After the day's final lesson, Mr. Ratburn dismissed the class as usual, but requested that Arthur stay behind for a few minutes.
"Busted!" whispered Busty.
"Aw man!" Arthur moan. He hoped Ratburn wasn't going to make him return the money he had made. He already made plans to buy a gun—a real gun!
Slowly, the class filtered away, happily chatting, until it was just the two of them.
"Arthur, take a seat." Ratburn said, motioning to the seat by his desk. He looked like he had a lot to say, but didn't know how. Cautiously, Arthur complied. "Now Arthur," he began slowly. "Is it true you have been selling pornographic materials to your fellow students?"
"What?" Arthur said. "No, just some magazines with naked ladies in them."
"I see. So George was telling the truth..."
"If you want some, I can't help you, Mr. Ratburn. I'm all out."
The teacher laughed. "Oh no, don't worry about me Arthur." He tapped the laptop that sat on his desk lightly. "That idiot Haney didn't install any content filters." He said with a wink.
Arthur didn't know what that meant, but he laughed just the same.
"Now, I understand you got these magazines from your father?" Ratburn asked, serious again.
"Yeah..."
"And this is the same person Principle Haney apprehend in the boys bathroom, wearing nothing but a bath robe?"
"Yeah, that's him."
Ratburn nodded solemnly. "I see. I understand it must not be easy to live with that man."
"Oh, you have no idea!" Arthur said, thinking about all the times his dad told him to take out the trash or clean his room.
"No, you're right son." Ratburn said quietly. "I have no idea what you must be going through. I just want you to know Arthur, it ends now. We've contacted the police and social services."
"Okay..." Arthur said, wondering why that was relevant.
"I'm just so, so sorry I couldn't help you earlier." Ratburn said, his bottom lip quivering. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Uh..." Arthur eyed the jar of candy his teacher kept on the desk. "Can I have one of those?"
"Yes." Ratburn whispered, a tear forming in his eye. "Take as many as you like, son." That was all he said before burying his face in his hands and crying deeply.
"Cool!" Arthur exclaimed, helping himself to a handful of sweets before leaving the classroom.
"What happened?" Buster asked, leaning against the wall outside.
"Buster, I have no freaking idea," he confessed. "But Ratburn started crying and gave me a buttload of candy!"
"Oh, okay."
"This is where you would usually make a comment about aliens taking over Ratburn's body, or something..." Arthur informed him.
"I know!" Buster admitted. "But since you got me that magazine, all I can think about is boobs!"