Answer the Phone
All was quiet in the seventh hour study hall. Students were scattered all around the room, learning their reading, writing and math. Suddenly, the silence was pierced by the shrill ring of the phone. Heads popped up all over, from kids distracted from their work. Miss Clezna, the study hall administrator, instructed all the kids to remain seated, telling them that they should just let it ring. After several rings, the student bodies were becoming restless. Miss Clezna stood up and approached the phone. The final ring was shortly cut off as she lifted the phone off the receiver and quickly replaced it. The ringing ceased and Miss Clezna returned to her post. Approximately one minute passed and the phone rang again. Chuckles were heard from several kids who thought the event was humorous. Even Miss Clezna, who usually might have been annoyed by this, managed a small smile. The boy sitting next to it stood up to answer the phone. "Sit, down!" said Miss Clezna. "I'll handle it." So she crossed the room one more time and picked up the phone, only this time she let it hang by its cord, thus eliminating the problem. After she sat down, and most of the students had returned to their studies, the phone began beeping. Once again, the boy next to the phone stood up to stop the noise. "Sit down," Miss Clezna ordered, "I don't think a little beeping is too distracting to you people."
On the other end of the line, old Lily Yackleth groped at the nightstand one last time. She reached up, stretching as far as her old limbs would allow. Her fingers moved slowly, trembling from the strain. They touched the phone and strained even further, reaching out to touch a button. Finally, she found one and clenched her teeth as she pushed the redial button. She listened as the phone scrolled through the numbers and then groaned when she heard the busy signal. She collapsed to the floor and concentrated on breathing, as Miss Clezna announced to the room that it was talk time.
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