My Office: A Lloyd Hansen Story

1.

I glanced around the decorated room. I was ready.

High school history. This wasn't really where I expected my life to go, but it was something. I had a degree in eduction, but I was a professor.

But once the college I worked at was doing budget cuts, I was out and here.

I took a sip of my tea before glancing at the board. I grabbed a whiteboard marker and wrote out the date.

September 6th

It was a nice room. I just felt like I was dumbing myself down a bit with this job. Going from people that wanted to learn and get an education to kids who were forced to be here. Sixteen and seventeen year olds that just had to get through every day.

And to top it all off, my boss was a fucking control freak. Our interview went so bad that I was one hundred percent not expecting to have this job.

"So Ms. Martin. It says here you were once a professor. So why are you here now?"

"Uhm. I got laid off due to budget cuts."

"Mhm. Who would wanna cut a little piece like you?"

"Excuse me?!"

"Ms Martin. Please don't raise your voice. We're better than that here."

I stared at him. He smiled, biting on his pen.

I didn't know if he was a creep or just like that with everyone, but I would steer clear as much as possible.

I heard the bell ring. Students started coming in. They were all talking to friends and finding a seat.

Once the second bell rang, I went up to the front.

"Hello everyone. My name is Ms. Martin. I will be your advanced world history teacher this year. I am very excited to be working with all of you.."

I looked in the back of my classroom. There stood my boss, Mr. Hansen.

He gave me a stern look, before waving his finger to keep going. I looked back at everyone in their seat.

"I was originally a professor. I have a masters in history and a minor in education, which is something you all should be thinking about. I will write my email down on the board right now, and you can take your phones out to save it. I usually answer pretty quick."

I turned to write it down. I heard a whistle, and then some laughing.

"Hey! Matthew this isn't how we wanna start the year off. Do you wanna see me in my office?"

I turned around as the laughing stopped. Mr. Hansen was staring at a boy in the back who was sinking into his chair, hiding a laugh.

"Oh come on Principal Hansen. If you weren't in a school setting and you saw that ass.."

The whole class erupted in a laugh. I stood there, dumbfounded.

"Yeah. Up. Go to Mr. Carmichael's office. I'll be down shortly. The rest of you, listen up."

Mr. Hansen walked to the front of the room. He had a nice pant suit on. His mustache was ugly, but his hair was nice.

I moved out of his way.

"I don't want any disrespect from any of you to our new teacher or I will have a talk with your parents. I know most of them. You know that too. This is a small school. If I hear any disrespect from any of you, I will come in and teach this class. And it will be homework every night, including weekends, pop quizzes, two tests a week, one essay a week, and at least an hour worth of reading every night. Just for this class. So if you'd rather enjoy your time with Ms. Martin, I suggest you don't act like animals. Now. Ms. Martin, come to my office after today. And take down as many names as you know if the kids that disrespect you."

"Oh-okay."

He nodded. "Happy first day of school."

I nodded.

"Give it two weeks and we will see them out together. She seems like the type to bow to him." A girl whispered.

"I think they'd be cute together."

"I have packets for you guys to do. Tell me about yourselves with these questions so that I can get to know you. These are the first ten points in your grade book, so I suggest you do them or you'll get an F to start off the year."

I passed them out before sitting at my desk. I think my first day can already get an F.