THE SUBSTITUTE
TEACHER
"All right, girls. Concentrate on your work."
One girl fanned herself with her hankie and said, "Oh, but Mr.
Cartwright, you're making me all aflutter."
Another girl copied that girl's fanning action, and blurted
out, "Me, too, Mr. Cartwright."
The boys in class snickered.
Adam bit the inside of his cheeks to try and maintain some
dignity. "Well, just focus on your classwork and you'll be
fine,
girls."
A third girl, totally mesmerized, rested her head in her left hand
as she stared Adam's way.
Adam turned to her. "Lisa. Lisa?"
The girl remained mesmerized at her handsome teacher. The boy
seated next to her nudged her not so gently and she snapped out of
it, sitting up straighter. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr.
Cartwright.
Did you
say something?"
Adam smiled. "Just get back to work."
She managed weakly, "I'll try."
Another girl passed out and plopped over on the floor.
Normally,
Adam would've rushed to her but it's the same girl who's been
passing out all week since Adam's been the substitute
teacher. He
looked to some of the older boys. "Please pick Martha up and
take
her home."
The boys got up, though not enthusiastically, and one
complained, "Gol dang it, Mr. Cartwright. When ya gonna stop
bein'
our teacher?"
Adam grinned. "I'm here for another week or two.
Why?"
The boys lifted Martha up to carry her out, and the boy that
complained muttered, "Gittin' tired of carryin' Martha out all the
gosh-durned time."
Another boy echoed that sentiment. "Yeah." As they
leave the
building, Adam heard him add, "Why do they all like him anyway?"
One of the girls who heard that called back to them, "'Cause he's
the purtiest durned man we've ever seen!"
Adam almost choked stifling a laugh. "All right, class.
Back to
work."
The girls halfheartedly did as Adam asked though they resume
drooling over the sight of their teacher. The remaining boys
muttered to each other about wishing Miss Abigail was back even
though they couldn't stand her. And Adam mused over how he's
going
to get even with Pa for making him stand in for Miss Abigail.
THE END.