Troll Brother

  ~~~

  Mr. Stuart was indeed waiting for Robert. Once he’d returned to class, most of the other students were in their seats, though a few were kneeling on the chairs to get a better look of the board’s art or to talk with a neighbor. Arms crossed before him, as Rob entered, the teacher spoke in very stern tones, but managed to keep his cool. Years later, the extended Johansson family would learn that Mr. Stuart, being a bit of a poet himself, thought it was one of the coolest things any of his young students had done for a girl.

  “Robert, I am given to understand that you created this mess on the board.”

  Robert’s shoulders sunk and he moved slowly to pick his backpack and binder up off the floor where he’d left them.

  “Yes, Mr. Stuart,” he replied. “Well, I mean, No. I didn’t do it. But…yes, I guess it’s mine.”

  “Well then, who did it?” Mr. S. asked.

  Robert wanted to blurt it all out. Everything. Oh, how much he would have liked to tell someone in authority, a teacher, exactly what he’d been facing for the past week and a half. But he knew he’d get himself a straight jacket if he did. He just mumbled his reply.

  “I’m not really sure.”

  “Well, I understand it was quite a beautiful piece of Art, Mr. Johansson, before you tried to clean it off. But I suggest you finish the job you started and get it off my board while I begin our lesson.”

  “That’s the problem, Mr. Stuart. Whoever did it, like glued, and I think even carved some of it on. I can’t get it off.”

  Mr. Stuart had moved around behind his desk. He put down the pencil he was holding and stretched his fingers on both hands onto the top of the desk as though he were keeping it from floating away. He thought for a moment.

  “Alright then, Robert. I think you and I had better take a quick trip to the office,” he replied. “Students, I want you to trade your Haiku poems with your partners and do one last review before we turn them in tomorrow. It’s your last grade for the year and I want to be able to show them to parents during the conference Friday afternoon.”

  Out in the hallway, Mr. Stuart marched Robert down to the office respectably enough. But on the way he happened to mention that one of the girls in the classroom had managed to snap a photo of the board before Rob got at it.

  “Just thought you should know. In case…maybe you wanted a copy. I doubt you’ll manage to stop it from being everywhere on the chat rooms by the end of the day.”

  Robert didn’t quite know what to think about the comment, and he was a half-step in front so he didn’t see the gentle smile Mr. Stuart made. He simply uttered, “OK”, and moved on.