Part 3
The next morning the seven boys were in the windows of their big bedroom watching the long line of women outside.
"They look nothing of what we asked", Fred said and leaned against the window frame. Nick and Jeff were sitting on the bench in front of the window.
"What did you expect", Thad said without looking up from his book. "I told you father would never agree to use our list."
"See", Trent said. "Just like I told you too! Thad's right mother and father may love us but they never listen to us."
"Speak for yourself", Thad mumbled. "Father doesn't love me… he hates me."
"No he doesn't", Blaine said and sat down beside his smaller brother and put a supporting arm around him. "How on Earth can you think that?"
Thad looked up at him.
"I'm not the sportsman the rest of you are", he said. "I'm not as confident or big. What I like to do is reading and father wants to take that away from me."
"He does not", David objected walking over to them.
"You heard him yesterday morning and last night", Thad said. "He said : '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 he loves me very much."
His brothers stared at him.
"How do you remember every word father says", Fred asked.
"I just do…" Thad mumbled and looked into his book again. "I remember everything people tell me."
His brothers smiled fondly and then returned to watch the women outside. They were all way past 50 and some even 60. They looked stern and quite a few of them had warts. There were a few younger women and rather beautiful ones but it was plain to see that they were just there to live in a luxury home, they were not the intellectual sort.
"Is there any men out there", Blaine asked from where he was preparing a new prank. He'd taken all the soaps he could find and were going to soap the staircase so that their new teacher would either fall or slip around in a comical way. He was only going for two, maybe three steps.
"Nope", Fred said and stretched to see better.
"Wait there's one", David pointed and there was an old man with a white beard standing among the women. They saw a few other old men there. They all looked really boring, not at all what they had looked for.
"I wish father would let us go out instead of sitting cooped up in here", Trent said and watched Thad read in interest. Thad didn't know that his brothers were playing a prank on him by gluing the corners of two pages together. He'd reach them soon. "It's so boring."
"Agreed", Blaine said. "And it's not like we need another teacher. Father was a teacher ones, he can be that again."
"He rather work for that big firm that gives a big paycheck every month", Jeff said. "It's sad… I heard Madame Beast-"
"Don't call her that Jeff", Nick said. "She'll hear you and give you a whooping again."
"Anywho", Jeff continued. "I heard her talk to Lazy-butt that father used to be such a great music teacher and musician."
"So why doesn't he play anything anymore and have forbidden singing or music of any kind", Thad asked looking up. Remember that this is a musical so they are not aware of the constant singing they do.
"I heard mother talk about it ones with grandfather Banks", Fred said and sighed. "Father had another wife before mother. Her maiden name was Holly Holiday and they were working together, singing and dancing with kids. One night it was stormy and she went out to go to an opera with her friends… a horse was pulling a wagon and slipped on the wet stone. The horse panicked and ran her over because she was singing and dancing down the street… not aware of what was going on around her. She died instantly as did their unborn child…"
The boys all looked sad. They knew that their mother was not the first Mrs. Banks and they also knew why their father had adopted all of them instead. Holly had loved children and wanted a lot of them, Emma did too but she couldn't have any of her own. Will wanted to honor both of them and so adopted them all… at ones. They'd gone to an orphanage but couldn't decide on the boys there so they took all seven of them. They had not wanted girls because that would only remind Will of his unborn daughter.
"Hey!" Thad suddenly objected and the brothers started laughing. He pouted as he looked up from where he had turned to change pages.
"It's not funny!" he objected.
"Yes it is", Trent laughed. "You're so easy to fool!"
"Idiots", Thad mumbled and carefully got the pages separated. Then he and they all jumped as their slightly open window suddenly flew open by a gust of wind.
"What", Fred asked and tried to close it. David ran over to help him but it wasn't working.
"Hey look!" Nick exclaimed and pointed. They all looked down and saw that all the women and the few old men they'd seen were being moved by the wind. The wind was blowing them away. The boys gaped in confusion and all seven were watching now.
"What's going on", Blaine asked.
"Look!" Jeff called and pointed. They all followed his finger and saw something odd. It looked like a young man, dressed like a real gentleman and with a casual grip on an umbrella that was carrying him towards the house.
"Is that a witch", Trent asked.
"No witches have brooms", Thad said. "And they're women."
"Then is it a wizard?"
"I don't think so… they usually have long white hair and beard. The young ones usually have goat-bears and mustache."
"How is he doing that?" Blaine asked as the man was coming towards the house with his umbrella. He was floating calmly and soon landed.
"Wow", Nick said. "Look!"
"He's young", Trent said. "He can't be that much older than us!"
"He's good looking", Blaine said happily and they turned to him. "What?" They just shook their heads. The young man closed his umbrella and then did something odd. He was not having any luggage and then looked around. He sighed and whistled and suddenly… a black bag came towards him, sliding over the ground.
"What is this nonsense", they heard him scold the bag and then he held his hand out over it. "Up."
The boys gaped as the bag jumped up so that he could grip the handle. "Thank you." Then he turned to the door and used his umbrella to ring the doorbell.
Downstairs Will asked Tanaka to let the appliers in one by one. Tanaka had informed him of the long line of teachers waiting outside. But he had to wait for exactly eight o'clock and how did he know when it was exactly that?
Well did I tell you about one of the neighbors of the Banks family? Well there is this big house built to look like a boat and it is owned by Admiral Boom. Every morning at 8 he would fire his canon, with help from his servant Mr. Binnacle. He would do it again at noon and then at six o'clock sharp. Every day. People they say get their time after Greenwich but Greenwich takes time after Admiral Boom. So at eight o'clock the cannon sounded and all houses around would shake.
"Tanaka now it's eight o'clock", Will said as he got up to make sure he looked presentable.
"Yes sir", Tanaka said.
"Now you can let them in, one by one. I will be in my study."
"Can I sit with you dear", Emma asked.
"Of course love", Will said and they entered the study.
"Father can we be there too", Fred called down from the second floor.
"No you stay in your room so you can show your new teacher her room", their father called back. The boys didn't return to their room, just waited in the staircase. Tanaka walked up to the door and opened it.
"You can come in one by one", he called and the young man in front of him nodded.
"Thank you", he said and walked inside in confidence. Tanaka stared because there was no one else out there! Five minutes before there had been people everywhere! He shook his head and closed the door. The boys upstairs saw the young man enter.
Will was getting out pen and paper when he heard firm steps walk into his study and then a voice said:
"You are the father of the seven Banks children right?"
"Excuse me", Will asked and looked up. He saw a young man of Asian origin wearing a nice black suit, a black bag and an umbrella.
"I said", the young man said calmly. "You are the father of the seven Banks children right?"
"Uh yes."
"And you're looking for a teacher?"
"Yes."
"Good then I'm in the right place."
"Uh…" Will looked confused as the young man opened his bag and took out a paper. "Ah you brought your references… let me see." He held his hand out.
"Oh I've made it a habit to never have references", the young man said. "It is something so old-fashion."
"Oh you think so… well we'll see about that."
"Okay to the requests", the young man said and looked at the paper. Will noticed the really clean nails. "A cheery disposition, I am never cross. Rosy cheeks… well not in the way you want I suppose but I'm clean."
Will looked up in confusion. This was what his sons had written! He looked at the paper, he'd torn it to pieces and he saw… glue holding the young man's paper together.
"You must be kind, you must be witty…" the young man continued and looked up seeing Will look into the living room. "Are you looking for something?"
"What", Will jumped and then looked at him. "That paper you have…" He walked up to the young man. "Where did you get it from? I tore it and threw it on the fire…"
"Excuse me", the young man said and Will let go of the paper. "I am kind but very firm. Give us treats… I only give those when someone really deserves…" he trailed off as Will was looking into the living room again. "Excuse me are you ill?"
"What? No! I-I that paper…"
"You are Mr. Banks right?"
"Yes."
"And you're looking for a teacher for your sons?"
"Yes but-"
"And that's why I'm here."
"Yes…"
"Well there's nothing in here about a salary. So we will have to discuss that."
"Discuss", Will said and started to walk around the young man.
"I want to be free every second Tuesday."
"Second Tuesday…" Will walked towards the door and stood there watching the fire place in the living room.
"Come to think of it a trial period would be a good idea", the young man said and walked up to Will. He looked at him, followed his gaze and then looked at him again. "Hm… I'll give you one week. Then I will know for sure."
"Yes…"
"Should I go to the children now?"
"Uh…"
"Wait", Emma said and smiled, getting up. "First what is your name young man?"
"Wes Montgomery ma'am", he said and nodded.
"How old are you?"
"18 ma'am."
"And you work as a teacher?"
"Yes."
"But you are so young."
"Youth makes it easier to understand the young. I'll go to the children now." With that he walked out of the room and the husband and wife were left confused… and a bit perplexed.
"He did seem firm and knows what he wants", Emma said.
"I know but everything went so fast I just", Will said.
"Do you believe he can govern our kids? Will he make them behave properly? Will he do everything you asked for?"
Will suddenly grinned.
"You know what Emma", he said and took her hand. "I think he will. I think he will!"
The seven brothers watched the young man leave their father's office and walk towards the staircase. But instead of walking up it he jumped onto the rail, bag in his lap. They looked confused but then gaped as the young man started to slide up the rail. They'd heard about sliding down a rail, they'd done it themselves but had never seen anyone sliding up. The seven boys backed away from the railing and stared at the young man that stopped in front of them. He had a serious look on his face and watched all seven of them sternly.
"Close your mouth Fred you are not a codfish", he said and Fred obeyed. The young man got off the rail. "Now don't stand there and hang, get a move on. Spit spot."
The boys moved and he followed them up the last few stairs to the big "nursery" and the teacher's new room. The young man cocked an eyebrow at the barrack feeling and also to the mess in the room.
"It's a bit messy because we have better things to do than clean", Blaine explained with a shrug.
"It does look like a war field", the young man said.
"This is your room", Trent said and pointed. The young man walked past them and into the room. "It has a nice view over the park."
"Well it's not Buckingham Palace", the young man said and drew his finger over a shelf. "But it's clean."
"What a funny bag", Jeff said as he saw the bag the young man was holding.
"It's a carpet-bag", the young man said and put it on the table in the middle of the room.
"Is it to carry carpets in", Nick asked.
"No it's made out of carpet." The young man put the umbrella down and unbuttoned his coat. "Now I've always said that a hat and a coat's place is on a hat stand." Then he did something strange. He opened his bag and pulled out a hat-stand. He carried it over to a corner, with his coat hanging on it. Under it he wore a white shirt and a grey vest. They boys hurriedly looked into the bag and saw that it was empty. The young man then turned to the wall where a small mirror was.
"Oh this will not do", he said and took it down before going up to the table and dragged his bag towards him.
"I prefer to see all of my face at the same time", he said and took out a tall golden mirror out of the bag. The boys gaped and then turned to each other.
"But there was nothing in it", Nick said. The young man turned to them.
"Sometimes things aren't always what they seem", he said and put his hand into the bag and lifted out a pair of shoes and a few shirts. "Not even carpet-bags." He looked around. "Hm maybe some more light…" The brothers gaped again as he hoisted a tall floor lamp, with chord and everything out of his bag and put it in a corner.
"Much better", he said. "And something pretty to look at." He walked up to the bag again and took out a tall potted plant. "A beautiful thing is a joy for life." He walked over to the window and put it there.
"We better keep an eye on this one", Blaine whispered. "He's tricky."
The young man turned around.
"Why are you standing around here for", he asked.
"We have nothing better to do", David said and shrugged.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Then I feel sorry for you." The young man started to unpack his other things and the boys gaped. Because he threw trousers, shirts, jackets, socks, hats and underwear over his shoulder and in the air they folded perfectly and landed in the drawer neatly.
"How did you do that", Thad asked in awe.
"Do what?" the young man asked.
"How did you get your things to that?"
"Do what?"
"Fold in the air!"
"I didn't do anything special", he said. Then he walked up to his bag and started to roam through it.
"That's strange", he said. "I was sure I put it in here…"
"What?" Nick asked.
"My tape measure."
"What do you need it for", Jeff asked.
"I want to see how you measure up…"
He felt around and they watched his arm disappear all the way up to the shoulder, that's how deep the bag was. The young man stomped his foot in annoyance and bent into the bag and they heard him grumble as he looked into it.
"Aha!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Here it is." He got his measuring tape out. He looked at the boys and turned to Fred. "You first."
Fred smirked but let the young man measure him.
"Hm", the young man said. "Thick headed and stubborn."
"I'm not!" Fred objected as the others laughed.
"Now you Jeffery", the young man said and measured Jeff. "As I suspected, prankster that easily laughs… don't put things away."
"Do me!" Blaine said eagerly and the young man did.
"Excited like a puppy, prankster and stubborn."
"Me!" Trent said.
"Not innocent and a non-believer."
"A what?"
"You David", the young man said and measured David. "Hm… suspicious and thick-headed, afraid of spiders."
"I'm not!" David objected as everyone laughed and the young man turned to Nick and measured him.
"Exactly as I thought", he said. "Extremely suspicious and short-tempered."
"You lie!" Nick objected.
"See for yourself", the young man said and showed him the tape measure.
"Extremely suspicious and short-tempered", Nick read aloud and then glared at their new tricky teacher.
"Where's the last one", the young man said. "Ah there you are Thad." Thad bit his lip nervously as their new teacher measured him.
"I see", the young man said. "Shy, low self-esteem and incredibly intelligent."
Thad blushed a bit and Trent pulled him into a hug.
"How about you", Fred asked.
"Very well", the young man said. "Hold this."
Nick held the end of the measuring tape at the young man's feet and he measured himself. He looked at the tape measure and smiled.
"Just as I suspected", he said. "Wes Montgomery, practically perfect in every way."
"Wes Montgomery", Trent asked and smiled. "Is that your name? It's lovely."
"Thank you, I've always been fond of it", Wes answered.
"So how long will you stay", Blaine asked with a smirk. "We always make a bet with our teachers."
"I stay until the wind's changed", Wes said. "And when I leave you will have learned your lessons."
The boys laughed and Wes turned to them and sang:
By the time the wind has blown
The weather vane around
I'll show you, if I can
No matter what the circumstance
For one thing I'm renown
My character is spit-spot spic and span
I'm practically perfect
In every way
"Practically perfect?" Trent asked.
Wes: So people say
Each virtue virtually knows no bound
Each trait is great and patently sound
I'm practically perfect from head to toe
If I had a fault it would never dare to show
I'm so practically perfect
In every way
He walked up to his bed and made it in a few swift and easy movements while he sang:
Both prim and proper and never too stern
Well-educated yet willing to learn
I'm clean and honest, my manner refined
And I wear shoes of the sensible kind
I suffer no nonsense and whilst I remain
There's nothing else I feel I need explain
I'm practically perfect in every way
Practically perfect, that's my forte
Uncanny teachers are hard to find
Unique, yet meek, unspeakably kind
I'm practically perfect, not slightly soiled
Running like an engine that's just been freshly oiled
I'm so practically perfect
In every way
"Well, those are my credentials", Wes said and grabbed a sock that came flying from his bag and promptly put it in the drawer. "Perhaps you have a few questions?"
"Not temperamental?" Fred asked.
"Never."
"Not grouchy or gruff?" David asked.
"Oh, the very thought." Wes said this while walking up to his wardrobe.
"Will you stay tender when the going gets tough?" Blaine asked.
"Quite the contrary", Wes answered and put on a less formal jacket than the one he'd arrived in, underneath the coat.
"Do you read stories without a big fuss?" Thad asked.
"Mmm-hmm."
"Or have objections to playing with us?" Nick asked.
"Oh, I like games", Wes said and turned to them. "But I choose them." He took off the gloves he'd been wearing and straightened his tie. Then he sang:
Some minor improvements may not go amiss
But at all times you must remember this
Nick & Jeff: You're practically perfect
In every way
Wes: I guarantee
Boys: Practically perfect
We hope you'll stay - this they sang in a mocking tone.
Wes: No flies on me
Each virtue virtually knows no bound
Each trait is great
Thad: And patently sound
Wes: Patently sound
"Spit-spot!" Wes said and urged them into the nursery to clean it. They boys were soon done. Thad sat down to read.
"Thad, put your books away, please", Wes said as he walked up to the wardrobe where the boys had their jackets for outdoor use.
"Do I have to?" Thad asked.
"Yes. Blaine, tidy your things."
"It's not fair!", Blaine objected.
"I didn't say I was fair. I said…"
Wes: I'm practically perfect, and here's my aim
By the time I leave here you both will be the same
You'll be practically perfect
Boys: Practically perfect
All: You (We) will be practically perfect
In every way
Wes looked around the room.
"Perfect", he said. "Come it's time for the first lesson and it is a game."
"Awesome", Blaine said. "What is it?"
"It's called a day in the park."
"That's not a game", Jeff objected.
"Of course it is… ah ha!" He took a book from the shelf. "Robin Hood, one of my favorites. This will do for our first lesson."
Thad was grinning, he'd wanted to read that book for ages. The others just groaned but they followed Wes out of the room, slid down the rail with him, which made Tanaka stare in fright. As soon as Wes reached the foot of the stairs the front door opened and they all walked out and the door closed itself behind them.
TBC
Malurina: Thank you I am happy you like it :D