”Nooooo. Stop it - pleeeease,” Jed cried piteously. Jed doubled over and had to cover his mouth with both hands not to laugh. Matt wanted to kill him. Within fifteen seconds, before he could explain that Mr. Swain’s special helper was merely being a wit, two male teachers burst in the room. Mr. Lynn, the football coach, and Mr. Johnson, who taught science, were slightly out of breath. “Uh, hello,” Matt said. He figured that Jed was going to tell them that he was beating him or trying to rape him. Looking at the grinning boy, he felt himself wanting to give Jed something to really cry about. Mr. Lynn said, “They got a call in the office that some kid was being hurt.” All eyes were on Jed, who sheepishly muttered, “I was just kidding.” Mr. Lynn and Mr. Johnson looked at each other and shook their heads “Come on, funnyman,” Mr. Johnson said. “I was just kidding!” “Write him up,” they advised Matt before leaving the room with Jed. “Don’t write me up,” Jed plaintively urged as he left. Tired. The whole day had been nerve-wracking. Matt wasn’t mad at the students, not even that darned Jed. Well, maybe Jed, but not the rest. They were good kids, really sweet kids or something. Anyway, the day was behind him, and for that Matt thanked God. Then Mrs. Yandle’s voice crackled through the speaker. “Mr. Jones, can you stop by the office.” Matt’s heart sank because he wanted to leave. He knew that they wouldn’t be calling him in to tell him they liked the cut of his jib and offer him a permanent position but figured they wanted him to write a note telling what Jed had done. Tedious. Matt turned out the lights and left the shop class.
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