Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Alex Bishop in Follow that Mystery

                                                                                      Chapter 3

                                                                        The Woes of Mr. Clouse

     Fourth hour on Tuesday and Thursday the next week Alex, Fletch and Lee had industrial art class.  All of them were looking forward to this hour.  The boys could hardly wait to get through their first three classes that Tuesday.  Alex was in a good mood and so were his friends because Mr. Clouse had said nothing more about the North Side Detectives that morning in Geometry.

     Alex thought maybe the less than friendly looks from his five students in the front row had something to do with it.  Third hour finally came to an end, and Alex, Lee and Fletch rushed upstairs to room 207.  Mr. James Caldwell was waiting at the shop room door.  "Come in all," he said smiling at his students.

     Mr. Caldwell had curly red hair and twinkling blue eyes.  He was dressed more casually than any teacher Alex had ever seen, wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt along with brown loafers and no socks.  Alex liked him immediately.  He thought he was the coolest dresser he'd ever met.  He did wonder how Mr. Caldwell got away with his dress code.

     There were no desks in this room.  Long  tables with tools and various wood and metal materials upon them took up almost all of the massive room.  In each of the four corners of the place sat big table saws.  Ceiling to floor windows took up one wall of the room, giving the viewer an overlook of the west side school grounds, covered with lush green grass and Oak and Maple trees.

     Mr. Caldwell invited the boys to take a place at one of the tables and then he took roll call.  When he was done he told them their first project  would be a bird house.  He then passed out a diagram and materials and told the students to have at it.  Mr. Caldwell walked around the room and took questions and assisted where necessary. 

     When  class was at it's end, Alex, Lee and Fletch looked fondly at their creations.  Alex had enjoyed making something with his own hands.  It was very satisfying to him.  Lee and Fletch had also, given the way they were grinning at their bird houses.  "Your projects will remain here for now.  On Thursday you will put on a satin finish that repels water."

     "That way your mothers will be able to hang them outside in the old oak tree in the back yard."  The class laughed heartily.  "Tuesdays and Thursdays you will come here for industrial arts.  Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays you will have a men's health class next door, which I also teach.

     "Please clean up your work space now and take a label from the roll on your table and put your name on it.  Then stick it on the underside of your house.  When you have done this, you are dismissed.  See you all tomorrow," he said with a wave of his hand.  "Great teacher don't you think?"  Alex asked Lee and Fletch.  "I'll say.  Better than science.  I'll bet I don't blow anything up in this class."  Fletch said with a grin."

     While Alex was in his fifth hour Spanish class his father Max was knocking on his friend's and E.H.S's principal, Daniel Fuller's office door.  A deep husky voice from within said, "Come in."  Max walked through the door and closed it behind him.  "Max!  How good to see you,"  Daniel Fuller said shaking his friend's hand.

     Principal Fuller was a big man with dark wavy hair and deep set brown eyes.  "Have a seat Max.  We have to play a round of golf soon so I can try out these new clubs I just bought."  "That sounds great!"  Max said a bit distractedly, taking the comfortable looking chair in front of the desk.   Principal Fuller noticed.

     "Okay Max, what's wrong?  Anytime you're less than excited about a game of golf there's something up."  Max chuckled.  "You know me too well."  "Yeah I do,"  Daniel Fuller said.  "So let's have it."  Max shifted his weight in the chair and wiped his brow before he spoke.  "Well, it's come to my attention that Mr. Donald Clouse the geometry teacher made my son and a few of his friends very uncomfortable in his class yesterday."

     "What is it?"  the Principal asked in concern.  "Well perhaps you've heard about the North Side history teacher Mr. Wells and the kids who helped the police solve that case...."  And Max went on to tell his friend what Alex had told him about Mr. Clouse's comments and also his call to Mr. Wells.

     At first Principal Fuller was impressed.  "I didn't know it was Alex and his friends that helped out on that case.  That was impressive detective work they did on Mr. Wells' case."  Max gave him a proud grin and Daniel Fuller continued.  "I am not happy that Mr. Clouse said those things in front of the entire class.  That was at the least ill timed and at the most childish."

     "I can't imagine why he lied about Mr. Wells' being a good friend of his.  Unless, you and Mr. Wells are right in your thinking that he just want to latch on some lime light for himself, associating himself with a poplar teacher and some note worthy teenagers.  But either way or whatever reason, it was a very immature thing to do in my book."  Principal Fuller said with a frown.

     "I will have a talk with him Max.  And of course I won't mention the source.  Of course it's possible he will guess.  But I won't confirm it for him."    "Thanks Dan,"  Max said gratefully shaking Daniel Fuller's hand again.  "No Problem Max.  Your son and his friends shouldn't have to fend off unwanted popularity or be singled out like they were."  Max nodded in agreement.  "You obviously have a good relationship with your son that he would come to you with this problem,"  the principal said with a smile.

     Max smiled too.  "Yes.  I'm very fortunate to say we do,"  Max said nodding again.   "We'll get to the bottom of this Max,"  his friend said, throwing an arm over his shoulder.  "That is, if Alex and his fellow detectives don't do it first,"  he said with a grin.  "Heaven forbid!"  Max said with a shake of his head.

     Max called Alex into his study that night and told him about his and Principal Fuller's conversation.  And that the Principal was going to have a talk with Mr. Clouse but keeping the source of how he got the information a secret.  Max told Alex he felt sure the whole thing would die down and meanwhile he and Principal Fuller would be keeping an eye on Mr. Clouse's behavior.

     Max also warned Alex, and for him to tell his friends that under no circumstances should any of them mention this Mr. Clouse situation to his mother or Lyndell.  Alex gave his father an: "Are you Crazy?" look, and then they both broke out in laughter.  "You know Dad.  Sometimes I really hate keeping secrets."  "So do I."  Max said under his breath.  "Did you say something Dad?"  Alex asked.  Max looked at his watch.  "Hey.  It's time for bed kid,"  Max said, turning out the light, and throwing an arm around Alex's shoulder.