That was the end of it in more than one way. Jerry had really screwed up by trying this little stunt in the middle of a crowded hallway with a teacher at one end of the hall. While she couldn’t hear what had started it, she could certainly see Tessa running away with a torn blouse, and three much bigger guys attacking me. She came running up yelling at us to stop, which I did by backing up against my locker. Jerry and his two friends were shaking their heads wondering ‘What the fuck?!’ as they got to their feet. Tessa also returned with a couple of large male teachers.
A few minutes later all of us were down in the principal’s office, along with the school nurse. All three of the lacrosse players started in on how I had attacked them, but nobody was buying it. There were two school teachers as witnesses along with Tessa. Tessa had already slipped into her jacket and was holding her torn blouse, which was more than evidence enough. I didn’t have to say hardly anything, and they didn’t even call my parents. Tessa’s folks were called to take her home, and the lacrosse team’s parents were called to take their kids home. They all had three day suspensions, which they protested loudly, earning them five day suspensions.
The funniest part was when their coach, who happened to be one of the teachers Tessa had snagged, asked if I wanted to try out for any sports. I stared at him in disbelief and said, “I’m not real big on team sports. Do we have an unarmed combat team?” He just laughed at that, and asked me when the wrestling coach should expect me. I just smiled in response.
“Really, it’s like I said, nothing happened. It’s all just been blown up,” I said, after Tessa described what occurred.
“It wasn’t nothing, Carl. I had to come here and tell you thank you for saving my daughter. We owe you for this,” replied her father.
“Thank you,” added her mother, who then leaned over to kiss my cheek. I glanced over at Tessa, who laughed silently and rolled her eyes. Her parents were a lot more fundamental in their beliefs than she was, although she was fairly conservative herself, and she had a good, if quiet, sense of humor. “You should come over and visit sometime. You and Tessa would make a nice couple.”
“Mother!” shrieked Tessa in embarrassment.
“Well, you would.”
My parents were simply staring at me and the others, my father in wonder, and my mother absolutely appalled. I just smiled and shook my head. “That’s very nice Mrs. Harper, but Tessa and I are just friends. I don’t think Tessa is my type of girl. Thank you anyway.”
Tessa laughed at this, and even more so when her mother pressed the issue. “What type would that be?”
I had to laugh. “Tessa’s a very nice girl, and the type I’m looking for, well, they aren’t as nice as Tessa.” I gave Tessa a wink, which she laughed at. Tessa’s mother gasped softly and my mother protested loudly. I could see a twinkle in both fathers’ eyes, though.
Tessa laughed loudly at this. “I’ll let some of the girls at school know that.”
I grinned back at her. “You do that!”
The Harpers took that as their cue to leave. I saw them to the door, and Tessa was the last to go out. “I’m going to tell some of my friends just what kind of girl you’re looking for,” she teased.
“You just do that. Tammy and I broke up, so I am definitely available.”
“I’m also going to tell them you’re a hero,” she said softly.
I grinned at her. “Don’t do that, you’ll ruin my reputation!” She took off after her folks and I waved goodbye.
Once inside, my mother immediately protested about me learning aikido. “You’re always getting into fights at school! You are going to quit this immediately!”
“Mom, this is the only fight I’ve been in since I started learning aikido. Did you want me to let them hurt Tessa?” I asked. I glanced over at Dad for some support. “What if it had been Suzie?”
“I don’t care. You are always getting into trouble, and this is just more of the same. You are stopping it, you hear!”
I looked at my father, and for once he stood up to her. “Shirley, shut up!”
“What?”
Dad ignored her for a moment. Turning to me, he said, “Anything ever happens with your mother or your sister, you take care of them, you understand?” I nodded silently. “Shirley, he stays in those classes. He didn’t start it. He’s doing fine. Leave him alone.” Back to me he said, “You take care of them, no matter what.” I nodded again.
“How dare you…” started Mom.
“Shirley, just shut up.” Dad went back up the stairs, with Mom following behind him, arguing. I never saw my father ever hit my mother, but I know he must have wanted to at times. This was one of those times. She was losing the argument, and she didn’t take losing well. I knew I wasn’t hearing the end of it. My mother is not one to bury a grudge. No, she’s the type who stuffs it and mounts it on the mantel.
Chapter 13: Moving Along
Fall 1970 to Summer 1971
Tenth grade moved along quickly on schedule, my advanced schedule. I managed to squeeze Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry into the fall semester, and nailed Probability and Statistics in the spring, when it was normally held. The unusual part was that I took the class with seniors two years older than myself. They treated me okay, but differently, like an alien had landed among them.
I was active in both the Explorer post and the church’s teen youth group, led by Pastor Joe. I figured I went camping or canoeing at least once a month through the entire year. I had enjoyed this immensely on my first trip through, and now was no different, except that I was a lot more knowledgeable. I was a whole lot better campfire cook this time around, which is a skill you only learn through experience. At least this time I didn’t dump my canoe and partner upside down in the middle of the North Branch of the Shenandoah River, like I did the first time.
I didn’t warn Mr. Becker about what was waiting for him on that trip, though. He had a brand new plastic canoe, which cost him a fortune and of which he was inordinately proud. It was about a third of the weight of the Grumman aluminum canoes the rest of us were using. It was one of the very first non-metal canoes ever built, plastic, not fiberglass, and was made of two halves welded down the keel. He was one of the church deacons, and was with us for the trip, and his partner was a young girl, Jenny Smith. After about an hour on the river, he signaled for a stop and we all beached our canoes. His canoe had sprung a leak along the seam at the keel, splitting for a couple of inches.
Not to worry! He had a patch kit, just in case! Still, it would require him to beach the canoe, flip it upside down, and let it dry, then apply the patch and wait another hour or two. He and Jenny would be along in a few hours, so make sure dinner was ready. I smiled to myself and we all went on our merry way.
We didn’t see either Mr. Becker or Jenny until Sunday afternoon. Five minutes after they were back in the water, the entire keel split down the middle and dropped the pair of them into the Shenandoah. They swam to shore and spent a wet night under the stars. The next day, Saturday, they hiked out along a railroad track, and found a phone. Jenny’s parents were called, and they drove four hours into the West Virginia countryside to rescue them. Jenny went home, and Mr. Becker was taken to his car. He slept in the car overnight, and then drove to a lookout the next morning, where we found him waving to us. He told us the incredible story amid much laughter about his “new and improved” canoe.