I taught them to cook vidya4 - Flipbook - Page 47
Autumn Term
45
Tarts, tarts. I know Len likes tarts, so he might be back, even
though he’s left his homework sheet on the window ledge.
It’s time for my visit to the staffroom like I promised Mr
Lewes. I slump into one of the armchairs, light up a cigarette
and breathe out ‘Gavin.’ in a stream of smoke.
‘Ah, Jenny. Gavin is being suspended again because he’s been
threatening boys in the cloakroom.’
It’s friendly teacher Pete who often pops in to see if I can sell
him anything for his supper.
‘When the school disciplinary team interviewed him, he told
them he likes your lessons the best. They’ll suspend him for a
week and he can come back and join another of your classes. Mr
James is supposed to tell you.’
Brilliant. Gavin is the school tormenter and general nuisance
maker. He spends much of his time outside classroom doors,
roaming the corridors or waiting near the headmaster’s study for
a telling off or more serious stuff. Rumour has it that Mr Shield
once chased him around the room waving his cane, but Gavin
escaped. That made us all laugh. The Team, whoever they are,
has decided he can spend time with me as he likes cooking. Gavin
refuses to bring in ingredients and ends up making jam tarts or
stealing stuff from other students. And I’ve got to get the rest of
the class through EXAMS.
Tonight Mark has bought two tickets to the musical ‘Godspell’
and we’ll drive into the West End and have bowls of noodles and
spicy pork in Chinatown before the show. Reviews say it’s a
jolly musical with energetic young people dancing and singing,
dressed in clown costumes. The pop star, David Essex is playing
Jesus – he’s got the most startling blue eyes and is screamingly
handsome. I know the ending’s sad as Jesus dies, but I’m not going
to let that spoil my night out. We’ve been playing the Godspell LP
so might join in a quiet singalong as we know the words. Prepare
Ye The Way of the Lord, Day by Day – here we come.