Autumn in Philadelphia Trilogy

The Return: Interlude: Telling Topanga

AN: My sincere apologies for the chapter being so delayed. April was a busy month and I haven't had much time to sit down and write. I'm hoping as summer is almost here I'll be able to update a little more frequently. The following interlude piece dips its toes into the murky waters of school politics as Shawn gets introduced to the realities of the school system. I taught elementary reading intervention to kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, & 3rd over 11 years in the public schools. I left because I was on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. The kids were not the reason for it- they were the only reason I stayed as long as I did. It was the adults. Oh, the stories I could tell! You'll hear some of them in the following chapters. I wish I could tell you things are exaggerated for the dramatic purposes but unfortunately they are not. Internal politics is one of the reason so many good teachers and support staff are leaving the public schools. Not all districts are like the one I was in thankfully. There are still good districts, administrators, and school boards out there; they just are fewer than they should be.

Thank you to everyone who is reading. Hope you enjoy!

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"Sometimes telling what happened, in whatever way you can, is a means of lightening your burden. It summons others to help you bear the weight of your own story, so that you might finally get out from under it." ― Tracy K. Smith

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It had been a very long time since the three childhood friends from Philadelphia had spent any significant amount of time together. After college, the years snuck up on them and before they knew it they were in their thirties following very different life paths. Two had joined together and forged their way into adulthood and parenthood doing what society expected of them at their ages. The third, the vagabond with no ties, no connections, no real responsibilities, had finally stumbled home and was struggling to do what the other two had done long ago and that was to grow up.

The Philadelphia natives gathered in the viewing area outside of the rink where Julia's competition at the Lake Placid Olympic Center was being held. Lake Placid was a famed winter sports mecca that had hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and in 1980 where the Miracle on Ice hockey game occurred. It's figure skating history was legendary and every competitive skater dreamed of training in the city with its renowned coaches, many of whom were former Olympians.

While Julia waited for her turn to compete, Topanga pulled her husband and their best friend off to the side of the viewing area to sit at a table partially hidden by the arena's support poles. Rather than sit next to her husband as she usually did, she had Shawn sit in her place. On her side of the table, she sat in the middle of the bench seat so that she could make eye contact with them both at the same time. Folding her hands in front of her, she said in even low voice that left no room for disagreement or protest,

"Start at the beginning and tell me everything."

Cory and Shawn exchanged worried glances, unsure of how to and who should begin. With a deep, shaky inhale Shawn took the lead. It was only fair that he should be the one to tell her. After all Cory would not be involved if not for him.

Topanga listened to the men, quietly and solemnly, trying very hard to keep her thoughts to herself until they were through. But as she listened to them, she started to grow angry at their foolishness and imprudence. How could they not see how childish and dangerous what they were doing was? And to involve the kids?

"Unbelievable," she murmured under her breath when Shawn finished his explanation.

Cory paled and began to shred the napkin he had taken from the dispenser when they first sat down. He knew that look on his wife's face all too well. Shawn, however, did not and unwisely responded, "Yeah, we know. It's like Miss Tompkins is stuck in high school or something."