Mrs. Fraumeni and Miss. Crickard were walking along the bank of the Thames river. They had arrived at their lunch spot
minutes ago, and decided to take a walk to discuss education while Max set up the table.
"This really is exciting for me, Mrs. Fraumeni, being that this is my first job." Miss. Crickard expressed. Mrs. Fraumeni
turned to her.
"Oh ho ho ho ho ho. Schools, classes, students. When you've seen one, you've seen them all." Mrs. Fraumeni
told her, laughing.
"That is not what I mean and you know it." Miss. Crickard stated.
"Ah, you mean making the
students work their butts off and winning every competition. That’s exciting." Mrs. Fraumeni asked.
"Is that
so impossible?"
"No, just, uh, highly.... improbable."
"There you go, running your students down again." Miss
Crickard said disapprovingly.
"Well, I'm a dangerous driver." They laughed, turned around and began to walk towards
Max.
"How I do like it here, Mrs. Fraumeni. It's so lovely and peaceful. How can you leave it as often as you do?"
Miss Crickard questioned while gazing at the river.
"Well, I have my duties as a principal. I have to attend workshops,
look for teachers, and teach others about the art of being a principal. Mrs. Fraumeni explained. "I cant possibly stay forever
now can I? Plus, I trust that my students will behave in the utmost proper behavior."
"Oh I see." By the picnic table,
a waiter that Mrs. Fraumeni hired for this occasion offered Max a tray.
"More strudel, Officer Black?" She offered.
Max felt his stomach.
"How many have I had?" he asked.
"Two."
"Make it an uneven three." Max said as
he reached for another pastry. The waiter laughed and carried the tray away, while Mrs. Fraumeni and Miss Crickard joined
him.
"Still eating, Max, hm? Tch, tch. Must be unhappy." Mrs. Fraumeni reasoned. "You know that marvelous mixed quartet
I've been trying for months to steal away from Saul Feurock?" Mrs. Fraumeni and Miss Crickard nodded.
"What happened,
officer?" Miss Crickard questioned, not knowing wether she wanted to know or not.
"Yesterday, Sascha Petrie stole them
first. If there's one thing I hate, it's a thief."
Mrs. Fraumeni had no clue what he was talking about, but just went along with it and asked, "But, Max, you really must
try and learn to, uh, love yourself."
Max ignored Mrs. Fraumeni’s comment and continued complaining. "For this
I had to call Toronto, London and Strathroy."
"On Mrs. Fraumeni’s telephone, of course." Miss Crickard questioned smirking.
"Well, how else could I afford
it? Oh, dear, I like rich people. I like the way they live. I like the way I live when I'm with them." Max said happily, leaning
back.
"I’m not that rich Max. You must know that. It’s the school that has lots of money."
"I know,
I know. Well, it doesn’t matter! I like the way I’m treated when I’m with not not not not not not not not
not not rich people." Max explained. Mrs. Fraumeni tried to convert what he said in her head, but couldn’t, so she just
nodded, sat down, and began to eat. She was followed by Miss Crickard.
Once they were done eating, Max asked "So, when am I going to see the darling little students?"
"Well, once we go to the sch-" she was interrupted by the sound of children singing the song do-re-mi, from The Sound
of Music, completely out of tune, but very happily. The trio turned towards the river where the sound was coming from,
and low and behold. . . it was the intermediates of St. Marys school. . .
Chapter 16
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