Part 20 (1/2)
”GreatThanks,Justine”
”Anytiupthephoneandturnto her ”Justine saidthathecanbe hereWednesdayatfour”
”Well, if that's really the soonest he can lances down to adjusther sparklingengage ”Janesaidit wascrucialthathebehere,so”
Right
”I mean,theWall StreetJournal!He's four!”
”Jesus,” s ”Your mo forward a few steps and Sophie circles, ready for her next run ”And there's no wayI couldleaveGrayer rightnow”
Dad runs to the bottom of the hill ”Sophie! Come on!” Sophie looks confused ”Over here!” he calls
Sophieturns 180degreesfroust of wind that blows her ears even farther back
As soon as she reaches hiloved hands, I call to her and she gallops back up toward me, and then the two of us run down the slope until we are beside hitheuptownstretchofRiversidePark
”Readyforyourinterviewtomorrow?” Sophierolls intohis shi+nsinanefforttocatchup
”I'with usinclass I'd reallyliketohaveainstanothergustofcoldwind
”You'll knock 'ee of the trees and look back downjustasthestreetlightturns on,low,coht” ”Oh,electric Gods of the tristate area, I'oodness job with set hours and an office where the boss's underwear isn't drying in the bathroom Someday I'd like to be able to help more than one child at a time?children who don't come accessorized with their own consultants Thank you Aht as we surface high over the streets of the South Bronx I feel that twinge of excite over thecityonits skinnyrailslikeanamusement-parkride
I pull mylessonplanout of mybackpackandstareat it forthe millionth time Theopportunity to join a conflict-resolution team for city schools is exactly the kind of job I've been training for Plus, it would begoodtoithteenagersandtake a breakfromthetinyfolk
Thetrainpulls to astopandI stepoutintothecoldsunshi+ne I make my way down the steps of the platform to the street and discover that I am not four blocks away from my interview, but fourteen I must have upthepace I wastoonervous this tohavebreakfast, buttheninety-streets,knowingI shouldeatorriskpassingoutmid!lesson
Fully out of breath, I run into a tiny newspaper stand, grab a bag of peanuts, and stuff the the buzzer next to a taped piece of hand-colored paper that reads ”Coibly out through the static and the door clicks, letting reen, and lined with posters of children in playgrounds looking gravely into the ca by the haircuts and bell-bottouess these are promo posters circa the early seventies, around the tiain at the top step and ae hand pulls the door slightly ajar ”Snowflake,stay! STAY!”
”I' around for another door, assuA palewoainst Conflict You're in the right place, cotofree hi she's made in the door and practically coousblackshepherdandtherestof anequallylargewo blond hair I setpasther widelyplantedlegs
”NO!” shescreams
I joltup
”He'snotreally apeoplepersonAreyou,Snowflake?” Shepats 1 the dog gruffly on his head with her free hand, as the other holds a stack ofadequatelywarnedme,shelets Snowflakecheckmeoutwhile I stayperfectlystill
”I'm Reena, the executive director of Communities You are?” She fixestofigureoutwhoshewouldlikeme tobe
”NanI thinkI wassupposedtomeetwithRichard”I aimforsolidandwarht your name was Naminia shi+t RICHARD!” Reena bellows at me and I almost duck Sheturnsbackto herfiles ”He'll behere in a cabinet
”Okay! I'll just have a seat” I try to demonstrate that I am someone who can take care of herself, as I sense independenceis of value here I turn around to discover that the two chairs designated to the few feet serving as a waiting area are both piled with overflowing boxes of yellowing brochures I opt for standingbythewall andgettingoutofReena's way, asthisseems tobe aCommunities value, aswell
A door flies open at the far side of the room and a man with a pasty complexion, who looks related to Reena and wholasses, breathing heavily with the effort of getting around her and the dog to greet arette stuckbehindhis ear
”Naruntsover a file
”Oh, Nan I'm Richard, the artistic director Well, I see you've o into the Feelings Roolanceswith Reena
I followhisRoom,which isaboutthesamesizeastheoffice,butwithout all thedesks
”So have a seatthere,Nan”I do,readytotellmywhole,wonderful story Readytoknock 'eins He leans back in the plastic folding chair and proceeds to explain abouthis decadesspentin social work, howhe ainst the superintendent, their years traveling the globe to gather ies for conflict resolution, and the host of ”virtually thousands of kids” that he has personally trained to ”oes on extensively about his itimate” son who doesn't call hi I zone in and out, keeping a bea
About an hour later he finally says, ”So I see here that you are ender studies, what does that to read the blurred print 1 follow his gaze to the top of the pagetodiscover thatI aStreet”Ahh,Naminia
”Well, I'm in the home stretch of a major in child developthis work?
”So you're not a fe a Kleenex out of his pocket andwipingdownhis forehead
I atte this seht So let's get you up and running! Let et started with your session” He stands ”REEENA!” Loudbarkingensuesintheother room
I pull my lesson plan out of my backpack while Snowflake bursts in, followed by Reena I walk to the othersideoftherooblackboard
I take a deepbreath ”I haveprepared a sessiononpeerpressureforfourteen-year-oldsingradenineAs you'll seeontheboardhere I havewritten thesekeyterethertoconstruct?
”Teacher!Teacher!” Richardis wavingwildlyfromthebackof theroom
”I'm sorry,areyounotreadyfor
Heballsup apieceofpaperandthrowsitatReena,whostartstomockcry
”Teacher! Reena said a bad word!” Reena continues to boo-hoo, causing Snowflake to circle her, barking
”I'anoverview”buttheyare intheir oorld,throwingpaperateachother andfakecrying