School of Two Thousand Smiles–Chapter Fourteen

SAM SUPPORTS DANNY'S CLASS REVELATION

SAM

Helen came to our home for dinner on Sunday evening and met Michelle, three-year-old Barry, and our baby, Michelle. She shared all about her family back in DC with us. I enjoyed our visit, and she said she would keep in touch with us and stay up to date on Danny and his family from her office at the FBI headquarters in Washington. She also said that she was going to look for a K-12 school like Two Thousand Smiles, and if she couldn’t find one, she would start the wheels rolling to establish one. She was very impressed with the warmth, nurturing, and involvement of everyone here in our county.  

As I stood near the Yodelers and glanced at my watch. I thought of Helen, who would be boarding her flight back to DC. It was good to have a friendly face there. I watched Danny walk his older sister to her second-grade classroom and was pleased that they both waved at me as they walked by. Danny looked happy and relaxed and validated the reason I’d given Georgia, our principal, for putting in all this time to help him and his family. I didn’t need permission to support the family; I just needed to keep her informed. When I started teaching about 15 years ago, I almost had to ask for permission to go to the restroom. This new, informal, and truly human way of running a school was far better in every way.

Everyone in my cohort was seated by the time Danny got back from escorting his sister to her room. As soon as Danny was sitting, I addressed the entire group: “I am now able to tell you all more about our newest cohort member, Danny, and even tell you his real last name. He has a fascinating story about why he is at our school. First, because Danny’s story is quite long, is there anyone who has a rather urgent experience they would like to share with us? Ella held up her hand and said, “I just want to tell you, Sam, and all of you, that it was an honor and a pleasure to help Danny and his family move into an apartment here near Two Thousand Smiles.” Both Danny and I smiled and nodded.

“Anyone else?” I looked around, and no one had a hand up, so I nodded to Danny and said, “So, Danny, tell us your story.”

Danny looked around, made eye contact with everyone, and began, “First, I want to thank Ella and Sam for all their help. Sam had contacted an FBI friend in Washington, D.C, and she found three other FBI agents, and they rescued my mom and my two little sisters, who were kinda in prison in the horrible house where our dad had held us captive in the little town of Flowers, Mississippi. To give you some idea of how we all lived there, I’ll tell  you about the first time we tried to escape about a year and a half ago.” He then told us about how they – his mom, two sisters, and he - took the bus to Memphis, and instead of finding a new life, they discovered their awful dad waiting for them in Memphis. When he brought them back home, he beat their mom up and threw her down the stairs, and she had to go to the hospital. He ended that part of his story by saying, “That all happened in early February when dad was at a meeting in Jackson, the state capital. After she got out of the hospital, Dad made me stay home and help Mom. Dad didn’t want anyone outside the family to know how badly Mom was hurt. Also, he didn’t want to pay anyone to help Mom. Anyway, I missed the rest of the school year, and I flunked. That’s why I’m twelve and in the fifth grade. Oh, and that’s okay, cuz I like you all.” Joe Jackson raised both hands above his head like a boxer who just won a match. Joe is really a wonderful kid to have in class, as he helps all of us feel a bit lighter.

Before Danny continued, Joe asked, “Danny, why didn’t you or someone stop your dad?”

“My dad is the law in Flowers – our little town of a few hundred people who are scared to death of him. If anyone does anything he doesn’t like, he throws them in jail. I even saw him kill my very own grandpa.” Everyone in the cohort gasped. Chris uttered out loud, “Oh, my god.” Followed by similar utterances of others. ”Oh, unbelievable,” “Damn,” more “Oh my gods, and on and on; and finally, Ella’s, “My god, Danny, how did you escape and get to San Diego?”

Danny told them about Bubba Wilson and his getting beaten up by Danny’s dad, Robert E. Lee, and that was the crime that allowed the FBI to obtain a warrant to arrest his dad. Danny continued, “And the FBI in Mississippi, this last Friday, went to the house to fetch mom, and they had to taser and tie up two guys who dad had hired to guard mom and the girls to make sure they didn’t try to escape again. Anyway, the guards had called dad, who was at the football game, and told him someone was prowling around the house and to come home. So Ratso, that’s my name for dad, came to the house, and the FBI was waiting for him. When Ratso pulled his gun, they tasered him before he could pull the trigger. He was standing at the top of the stairs, and when he was tasered, he began to fall and fell sideways down those damnable stairs. He must have held up his gun hand because he shot himself in the neck before he fell.”

As Danny told everyone about the horror back in Mississippi, he spoke so clearly that he sounded as if he had been there and seen it firsthand. I’m sure the scene is burned into his young mind. He ended his narration with, “And I’m glad the son-of-bitch is dead.” He looked around the room as if he dared anyone to contradict him or tell him he was bad for thinking that and calling his dad a sob. Everyone sat quietly, crying, and looked like they were holding their breath. I believe he needed to tell this story to such a warm and supportive group. I could never have told a story like this to my elementary school classmates in the bad old days when I was a kid. I glanced at my watch and was surprised to notice that Danny took up nearly the entire first hour. I said, “Okay, it’s almost the end of our first period, so let’s take a break. And Danny, thank you for being so beautifully brave and telling us about you and your family’s story.” After our break, I continued to be amazed at the mature way Danny handled the questions about how he managed to get away from Ratso, talk Bubba into giving him a ride, and then find a place to stay in our county. He sounded like he was at least fifteen or even eighteen rather than twelve. At the end of our session, Ella said. “I’d like to commend Danny for his courage and strength to do all he has done and for saving his mom and sisters.”

49 

Everyone in the class, including me, clapped. I went over to Danny and said, “Please stay a minute, I have some news for you.” I motioned for him to sit down close to me. “Clair Danley just called to tell me that your mom has already been through the necessary surgery to straighten her leg. She was in a great deal of pain, but Clair said she was very cooperative with the doctor and hospital staff. The surgery was necessary to relieve the pain and allow her to walk without pain. They had to give her a general anesthetic because they had to re-break the leg and put a new cast on it. Clair said she is still asleep and will need to stay in the hospital tonight and perhaps another day or two. She said you and the girls should stay here at the school for the entire school day, then visit your mom. Clair will send her assistant in a county car. She said I should tell you because she looks so young, but she is safe to take you and the girls to the hospital. Okay?” Danny nodded and looked very disturbed. I added, “What’s the matter, Danny. You look sad or worried.”

“I’m just angry at myself for not having done a better job of fixing mom’s broken leg before I put all those ace bandages around it.” His face filled with tears, and he rather haltingly said, “Mom started walking in pain and with a limp after we failed to get away that time in Memphis. And I’m sure he beat her again and made it worse after Ratso thought she had something to do with me getting away. After Memphis, Ratso started hitting me when I yelled at him that we needed to take Mom to the hospital. He said, ‘That deceitful little bitch doesn’t deserve a hospital. And you are going to take care of her. Now shut the hell up. And with that, he slapped me so hard my ears rang for a week. I’m so damned sorry I didn’t do better with the leg.” I think my anger at Ratso matched Danny’s.

By three-thirty, Danny’s tears had dried up, and a new-looking SUV with the San Diego County Social Services logo on the door pulled up in front of the school. A perky young woman, who looked to be about Danny’s age, got out. I was standing near the front entrance, and the girl put out her hand and said, “Hi, I’m Jan Hastings, and you must be Mr. Sam Collins.” She looked over my little crowd and, with a rather delightful smile, added, “And you must be Danny, Susan, and Jacque Sherman-Lee.” She said, “One of you can sit in front with me if you like. I thought that the little trio increasingly looked relaxed as they began their second evening in their ‘new’ apartment. Jan Hastings seemed to have the right personality to be their babysitter. By the way they all talked, she was the exact opposite of the kind of adults they experienced in Flowers. 

School of Two Thousand Smiles–Chapter Ten

DANNY FINDS HE CAN ENJOY SCHOOL

DANNY

I woke up this morning feeling better than I’ve felt in my life. Most importantly, having all these people at the FBI working to find a way to help me get Mom and the girls away from Ratso. And having a teacher help us is so good.  Second, for the first time in my life, I’m looking forward to school – especially to see Sam and Ella. 

It seemed like Sam was waiting just for me when I stepped off the tram in front of Two Thousand Smiles. I think Mom would tell me I was sinning by feeling proud that I was important enough to have a teacher waiting to see me, and that teacher is really smiling when he sees me. I’m beginning to think that mom is wrong on this — and on lots of things—especially about the husband being the head of the house. My head is swimming with lots of good thoughts, and I really like that. 

Sam held a guitar in both hands and gently handed it to me, and said, “Ella said you needed a guitar, and here is one you can borrow until it can find an owner. It was in the school’s storeroom. I will probably call you this evening with the rest of the Danny team, so until then, have another good wacky day.” He patted me on the shoulder. I really liked it that Sam called all the people helping me, ‘Danny’s team’. I turned around just as Ella arrived. I held up the guitar and thanked her for telling Sam about my need.  

She replied, “So, I hope you can join us tomorrow after school. Did you get off the tram?” I nodded. “I guess you were in the other car. I usually sit in the second car, so join me there if you want to.” Ella seemed a little nervous about inviting me to be with her. I told her I’d go to the second car tomorrow, and she relaxed as she gave me a little card with her phone number and text number and said, “Call me if you can’t join me, because I would worry. Our class is having a science class first period and now…” 

The music from the Ragamuffins started, and Ella again dragged me over to meet her dad and see her little sister. The music had just started, so I could only shake hands with her dad, who had a little darker skin than Ella. He was a handsome guy in jeans and a pinkish polo shirt.  Angie, the kindergartner, had a big, welcoming smile and reached up, taking one of my hands and Ella’s other hand. We started the day with a song that seemed everyone knew but me, that started with “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, zip-a-dee-ay, my oh my, what a wonderful day.” I learned later that it was another really old song from the last century. I’m sure the old, grumpy people in my super sober Mississippi school would condemn all this as a complete waste of time because education is serious business. I’m sure I was more open to learn something after the wake-up singing and dancing than I was after my old sour march into the school building with a bunch of grouchy teachers and sad-looking kids. After more dancing and singing, I was glad that Ella’s dad was really enjoying himself and singing along with everybody else. When the music stopped, he held out his hand and said, “You must be Danny. I’m Mark Haloran, and Ella has told her mom and me that you are a refugee from our most conservative state. I’m happy to meet you, and I hope Ella has been a pleasant guide.” 

I nodded and replied, “Yeah, she’s really helped me a lot. This school is so different from back home. It’s like being released from prison and being thrown into a fun garden.” I was surprised that I called Flowers, ‘back home’. I never wanted to go back there in my life. Just thinking about it made me all tighten up. 

Angie piped up, “And I like you, Danny, even if you do talk funny.” All three of us laughed. Mark took Angie’s hand, and he let her lead him to her classroom. Ella and I headed to our big classroom and were greeted by a young man who looked like he’d just graduated from high school. He introduced himself as Josh Speers and informed us that he had just graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and had a Ph.D. in Physics, so he could be called Dr. Speers, but was fine with Josh. He was also a graduate of Two Thousand Smiles. I had even heard of MIT and knew it was considered one of the best universities in the world. He told us that he volunteered to teach at our school as part of his two-year community service, which all young people, male and female, must complete after graduating from high school or college. He concluded by saying, “Eventually, I want to work in Kenya, Africa, where my mother is from. I’m still learning their language, and I thought I’d learn how to teach at a school like this one. So, you are all going to help me to become a teacher. Are you okay with that?” We all clapped and yelled, “Yes, Great, We’re the best…” and other positive and boisterous comments. 

Josh said that he wanted to get into microbiology and physics. He went on to tell us that it included atomic theory, Einstein’s theory of relativity, and quantum mechanics. I looked around the room and was relieved to notice that I wasn’t the only one who looked confused. Josh said. “So first, please place your right hand on the little desktop on the side of your chair. Now raise your pinkie finger up and down. Now, keep doing this for a few moments and ask yourself, ‘How am I doing this. How am I able to raise and lower my finger like this?”

“Now, I hope you have come up with several answers to yourself, ‘How do I do this. Your little finger is tired now, so let it stop. And how do you do that, too?” He looked around the room and, with his eyes, seemed to meet each one of us. At least that is what I felt when he looked at me. “Now, who would like to tell us what he or she is thinking about this question?” 

Joe Jackson held up his hand, and Josh nodded. Joe said, “I think I have an invisible little genie running around in my mind and my body and waiting for my mind/brain to tell him what to do, and he does it. Oh, I really love that helpful little guy.” Joe smiled smugly and looked around the room as everyone laughed. I wondered if the other fifth-grade cohort had a class clown like Joe.

Maria didn’t wait and said quickly, “That’s just the way god made us, we think something and god makes it happen. Maybe Joe’s really right, his little invisible genie is an angel that helps us and is sent by god.” Two students from the other 5^{th grade} cohort gave similar answers.

Olivia sang, “And, and an invisible little devil is trying to knock us down, and sometimes I think that my little devil has an evil power that makes me a cripple and my angel keeps me strong enough to smile and move my little finger – not, uh, not as good as you all, but good enough.” It must have taken her five minutes to tell us her thoughts, and everyone was quiet as mice. I felt sure that if Olivia were in a classroom in Mississippi, the other kids would have laughed at her. I was so glad to see everyone, even Joe. Quietly respect her.

Josh shocked me by saying, “You know, I think you all have wonderfully true ideas. Joe, the way you talked about a genie, reminds me of Albert Einstein’s famous E=MC²* or ‘energy equals matter times the speed of light squared. Oh, you all have heard of Einstein, haven’t you?” Joe glanced around the room, scrunched up his face, raised both of his arms like a band leader encouraging everyone to join him, and I think everyone except me let out a loud, “DUH!!”

Josh laughed and said, “Now I know you are all awake and informed. And I want you to know that I picked that little finger exercise from a fellow named Jesus featured in a1^st century blog that attempted to tell readers about what the author dreamed about how Jesus really wanted his believers to think about him. Anyway, I enjoyed the blog and some of the ideas. And now back to our own renowned physicist, Dr. Joseph Jackson. I believe Einstein would agree that when we think about moving our little finger, we send an energy signal to our finger to move. Everything is energy, and just recently, the multinational, multi-billion-dollar project to find the most basic particles may be changed to focus more on energy forms, because all the scientists finally agree with Einstein’s theory that everything is made of energy. That includes our thoughts. Questions?

Gordo asked, “So, Maria’s idea that god makes our fingers move, right? And I’ve heard that our bodies and souls are separate kinds of beings, so when we die, our souls or energy that gives us our forms leave our bodies. Josh, is that true?”

Josh told Gordo and the rest of us that it was an excellent question, that he didn’t know, and that we’d spend some time on it later in the school year. “Now I’d like to say to Maria that I don’t believe we have to invoke god to move it, we just do it ourselves. It is like our thoughts are the starter button. You know, my dear students, all these brilliant scholars at MIT are still puzzled by this question. I believe Einstein was still thinking about the kind of energy that thought, thinking, and feelings were made of up until the day he died. And the god question will have to wait, maybe for years.”

I really enjoyed this class, and I even enjoyed the homework of asking two adults what they thought about thinking as a form of energy. I would like to ask about it intelligently. I guess I’ll ask the O’Connell’s, the family I’m staying with. The last class in the morning was Spanish, and I was told I needed to join Joe Jackson with third-grade students because we were beginners. I felt like a giant with all the eight-year-olds, but they didn’t seem to care, and we felt welcome – I think Joe more than me. Maybe not. Anyway, I wanted to learn the language and I liked the woman teacher.  

At lunch, I was back with the same four fifth-graders. I missed our four big brothers and sisters, but was pleasantly surprised to see Cheryl O’Connell and Debbie’s dad, as well as another mother and another dad from the other cohort’s fifth graders. Cheryl sat next to me, and I introduced her to Ella. She told us she had just received a call this morning, asking if she could join us. “I was scheduled to join you all on Friday, and I was going to tell you on Thursday.” Neither she nor I told the rest of the group that she was my foster mom. Ella knew but didn’t say anything about it. I acted like whoever she was, it was just fine with me. Cheryl was her usual gracious self. Two of the four parents were ‘old hands’ at meetings with students and parents at Two Thousand Smiles. The other two were new to the lunch meetings but had been to the ten-session parents’ orientation before school started, so they were at home with everyone – even more at home than I was, but I was getting more comfortable every hour.

I’m glad that the first class after lunch is tai chi. It gives me a chance to relax my whole body, at least the part I’m in touch with. Back in Mississippi, the only thing we were encouraged to do was to get strong and tough enough to play tackle football. We were told we didn’t need to learn to relax; we just needed to be tough enough to take and dish out a hit. Too often, I was called a sissy. I didn’t have to worry about that here, and I was glad. The second afternoon class was cosmology, which Ella informed me was the study of the cosmos, and just as the other science class was on the microcosm, today’s class is on the macrocosm. Micro and macro are new words I need to learn. A delightful young woman who was working on her Ph.D at the University of California was the teacher who showed us several short films made by the Webb Space Telescope. Wow! I’d never even heard of it. And the last class was Geography and International Relations. We hardly got out of the state of Mississippi back in Flowers, and here we were going to learn about everyone on our planet. This school year was gonna be fun.

I told Ella I would see her after classes, and I did, but I also saw Sam, our Tator. He said that he needed to talk to me right now. I told Ella that I’d catch a later tram and followed Sam back to our cohort room.  

School of Two Thousand Smiles–Chapter Nine

SAM PLANS A RESCUE WITH FBI

SAM

After Danny left our Zoom connection, I asked Clair what she was thinking about that could help Danny’s family. She told me what he had told her when she first talked to him, and the very idea of talking to that man again gave her shivers. “I’ll get in touch with my FBI friend and ask her what she and Marty Barnes had come up with, and maybe have another Zoom conference. Oh, and I’ll ask her to have her research team look into finding that Bubba W fellow online. 

I told them what Danny said about Ratso whor’n around on Saturday nights and getting drunk. They all got a bit of a chuckle when I told them that Danny said he didn’t know what whor’n around meant, but that it was just what his mom told him about what Ratso was doing.  

I was surprised that Helen called only minutes after we had hung up. It was great that our ‘team’ was already becoming a team. “I told her what Danny said about the idea of an out-of-town couple nosing around the little town of Flowers and the probability of his deputy sheriff dad putting them in jail. Marty Barnes was on the phone with her and wondered if it would be possible to incapacitate the dad somehow and grab the mom and girls and get them out of town as quickly as possible?” He asked how they might figure out when Ratso would be drunk enough to be knocked out of commission.

Helen asked, “Could we get into the house and take mom and the girls just because we think they are in danger? What do you think, Marty? After all, we only know he is a dangerous criminal bastard, because Danny says he is. I believe Danny, but we need something that will hold up in court. That Robert E. Lee fellow is evil, and he is clever, and he seems to have covered up things and intimidated everyone in that dinky little county.” 

Marty suggested that they do more digging before taking any overt actions. “Let’s see if we can find Bubba, the truck driver. I’ll check on Bubba, and Helen, why don’t you see if there is anyone in Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, who has a file on our ‘friendly’ sheriff.” 

I agreed that we wouldn’t do anything until we could get Ratso arrested when we took action to rescue Danny’s mom and sisters. I told Helen and Marty that I’d do my best to keep Danny safe and as emotionally level as possible. I saw Danny right before our morning pep rally and told him we were working on it and that I hoped he would have a good day.

Helen said there was a large file on Robert E. Lee in Jackson. Still, every entry stated that there were reports of spousal abuse. During his twenty-three-year career as a Deputy Sheriff, there were no serious reports that warranted sending a state police detective to Flowers to follow up on the incidents. As far as the state was concerned, Flowers was a serene and peaceful little town. 

Helen and Marty called late in the afternoon. Helen reported her disappointment about Ratso’s non-record at the state level. Marty had better luck finding information, but it was horrible news about Bubba, the truck driver. Marty had tracked Bubba down and found him in the hospital in San Antonio. It seems that the poor man was found unconscious in the parking area at a huge truck stop there. He had been robbed and beaten nearly to death the previous Saturday, there in San Antonio. He had needed several surgeries and was currently at a rehab facility near the hospital. He did not have any visitors and was conscious and cussing up a storm about the ‘sombitch’ that had beaten him up. He didn’t know him, but the nurse, Marty had spoken with, said she thought he might know more than he was letting on.

Marty concluded, “I think that Helen and I should fly to San Antonio and talk to Bubba Wilson. So, Danny was right, it was a ‘W’ something last name. I think the poor man will talk more easily if a woman is with me, don’t you?” Helen imperiously tilted her head back and looked down her nose at the two men. They smiled.

I said, “Yes, I do. And, I’m like you, Marty, I don’t believe in coincidences, and I’m sure Ratso perpetrated the assault.“ I paused and then added, “The name ‘Ratso’ has really caught on for us, and we’ll need to be cautious about using it. I hope Bubba has not lost his memory after the attack. How far is San Antonio?”

“About five hundred miles from New Orleans, I’ll get tickets for tomorrow. Is that okay with you, Helen?”

She nodded, “Yes. And I’m wondering if it might be a good idea to take Danny with us?”

I immediately said, “No, for two reasons. One, we are not absolutely sure Ratso is the one who assaulted Bubba, and more importantly, Danny has already been through a lot, and I don’t want to add to his trauma. So, let’s talk when you get back tomorrow, okay?” They both nodded and hung up.

School of Two Thousand Smiles–Chapter Eight

DANNY DISCOVERS  HE HAS SUPPORT

DANNY

Cheryl O’Connell, my foster mother that I couldn’t think of as my mom, answered the landline phone and said, “Danny, this call is for you. It is from your tator, Sam, at school. You can take it to your room. I gave him your new number and told him it would take a minute for you to go upstairs.”

Wow, my first call on my own visual phone, and it was so nervous about what Sam had to say, I stumbled up the stairs and fumbled with the switches,  and worried that Sam would hang up on me. Finally, I found the right buttons to push and managed to say, “Hi Sam, what’s happening?” First, he wanted to know if our conversation was very private, and I looked over at the closed bedroom door to make sure I had closed my door. He wanted to know my dad’s name, and I told him it was Robert E. Lee. He chuckled and said, “I mean his real name.” I was my turn to chuckle. “It’s really his name. He was a junior till he killed his dad, and then stopped being a Jr. Anyway, please tell me what you've found out.” His voice sounded a bit lower and nervous, and I wondered if I sounded shaky too. He told me about how worried he was about my dad and that he was afraid he was a very dangerous madman – a guy who really fit my new name for him, Ratso. He had told me about his FBI friend and about her plan. I am flabbergasted about all the people worrying about me and my family.  I didn’t give a damn about our privacy, just about how worried Sam was about Ratso shooting up the school and all that. I was sure that Sam and all the other police people think I’m stupid for not thinking of that. I told Sam that, of course, I was open to being on the call when it was all set up.  This is the first time I’ve used a visual phone set up, and I blurted out, “I'm kinda nervous about it cause I ain't ever done this before." I smiled to myself as Sam sounded nervous himself as he said, "You'll do fine." before he hung up.

Only a few minutes later, Sam called back, and he was on what they called a ‘split-screen’; Clair Danley was on one half, and he was on the other half. Clair said, “Hi Danny, how do you like the school there?” I said, “I really like it, but it sure is different. Thanks for joining us on this call. I guess Sam told you how concerned he is?” She assured me that she shared his concern.

Sam said, “You have my cell number in case we get cut off, right?” I nodded, and he gave me instructions on how to handle a Zoom connection with more than one person. Then Clair Danley joined us, and I said hi to her again. Sam said, “We have two wonderful FBI agents helping us, and first we need to find a way to get your mom and sisters out of that house. Danny, tell us about what your Ratso would be doing as he runs around his family and his town down there in Mississippi?”

I wasn't sure what he meant but I said, "As far as family is concerned , his only relative is my dad’s uncle, who is the old sheriff, and I think he only talks to him around election time, and Ratso tells him what he wants him to say, and  that's the only time he says anything at all. I don’t know anyone else he'd call family and mom doesn’t know anyone around there. Ratso married her somewhere around Biloxi, but I don’t know if she has any relatives there either.  "Calling my dad Ratso sounds funny but I really hate calling him 'dad'. Anyway. he says that when she was a teenager she hung around other girls down around the bars and dance places in Biloxi." 

I guess Clair wanted to get a better idea about what the town in Mississippi looked like when they tried to get mom and my sisters away from there. so she said, “If our two agents came to Flowers, that is the name of the town, right?” I nodded, and she continued, “And asked around, what do you think they would learn?”

“If they said anything about dad, er Ratso, or me or my family, I think Ratso would take them to the little sheriff’s station and might even put them in one of the two jail cells until they told him where I was or what their business was with his family. They would be very suspicious characters. Remember, there are only about a thousand people in the entire county. I heard that San Diego County has over four million people. That’s more than the whole friggin state of Mississippi. So I don’t know what to tell you. Oh, and thank you guys for working to help me.”

Sam  wanted to know more about how I made it to California, so he asked, “Danny you talked about the truck driver you rode with. Did you get to know him well?”

“Yeah, we talked a lot. I told him about my dad being a mean bastard and that he had hurt my mom really badly many times.  Since he had never been to Flowers and probably wouldn’t ever get to see me or anybody from there, I told him a lot about my family."

Sam wanted to hear more and made a fan motion at me to continue, so I said more about Ratso and my family . "When I told Bubba, that's his name, about how he treated me and our mom, he got furious at my dad. He told me a lot about his family and that his wife had died of cancer several years ago, and that he had three grown-up children and four grandchildren – one about my age. I have to admit that I didn’t tell him about my sisters because I was afraid he’d kick me outta his truck for leaving them in a house with a dad that was mean as a snake. It’s funny that both he and you called dad a snake, ain’t it?”

“Yes, it is. Oh, Danny, what are the names of your mom and sisters? And if we could find a way to get into the house, what would be the best way to get your mom to leave with two total strangers?”

First, I gave Sam my mom’s name, which is Marge, and my sisters, Jacqui, who’s five, and Susan, who’s eight. “Maybe tell her that I sent you and give her the girls’ names and ages, and they would be safe with whoever came to get them.”

Sam wanted to get back to the truck driver, and I told him his name, which was Bubba Wilson, or Wilcox, or some kind of two-syllable W last name. Mostly, I remember Bubba. I told him that Bubba was proud that he owned his own truck and didn’t have to work for any damn trucking company. And he didn’t have any lettering on the sides of his rig. I told Sam that Bubba seemed to enjoy discussing everything with everyone.

“Danny, if we found him on the internet and talked to him, do you think he’d remember you? “ Clair asked. I wondered why she asked, but I didn’t ask her why. I told both her and Sam that I’d talk with the FBI agents or anyone they thought could help Mom and the girls. Clair and Sam said that I was helpful, and they’d keep me posted. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but Sam said he’d see me tomorrow sometime during the school day. I felt relieved that there were all these very kind people helping me help mom and my sisters. I told him the only thing I could think of about getting Ratso outta the way and getting mom and the girls outta that house was on a Friday night during a high school football game or on Saturday night when Ratso was out whor’n around. I wasn’t sure what whor’n meant except he was drinkin' a lot and being with lotsa women. Sam said that was good information.

School of Two Thousand Smiles–Chapter Seven

SAM TAKES ACTION FOR DANNY'S FAMILY

SAM

I was very worried about Danny and his demonic dad. We needed help, and I thought of a friend from graduate school who was now with the FBI. I called her. “Is this the infamous Helen of Troy?” She and I were graduate students together in a doctoral program in Evolution of Consciousness and have been friends for fifteen years. We had exchanged rather lengthy nicknames about that many years ago.

“Yes, and this must be the Sage by the Sea Sam? And you are calling me right at the end of dinner.’      

“Oh shit. It’s only five here on the left coast. Sorry about that. Your world is three hours older than mine. I’ll call back if that’s better. I do have a rather sad and dangerous case I need to talk to you about.” 

“No problem. Prince Phillip is just going out the door to a meeting. Let me get more comfortable, and you tell me about your case.”

I told her about Danny and said, “I worry that his dad might shoot up our school, and I’ll zoom to you part of his story.” When I finished showing the film and Danny told me his story, with his permission to share it with the FBI, I could hear her heavy breathing and see her tears. I turned the picture off when we heard Danny deciding to call his dad, Ratso. “So, Helen, you see the reason for my call. Obviously, his dad is a very disturbed man - a sociopath who is dangerous and very intelligent. And I’m afraid that Danny is not only in danger, but so is everyone around him, including me and everyone here at school, and the family he’s staying with. Danny is only twelve and very smart, but he does not realize how dangerous his dad really is. He said that he saw him kill his own father, but never took a day off from his work as the one and only Deputy Sheriff. He, the Deputy, has it set up there in the little town in the rural county in Mississippi, so everyone is afraid of him. So…”

“I agree, he does sound like a very sick man and a very dangerous one.” Helen was a clinical psychologist as well as having a doctorate in consciousness. “What is the situation of the Sheriff of the county?”

“Danny says that the guy is in his late seventies or eighties and shows up only around election time and then pretty much lets his, and I quote, ‘very efficient and intelligent deputy’, handle things. Danny says, for example, that Ratso – that’s Danny’s new name for dad, after I said he was misusing the word asshole, because assholes are useful, and that I  hated useless rattlesnakes, and they would make a better name. He laughed a little and said, ‘Then I’ll call him Ratso.’ The boy is clever.”

“How long has Danny been in the San Diego area? And how did he get to California?” 

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“That is quite a story. He hitchhiked. He found an old fellow at a truck stop and talked him into letting him ride along with him in his eighteen-wheeler – wherever he was going. Danny is tall for his age – five feet, one or two - and at age twelve, he could pass for sixteen. He’s been here about four weeks, I think. I’ve told the county social worker, a very bright and caring young woman named Clair Danley. She found a good temporary foster home for him. She shares my worry. I don’t want to take him out of Two Thousand Smiles because he needs the feeling of safety and warmth we can provide at the same time. I don’t want to endanger the students and staff. I haven’t told Danny how concerned I am. He’s very fearful for his mom and sisters, and I don’t want to add to his worries.” 

“So we need to take action now. I’ll call the FBI office there in San Diego and ask them to help us. I’ll call you back as soon as I hang up. I’ll make sure they understand the danger and urgency. Have you called the police there yet?”

“Yes, and they will send out two extra plainclothes officers in the morning. There is always one plain-clothed police officer every school day, but only a few of the staff know who they are. This will be the first time in years they will possibly be needed.” Helen said she’d get back to me about the FBI in San Diego. My contact at the SD County Sheriff’s Office is Lance Keating.”

After I finished the call to Helen, I thought I’d get home in time to see Michelle breastfeed our baby girl, Sasha. We had named our first offspring, four-year-old Barack. We named both after our favorite historical presidential family, and we flipped a coin to see if our girl would be Malia or Sasha. Michelle worked from home as an editor for one of our local colleges’ magazines. So, our ‘babies’ are well cared for. In her soft voice, she whispered, “The dinner is ready. Would you please put it all on the table?” I told Michelle a bit about Danny’s plight while we ate. I was reminded that Barack was growing out of babyhood when he asked, “What’s an asshole, Daddy?” Uh, oh.

Helen called just as I had finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher. “Sam, I’ve got some good news. I asked my boss here if I could join the team to help you, Danny, and his family, and she agreed. You remember that in the doctoral program, I worked hard to tone down my southern accent?” I nodded, and she continued, “Well, I’m going to resurrect it. And we’re in luck again because one of our classmates, Marty Burnes, is stationed in the Biloxi, Mississippi, FBI field office, and he’s willing to help us.” I liked that she was so excited and so proactive. I remembered how quick and decisive she had been in our doctoral program. I thought there for a minute that she was about to jump through the screen and jump up and down in front of me. 

“Sam, you still with me?” I guess I wasn’t sounding as excited as she thought I should, so I shouted a loud Yes. She went on, “Tell me what you think. Tonight, we’ll have a Zoom meeting with you, me, Clair the social worker, Danny, and Marty. Before we meet, you and Clair talk with Danny about his family and the about the old sheriff.

Meanwhile, I’ll search online for any additional details that might be helpful. Then, I was thinking that Marty and I play like a couple who are trying to find out something about a family member of one of the people there – his dad, the old sheriff, or someone. And while we’re doing that, we’ll sneak his mom and sisters out of that dinky little town or county or whatever. Remember, Marty is from Mississippi and requested to be assigned there.

"So, what do you think?"

“I think you’re a genius. I’ll give Danny and Clara a call as soon as we hang up.”

School of Two Thousand Smiles–Chapter Two

ELLA - A DELIGHFUL HOSTESS

I looked back to make sure my new lunkhead student was following me into the classroom. He was. I saw Sam talking with Olivia about something, and I wanted to go over and stomp on his foot for saddling me with this jerk from Mississippi.

When we moved here from St. Louis two years ago, I was mocked a little for my funny accent, but it was nothing compared to Danny’s. One guy mimicked me by saying, “Harses eat carn in the marning.” My Dad said that St. Louisites always pronounced ‘o’s before ‘r’s like they were ‘a’s. However, I suppose Mississippians spoke a distinctly different dialect. I bet if Danny went to one of the old-fashioned regular schools, he’d be razzed to death.

I’m looking forward to seeing how he gets along with our cohort.

Sam saw us and yelled, “Hey, Ella, bring our new guy over here.”

Danny seemed so squeamish about me touching him, so I just nodded in Sam’s direction, and we went to meet him. Danny whispered, “You call your teacher by his first name?” I nodded and he whispered back, “Weird.” Of course, I was my most polite self as I introduced Danny to Olivia and Sam. Sam shook Danny’s hand, and Olivia smiled, then waved her hand shakily. I would tell Danny about her palsy later.

Sam stood and took Danny’s right hand in both of his and said, “Welcome to our cohort, Danny. And thank you, Ella, for escorting Danny to our room. So, Danny, how’d you like the beginning of our day with the songs and dancing? Just like, uh," He at a paper infront of him and then chuckled and said, "Oh yeah, Mississippi, huh?”

Danny rolled his eyes and muttered, “Yeah, like Mississippi in a pig’s eye. Back there, they almost handcuffed us and dragged us into rooms.” Despite the drawl, I was surprised at Danny’s articulation. I got the impression that he was already getting used to the easy and folksy way everyone acted and talked at our school. Danny continued, “Do ya’ll start every day like that?”

“Yes, if possible. Do you play a musical instrument?” Sam, sitting back down, looked up at Danny from his seated position. 

“Yeah, a guitar, chords. Ah, but not in public – ever.” He looked like he was ashamed of himself for saying he only played chords. Sam said, “Well, you’ll get to know your fellow fifth-grade musicians soon. Your lovely escort, Ella, plays the guitar too.” Danny looked puzzled as he glanced over at me, like it was strange that I could play the guitar. Sam told him, “Find yourself a seat – ah, Ella is looking at us and patting the chair next to her. Go sit by her, she’s a great gal.”

 

7.

Danny headed over and sat down next to me and said, “Are ya sure he’s our teacher? He sounds more like my Uncle Charlie or our next-door neighbor. He even called you a ‘great gal’. Now that’s weird.”

“That I’m a great girl, or that he talks like a person?” He leaned back, smiled, laughed, and said, “Both.” I looked around and every seat was now taken. I whispered to Danny, “Sam will ask everyone to introduce themselves to you, so relax and smile, okay?” He nodded.

Sam shouted, “Okay, all you people, welcome back to our wonderful cohort. I know all but one of you from last year, but I’m new as your cohort facilitator. And, we have a new member who, I guess, is replacing the irreplaceable Steve Patter.” He pointed toward us and said, “Welcome, Danny White.” Everyone yelled, “Welcome, Danny.” And clapped. Sam continued, “Now, each of you introduce yourselves to Danny, and Danny, we’ll wait to hear from you after everyone else gets to tell us who they are now, after they’ve how they've been born again over the summer.

“Let’s start with you, Olivia.” Olivia was an original member and had cerebral palsy. She had never let it stop her from sharing her thoughts and feelings. She had learned that the best way to ‘talk’ was to sing her words in a sing-songy kind of way. She began, using the tune from the "Do-Re-Me" song in The Sound of Music. “Well, I’m Olivia, and I became a singing teacher who teaches CP kids how to talk to you. I attended the University of San Diego, and I loved it. Now I am somebody.” She puffed out her chest, and everyone clapped. She sang, “And now I give you thanks.”

I’m sure I would never be as cheerful as she is if I had cerebral palsy. She shakily moved a hand toward the boy next to her.

Joe Jackson was a skinny African American guy who was much darker than I and didn’t have an ounce of shyness in him. “Well, I’m Joe, and, guys and gals, I am now a professional weed puller, trash man, and carpenter’s helper who builds dog houses. Oh, and I sang Ol’ Man River in a summer play at the Parks and Rec. summer playhouse. So, I’m now a professional singer!”

We clapped and laughed. I wonder if Sam thought of sending Joe after Danny.

Sam said, “Now, we’ll go around the circle and to our right. So, Ella, tell us about you.” I took a deep breath, “I am now a certified infant caregiver. My mother’s sister gave birth to a baby boy in June.” Immediately, everyone clapped and yelled, “Hallelujah.” And everyone waved their hands as if they were at a Black church meeting, and I noticed Danny looked like he was in a zoo. “And…the new Mom hired me to be the baby’s nanny. I started in July.” They clapped again. “I like being a nanny, but I’m also glad I get to go home every night, too. Now my aunt must hire somebody else to be the nanny, but I’ll continue when I can.”

8.

I turned to Debbie Ma, the only Asian American in our group and one of the five ‘originals’.

“I’m Debbie, and I’m happy to be back with you all, and I’m now able to be a mommy. I began having my period last month!” Everyone clapped and yelled “Huzzah”. “And I do not plan to be a mommy for at least ten years, and this preparation period is going to be a pain.” We all laughed. Joe chuckled and said, “Yeah, we wouldn’t want to see you having a baby that would make your role the same as your last name.” More laughter. I’m sure that when I begin having periods, I won’t be as open about it as Debbie, and I admire her courage. My mom said I’d probably be having my period any day now. I was pretty sure I’d keep it to myself – and mom, of course.

Sam asked Debbie, “Debbie, did Joe’s comment about your last name bother you?” She shook her head and said ‘no’. Dave was on Debbie’s right and was probably the shyest one in the cohort. I was surprised when he began with, “Wow, Debbie, you’re a hard act to follow. I’m pretty sure I’m not even close to being ready to be a papa.  Oh, and Danny, I’m Dave. And back to babies, I’ve only changed my nephew’s diaper once, and he peed all over me. And that was this summer, so I think that helped me be born again – the baby’s name was Jeff, so King Jeff christened me like the queen christens a ship with a bottle of champagne. Uh, I’d rather have champagne than pee for my christening.” He earned a round of applause.

Sitting next to Dave is Maria, who is Latin American and nearly as shy as Dave. “Danny, I’m Maria, and I continue to be a professional mommy for my two sibling brats. I use ‘brats’ lightly because they are adorable, but they are kids, and they are not mean or cruel at all. I must admit that I get along better with my little brother than I do with my little sister. Anyway, my mom does appreciate me, so my ‘profession’ is good. So, you guys will help me have a vacation from them, right?” We laughed and clapped. I wondered if Danny had any siblings, and if they were younger, I bet his Mom rarely asked him to be their babysitter. Gender discrimination isn’t done yet.

Gordo, our biggest member, and one who could even laugh at his nickname, ‘Gordo’. He was a co-teacher of Spanish and called us ‘mono-lingual idiots’, as he would laugh at our struggling attempts at speaking Spanish. “Well, believe it or not, I am now officially a Spanish instructor.” He looked around at all of us and continued, “And you all have helped me to become a teacher. I am officially an assistant at the summer program for high-school students right here in this building.” We all shouted “Wonderful!!”

I looked across the circle at Evie; she and Olivia were the only light-complected girls in our cohort. And she was also the most developed physically. I thought she was astute and poised, but she didn't act superior at all, and I liked her. “Well, as you all know, I hope to

9.

 become an actor and I got a start this summer. Like Joe, I was in a play this summer. I was the younger sister of one of the main characters. I was a smart-alecky brat and had about ten words to say. So, I’m an actress.” She looked down her nose at us, and everyone but Danny laughed. He just looked confused.

 

Chris was the last one to share before Sam and Danny. Chris was as white as Danny, and I thought he was handsome. He was also smart, athletic, and kind. If I were ready for a boyfriend, I’d choose him. “Good morning, Danny, and you all. I’m glad to be back in school with you. My Dad worked my butt off this summer. You’d think I was forty years old because he had me do things only an old man could do. So, I guess I’m now a professional old carpenter’s helper. We built an entire house in three months, and I was Dad’s only full-time helper.” We all clapped, and I think I blushed as if I were already his girlfriend. Chris turned to Sam, “Now, old man, tell us how you were born again.”

“Okay. I enrolled in a six-week program on how to reach a bunch of smart-alecky fifth graders.” We all groaned. “And I gave a talk at a teachers’ conference on how to bring the very best out of wonderful boys and girls who love me and want to grow up to be outstanding people!” We all yelled, ‘Hoo–rah!’ “And most important, I am now the proud papa of a baby girl!” That brought on a double Hoo–rah, and clapping. “And like Dave’s experience, I’ve been ‘christened’ dozens of times already. So now, Danny, tell us about yourself and start with what you now think of your cohort buddies.”

I was anxious to hear what he was going to say. In his deep southern drawl, he began, “Well, first ya’ll talk funny, unlike me.” He mimicked Evie and looked down his nose at us, and we all jeered. He went on, “First, I’d just like you to know that, so ya’ll would know that I’m aware of my Mississippi accent. Up until a month or so ago, I’ve lived my entire life near Oxford, Mississippi – the home of Ol’ Miss – the only state that has four ‘I’s and four' Ss in its spelling. Now, ya’ll, that’s something to brag about, huh?”

We groaned, and he grinned. “Because, unlike Ella, my Mom and Dad do not have doctorates. I don’t think my mom ever graduated from high school, and my dad probably graduated from a school in hell.”

He looked over at Sam, seemingly waiting to be scolded, but Sam just sat there and frowned. Danny went on a bit more hesitantly, but I thought bravely. He was sooo different from what I first thought. “In Mississippi, we gotta pay to go to kindergarten, but I didn’t go. It isn’t a public school there. For four years, I sat in a straight row of desks. I mean big desks, not this kind of one-arm chair. I was told to sit still, keep quiet, pay attention, and do as I was told. Period. My teachers would have fainted if they had heard the way you all talked. And, Debbie, you would have been expelled from school for mentioning that you had started your menstrual cycle. Oh, my god, they were sure that you were full of the devil himself.”

We all laughed, and I’m thinking that Danny was either putting on an act when I first met him or he’s acting now. Anyway, I’m liking him better. He went on, “I think the devil is always male. And girls are angels, of course.” We laughed harder, and I am amazed at his speaking ability and poise. I thought he’d stumble all over himself and be tongue-tied. He is amazing! “So, please be patient with me, I’ve never been with a bunch of openly bratty people my age before.” We all gave him a standing ovation.

10.

Sam stood up and added, “Wow, Danny, that was a great introduction. Welcome to our cohort. Oh, and have you been taking lessons from Joe Jackson here? We’ll take a restroom break and grab a snack or whatever, and we’ll get back together in five minutes.” He paused and said, “Ella and Danny, would you please stay a minute?” Chris, Evie, and Gordo almost ran across the circle and shook Danny’s hand, and Gordo even gave him a bear hug. Danny grinned from ear to ear. I’m sure he felt welcome, and my reservations about him vanished. I felt proud to have been his escort.

Danny and I went to meet with Sam. Sam said, “Danny, would you mind if Ella kind of acted as your guide for the week?” Before I could say anything, Danny said, “Okay, I guess, if it’s okay with her.” I told him it was okay with me, but I wasn't sure why. He looked at me, and I smiled. Sam told Danny that he would see him at 3:30 this afternoon.