MORE CHANGES ... and problems (Part 132i)

MORE CHANGES... and problems (Part 132i)

James had my car ready by the end of the workday so that wasn’t a problem. When I walked in the door at home Elle had some ‘juicy’ news about the next day election. First, there was a rumor going around the town that if Bob got elected the new board was going to make ‘drastic’ changes that would make property taxes go up. The other was that he was out to get rid of the principal. Hearing that one got me upset. Whenever the ‘group’ met Pat (the PTA lady), would remind us all that what we discussed was to remain within the 'group'. One of the original items on her agenda was to replace the principal because, in her words. he was a ”do nothing“ and had no new ideas. None of us in the ‘group’ had disagreed. However, now the question was, who leaked the plan. My first thought was Rob, Jon’s (the milkman) brother who had been an original member of the ‘group’ along with his wife. He'd been dropped because of his drinking and disruptive ways. In any case, having that rumor out on the street certainly wasn’t doing Bob’s candidacy any good.

There were three ‘classes’ of residents... ‘locals’, who had lived in the town for over 20 years who had gone to the school or who’s kids had graduated from there. Then there were the ‘new locals” which consisted of the kids who had graduated since the end of WWII and were married with kids. The last were the ‘outsiders’, people who had moved to the town within the past ten or so years. The ‘locals’ tolerated the ‘outsiders’ but, in in business, tended to overcharge them for services. The ‘new locals’ knew all the ‘locals’ and were readily accepted by them BUT... had shown that they were interested in new ideas and new ways to do things. The ‘outsiders’ were primarily from urban and suburban areas who had moved to the village in the past 10 to 15 years. They tended to be younger with growing families and not tied to local traditions. The ‘group’ had set out to target the last two “classes’. However, from what Elle had told me, the ‘locals’ were putting pressure on the ‘new locals’ and that’s why the last minute change in Bob’s popularity. I was going over all of this while eating... and much to Elle's displeasure, ignoring the kids. I made a few calls to other group members after supper and they pretty much agreed with me. There wasn’t much we could do except hope for the best what with the vote scheduled for the next afternoon and evening.

I have no memory (or notes) for the following day at work. I do remember arriving at the school to vote at about 5:45pm or so and not believing my eyes. I had to park out along the Main Road and about 1/4 mile from the school. As I walked up the drive to the school I saw the custodians trying to keep cars off the front lawn. The previous year’s election garnered the most votes in school history but the turn-out this year looked to be even greater.

Because it was around supper time when I arrived most people just voted and left. I’d decided to forego eating to hang around and listen in on random conversations. The best way to describe the general feeling was of ‘concern’. Between the prospect of increased taxes and letting a beloved principal go I was hearing a lot of doubt. The incumbent candidate had some ‘issues’ of his own that were of concern so that was a bit of a positive. It was around 7;30pm when people who had already voted started returning to wait out the results. When Jon (the milkman) ran the previous year the winners were announced a little before 9pm. This year, with the added number of voters, it was a foregone conclusion that it would be later. The people who were there waiting started to get restless when the time approached 10pm. Some loudmouth started making idle threats as to what would happen if the Board let the principal go. He gathered a few like thinkers which just added to the tension.

It was after 10pm when the Board president came out into the hall and called Wally (the plumber) up to his side and introduced him as the newest member. There was a smattering of cheers but most who were left wanted to know who else would make up the Board. The incumbent was next to be called to the front and everybody, me included, thought that Bob had been defeated. For reasons that only the president knew he started in by praising the incumbent’s many years of service. It lasted for a couple of minutes before shaking his hand. By then I’m sure almost everybody thought he’d been elected again. BUT... he then called Bob up to his side and, in what could best be called half-hearted, congratulated him on his election. It took a few seconds for the fact that Bob had won to be accepted and once it was there was a fairly large cheer. The look on Bob’s face told me that he still hadn’t grasped the fact that he was a winner.

I later found out that Bob beat the incumbent by only seven votes and they had to recount them three times to finalize the results. With the exception of Pat (the PTA lady) and Bob’s wife, the other members of the ‘group’ present were all male. They insisted on taking Bob down to the primary bar in town to celebrate. At first I was going to join in but the next day was mortgage meeting day at the bank and some of the subcommittees were meeting as well. I knew I had to be ready at a moments notice and I didn’t want to take a chance with a ‘fuzzy head’ so headed home. As I did I thought about the ‘threat’ that had been voiced in the hallway concerning consequences if the principal was removed.  With the first meeting of the newly configured school board scheduled for Thursday night I knew I wouldn’t have to wait long to see what would happen there.

Elle was sound asleep when I got home. When she got up for one of her three bathroom breaks I told her of the results but she was too sleepy for it to register. We talked a little about it at breakfast and she told me that she and Sandy were going to try and hit a few tennis balls later in the morning. I asked if she could get any ‘read’ from her since Johnnie, her husband, was a teacher and might have gotten some feedback from fellow teachers by then.

That afternoon at work I made the mistake of asking one of the Trustees who was on the gift sub-committee about delivery dates. I distinctly remember the look on his face when he said that I was to have placed the order. The man was one of those ‘I make the decisions... you don't ask questions’ types. As calmly as I could I reminded him that I’d been excluded from all the decisions made about the gifts. He immediately restated that I was to have set the delivery dates up. Getting into an argument with one of your bosses is not a good career move but I’m one of those people who refuse to be intimidated by self important ass holes so I challenged him right on the spot. I think, but never was sure, that it was Trish who found Hobie and who showed up before it really got ugly. The end result was that Hobie said he’d track down the dates of delivery but I was upset enough to take off early, afraid I'd let my frustration out on some poor unsuspecting employee.

To be continued...