these two gentleman when they got to the stolen truck? This piece of paper on my desk - this pass that you wrote for Billy to leave school.” Boy did Matt feel foolish. Mrs. Barwick snarled, “Never have I heard of a substitute teacher giving a student a pass to go home. That’s so irresponsible, thoughtless - just plain stupid. You could have at least checked in the office. Don’t you know that you’re legally liable for what the students do when they’re in your class? Obviously not.” When she was finished venting, Mrs. Barwick told Matt to leave.
I definitely won’t be going there anymore, Matt thought as he pulled out of the parking space. If Noonie asked why they weren’t calling him anymore, he’d tell her that they just must not need substitutes. In time, she’d stop asking hopefully. Matt glumly considered the inevitable. People her age are so fragile. She was increasingly frail. He envisioned the print of the little girl picking flowers. Easing the car through the parking lot, Matt wondered how many more days like this he would have. Hopefully tens of thousands. Hopefully forever. He was nearly out of the lot when he saw that the back door to the shop class was open. Sighing, he pulled the car and headed there. That’s all he needed, yet one more complaint about him not doing his job. He decided that he’d lower the door. That way - well, that way nothing as he probably wouldn’t be working there anymore anyway. Still, Matt thought, I won’t be the loser they want to think I am. He determined to do right and take care of this even if they never found out, even if they didn’t care. An open door to the shop was an accident waiting to happen, and, Matt told himself, he was going to nip this potential mess in the bud right now. Slowly cruising nearer the shop entrance, he couldn’t understand how the door had gotten open.
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