The Cask of Manhasset { Ranpoe }

First Day Part Two

At last the Headmaster's speech ends with a reciting of the school song and the tolling of a bell. There must be a chapel somewhere on campus, or a bell tower at least. Lenore did mention a Bible Study group.

I follow Lenore out of the Auditorium and into the largest of the buildings. The mansion was the main house on the property and was then expanded and converted into the High School. Students are allowed to carry around bags but Lenore stops at her locker, and I stand there stupidly as she talks with her friends, American slang words I don't even know flying by me at the speed of light. Finally, she remembers my presence and ushers them all away, the girls give me weird looks and hurry off.

There was no Homeroom today because of the assembly, so the first place we're going is Science with Ms. Jones. It's easy to find in one of the laboratory classrooms on the first floor. Despite the elegant wood panelling in the rest of the school, this room is bright white and clean. Modern lab equipment and books line the shelves, like a slice of modern in the Victorian place. Each blacktop has a hook on the side bearing an apron and a small wireframe basket for pencils, and probably any other trinkets that need to be off the table during lab work. The neat room is calming.

A woman stands in front of the whiteboard, writing an agenda. Her handwriting, much like her classroom and overall appearance, is neat. Her dark brown hair is in a tight plaited bun, and she wears a black jumper, slacks, and a white lab coat that reminds me of Papa's.

When she turns around she has a calm expression on her face, not friendly per se, but not hostile either. She values professionalism, so she must expect us to as well. I straighten my tie. Her deep brown eyes scan the class, assessing us. She wears no make-up and I can see her hands are slightly cracked from washing, she's a scientist first, then a teacher. At last, she gives a small smile.

"Welcome students to Grade 11 science. I'm Professor Jones. Ordinarily, I'd have you put your bags on that rack over there but since it's the first day and we aren't doing any practicals you may place them under the table, as long as they're out of the aisles and not a tripping hazard. There's a sheet of paper for everyone, it's just a few questions about what you remember from last year so I'll know what place we're all in academically. I suspect most of you know each other but I'll allow time for introductions if you want after the questionnaire is finished." She's straight and to the point, and she doesn't call me out. I like her.

Our seats are assigned by alphabetical order by surname, and when we finish the survey she instructs us to hand them into the file cabinet with our class number on it. We're number one. There are only 4 drawers. This school must be smaller than I thought.

"Now that we're all finished with that there's the matter of the syllabus. Of course, there is a digital copy but I'm going to give each of you a physical copy to have your parents or guardians sign. I understand you'll be getting a lot of forms to sign this week, but please have them signed and handed back in before the end of the week. I'm going to call your names and you will come up and get your copy as I do so please let me know if there's anything you'd prefer to be called besides your full name."

One by one students go up. Quickly, because of my E surname, I'm up, she gives me a small smile and hands me a copy of the syllabus with familiar symbols. "I have a few Japanese colleagues, so I had them translate it. I have no doubts that you'll be able to keep up in my class but I thought this might be easier for your parents if they don't speak English as fluently." She says. So, not completely cold.

I laugh. "Thank you, they speak English better than I do, but I'm sure they'll appreciate it."

I return to my seat, placing the packet in my science binder. Dad's English is excellent, of course. He's a world history professor, but he still prefers reading in Japanese, he'll be relieved, I'm sure, to have this syllabus.