Story #2: The Intervention of Mr. Flowers
"Hey, Butch, you got a second?"
He looked up from his desk and nodded, the permanent smile stretched across his face. One of his fellow teachers was standing a few feet away, wringing his hands nervously. "Yeah, what's up?"
"You know David, in your class? Tiny blonde kid?"
"Oh, of course! That little whippersnapper. Is something wrong?"
The other teacher hesitated for a moment. "Not particularly…I've just noticed he's been really quiet lately, usually reading by himself on the playground, eating alone at lunch, things like that. Do you know what happened? He used to be so outgoing."
Butch nodded. "His father has been sick lately. His mother came in to talk to me at the end of the school year last year; he should be fine, but it's been taking a toll on the kid."
"Oh, damn. I'm sorry." The other man frowned. "I'm still sort of new here, I didn't know—"
"I didn't tell anyone," he replied, nodding. "Don't worry about it."
"Well, I was just wondering if you had any ideas on how to maybe cheer him up? I don't know, I'm not great with the younger kids—that's why I teach sixth grade."
"And that's why I teach second grade," Butch teased. "I'll see what I can do, all right?"
"Great. I'll see you at lunch," he said, smiling. "And thanks." He ducked out of the room as Butch leaned back in his chair, folding his hands behind his head, glancing out the large window to his right. The kids were out at recess and he had been taking the opportunity to catch up on balancing his checkbook. He stood up and walked over to the window, scanning the playground for the child in question, and sure enough, he saw the fair-haired boy sitting near the swing set, a book in hand. Butch sighed and went back to his desk, tucking his checkbook away into the top drawer, and grabbed his room key, locking the classroom door behind him as he left.
As he approached the swing set, his smile widened, seeing that he was reading what could easily be considered a fifth-grade level book. "David?"
The boy looked up, startled, and smiled up at him. "Hi, Mr. Flowers!"
"What are you up to?"
"I'm reading. It's really good." He held up the book so Butch could see the title. "Have you read it?"
"I don't believe I have. So, David, why aren't you playing with the other kids?"
David shrugged. "Don't wanna."
"Why not?"
"They're stupid."
"All of them are stupid?" Butch chuckled. "I highly doubt that."
"They are! They all listen to Jake and he told them not to play with me because I've got cooties." David's face scrunched up a little as though he were trying to fight back tears.
"Well, that's just ridiculous. You know that, right?"
"I know. I tried to talk to Stephanie but she just ran away from me. That's why I'm reading by myself."
Butch thought for a moment. "Is there anyone you want to play with?"
David shrugged, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "I dunno. Not Jake. Do I have to—"
"I won't make you talk to him. To be honest, I think he's mean too," he said in a loud whisper.
"Really?" He looked up, smiling. "Um, Mr. Flowers?"
"Yes?"
"Are you married?"
Butch shook his head. "No, I'm not. Why do you ask?"
"I just wondered. You always seem so happy, like my dad, and he said he's always happy because of my mom because she's so pretty and nice. So I thought maybe that's why you're always so happy."
His logic made a sort of sense. "I just like being happy," Butch replied, laughing a little. "I'm glad your parents are so happy though."
"Me too." David nodded firmly. "My mom and dad are the best."
"They certainly are." Butch checked his watch. "Recess is over soon; I'll let you get back to your book. Will you try to play with the others tomorrow?"
David shrugged. "Do I have to?"
"No, but it would make me happy."
He sighed dramatically. "I guess."
"I'll see you in class," Butch said, waving as he walked away. He glanced back a moment later and saw the kid buried in his book again and chuckled. Looking at the opposite end of the playground, he saw a small group of kids gathered around something and decided to check it out.
"And now, for my next trick, I'm going to make this rock disappear!"
Three girls and four boys ranging from first to fifth grade were standing around a kid with bright blonde hair who he recognized as the new kid in class, John. He had a rock in one hand and was wearing a newspaper on his head that he'd seemed to have fashioned into a sort of hat, probably trying to look professional, clashing with his bright green and purple hoodie.
"Just do it!" one of the older kids complained, his arms folded stubbornly across his chest.
John grinned and did a little bow. He held up a small rock on the palm of his right hand, showing it to the crowd. Then he closed his hand around the rock, put both of his hands together, and did a little dance, bouncing to some imaginary beat. He brought his hands up over his head, parted them a little, and then smashed them back together, bringing them down a second later, hands wide open, palms empty.
"Ta-da!" he shouted, laughing. "Magic!"
"He dropped the rock in the hat," one of the girls said, rolling her eyes. John smiled at her.
"You think you figured it out?"
"I saw you drop it!"
He reached up and plucked the hat off his head, unfolding it. As he did so, the kids started cheering, realizing she was wrong. The girl stalked off and the others followed, leaving John standing there with the biggest grin on his face. Butch approached him, clapping quietly as he put the refolded hat back on his head and readjusted his hoodie, playing with the hood.
"That's some real magic there," he said.
"Oh! Hi, Mr. Flowers!" John did a little bow. "You wanna know how I did it?" he asked excitedly, jumping up and down a little.
"No, keep the magic safe," he replied as he laughed. "I just wanted to ask you something. Do you know David?"
"Who?" Butch pointed across the playground to where David was still reading, focusing intensely on the pages. "Oh, him!" John nodded. "Yeah, he's nice."
"Have you two played together?"
"Not really."
"Do you think you could go say hi to him?"
John nodded again. "Sure!"
Butch put a hand on the boy's back and led him over to David, who looked up from his book when John blocked the sun on the page, covering it with his shadow. "Hi, Mr. Flowers," he said quietly, looking upset.
"Is everything okay?" Butch asked, kneeling down next to him.
"My book got sad." He set the book down and looked at John. "Hi."
"Hi," John said, suddenly looking shy. Butch smiled widely and stood up, urging David to his feet.
"David, this is John. John, this is David."
"Hi," David said again. "I like your hat."
"Thanks!"
Butch looked down at the two of them for a moment before shrugging. "Okay, I've got to get back to the classroom. John, why don't you show David your magic trick?"
"Okay!" John dug in his pocket for the small rock and held it up. "See, this is a regular rock…"
Butch walked away back towards the building and glanced back a minute later, seeing John holding his hands above his head, while David watched, engrossed in the spectacle. He saw the rock fall quickly from his hands and into his hood. Laughing at the 'magic,' he shook his head and went inside.
