Commencement

Tamiko had just finished her last conference. Most of the other teachers had finished their meetings and were working in their classrooms. It was only 6:25, and no teachers were allowed to leave until

  6:30 on the dot. The extra five minutes seemed like an eternity since Tamiko hated every minute she spent in the building. Each day was like serving hard time. In order to get through, she had to focus on something that awaited her at the end of the day. Something not associated with her work at all. Like today, for instance, she was looking forward to meeting with Tim. She remembered him calling her the other night. He sounded so strange, and so sad. It jarred her so much that she had to get out of bed and say a special prayer for him. Whatever he wanted to talk about, she hoped she would be able to help him. As she waited for the time to elapse, she heard a lot of talking outside her classroom, along with giggles and girlish squeals. When she opened the door and looked out, she noticed several teachers gathering near the window on the far end of the hall. Tamiko might have been curious, but she already suspected what was going on as her friend Joan came running towards her.

  “Tamiko, you have to see this! This crazy hot guy just pulled up in front of our school and his ride is to die for!”

  “Let me guess. He’s tall, fair, with wavy brown hair, glasses…” Tamiko said matter of factly.

  “You know him?!” Joan gushed with surprise.

  “He’s the friend that’s picking me up today.”

  “Which one of your friends is he? I know he’s definitely not the janitor.”

  “He’s the one that works at Herns and Marshall.”

  “Is he single?”

  “Yes. Let me guess; you want me to introduce you.”

  “Would you?”

  “Maybe some other time. I’m not sure if he’s going to be in the mood for it today.”

  “Well, you better hurry him out of here. The single ladies here are just salivating over him like starving tigers over fresh meat.”

  Then the bell finally rang signaling the end of the day, and Tamiko gathered her things from her classroom and headed toward the office. Tamiko could barely escape the gaggle of women who suddenly made a mad dash for the school office. Tamiko quickly signed out and gave a final farewell to Joan before dashing out of the door to meet Tim. She was barely able to get to him due to the throng of young women. All of the single women were ogling Tim and not a few of the married ones, as well.

  “Hey, you”, chirped Tamiko sweetly as she gave Tim a peck on the cheek, which he returned.

  “Hey, Miko”, said Tim as he reached for her school bag. “I’ll take that. It looks heavy. You carry this thing around all day?” he asked opening his back door and putting it in the back seat.

  “No way, just to school. Once I get here I just dump it under my desk.”

  “Bye, Tamiko! See you tomorrow!” Tamiko heard someone call out. She turned around only to see Charlotte Booker behind her with her fake smile plastered on. Lately, Charlotte wouldn’t say anything to Tamiko when she left, which made Tamiko realize the true bent of her intentions.

  “Bye, Charlotte”, said Tamiko dryly.

  “Is this your boyfriend?”

  “No, he’s just a friend of mine. Tim Russell. Tim, this is Charlottte Booker, our school’s literacy coach”, Tamiko said to Tim, giving him a knowing look.

  “Nice to meet you Tim. Feel free to stop by the school anytime. We’re all family here.”

  “Thanks”, said Tim awkwardly. The fact that Booker didn’t know when to leave just increased the awkwardness of the situation.

  “We really have to be going. I’ll see you around”, said Tim as he opened the passenger side door for Tamiko, leaving Charlotte to take the hint that she could in fact leave for her own home now.

  “That Charlotte’s a real subtle gal”, Tim breathed sarcastically as he fastened his seat belt.

  “Like garlic.”

  “And you would think that a woman who looks like big foot’s mom would be a little less forward.”

  “Tim!”

  “Oh, come on. It’s not like there’s any love lost between you two.”

  “Even so. We shouldn’t be mean.”

  “We weren’t being mean. I was being mean.”

  “So where are we going?”

  “You tell me. Have you had dinner yet?”

  “If you call a pita melt from the local doughnut shop dinner. How about we go Manna’s? It’s close to my house and it’s on your way home so you won’t have to go so far out to drop me off.”

  “Manna’s it is.”