Living Under the Roses

Chapter 1

It's 4:30 PM on June 7, 2028. A young teacher named Giovanni has just finished his last class for the day. He runs his fingers through his long black hair and sighs. He starts thinking: "My students are getting more and more unpleasant towards me. I understand that it's almost vacation, but they still have to follow the lessons as usual." He puts away his belongings on his desk. He yawns, grabs his things quickly and leaves the classroom. Suddenly, a woman comes up to him and starts a conversation using gestures.

Woman: "Excuse me, are you Mr. Lagreca?"

Giovanni: "Yes"

Woman: "The principal wants to see you in her office, immediately."

Giovanni: "Excuse me, but who are you?"

Woman: "Oh, excuse me, sir, I am the new school supervisor, it's my first day here."

Giovanni: "Okay, do you know why she wants to see me?"

Woman: "No, the principal didn't tell me anything else about why she wants to see you, she just mentioned that it's urgent."

Astonished, he heads towards the principal's office. The principal opens the door, imposing, with an impassive gaze. She lets out a young woman with red hair and sparkling green eyes, she runs away very quickly crying. Giovanni recognizes her, she is one of his colleagues, Adèle, the high school art teacher. He wonders what happened, he has never seen her in such a state. The principal leaves the door open and invites Giovanni into her office. He sits down facing the principal, who starts the discussion.

Principal: "Mr. Lagreca, I'm not going to beat around the bush, you're fired from the school for insulting the government."

Giovanni: "What? But madam I..."

Principal: "Shut up, you're spreading your damn political opinion to the students in other words, you're propagandizing!"

Giovanni: "Propaganda? How so?"

Principal: "What you said in your moral and civic education class is unacceptable."

Giovanni: "I simply spoke about the political elections, in all neutrality to the students, in no case did I commit propaganda."

Principal: "However, that's not what the parents of the students are telling me. You clearly told their children: 'If the Rosa Ardente Socialista Nazionalistas Italiano, wins the elections, it will be Mussolini's fascism that will reign supreme again.'"

Giovanni: "Yes, I said that phrase, but I mentioned before that it was a quote from a politician opposed to the RASNI."

Principal: "Except that you do not have the right to say that phrase, even if it comes from a competitor, saying bad things about the RASNI is prohibited."

Giovanni: "I don't agree, it should be allowed. First, it's called freedom of speech and moreover, I only expressed the idea of an opponent of the RASNI. Moreover, it is the very principle of a democratic election, political pluralism is in force and allows a fair and equitable confrontation between each political party."

Principal: "Enough, what I hear confirms what your students say, you are propagandizing. You are fired for insulting the government. Get out of my office immediately, get your things, leave my establishment and never come back again!"

Giovanni: "But..."

The principal cuts him off and points to the door. Giovanni gets up, stunned, and leaves the office. He walks down the empty corridors, his mind racing. He can't believe he's been fired. He didn't do anything wrong. He was just exercising his right to freedom of speech. What is he going to do now?