Venomous Agenda Memoirs

Chapter 34: Retirement

The following day, at work, Glen reads a memo sent to him from VA's principal. It's about the sales of Venomous Agenda merchandise going through the roof in a way that not even Gen's or Jennifer's participations at the EGMO did in their respective years. Trillian became the epitome of American girl's mathletics who, even though, by her own confession, she was hothoused as is typical of so many early birds of any field, is still a mathlete who's somewhat confident in public speaking.

This town is seemingly taking forever to process everything surrounding Trillian's qualification to the IMO, including but not limited to Trillian's gold at the EGMO. Because of Trillian winning gold at the EGMO, first of all, the town ratchets up their expectations going into the IMO, and the rest of the nation follows suit to varying extents. And she couldn't go very far in town without being recognized...

Yet, in a board meeting that he calls for later this week, he asks for the following when the meeting begins:

"You all know about the size of the accomplishment getting Trillian to the IMO represents. However, some of you might not have been on the board when I promised, as far back as when I was the principal of what became VA, that I would either work for the board until death did me part or the VAs got a girl to the IMO. Now that the second condition is met, I hereby announce my retirement effective June thirtieth. But we need to draft a succession plan for that date" Glen solemnly announces to the parish's board.

Or more specifically, the second half of the second condition. The first half, the Venomous Agendas winning the Math Madness, was met seven years ago. I remember Salome scoring the game-winning point very clearly even though she never competed at the USAMO, he gets flashbacks while the board members discuss what they look for in a superintendent.

As per usual, heated debates take place over where extracurricular attention should be devoted. Some think that sports should be given more attention at the parish level, others would rather maintain the present course. It appears that, under Glen, schools had a lot of athletic autonomy, and the parish would simply absorb the busing-related costs of extracurriculars of any kind. The parish's needs are much easier to agree upon than what they want out of a superintendent.

"We are now ready to vote on the succession plan; those who accept the plan, raise your hand" Glen announces to the board.

The succession plan is adopted by a two-thirds majority.

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Once the board meeting ends, Glen orders his very own special editions of the Venomous Agendas math team T-shirts, with the 2034 IMO logo on it, one lime green and one purple. However, he asks his wife about which items in the IMO special edition collection she would like before ordering any of it.

"Because we'll be in Delhi to support Trillian, I may as well buy a pair of special edition VA racertanks, one purple, one lime green" Selena then comments on what she could possibly buy to do so.

"And maybe some memorabilia of this happy occasion in different form than just clothing" Glen peruses other sorts of IMO memorabilia to order along with the clothing.

Even though the other two national championships the VAs are entered in are welcome breaks from the incessant attention given to the town from mathletics, their performances just aren't on the same level.

First, at the HSNCT on the Memorial Day weekend, the VAs lost to Boston Latin in a last-tossup showdown, in which Alyssa scored the winning points. Thus the VAs finished twenty-fourth out of over 400 teams competing.

Then came Nats. This year around, Nicole's brother makes it to triple-octos at Nats in LD, while the PF pair, led by Myriam's younger brother, finishes twentieth.