Welcome to my little story Learn Your Lessons. It is inspired by Mary Poppins and Sound of Music so you will recognize some plot, songs and maybe even lines ;)
Part 1
It is the year 1910 and this story happens in London. As we begin this story it is important for you to meet one person that will mean a lot further on. In the park there is a screever, now you might not know what a screever is. Well a screever's an artist of finest degree. They paint on the sidewalk to give you something beautiful to look at and maybe for a penny or two so that he or she can get a meal.
This screever is a very important one so remember his looks okay? He was pretty tall, with dark chocolate skin and long black hair that he had in a love ponytail or just combed back. As we passes him he looks up and then up at the sky. If you listen closely you can hear him sing, remember the words because they are important:
Wind's in the east, there's a mist comin' in
Like somethin' is brewin' and 'bout to begin
Can't put me finger on what lies in store
But I feel what's to 'appen all 'appened before
A father, a mother, seven rascalls of sons
The threads of their lives are all wrapped in and done
Somethin' is needed to twist 'em as tight
As a string you might use when you're flying a kite
Chim chiminy chim chim cheree chim cheroo
Well I know they don't make much sense yet, but they will.
Not far from the park where we saw the screever there is a street called Cherry Tree Lane. And this street is very important for this story. You see on number 17 there is a very special family living. The family consists of Mr. William Banks, his wife Emma, their seven children and the cook/housekeeper Mrs. Shannon Beiste and Mr. Ken Tanaka the servant. They also have a private teacher for their seven children.
Now if you look at those kids you won't understand how they are related because they don't look alike at all… and none of them look like their parents. The thing is Will and Emma are really good people and they have adopted seven boys.
Fred is the oldest and he is 16. He has brown eyes and dirty-blonde hair. He is pretty tall as well and strong. He likes sports of all sorts and study is not his favorite thing to do.
After Fred there is David, also 16. He is as tall as Fred, have dark eyes and chocolate skin, see no family resemblance. He enjoys playing pranks… and driving their teachers crazy. Studying he doesn't like that much.
Then we have Blaine, also 16. He is shorter than the other two and most of his other brothers. He has hazel eyes and brown curly hair. Blaine like David enjoys to play pranks, nearly all boys does and he is also a enthusiast of sports.
Then we have the dwarf of the clan. Blaine may be short but Thad is shorter. Not by much mind you but he is… and small all over. Thad is 15, have dark eyes and really dark hair. He loves to read and is never seen without a book. He is much shyer and quieter than his brothers and whenever they go out to escape their lessons he gets left somewhere with a book… and promptly gets picked on by some boys in the park.
Then we have Trent, also 15 and he is quite tall as well and strong. He is very sweet and cheerful and is the master of playing innocent. He has green eyes and brown hair.
Jeff is the tallest one after Fred. He is blonde with brown eyes. He is the biggest pranker and always causes trouble, even when he tries to help. He is always cheerful though but can be a bit temperamental at times… as many 14 year olds are.
His partner in crime is the youngest brother, Nick. Nick is one of the shorter boys, taller than both Blaine and Thad but not by much. Like Jeff, Fred, David and Blaine he loves sports and playing pranks of course. He has brown hair and grey-brown eyes.
Now as this story begins there is… stormy weather at number 17 to say the least. The boys have all but destroyed their classroom. The curtains looks like if some wild cat-creature has used their claws on them. The benches and chairs are either overturned or tainted with paint or glue. The paintings, posters and boards are all askew and well… the room is completely destroyed.
Now this is a story in a musical kind of fashion so expect random singing and dance routines that doesn't make any sense. As we enter number 17 you can hear shouting going on and down the stairs comes a woman that looks absolutely crossed… followed by another angry looking woman.
"Roz Washington!" the second yelled angrily. "Who gets stuck with the children with no teacher in the house? Me, that's who!"
"I've said my say, Mrs. Beiste", the first one said. "And that's all I'll say. I've done with this house forever!"
She walked out the door and slammed it shut.
"Well, good riddance, then", Mrs. Beiste shouted after her. She looked up towards the second floor and saw seven smirking faces. She waved her fist at them and they just smirked again. Out from the big living room a woman with red hair came running, in panic almost.
"Roz Washington", she called and saw that she was missing and then turned to Mrs. Beiste and sang:
Gone? Are you quite sure
Beiste: Gone! And is it any wonder?
Emma: Choosing the right teacher I keep drawing blanks
Do you really think I made another blunder
What on earth am I to say to Mr. Banks?
The door to the office opened and a well-dressed gentleman entered. He was dressed in a nice black suit and smiled happily, happy to be going to work. His wife hurried up to him singing:
Will, dear
I'm feeling so bereft, dear
Another teacher's left, dear
Every teacher goes
We're unlucky, I suppose
She sighed and from upstairs the seven smirking, well six because the seventh was sitting on the stairs reading a book, sang with Beiste, their mother and Mr. Tanaka:
We are never going to find the perfect teacher
Mr. Banks looked really angry and slammed down his hand on the small bureau in the entrance hall. The boys hurried into their shared, big bedroom and closed the door. Mr. Banks knew fully what they had done, but he knew out there somewhere there was a teacher suitable for them so he sang:
Nonsense!
Precision and order
That's all that I ask
The running of a household
A straightforward task
The children, the servants
They're all your domain
Whilst I remain the sovereign
Of Cherry Tree Lane
Coat!
"Coming, sir", Beiste said and handed it to him.
"The simple truth is you've engaged six teachers over the last four months and they've all been unqualified disasters", Will told his wife as he got the coat on. Then he sang as he buttoned it up:
A teacher should govern
A teacher should rule
A teacher is a paragon
Who suffers no fool
A teacher's a stalwart
Our children would gain
By having such a teacher
In Cherry Tree Lane
"Of course, Will but", his wife began but he cut her off by singing:
So take control of situations
Show your authority
When interviewing staff
You know your role
They know their stations
Efficiency and forethought
Cut the jobs in half
Briefcase.
"I thought Roz Washington would be firm with the children", his wife said as Tanaka handed her husband the desired item. "She always looked so cross."
"Emma", her husband answered. "Never confuse efficiency with a liver complaint."
Emma: Clear thinking, sound judgment
Will: That's how to advance
Both: Then things will run like clockwork
Will: Leave nothing to chance
When teachers go missing
The answer is plain
Our children must be monsters
Emma: Oh how can they be monsters?
Both: In Cherry Tree Lane
"Umbrella", Will ordered and held his hand out, his wife handed it to him.
"Oh, if only we could find someone like your old teacher and nanny", she said.
"I'm afraid that's not realistic, my dear. Few women alive could manage Miss Sylvester's standards of efficiency. Besides, we could never afford someone of her caliber."
Their servants shared a look before singing:
Precision and order
He wants nothing less
Tanaka: It's like an army barracks
Beiste: Yes, and we're in a mess
Both: No wonder the teachers are driven insane
We're living in a madhouse
In Cherry Tree Lane
"Now, place an advertisement in the Times stating that the children Banks require the best possible teacher…" Will said. "At the lowest possible wage."
"Father", he heard a voice said and saw his seven boys approach him. Thad was holding a paper and they all looked smug.
"We've written our own advertisement", Thad said and walked up to their father.
"What?!" he yelled.
"Oh please, Will", his wife begged. "I think we should hear it. Go ahead sweetie… tell us what you've written."
Thad looked at his brothers and they nodded. He looked at the paper, shyly and read aloud:
"Wanted: a teacher for seven adorable children."
"Adorable?", his father mocked and Thad looked ashamed and scared. "Well, that's debatable, I must say."
His wife gave him a scolding look and he rolled his eyes before turning away. Thad's brothers nudged him to make him continue and their mother smiled softly at him. Thad took a deep breath and sang, while looking at the paper:
If you want this choice position
Have a cheery disposition
Rosy cheeks, no warts
"That's the part I put in", Jeff said happily. The boys were fed up with having old women tutor them or old men. They wanted someone younger and prettier to look at. Someone that would actually understand them all a bit better and not bother them so much with homework and lessons. School was boring, they rather just have fun. What did they need to know anyway? They were rich. They wouldn't have to work because their father earned so much money as did their mother in her clothes shop. Blaine snapped the paper from Thad and sang:
Play games, all sorts
You must be kind, you must be witty
Very sweet and fairly pretty
"Of all the ridiculous", Will began but his wife cut him short.
"Oh, William, please", she said. Fred snatched the paper from Blaine and sang:
Take us on outings, give us treats
Sing songs, bring sweets
Nick: Never be cross or cruel
Never feed us castor oil or gruel
Trent: Love us as sons of your own
And never wear a transparent night gown
"I put that bit in, too", Jeff said happily and the seven boys shuddered thinking back of some of their old teachers. A few of them had been wearing nearly transparent nigh gowns and it was not a pretty site for young boys to watch. They shuddered again. William rolled his eyes but his wife smiled softly. Thad got the paper back and sang softly:
If you won't scold and dominate us
We will never give you cause to hate us
Jeff: We won't hide your spectacles so you can't see
David: Put snakes in your bed, or pepper in your tea
The seven boys couldn't keep the sniggers or chuckles from escaping and Thad blushed under their father's scolding gaze. Thad got the paper back again and sang softly:
Hurry teacher, many thanks
Sincerely
All boys: The seven children Banks
Thad yelped as their father angrily snatched the paper out of his hands. He knew he got a small cut but ignored it, he didn't want to such his finger when his dad watched. He was sure his dad didn't even like him anyway.
"That is quite enough tommy rot for one day" Will yelled. "Would you please go upstairs and let me get to work?! Behave yourselves now. David, Fred, Jeff I will find you practicing your skills with the sables when I get back home. Nick, Blaine, Trent I want to see your history reports done! Thaddeus!" the smallest boy startled in fright. "I will not want to see you with another book in your hands! Books make you a hermit and a social misfit! If you're reading when I get home I don't want to see you at all? Understood?"
"Yes sir", Thad squeaked.
"Stop squeaking and get a move on all of you!" The seven boys fled.
"Will", his wife began but he cut her off singing:
I might have guessed
The wind is blowing
And it's an easterly
It's bound to bring a chill
I'm underdressed
I must be going
Fetch my gloves and scarf
Or I'll be later still
"Where's my hat?" Will yelled and Tanaka gave it to him and Will groaned. "He's brushed it with boot polish!"
All: Precision and order
That's all that (he asks/I ask)
The running of a household
A straightforward task
The children, the servants
They're all (your/my/her) domain
Will: Whilst I remain the sovereign
"Mind you, use your day well", he then yelled at his wife.
Emma: You remain the sovereign
"I shall be home at six o'clock sharp!"
All: He remains the sovereign
Of Cherry Tree Lane
William Banks first walked up to the fireplaces, tore the boys' advertisement into small bits and then threw them into the flames and then he walked out the door and slammed it shut, his wife jumped at the sound but then turned around and walked into the living room.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that", she told the man that was fixing their phone. He was pretty tall, with dark chocolate skin and long black hair that he had combed back.
"No worries ma'am", he said and got up. He talked with a Cockney accent. "I'm done anyway. Do ya need anything else ma'am?"
"No", she said softly.
"Okay then ma'am", he said and smiled. "Goodbye ma'am."
"Goodbye", she said and sat down to write an advertisement to put into the Times' evening number. She wrote down every single word her husband had said.
Out on the street the young man looked up at the smoking chimney and grinned so his white teeth glistened. Why? Well you all know how a normal chimney-smoke looks. This one though was… well different. The smoke were full of small shiny spots, like glitter. The glitter got caught in the wind and was blown away in such a speed that they were gone at the blink of an eye. The young man smirked and hurried to his next job. He knew what was about to happened, it all happened before.
TBC
