Chapter One: The Interview
Principal Figgins sat at his desk, reading over a young lady's resume, and she was due in his office any moment for a job interview. She was to fill in the position of the home-economics teacher, Mrs. Hagberg, because of budget cuts having to lower her salary, and she would not afford to stay on staff. Although this young lady had no formal teaching education that he could see, she had taught cooking classes in Charleston from where she had returned.
He jumped a little when he heard the intercom buzz on his desk. "Yes?"
"Ms. Kelleher is here for her interview, Principal Figgins."
He adjusted himself in his seat, arranged the papers on his desk, then cleared his throat before responding, "Send her in, Donna." As the door opened, he stood from his chair to greet his young lady, and when he saw her, he realized just how young. Her hazel eyes shone as brightly as her white smile, her slightly pale face framed by dark chocolate curls. Although her face exuded youth, her pressed blouse and slacks manifested her maturity. Holding out his hand to her in greeting, he said, "Welcome to McKinley High School, Ms. Kelleher. Won't you please have a seat?"
"Yes, thank you." She placed her canvas satchel beside her chair before seating herself, her smile never fading. "Thank you so much for this opportunity, Principal Figgins."
"You are most welcome, Ms. Kelleher." He glanced over her resume again, then back up at her. "Now, I notice here that you taught your cooking classes at a community center where you were living before. About how many students attended your classes?"
"Well, I taught four days a week, three hours a class, and averaged about 15 to 20 people per class." As she spoke, Principal Figgins thought he recognized her voice, but brushed off the fleeting thought to continue the interview.
"Very good, and what type of foods did you prepare in class?"
"The different things for different classes: I had a senior class that specialized in preparing food for one or two. I had a baking class; that was my most popular class for all groups. Then I had two classes for mothers: how to cook things ahead of time and prepare meals for the week to cook later, and how to be a sneaky chef."
Furrowing his eyebrows, he asked, "Sneaky chef? What does it mean to be a sneaky chef?"
She chuckled softly before replying, "I got these cookbooks written by a Missy Lapine, a mother who had the great idea of pureeing fruits and vegetables and making smart substitutions to get healthful foods into picky eaters."
"I see. Very interesting. I think you would make a great addition to our staff. Are there other areas around the school that you might be able to lend a helping hand to? We sometimes get short staffed, and need replacements in a pinch."
"Yes, I completely understand. I could help out in the cafeteria, if you'd like. Don't hesitate to ask about my substituting. I was in school originally to be a teacher, then I found I wasn't suited to be a regular school teacher, so I started cooking."
"That is great! Again, I think you will fit in well here at McKinley."
"It is nice to be back, sir."
Now he remembered. "You were formally a student here, Ms. Kelleher?"
She nodded her head with a smile. "Yes. I graduated in 2004."
"Ah, yes. And you look so similar to your sister. I remember seeing her perform in the glee club that went all the way to nationals and won! What is she doing now?"
Mentally, she growled at the mention of her sister, but she answered pleasantly. "She changed her name to our mother's maiden name and went on to perform on Broadway in several shows."
"Well, good for her. I know your family must all be so proud of her success."
She inhaled deeply. "Yes, they are."
"And now you're back here in your hometown, coming back to your alma mater to teach students how to cook. Do you think your sister could come back and talk with the glee club?"
Her eyebrows raised in curiosity. "The glee club has been reinstated?"
"Yes, with the help of our Spanish teacher, William Schuester, our glee club made it all the way to nationals. They didn't place high enough to continue to the next level, however, but he is optimistic of this up-coming year. But do you think your sister could come back and talk to our glee club?"
Shrugging, she replied, "I'm not sure. She has such a busy schedule."
"See if you cannot get her to work something out. We would love to have her return and show them that you can make it to the big time, if you try hard enough."
Her growl grew louder in her mind as she replied, "I'll see what I can do. When do you need me to start?"
"The teachers are coming in next week to prepare their classrooms and such, and they should be coming in starting at 8 a.m."
"Sounds good to me, Principal Figgins." She stood up from her chair, grabbed her bag, and held out her hand. "Thank you for this opportunity, Principal Figgins. I will see you on Monday."
"Yes, I will see you on Monday. Thank you for helping us out so close to the start of the year. Have a good afternoon, and be sure to see Donna on your way out for additional information and some forms you will need to fill out."
"Yes, sir. Have a good afternoon."