Marnie and the Bully (part two)

On the way home that night, almost everyone on the bus asked Marnie about her head. That big white bandage wrapped around like a turban drew lots of attention.

When Marnie, Arwen, Collette and Brian got off the bus and started down the driveway, they could see Mommy looking out the kitchen window, an anxious look on her face.

She met them at the door. “Marnie!” she fussed, “Nurse Gamble phoned about your head. What happened? She said someone threw a rock at you—but why? And who threw the rock?”

Marnie took a deep breath and told the whole story--the math work, the copying, the threats, the rock hitting her head.

“Marnie!” Mommy frowned, “Why have you have been letting Bradley Parkin copy your work all these months? He should not be doing that! You should have told the teacher long ago!”

“I was scared,” wailed Marnie. “He said he would beat me up! But today, I was brave and I didn’t let him copy. Then he was really mad, and said he would get me after school.”

Marnie explained how she felt the rock hit her, how she saw Bradley Parkin across the street. Everyone else around the school was just playing with friends. Only Bradley Parkin had run away quickly after the rock hit Marnie’s head.

The next morning, Marnie was afraid to go to school. She did not want to have to face Bradley Parkin.

She did not expect Mr. Oshiro to be waiting for her when she got off the bus, either.

“Marnie,” he said, “Can we have a little chat in my office?”

Mr. Oshiro asked Marnie what had happened, and she told him the whole story, just as she had told Mommy the night before.

School had started by the time Marnie and Mr. Oshiro had finished chatting. He walked with her to the classroom, and asked Mrs. Ellensburg to step into the hall, and to bring Bradley Parkin.

Bradley started to cry when he saw Mr. Oshiro waiting for him. Marnie felt bad for making Bradley feel bad.

But then he surprised Marnie by crying out, “I didn’t do it! I didn’t throw a rock at her! It was Denny Evans! I saw him!”

Marnie was shocked to hear this accusation. Denny Evans was a big boy, in Grade Two, and Marnie hardly knew him. He was always nice to the little kids. Why would he throw a rock at her?

Mr. Oshiro, with Marnie and Bradley in tow, walked down the hall to Miss Swan’s class. Miss Swan brought Denny out into the hall.

“Denny,” said Mr. Oshiro. “Bradley tells me that he saw you throw a rock at Marnie in the playground yesterday.”

Denny’s eyes got really big and immediately began to fill with tears. “I didn’t do it!” he cried. "I don't know anything about it!"

Then Marnie remembered something important! “Mr. Oshiro,” she spoke up, “It couldn’t have been Denny—the big kids weren’t out of school yet! The rock hit before the 3:30 bell rang! I remember – the bell rang just as Holly and Maggie opened the door to take me to Nurse Gamble!”

Mr. Oshiro looked sternly at Bradley and said, “Bradley, do you have anything else you would like to tell me? It is a terrible thing to get someone in trouble for something he did not do. That is lying, and I think lying might be something worth getting the strap for.”

Then Bradley’s eyes filled with tears and he blubbered a confession, “I did it! It wasn’t Denny! I threw a rock at Marnie because I was mad at her!”

Mr. Oshiro put his hand gently on Bradley’s shoulder. He gave a small nod to Miss Swan and Denny, and said, “Thank you for talking with me about this, Denny. You can go back to class now. Marnie, you can go back to class now, too. Bradley and I are going to have a little chat in my office. Come along, Bradley.”

So Marnie went back to class. She was glad that Denny was not going to get blamed for something he didn’t do. But she felt bad about Bradley Parkin. She hadn’t wanted to get him in trouble…but he had been the one to threaten her, and the one to throw the rock. He deserved to be in trouble, didn’t he? Maybe he did, but seeing him in that trouble place sure did not make Marnie feel happy.

Marnie sat in her desk, looking sadly out the window, and thought, “It is true what Daddy is always saying…life is hard. Good—but hard.”

Back row: Mrs. Edith Ellingson (Mrs. Ellensburg), Judy Jensen; middle row: Tim and Tom Coombes and Cindy Saunders; front row: Bradley Parker (Bradley Parkin) and Myrna Conrad (Marnie Conway). Grade One at Dr. Hamman School, 1963-64 school year.

Marnie and the Bully (part one)

Marnie liked almost everything about Grade One. She was good at doing school work. She was often one of the first children to finish her work and place it on Mrs. Ellensburg’s desk. The children were assigned to desks in the classroom according to height. Marnie was the second shortest child. Only one person was shorter: Bradley Parkin. So Bradley sat in the first desk of the first row, with Marnie directly behind him. At first, things were fine. But one day Bradley turned around, glowered at Marnie and said, “You don’t hand in your math work until you let me copy it.” The look he gave Marnie was so fierce and mean that it frightened her. Marnie knew that she should not let Bradley copy her work; the teacher, Mrs. Ellensburg, was always saying, “Do your own work.” But Bradley, though short, was husky and mean . And loud and scary. So, Marnie let Bradley copy her math work. Day after day, she let him copy her work. But she knew it was wrong, and inside her head she was trying to figure out a way to stop. Marnie made a decision. The next time that Bradley turned around expecting to copy her work, she would say no. The next day, as soon as Marnie finished her math work, she started to stand up. But Bradley noticed, and hissed at her, “Sit down and let me copy your work.” “But that is cheating,” Marnie said. “You let me copy it or I am going to beat you up after school!” Bradley said. So Marnie didn’t get up and hand the worksheet in until Bradley had copied it. She felt very frustrated and all wrong inside. That night, Marnie could hardly sleep. She was thinking about letting Bradley copy her work. She was thinking about her fear of being beat up after school. She decided that it would be better to get beat up than to feel so frustrated and guilty every day. So, when it was math time the next day, Marnie finished her math, put down her pencil and marched to the front of the room and put her paper on Mrs. Ellensburg’s desk. Bradley Parkin caught Marnie’s eye as she walked back to her desk and gave her a mean and horrible scowl. As she was sitting down, he said, “I warned you. Now I am going to get you after school.” Marnie was frightened the whole day. She was so worried about what would happen after school, she could hardly concentrate on her work the rest of the day. Especially because Bradley Parkin kept turning around and whispering, “I am going to get you after school.” Grade One was finished at three o’clock. The rest of the grades got out at 3:30.  All of the town children who were in Grade One began walking home. The Grade One bus students were running and playing in the school yard while they waited for the buses to arrive at 3:30. Marnie did not run and play. She looked around to see where Bradley Parkin might be. She thought that if she stuck very close to the school, she would be safe, because if Bradley Parkin started to beat her up, surely someone would notice, and come and stop him. “Marnie, come on, let’s play on the slide,” said Holly Ferguson, who rode on Marnie’s bus. “Yes, come on! Race you to the slide!” called Maggie Toth, another of Marnie’s bus friends. Marnie watched her friends running to the slide and climbing the ladder. She had not seen Bradley Parkin since the bell rang. Bradley was a town student. He probably walked home, Marnie thought. So she ran to the slide and began to play with her Holly and Maggie. Maggie was at the top of the slide; Holly was at the bottom. Marnie was at the bottom of the ladder, about to begin her climb so she could take a turn sliding, when THUD. Something hit Marnie in the forehead. It hurt a lot! Holly, just coming around the slide to the bottom of the ladder, began to scream. “Marnie, you are bleeding! And look…here is a bloody rock! Someone threw a rock and hit you!” she shouted. Marnie looked all around. Across the street, running through the Bullock’s back yard, she saw Bradley Parkin. Now Maggie was there beside Holly, saying, “We’d better take her to the office.” Marnie was trying hard not to cry. She didn’t want Maggie and Holly to call her a baby. But her head really hurt! The school nurse, Miss Gamble, was in the sickroom by the office. She washed Marnie’s head and put a big white bandage on it while Maggie and Holly waited in Mr. Oshiro’s office.  Just in time, Marnie’s head was all cleaned up, and the girls hurried outside so they wouldn’t miss the bus.

The Creation

I team teach a primary class of children who are 7-9 years old. We are studying the Old Testament this year.

When it was my turn to teach a couple of weeks ago, the lesson was "The Creation." I thought it would be cool to sing a song about the creation, because I like to use music in my classes, but I couldn't find one that actually went "day by day" (creative period through creative period).

So I wrote one.

The lyrics were actually kind of difficult. There are some hard concepts in there.

Verse 1: based on Genesis 1:3-5. "Let there be light" -- not really day and night as we see it. I explained it to the kids as like the light side of the moon and the dark side of the moon. Just a division between light and darkness.

Verse 2: based on Genesis 1:6-8. If you don't read it carefully, it sounds like the water is somewhere besides in the sky, but really it is in the sky, like clouds and water vapor, if you read it carefully. Or at least, if I read it carefully, that is what I get out of it.

Verse 3: based on Genesis 1:9-13. This is where the sea comes in, with the land. Land and plants, but also seas and the plants that are in the sea.

Verse 4: based on Genesis 1:14-19. This "day" I think is actually about time. It can be confusing since it talks about light again, but in the concept of times and seasons. The celestial bodies--sun, moon and stars--as they help to mark time.

Verse 5: based on Genesis 1:20-23. Birds and sea creatures.

Verse 6: based on Genesis 1:24-27 and 31. The creation of animals and also people.

Verse 7: based on Genesis 2:1-3. Seventh day--day of rest.

I have revised the words several times, but here is how it sits today:

On the first day, God said, "Let there be light.
We need the world to have both day and night.
Let there be light; let there be light."

On the second day, God said, "Let there be sky.
With clouds above to rain on you and I.
Let there be sky; let there be sky."

On the third day, God said, "Let there be land.
The waters in the sea are also planned.
Let there be land; let there be land."

On the fourth day, God said, "Let there be time.
With seasons marked by stars and moon and sun.
Let there be time; let there be time."

On the fifth day, God said, "Let there be birds,
And creatures in the sea made by my words.
Let there be birds; let there be birds."

On the sixth day, God said, "Let there be man.
First animals, then people, is the plan.
Let there be man, let there be man."

On the seventh day, God said, "My work is good.
Let's rest, for we have done all that we could."
God's work is good; God's work is good.

The kids actually loved it. They kept asking to sing it again, and they caught on to the tune pretty quickly.

I just discovered noteflight.com, so I did the notation. Probably not perfect. The computer is slow, and I get so frustrated, like I am silently screaming inside! I will see if I can import the file to here. Nope. That won't work. So, I had to scan it. Which is cool. I actually love technology. It just also frustrates me.

 

The shortest day of school ever

It was a cold and windy winter morning. As soon as Mom got up, she turned on the radio to see if school would be cancelled. “There is no school in Enchant today,” the announcer said. “Schools are open in Bow Island, but no buses are running. School is closed in Kinniburgh and Grassy Lake. For the rest of you…it is school as usual,” the announcement ended.

The children gradually emerged from their rooms, trying to hear the news, and hoping so hard that Taber schools would be on the closed list—or at least that Taber busses wouldn’t be running. But, they were, so everyone began to get ready for their day.

Dad went to the CB radio, picked up the handset, pushed the button and said, “7-4-O calling 7-8-4. 7-8-4, do you copy?”

Uncle Clive’s voice came through, “Loud and clear, 7-4-O.”

Dad said, “Did you hear the news? Looks like school is in session for today. I will drive the big kids to seminary this morning,”

“10-4, Nick. They will be ready. Too bad they can't stay home in this weather.”

The radio cracked and Uncle Elton’s voice broke in, “9-2-4 here. It is sure blustery here in Hays, but I guess the kids will be getting on the bus soon.”

Another voice broke in, “This is 7-1-9 coming down the hill,” said the owner of the voice.

“That’s the bus driver. I’ve got to get Beverly, Ron and Marilyn out to meet the bus,” said Uncle Elton. “9-2-4 signing off.”

“Everyone be careful out there. 7-8-4 clear,” said Uncle Clive.

“7-4-O clear,” Dad responded, as he hung up the mike.

Mom was a little bit worried as Dad left to take Brian and Collette and their cousins to seminary—it was really starting to blizzard! But at least Mom knew Dad could radio her if they got into any trouble on the roads, and she could telephone for help. She focused on getting the school lunches ready for the younger girls.

Mom checked the clock and then called,“Hurry, Arwen and Marnie! The bus should be here in five minutes!”

The girls were bundled and waiting, and Mom was at the window with the binoculars, looking up the highway to where the Hayes kids would be getting on the bus. Still no bus.

She went to the radio, and spoke into the mike, “7-4-O calling 6-O-5. 6-O-5, do you read me?”

“6-O-5 here,” Dad’s voice crackled back, “The roads are terrible!”

“What’s your 10-20?” Mom asked.

“We just got into town,” Dad responded. “Is the bus there yet?”

“No,” said Mom, “No sign of it yet.”

“I am not surprised,” said Dad. “We last saw it near Winchesters'. It is way behind schedule. Well, I am about to drop the kids off and head home. It is going to take awhile. Call me if you need to. 6-O-5 clear.”

“7-4-O signing off,” said Mom as she replaced the mike.

Arwen had climbed up on the kitchen cupboard and was kneeling by the sink, binoculars up to her eyes, looking out the south window. “Here it comes!” she cried, “Let’s go, Marnie!”

Arwen jumped down and joined Marnie at the back door, where they both put on their boots and set off through the snow, up to the bus stop at the top of the driveway.

The bus pulled up, going really slowly so it wouldn’t slide.  The door opened, and first Arwen and Marnie, and then Kenji, Sammy, Akiko and Cheiko, the Kadoyama kids from across the highway got on the bus.  

The bus was just crawling through the snow. Howie, the bus driver said, “This is crazy! You guys are going to be really late to school today.”

The bus stopped again to pick up Uncle Clive’s youngest children, Maggie and Melanie. Then, a mile away, the bus turned west, now off the highway and on gravel roads the rest of the bus route. The going got even slower.  The bus picked up the Kaga kids—three families at three different stops. Then the Setoguchi kids and the Reimer kids. After going a ways south and a ways more west, the bus stopped to pick up the Nakamura kids.

Howie decided to stop awhile by the Nakamura farm and radio in to the bus barn. “It is really slow going,” he said. “Tell the schools the kids are going to be late. We are heading down the hill to the Wyndburns on the river bottom.”

The road to the Wyndburns could be scary at the best of times.  Marnie was sitting by the window, sharing a seat with her cousin Melanie. They were both a little bit frightened, gripping each others’ hands because the bus wheels were slipping even though they were going slow.  Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they got to the bottom of the hill, where they saw Joanie and Sharlie Wyndburn all bundled up and waiting at their gate for the bus to pick them up.

Howie opened the door, and the Wyndburn girls got on board and sat down, Joanie with her cousin Holly Ferguson, and Sharlie sharing a seat with her cousin Kelly and also Tina Nakamura. As soon as the girls sat down, Howie began to carefully back up so he could point the bus up the hill.

That was when it happened! The bus began to slide and tip! All the children began to scream! It was pandemonium. Books and lunch boxes went flying. Melanie slid smack into Marnie, with the Kren twins who had been sitting across the aisle suddenly on top of them, squishing Marnie against the window.

The bus came to rest in the ditch, lying on its right hand side, with the door down against the snow bank. When Marnie looked out the window, all she could see was snow.

Some of the children were crying. One of them might have been Marnie.

The big boys at the back of the bus, Ray Ferguson and Tony Barca, were shouting back and forth with Howie. There was so much noise and confusion Marnie couldn’t figure out what they were saying. Then she heard a shout of triumph. Ray and Tony had opened the emergency door in the back of the bus! They jumped out and began to help others out of the bus. Sammy and Kenji Kadoyama were passing the smaller kids up to the exit door, then out to Ray and Tony who would grab them and set them down on the snow-covered ground.

Marnie was crying so hard she could barely see, but she felt Kenji pick her up and pass her to Sammy, who passed her out the door to Tony, who put her on the ground. She was so glad to be out of the bus! Marnie looked around for Arwen, and quickly ran to her for the hug that she knew Arwen would give her.

By this time, Mrs. Wyndburn had come running from their house. “Everyone come inside!” she said, “It is too cold to be out here. Come inside!”

Marnie was happy to go into the Wyndburn’s warm house. When she stepped into the kitchen, there was Mr. Wyndburn on the radio, “I’ve got a 10-34 at this station. The bus is off the road and on its side. All children and driver are safe and accounted for,” Marnie heard him say.

Mrs.Wyndburn were so kind and loving to all the children, and Marnie soon forgot how scared she had been. Mr. Wyndburn told the children that a tow truck and another bus were coming, but he was going to get out his tractor and see if he and Howie could get the bus upright again.

The snow clouds dissipated and the sun came out, and suddenly the day seemed bright and happy.  Mrs. Wyndburn said the children could stay inside or play outside, whatever they wanted to do. Marnie and Melanie even ventured out to play with Joanie, Holly, Sharlie, Kelly and Tina. It was pretty fun.

When the replacement bus got there, the driver was Mr. Parks, the head bus driver. He didn’t attempt to turn around on the road; he drove right into the Wyndburn’s yard and up to the door to load all the children.  

They drove away, the children turning to look out the windows to see Howie and the tow truck driver still working on the bus with Mr. Wyndburn and his tractor. They could see less and less, and then they were over another hill, and the Wyndburn place and the bus and tractor and tow truck all disappeared from view.

The bus was still going slow, but in the time that had gone by while the children were down on the river bottom, the road grater had been by, and the going was much less treacherous. The bus stopped to pick up the Toths, the Rudolphs, and the Fallons.

On to town! First stop, Dr. Hamman. That was Marnie’s school. Most of the little kids went there. They all got off and went inside the school, waving goodbye to Melanie and Maggie and the Nakamura kids who went to Central school, and to the Rudolphs, who went to Saint Patrick’s school. And of course, to all the big kids, who went to W. R. Myers or Saint Mary’s.

Marnie felt weird walking into her classroom so late. As she went in the door, the speaker in the room crackled to life, and the principal, Mr. Oshiro, began to speak, “Another storm is expected. School is cancelled for the rest of the day. The buses will be here in fifteen minutes to pick up the bus students. Town students are free to go home.”

That was the shortest day of school ever! Marnie had not even taken off her coat!