But they called Susan at work, mind you. Made her leave work and bring him home. Two-day suspension. For singing.

  MR. GRIFFEN: Who did it?

  MR. MALLOY: The principal.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Assistant principal.

  MR. GRIFFEN: When were you singing?

  MR. MALLOY: Tell him.

  PHILIP MALLOY: They sing, play the … the national anthem in the morning. And I, like—I was singing it. Mostly to myself. Then, I have this teacher—people don’t like her—and she, well, she threw me out of the class and—

  MR. GRIFFEN: Wait a minute. I want to get this straight. Look, I have this reporter I’m talking to. Jennifer Stewart. From the Manchester Record. School beat. How about talking to me with her there?

  MR. MALLOY: What do you say?

  PHILIP MALLOY: A reporter?

  MR. GRIFFEN: She does their educational stuff. She’s covering school board elections around the state. A good person.

  PHILIP MALLOY: I don’t know….

  MR. GRIFFEN: Nothing to worry about. Very straightforward. I’d like her to hear about this. Really, I would. Just tell her the truth. You don’t mind, do you, Ben?

  MR. MALLOY: No.

  MR. GRIFFEN: Phil?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Well …

  MR. GRIFFEN: Sure. Just tell her the truth. Come on in.

  8:45 P.M.

  Conversation among Philip Malloy, Mr. Malloy, Ted Griffen, and Jennifer Stewart, Education Reporter from the Manchester Record

  MR. GRIFFEN: Jennifer, this is my neighbor from across the street, Ben Malloy. His son, Phil Malloy. Jennifer Stewart, from the Manchester Record.

  MS. STEWART: Pleased to meet you.

  MR. MALLOY: Evening.

  MR. GRIFFEN: Jennifer was just interviewing me for a piece she’s doing on the school board elections. Statewide. These guys think I’m such a shoo-in to be elected they’re already bringing me problems.

  MS. STEWART: Shows a lot of confidence in you.

  MR. GRIFFEN: Actually, people are tired of the old ways. Not happy with the way things are. Now, for example, this thing, these guys, Phil here, tells me something that’s outrageous. Something I would never condone.

  MS. STEWART: What’s that?

  MR. MALLOY: Phil, tell her what you told Ted.

  MS. STEWART: This something … Is it Philip?

  MR. MALLOY: Yes. Philip. M–a–l–l–o–y.

  MS. STEWART: This something that happened to you?

  MR. GRIFFEN: He lives right across the street. Neighbors. Old—and good—friends.

  MR. MALLOY: Phil, tell her what happened. Exactly as it was. This was just today.

  MS. STEWART: Philip?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Well, see, there’s this teacher.

  MR. MALLOY: Go on.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Miss Narwin, English teacher, and she doesn’t like me….

  MR. GRIFFEN: No. Tell her what you told me.

  MR. MALLOY: This is part of it.

  MS. STEWART: Tell it your own way, Philip.

  PHILIP MALLOY: In the mornings, at school, in homeroom, before morning announcements, they play “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

  MS. STEWART: Who plays?

  PHILIP MALLOY: The school. On the sound system.

  MS. STEWART: Just want to get this down. Okay. Go on.

  PHILIP MALLOY: And, I like to sing along.

  MR. MALLOY: It’s the way we’ve brought him up.

  MR. GRIFFEN: The whole neighborhood is like that.

  MS. STEWART: Go on, Philip.

  PHILIP MALLOY: And this teacher …

  MS. STEWART: Could you spell her name?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Miss Narwin.

  MR. MALLOY: M–a–r–w–i–n. She’s always on the boy’s back. Bad teacher. The kids don’t like her.

  MR. GRIFFEN: Narwin? Or Marwin?

  MR. MALLOY: Right.

  MS. STEWART: Go on, Philip.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Well, I like to, you know, sing along. But, see, she kicked me out. For singing it.

  MS. STEWART: The national anthem?

  MR. GRIFFEN: Hard to believe.

  MR. MALLOY: It’s true. The principal even admitted it to my wife.

  PHILIP MALLOY: Assistant principal.

  MR. MALLOY: Well, anyway, they admit it.

  MS. STEWART: Is there more?

  PHILIP MALLOY: It happened again.

  MS. STEWART: Twice?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Yeah. Three times, actually.

  MS. STEWART: And?

  PHILIP MALLOY: They suspended me.

  MR. GRIFFEN: How anyone could get kicked out of school for …

  MR. MALLOY: Being patriotic.

  MR. GRIFFEN: If I were on the board, I wouldn’t accept this. I would not condone this. No way.

  MS. STEWART: Philip, was anyone else kicked out?

  PHILIP MALLOY: Just me.

  MS. STEWART: Do you have any sense as to why you in particular?

  PHILIP MALLOY: They have a rule against it.

  MS. STEWART: Rule against what?

  MR. MALLOY: Singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

  MR. GRIFFEN: Absurd!

  MS. STEWART: And this is something I can check out?

  PHILIP MALLOY: I guess. Sure. Go on.

  MR. MALLOY: The principal admitted it.

  MR. GRIFFEN: Jennifer, and you can quote me on this, I don’t intend to be silent about this issue. This is a school, an American school, and parents have a right to expect that certain things, like values, will be taught. Community values. Things I believe in. I mean that. Sincerely.

  11:34 P.M.

  From the Diary of Philip Malloy

  It really hit the fan today. So much happened I have a headache. It’s going to take a while to think out. Actually, I don’t feel so great. In a way, the whole thing is stupid. But everybody says I was right. And I was.

  10:00 a.m.

  Phone Conversation between Jennifer Stewart of the Manchester Record and Dr. Albert Seymour, Harrison School Superintendent

  MS. STEWART: May I speak to Dr. Albert Seymour, please.

  DR. SEYMOUR: Speaking.

  MS. STEWART: Dr. Seymour, this is Jennifer Stewart of the Manchester Record.

  DR. SEYMOUR: How do you do?

  MS. STEWART: I hope you don’t mind a call at home. I’m the education reporter.

  DR. SEYMOUR: Oh, yes.

  MS. STEWART: Something has come up—a report, sir—and I wanted to check some facts with you.

  DR. SEYMOUR: If I can be helpful … certainly.

  MS. STEWART: Sir, does the Harrison School District have a rule that forbids students from singing “The Star-Spangled Banner”?

  DR. SEYMOUR: Beg pardon?

  MS. STEWART: Yes, sir. Does the Harrison School District have a rule that students are not allowed to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner”?

  DR. SEYMOUR: Of course not. Whatever gave you that idea? Who told you that?

  MS. STEWART: There’s been a claim …

  DR. SEYMOUR: Hogwash. You should check your sources.

  MS. STEWART: I’m checking them right now.

  DR. SEYMOUR: The answer is no. We do not have such a rule. Absolutely.

  MS. STEWART: May I quote you?

  DR. SEYMOUR: Of course.

  MS. STEWART: Thank you.

  DR. SEYMOUR: You’re quite welcome.

  10:15 A.M.

  Phone Conversation between Jennifer Stewart of the Manchester Record and Dr. Gertrude Doane, Principal, Harrison High

  MS. STEWART: May I speak to Dr. Doane, please.

  DR. DOANE: This is she.

  MS. STEWART: Dr. Doane, my name is Jennifer Stewart, of the Manchester Record. I do the school stories. Sorry to bother you on a Saturday….

  DR. DOANE: Yes?

  MS. STEWART: I’m checking out an item that’s
come to our attention. It would appear that one of your students, Philip Malloy—

  DR. DOANE: Ninth grade.

  MS. STEWART: You know him?

  DR. DOANE: Oh, yes. Nice boy. Know him well. Has something happened to him?

  MS. STEWART: This is in reference to his suspension from school.

  DR. DOANE: Suspension?

  MS. STEWART: Isn’t that something—a suspension—that as principal you would know something about?

  DR. DOANE: Well, yes….

  MS. STEWART: On Friday, March 30, yesterday, Philip Malloy—he claims, as his parents claim, that he was suspended from your high school for two days.

  DR. DOANE: Discipline problems are usually in the hands of my assistant principal, Dr. Palleni. In any case I was at meetings all—

  MS. STEWART: Wouldn’t Dr. Palleni discuss such a suspension with you first?

  DR. DOANE: That would depend on … Ms….

  MS. STEWART: Stewart.

  DR. DOANE: Ms. Stewart, actually I’m not sure I should be discussing this matter with you. Records regarding our children are of a confidential nature.

  MS. STEWART: It’s already a matter of public record. The boy—and his father—have made a public statement. They claim he was suspended.

  DR. DOANE: That’s what you say.

  MS. STEWART: Dr. Doane, if you don’t wish to cooperate …

  DR. DOANE: Now just one moment, Ms….

  MS. STEWART: Stewart.

  DR. DOANE: Ms. Stewart, you call me up and inform me about something of which I have had no prior information….

  MS. STEWART: Then you didn’t know about this?

  DR. DOANE: I just said—

  MS. STEWART: Ms. Doane—

  DR. DOANE: Dr. Doane.

  MS. STEWART: Excuse me. Dr. Doane, Philip Malloy, who is a student at your school, and who you claim to know well, has made a statement to the effect that he was suspended for singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

  DR. DOANE: Oh, really!

  MS. STEWART: His father claims this is true. Now, I just spoke to your superintendent….

  DR. DOANE: Dr. Seymour?

  MS. STEWART: That’s right. And he says that the Harrison School District has no such rule. So, I am just trying to sort this out….