Interstellar

FOUR

Cooper hadn't cared for the principal's office when he was a boy. Now he found he cared for it even less. He felt nervous and jittery - almost as he had done something wrong.

The principal - William Okafor - was looking out of his window as Cooper stepped in, and he turned to greet his visitor. He was a bit younger than Cooper himself. The authority was so casually attached to him seemed outsized for the job of riding herd on less than hundred students. His dark suit and black tie only enhanced the impression, and made Cooper more nervous.

What would he have been thirty years ago? A corporate executive? A military officer? The president of a university?

There was a woman in the room, as well, and he nodded to her. She nodded back. He wondered if she was Miss Hanley, and remembered Donald's advice to be nice to her. He had to admit that she wasn't too hard on the eyes. Long blonde hair braided and tied around the top of her head. Conservative skirt and light blue sweater.

"Little late, Coop," Okafor chastised. He pointed at the empty chair in front of his desk and then nodded out the window toward Cooper's truck.

"Ah... we had a flat," Cooper said.

"And I, guess you had to stop off at the Asian fighter-plane store," He sounded a combination of disapproving and curious.

Cooper sat, trying to smile.

"Actually sir, it's a surveillance drone," he explained. "With outstanding solar cells."

The principal didn't seemed impressed, and he picked up a piece of paper, scanning it.

"We've got Tom's scores back," he said. "He's going to make an excellent farmer." He pushed a paper across his desk. "Congratulations."

Cooper glanced at it.

"Yeah, he's got the knack for it," he conceded.

But Tom could do better.

"What about college?" he asked.

"The university only takes a handful," Okafor replied. "They don't have the resources-"

That was too much for Cooper.

"I'm still paying taxes," he erupted indignantly. "Where's that go? There's no more for armies..."

The principal shook his head slowly."

Not to the university, Coop," he said. "You have to be realistic."

Realistic? Cooper felt his outrage growing. This was his kid. This was Tom.

"You're ruling him out now?" Cooper persisted, not wiling to let go. "He's fifteen."

"Tom's score simply isn't high enough," Okafor replied.

Trying to keep it together, Cooper pointer at the principal's pants.

"What're you?" he demanded. "About a 36-inch waist?"

Okafor just stared at him, clearly unsure where he was going with this.

"Thirty-inch inseam?" Cooper added.

Cooper continued to look at him without comprehension.

"I'n not sure I see what-" he began with a little frown.

"You're telling me," Cooper plowed on, "you need two number to measure your own ass, but just one to measure my son's future?"

Miss hanley stifled a laugh. So she had a sense of humour, too. That was okay. But she looked rebuffed when the principal shot her a nasty look before putting his game face back on.