Mr. Meinert paused. “I won’t be back after the vacation. It’s because of the budget cuts in the town. So I’m going to find work somewhere else.”
Hart was stunned. “You mean they fired you? They can’t do that! Who’s going to teach chorus?”
Mr. Meinert smiled and held up a hand like a crossing guard. “No, no, no—not fired. They eliminated my job, and they can do that. And I don’t know who’s going to teach chorus. Or even if there’ll be a chorus at all come January.”
“But—but why didn’t you tell everybody? We—we could have done something—like send letters … or make a petition … or start a big protest… something!”
Mr. Meinert smiled again. “That’s exactly why the affected teachers asked that this be kept quiet until the vacation. We all had work to do, and we didn’t want a lot of pity and worry from everybody else getting in the way.”
Hart was stumped, almost angry. “But … but… it’s not fair!”
Mr. Meinert nodded. “Couldn’t agree more. But that’s the way it is, for the moment anyway. Things can change. You know that. Things can change in all sorts of unexpected ways.”
It was Mr. Meinert’s turn to hold out his hand. “So this is good-bye, at least for now. It’s been a pleasure working with you, Hart.”
Hart shook his teacher’s hand again, fighting back a lump in his throat. He managed a smile and said, “So long.” And he turned and headed for the door.
“Hart—hold it a second. I want you to have this.”
Hart walked back, and Mr. Meinert reached into his file box and pulled out an envelope. “I guess I can afford to give this up—I’ve still got another one.”
He fished around in the envelope and then handed Hart a slightly used Number 16 rubber band.
Mr. Meinert reached into the envelope again and held up the other rubber band. “I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but I’m going to anyway: Thanks for letting me have this. Turns out it was just what I needed.”
Hart grinned. “Yeah,” he said. “Worked out okay for me, too.”
Mr. Meinert grabbed the box off his desk. “I’ve got to run. My wife’s waiting out in the car. Listen, you have a happy holiday, Hart.”
Hart nodded. “Yup. You too. See you around town, Mr. Meinert.”
The teacher smiled. “You can count on it.”
And as he followed Hart out of the music room, Mr. Meinert turned off the lights.
Andrew Clements, The Last Holiday Concert
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