See You in September

“See you in September.” Toby waved strolling down the aisle of the bus and hopping down the steps. He waved again from his driveway.

Clarissa smiled and waved back. It had been the perfect last day of school after a difficult grade two year. Clarissa had had two operations. She spent more time in hospital and less time in school. When she was well enough to go back to school, she had completely missed lessons on cursive writing. She was able to catch up on most of her other work but continued to print while her classmates wrote in cursive. Her friends were still her friends, but many of their shared experiences at school left Clarissa feeling left out. Coming back to school was harder than Clarissa expected. Because Mrs. Marwell noticed Clarissa was struggling to readjust, she placed Clarissa’s desk next to Toby’s. Toby had arrived while Clarissa was away. He too, had difficulty fitting in.

The Coal family had recently adopted him. Mr. Coal, the school’s principal, was very strict and had some strange rules. For example, students were not allowed to touch the walls. Senior students monitored the hallways and tickets were given to anyone seen touching the walls. Some rebellious students would quickly touch the wall with one finger, but no one ever leaned against the walls, that would mean a trip to Mr. Coals office.

Mr. Coal’s unpopularity made Toby’s acceptance hard. But Clarissa and Toby hit it off immediately. Toby’s silliness made Clarissa laugh. She needed to laugh, being sick had taken the child from her. They started to enjoy grade two which lead them to making more friends. Joy spreads joy. It was hard to imagine how Toby lived with Mr. Coal. Toby was so lively, spontaneous, and fun. Mr. Coal was stern and joyless. One-time Toby had Clarissa rolling with laughter doing impersonations of Sesame Street characters, Big Bird, Oscar, Ernie, and Burt.

Clarissa asked, “How does Mr. Coal live with you, your so funny?

Toby got very quiet and sat in his seat.

“Come on Toby do another one? Do Big Bird again!”

Toby remained quiet and was suddenly absorbed in schoolwork.

Another day at recess, Clarissa, Toby, Sandra, Laura Lee and Jack were playing tag. Clarissa running fast, tripped and fell headfirst into one of the large logs set in the playground for climbing.

Clarissa’s older sister, Louise, happened to be on the swings nearby and rushed Clarissa inside. The school nurse placed ice on her head, but a huge bump formed anyway, as well as two blackeyes. The other four children were brought into the office. Mr. Coal grilled them, trying to find out who was at fault. The child stood in a line, making sure not to touch the wall. Mr. Coal paced in front of them asking questions. Laura Lee’s eyes began to fill with tears. Jack twisted and turned his body.

Mr. Coal scolded “Jack stand straight.”

Sandra spoke quietly, “No one pushed her, she tripped while running, hitting the log headfirst.”  

Mr. Coal’s eyes pieced Toby, pausing in front of him, Mr. Coal asked, “Are you sure no one pushed her?” Toby stared down, placed one foot over the other and inspected his shoes.

Louise interrupted establishing she saw exactly what happened and no one was at fault except maybe the school for leaving those big logs in the playground. Louise had always protected Clarissa, often talking on her behalf, she had no hesitation in speaking up for her sister and her friends. Louise had also been insisting their mother be called, which school had not done.

Mr. Coal was not at all surprised to find Clarissa’s mother, Mrs. Wright, waiting for him when he arrived the next morning. He had had many meetings with Mrs. Wright over several concerns; Clarissa’s kindergarten teacher sent her to the office for refusing speak; Mrs. Wright decided Clarissa needed Mrs. White for Grade One not Mrs. Wilbur; Clarissa needed extra help; Clarissa needed work sent home because of her absenteeism. Mrs. Wright had five children in the school, but her visits usually centred around Clarissa’s needs. Clarissa was unaware, but Louise knew of Clarissa’s special needs. Mr. Coal from experience knew the best thing to do was let Mrs. Wright speak, give her what she wanted if it wasn’t too much. Otherwise, she would just escalate her issues to the board. Mr. Coal’s head hurt just looking at Mrs. Wright.

The big logs were moved to a more remote part of the playground. Clarissa’s bump went down; her blackeyes took a few weeks to heal but they did heal.

Clarissa, Toby, Sandra, Laura Lee and Jack had become a team. An odd social mix in a small city where everyone knew everyone elses’ business. Sandra from a wealthy high society family shed her social expectations befriending, Clarissa, daughter of a mechanic and nurse, Laura Lee, an extremely shy farm girl, Jack, a hyperactive son of a welfare family, and Toby, the adopted son of the principal. They were an odd group but soon became inseparable. The friends ate their lunches as fast as possible so they could run outside after to play. Sometimes they played tag, sometimes fantasy play, other times baseball, it didn’t matter. They loved each others company.

It was hard to figure out why Mr. Coal had adopted Toby. At school he never spoke to him, never tussled his hair as other fathers might have with their sons.

On the last day the entire school had Fun Day in the morning, ate their lunch and than were called into the school gymnasium for a special awards ceremony. Clarissa was astonished to receive an award for Most Improved Academic Performance. She didn’t really understand what the words meant but did like the feel of the blue ribbon. At least she had one, her siblings always received them, but this was her first.

Mr. Coal droned on, and the announcement was almost missed by the students who sat on the floor tuned out of his final lecture. When he ended with the declaration of Popsicles for all, the students looked at each other in silent bewilderment and then loud cheers was shouted.

They were instructed to eat the Popsicles outside on the grass. After which they were allowed to play until the buses arrived. It was wonderful,l the teachers were busy cleaning up from Fun Day so the students played unabated until their buses arrived. As the buses arrived the excited children ran in all directions, Clarissa yelled goodbye and waved to all her friends.

Toby was the only friend on her school bus, they lined up together for their bus. Toby taller stood between Clarissa and other children who pushed to get in line. Once on, the two sat together, reliving the fun they had had during the day until Toby’s stop came. He followed his adopted sister Veronica, off the school bus.

“See you in September.” His farewell to Clarissa.

Clarissa was so excited on the first day back, ready for grade three.  On the bus everyone was chatting happy to see each other after the long summer break. The bus was especially noisy, kids bouncing up and down, hands going everywhere.

The bus stopped at the Coal’s house; Veronica got on the bus but no Toby! Clarissa searched for her very favorite tall, dark, dimpled friend. She had missed his silly and goofy impersonations over the summer. She was eager to see him again. She tried to call out from the back of the bus ‘Where’s Toby?” Her voice was drowned out by the noise of the other kids. She asked her sister to ask on her behalf. Louise did, but Veronica didn’t answer. Louise asked Veronica later in class since they were in grade six together. Veronica refused to answer.

A few days went by and still no Toby; Clarissa and her siblings were all sitting at their kitchen table having snacks and discussing their day. Clarissa complained Toby still had not come. She begged her mom to call and find out if he was sick. A funny look came over Mom’s face. Louise demanded to know why? Their mom spoke very quietly, “You remember Toby was adopted.”

“Yeah…” The children wanted to hear more.

” Um”.. Mom bit her lip trying think of the right words. “Mrs. Coal wasn’t able to have her own baby for many years and they wanted two children, so they adopted Toby.”

“OK…”, 

“You know Mrs. Coal had a baby over the summer.” My mother reminded.

“Yeah, so?” Louise questioned.

“They returned Toby.” My mother said it quickly trying to sound like it was normal to return an adopted child, like returning an ill-fitting shirt.

“What? How can they do that?” The children shouted in one voice. 

“But you can’t keep a kid for a whole year and then send him back!”, Clarissa said. “She felt a pain in stomach.” Clarissa recalled the show she’d seen of how children are treated in foster homes. “Mom you have to go get him. We can adopt him.” Clarissa pled. Crying “Mom please!”

Her mother knelt holding her Clarissa’s face. “Oh, Clarissa we can’t. We just can’t. I am so sorry”

The following week the entire student body was outside the school lined up according to grade for a routine fire alarm drill.  Everyone was talking, jostling in their lines. Mr. Coal was shouting from his bull horn, no one paid heed to him. Enraged he was shouting “I am your principal! You must listen to me!”

Everyone just continued until silence was brought to the crowd by the shout of an unknown voice “Where’s Toby?”

After a few seconds of silence, Mr. Coal went back into the school. Another teacher took over and ordered everyone back to class.  Mr. Coal, who disappeared, relocated, he and his family moved to another city.

Their newly built home remained empty for a long time. Every day Clarissa rode by on the bus she looked into the empty carport, remembered Toby waving from his driveway.  She wondered, where Toby was? Was he happy? Was he safe? She hoped and wished that he was. He deserved to be. She also wished someone had asked her “How do you feel about Toby’s disappearance?” She would have said, “sad and worried”.