The Importance of Being Eaten

Culinary Discretion

"I've only used a little bit of this piece. I could give you some from my chalkboard at home," said Hart.

"Just start rubbing it off," said Mrs Long, and walked out, as the bell rang.

Before school each day, the boys would line up in the upper playground for a five minute assembly, before being sent to their first classes.

Outside, Mrs Long announced to the assembled boys and teachers, "Hart Dale would like everyone to know that today is his tenth birthday."

"Where's Hart Dale?" asked another teacher.

"Rubbing his name off the blackboard in the classroom," said Mrs Long.

The entire school laughed, and classes began.

Hart was relieved that he would not be receiving a caning this time.

At the end of fifth class, Hart's best friend moved to New Guinea, and would not be returning to Gray Thwaites in sixth class. Hart felt extremely lonely, since he had not made any other close friends. Mrs Long, noticing the improvements in his behaviour, took an interest in him in sixth class, and was occasionally his substitute mathematics teacher, when the regular teacher was able to leave her in charge of lessons. She had observed his despondency at losing his friend, and would smile at him in the playground as often as possible, in the hopes of lifting his spirits.

Using her singing skills, Mrs Long also became the preparatory school choir teacher.

During the final week of first term the school would be participating in a special musical to be performed in the town hall. Since Mrs Long actually knew the musical well, Mrs Thompson had put her in charge of it, and the two teachers became good friends. Mrs Long had now graduated as a fully qualified teacher, and become a full-time teacher on the permanent staff of the school.

The preparatory school (including all of the students, not merely the choir) would be performing one lengthy song, which Mrs Long had them rehearsing many times, as the weeks of term went on.

The first time she attempted to teach the song to the students, they were fairly unresponsive, and she said, "I can make more noise than the whole lot of you!" frustrated at their lack of enthusiasm.

After several weeks of rehearsals, there came a time when they had sung the song twice during the lesson just before lunch hour.

Mrs Long said, "We'll do it once more, and let's jazz it up a bit this time."

She asked the piano player to alter it a little, and Hart realised that Mrs Long was trying to make it more enjoyable for the students. He began to stop thinking of her as a tyrant who opposed his mischievous pranks, and to respect the dedication of her efforts.

The day before the musical was to be performed (which would be part of an excursion into the city to the town hall), Mrs Long walked the boys to the school assembly hall, so that they could practice their final rehearsal, using the stage of the large assembly hall. This would familiarise them with the acoustics and environment of the town hall.

When she first became a student teacher at the school, Mrs Long had worn red lipstick, and sometimes even sunglasses. Now she was not wearing any lipstick at all, and was standing in front of the stage, leading the preparatory school in singing the song. Mrs Long had to sing much louder, to ensure that she was heard by the students. To do this, Mrs Long was opening her giant mouth wider than she usually did.

The assembly hall also had much larger windows, which let in plenty of sunlight. So, as he watched Mrs Long singing, Hart focussed his eyes on her full shapely lips, and realised for the first time in two years, that he liked looking at Mrs Long. It was his first real awareness of the concept of a lady looking beautiful.