Robin Wants Attention-Part
2
By SamPast
Copyright © 1999
It was hard enough for me
to sit in the car on the way to school. I had never gotten a spanking before
school before. I was in a lot of pain right now, you know where. I was also
very angry, at Jennifer, at Daddy, but mostly at myself. I don't know what I
was thinking yesterday and today. Of course, I could have just lied again. But
then I know I would end up digging myself in deeper and deeper. And I know from
past experience that it would have just gotten me into even more trouble. But damn Jennifer for tattling on me. I would have to think
of a way to get her back. For now, I had to think of a way I was going to get
through the school day. I didn't even want to think about having to sit down at
my desk.
I guess I was still mad,
too, for not getting the attention I so badly wanted at home. That must be what
led to my behavior in the classroom today. I'll tell you exactly what happened.
I walked into my classroom
and chatted with my friends until the bell rang. My teacher, Mrs. Pappas, asked
me if I was feeling better. I know I should have said yes, but I didn't; I said
no. I still felt terrible. She asked me why I came to school today and I told
her that my parents made me because they had to go to work. Which
was true, if you think about it. She told me to just go to my desk and
put my head down if I wasn't feeling well. That's when I totally lost it.
"NO! I won't!" I
shouted.
She said, "Excuse me?
What did you say, Robin?"
"I won't sit down and
put my head down. I don't want to sit down."
Mrs. Pappas raised her
eyebrows and stared at me. "Well, obviously you are still sick, or you
wouldn't talk to me that way. Now, go to your seat."
She watched me as I walked
to my desk. But I didn't sit down. I just stood there. I looked around. All the
kids were sitting at their desks watching me. I think they were a little
surprised that I had defied the teacher. Usually, I was teacher's pet. Well, it
was time to shake my goody-goody habits. Obviously, trying to get attention at
home wasn't working. It was time to move on to something more drastic. In
hindsight, what on earth was I thinking? Anyway . . .
After a few minutes of just
staring at me, Mrs. Pappas called the first reading group to the back of the
room. I realized she was going to ignore me. Okay, I would play her game for a
little while. I wasn't in the reading group she called so I just worked on my
seat work. My feet were starting to hurt but I knew it would hurt even more to
sit down, so I made myself stay on my feet. Mrs. Pappas looked over at me every
few minutes, but I made sure not to make eye contact with her. Every time she
looked my way, I looked the other way.
Finally, it was time for my
reading group. I went to the back of the room and just stood there next to the
reading table.
"All right, enough of
this, Robin, I want you to sit down," Mrs. Pappas said.
I looked at her and said,
"NO!" I looked around at the other kids in my group. I wanted to see
the reaction I got. It was a good one. They all sat there with their mouths
opened wide. Hey, I liked this 'acting out' stuff. I sure was getting a lot of
attention in the classroom. Now to figure out how to get more at home; that's
what I needed to work on.
I could tell Mrs. Pappas
was trying to decide what to do. I guess she didn't want to challenge me in
front of the class, so she just proceeded with the reading lesson. She didn't
call on me to read, though. But I didn't care. I could tell I was making her
nervous by standing while everyone else was sitting.
Then we did math, language
arts, and writing. I stood the whole time. I really was getting tired, but I
didn't want to cave in now. Right before lunch, Mrs. Pappas called me over to
her desk.
"Yes?" I asked in
my sweetest voice.
"Robin, I don't know
what's going on with you today, but I don't like it. I'm going to keep you in
at lunch, and maybe that will change your attitude. In a few minutes, I will
bring the rest of the class to lunch. You will stay here. I will find some work
for you to do," she said sternly.
"NO! I WON"T! I
WON'T STAY HERE!" I shouted.
My teacher was shocked. I
don't know if she thought I was playing a game with her all morning or not, but
I think she had had it. I probably had gone too far, but I didn't care. I was
going to see this thing through.
"That's it, Robin, I
have had it with you all morning. I don't know what's going on, but you are in
big trouble. I'm going to take the rest of the class to lunch and you are going
to the principal's office! Let's go!"
Mrs. Pappas grabbed me by
the arm and led me out of the room. To watch me, it was pretty ridiculous.
Imagine a teacher having to lead a sixth-grade girl down the hall like a
four-year-old! I just smiled to myself. I mean, the principal was my uncle.
What was he gonna do? She saw me smirk but she didn't
say a word. At the time, I didn't even think about how upset I made my teacher.
All that would come later.
After dropping the class
off in the lunchroom, Mrs. Pappas led me into the main office. She asked the
secretary if she could see Mr. Levine. My eyes grew wide as I heard that my
uncle was not in the building today; he was at a principal's conference at the
district office.
"Mr. Fried will be
down here in a few minutes. He's acting principal for the day," the
secretary said.
I couldn't believe my
rotten luck. Oh man, now I was in big trouble! Mr. Fried was another sixth
grade teacher. He was the meanest teacher in the school. He was also the vice
principal. Kids were so afraid of him; they froze if they just saw him in the
halls. I was really scared now.
My teacher told the
secretary that she would be right back. I finally sat down on one of the chairs
in the office. Actually, I sank down. I started to cry. I guess I finally realized
what big trouble I was in.
The secretary, whose name was Margaret, took
pity on me. She said, "C'mere, Robin, why don't
you tell me what's going on?
I looked at her. I didn't
want to tell her anything. I didn't even know what I was doing. I just shook my
head.
"Robin, I know you
were probably expecting to see Mr. Levine. I know about your 'connection'
," she said.
Now it was my turn for my
mouth to drop open. I couldn't believe she knew I was the principal's niece. I thought
no one was supposed to know.
"What do you
know?" I asked cautiously.
Margaret answered, "I
know, Mr. Levine is your uncle. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I've known
for years."
I felt relieved. Of course,
Uncle Jack would have had to tell her. I mean, she's his secretary. She must
know all his business. I went and stood next to her.
"Well, um, I don't
know why, but I've been really bad in class all morning," I said.
"Well, did anything
happen before school today to put you in a bad mood?" she asked.
I thought back to what had
happened this morning. It seemed like a hundred years ago. I didn't know how
much I should tell her. But suddenly, I really trusted her. Maybe it was
because she knew this secret that I had been carrying for more than five years.
So I told her everything.
She nodded. "Hmm,
that's hard," she said, "having to come to school after getting a
spanking. It must have really hurt to sit at your desk this morning."
I started to cry. "No,
I don't know. That's the problem. I wouldn't sit down. I wouldn't listen to my
teacher, and I made her really mad."
"Yes, you did."
I turned around. There,
standing in the doorway, with a tray of food in her hand, was my teacher. And
behind her, the person I feared the most, Mr. Fried. I don't know how long they
had been standing there, but suddenly I was very embarrassed. I didn't know if
they had heard that I had gotten a spanking that morning, or not.
Mr. Fried said, "Well,
young lady, I think you had better come with me into the principal's office.
Your teacher has been telling me what a busy morning you have had."
I reluctantly followed them
into my uncle's office. It seemed weird to be in there without him. I suddenly
wished more than anything that he was there.
Margaret had also come with
us into the office. She came up to me with a tissue and whispered in my ear,
"Why don't you tell the truth? It's always the best way."
I nodded my head and
thanked her. Then I turned to face Mr. Fried and Mrs. Pappas.
Mr. Fried said, "Mrs.
Pappas has told me that you spoke very rudely to her and would not follow her
directions at all. She told me that you were very unruly and had disrupted the
class more than once. She also said you refused to sit down all morning. Is
this true?"
I didn't know what to say,
so I just nodded. I was beginning to feel very bad. I was very disappointed in
myself. I don't know what came over me. I was beginning to think I had split
personality. Part of me wanted all this attention and would do anything to get
it. Another part of me wanted to do all the right things and to feel accepted
and appreciated by everyone. Unfortunately, I only realized this after each
time I got caught doing something wrong.
Mr. Fried said, "Well,
do you have anything to say for yourself, Robin?"
I thought about what
Margaret had told me; just tell the truth. So I did. Well, I started to,
anyway.
"Um, well, sir,"
I looked down. I was really scared.
Mrs. Pappas softened toward
me. I guess she saw the real me underneath all this bravado. She said, "Go
on, Robin, tell us."
I started again. No better
time like the present.
"Well, the reason I
didn't want to sit down today, was, um, well, this morning at home, my father
gave me a spanking. It really hurt and I didn't want to sit down in my seat. I
guess I could have just told you that, but . . . Um, well, I guess I was
embarrassed." There, I said it.
Mrs. Pappas looked at me.
She said, "Well, Robin, I am surprised you got a spanking. I think you are
one of the most well-behaved children I've ever had in
class. You must have done something pretty bad for your father to have to spank
you, especially before school."
"Yes, ma'am, it was,
but I really don't want to talk about it," I said.
My teacher continued,
"No, I don't expect you to. That's your business. But I don't understand
something. I realize now why you would not want to sit down for a while, but
why were you rude and disruptive?"
I thought about it for a
few minutes before I responded. "Um, well, I guess I was mad at my dad for
spanking me, and I was mad at my sister because she's the one that told on me
to get me in trouble, and I was kind of mad at myself for doing what I
did."
Both Mrs. Pappas and Mr.
Fried were nodding.
Mr. Fried said, "Well,
Robin, it seems you were mad at the world and you decided to take it out on
your teacher, huh?"
"Yes, sir," I
said, "I'm sorry." I turned to my teacher, "I'm really sorry,
Mrs. Pappas."
Mr. Fried said, "Well,
Robin, I'm going to give you detention for one day. Tomorrow.
Here's a note explaining why you have to go. I want you to give it to your
parents tonight and have them sign it. Then you will come to my class tomorrow
at 3:00 and stay until 5:00. I will find some things for you to do."
I looked up at Mr. Fried.
Was he kidding? I had to stay alone with him in a classroom after school? If
you thought I was scared before, I was really frightened now.
I took the note that he
proffered. I looked at it and then started to cry again.
"Um, Mr. Fried,
couldn't I just stay in Mr. Levine's office for detention tomorrow? He'll be
back by then, won't he?" I asked tentatively.
Mr. Fried looked at me.
"Well, he will, but he's not involved in this matter. I am. And you will
stay in my room tomorrow from three until five. Now, you will give that note to
your parents tonight, won't you? Maybe I should call later to make sure you do
it?"
I knew I was defeated.
"No, sir, that won't be necessary, I'll make sure my parents get the note.
Honest."
Mrs. Pappas said,
"Okay, Robin, why don't you come back to the classroom with me now? You
can finish your lunch and then we'll go pick up the rest of the class."
"Yeah, okay," I
said. I followed my teacher out of the office. I didn't say good-bye to Mr.
Fried. Unfortunately, I would be seeing him again really soon.
(To Be Continued)