Geometry

Hey Schoolgirl

It was Tuesday, September 7, 1971. Art took a seat behind his desk. He sat his papers down and looked around at his empty classroom. Should he be sitting when his students came in or would it be better if he was standing? Was he over thinking this?
Art took a deep breath and stepped out of his classroom and made his way to the water fountain to get a drink. As he stood back up he saw a boy slipping out the side door of the school. Art was curious so he looked out the window of the door. There was a black haired girl with the boy smoking a joint, and from what Art could smell it was not tobacco.
Art battled with himself. He had to say something, but getting two kids suspended on his first day on the job wouldn't make him at all appealing with the students. He opened the door and poked his head out.
"No smoking on school property."
"Fuck you." The girl's blue eyes were on him gauging his reaction.
The boy dropped the joint and stomped on it with his foot. He didn't look at all pleased about having to destroy his weed.
"Who're you?" Breathed the boy.
Art stared at the boy for a moment trying to process what just happened. "Ar... I mean, Mr. Garfunkel."
"Shit, he's a teacher," The girl hissed.
The boy didn't say anything. His brown eyes were on Art judging him. Would Art go squeal to the principal or were they safe? The first bell went off to remind everyone to go to class.
Art slipped back into the school building and walked to his classroom. As of yet only one student was even in the room. It was a mousy looking young lady. She had messy brown hair and a pair of thick black glasses perched on the end of her nose. There was a notebook out on her desk open to reveal doodles all over the pages.
Art walked past the girl and looked at her drawings as he headed to his desk. She was pretty good. He took a seat. He was pretty bored as students slowly trailed into his classroom. The rolling chair he had made him very tempted to spin in it, but he decided against it since he was supposed to be professional.
The last bell rang, and a herd of students migrated into the classroom. Everyone slowly took seats. Once everyone was settled Art stood up. He walked to the board and wrote in big, clear letters, Mr. Garfunkel. The only sound in the room was Art's chalk scraping against the chalkboard.
Art turned to the class. The speech he spent the whole night rehearsing vanished from his mind without a trace. He suddenly felt unprepared and nervous as he stared into the faces of his students.
A few girls were whispering among themselves. Finally the girl in the middle of the group stuck her hand up. Art thanked the heavens above.
"Yes," He choked out. He throat suddenly feeling dry despite drinking water only ten or so minutes ago.
"Like on the level, you're Art Garfunkel from Simon & Garfunkel?" The girl asked.
"On the level," Art said smiling slightly.
Another girl threw her hand up.
"Yes?"
"What were the Beatles like?" She asked. Her friends burst into a fit of giggles.
"I really am here to teach math. Let's learn some math and at the end of the year you can ask me whatever you want about whoever you want."
The room was silent. Art looked to the roll list and went through it. He called name after name. He tried to keep up with all of them.
"Young, Candice."
"Here." It was the mousy young lady. Even her voice was mousy.
Art decided to start them out with some reviewing. There was grumbling as the students had to get out their newly bought textbooks and open them up to the first few pages.
The class worked through problems and took notes for an hour and a half then the bell rang, and Art's first class left. He sat down and let out a sigh. He was glad it was over. He walked to the teacher's lounge and poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at one of the four round tables. He took a sip of his coffee as one of the other teachers walked in. To his silent amusement it was Mrs. Robinson.
"Good morning Judy," Art said smiling.
Judy smiled at him. "Good morning Art," She said. She walked to the coffeemaker and poured herself a mug. She sat down across from Art.
"How was your first class?" She asked.
"Whenever I asked for questions they asked me about the Beatles and Paul Simon," Art said shaking his head slowly.
Judy laughed slightly. "I think I did the same thing when I first met you," She said.
"Except then I wasn't trying to teach Geometry," Art said sighing. "It's going to be a bit of an issue if it keeps up like this."
"Don't worry. It'll work out," Judy said. "They'll get used to you. Then think what it'll be like when you come out with an album and have a bunch of hits again they'll say that they had you as their sophomore geometry teacher."
Art smiled slightly. "The bragging rights," He commented.
Judy smiled and drank the rest of her coffee. "Well, I'm off. I've got another class," She said standing.
"Have a wonderful day, Mrs. Robinson," Art said smiling.
Judy rolled her eyes and slipped out the door of the teacher's lounge. Just as she did one of the coaches walked in. He took one look at Art and frowned. "So they're actually letting you teach," He said.
"They let you teach, David," Art quipped, "and I'm much more qualified than you."
"I don't have to take this just because you're some hot shot singer," David snapped.
"That's a hot shot singer with a doctorate in mathematics education," Art said smirking at David.
Just as David opened his mouth to attempt at a comeback an older man walked into the room.
"Good morning Charles," Art said smiling at the old man in his white lab coat.
"Good morning," Charles said easing himself down onto one of the chairs. "You two weren't arguing again, were you?"
"Oh no, David and I were just talking about how qualified I am to teach Geometry," Art said.
Charles nodded his head slowly. He didn't believe Art for a second. He looked to David.
"Would you get me a cup of coffee? I don't think I'll be getting up anytime soon," Charles asked.
David glided off to the coffeemaker and poured the old man some coffee. He handed Charles the mug, and the old man smiled as a thank you before slowly drinking the hot drink.
"The kids weren't rowdy on your first day, were they Art?" Charles asked.
"No, but if I get asked what the Beatles were like one more time I'm going to blow my fuse," Art said sighing.
"It will pass," Charles assured him. "All new teachers, famous or not, lose their newness after a few weeks. Once they realise they have to learn Geometry they'll stop asking questions about those Beatle fellas."
Art smiled. "I hope so," He said.
"And worse comes to worse you could always quit, and they could get a real math teacher," David chimed in.
Art gave him a dirty look and took another sip of his coffee.

(The song used in the chapter title was by Simon & Garfunkel when they recorded under the name Tom & Jerry.)