March 6, 2000

I shouldn't be so rough on Carol. She certainly means well. I'm convinced she doesn't mean me any harm. She thinks she loves me. Maybe she does. Once we were quite happy.

My thoughts are a bit confused when it comes to that one, Carol Anne Lewis.

I first saw Carol my premier days of work here at St. Theresa's, aka Big Blue. She sat at the other end of the auditorium with her home room class during orientation. This was all a few years A.M. (Ante Maria). First year teacher, I felt like a first day student: New apartment, new city, no friends, not sure what the new job was all about, what was expected of me. I wanted my mommy.

Carol's distant presence was a continual comfort. I'd spy her head turning in the hallway, on the stairs, in the lunch room: The woman I'd like to get to know. She returned my subtle gazes with equally subtle glances, and finally with a full-blown smile. (Carol has a nice smile.)

Our first real encounter was anything but subtle.

A week into the school year a shy, crying 5th grader came into my classroom. It seems her parents had just moved here, this being her first day of school. Being a week into the shcool year she missed the benefit of orientation. As a consequence she was quite disoriented, coming to the wrong homeroom. To attend to her I gave my class an early exit of five minutes (no complaints) and took Annabel (that was the name of the lost child) to her proper class before the bell.

Coming to Carol's room was like returning home from a long and lonely business trip, cheap motels, roadway food.

Carol: (Opening door) Hey, what'cha got there, Jake?

Michael: Hay's for horses. It's a lost child. My name's not Jake.

Carol: Just an expression, Michael. (She knew my name.) You must be Annabel. (Looking at Annabel) Stop crying, Sweetie. Did Mikey here bite you? (I hate being called Mikey.)

Annabel: (Wiping tears) No.

Carol: Of course not. (She pinches Annabel's cheeks.) Boojie Boojie buoy buoy buoy. (She really said this.)

(Bell rings.)

Carol: (Continues) Okay, Pumpkin. Do you know where you are now?

(Annabel nods, smiling.)

Carol: Okay. Follow Christine here to your next class. We'll see you here tomorrow.

(Exit the girls who begin to file out of the classroom between Michael and Carol, still standing at the door like two pillars of moral integrity.)

Michael: Boojie boojie buoy buoy buoy?

Carol: Uh huh.

(We share about a 5 second gaze.)

Carol: I've got something for you in the coat room.

(Flash cut. Carol and Michael, two thrill-seeking teachers at a Catholic Middle and Junior high school for girls, are actively engaged in sexual intercourse in Carol's classroom coat closet. Their last spasm of lust coincides with the opening of the classroom door, as the girls of Carol's next period class begin to arrive.)

Carol: The girls are coming.

Michael: So are the boys.

Carol: (Rearranging her skirt. Rearranging Michael.) Do you have any tissue?

(Michael reaches into his jacket pocket.)

Michael: We'd better go.

Carol: Wait. (Still sitting on Michael's lap. She kisses him.) Come back after school, okay?

Michael: Okay.

(Michael and Carol exit coat closet, trying not to look suspicious. Michael exits classroom, thinking to himself, "Did that really just happen?")

And so began a beautiful relationship.