(I have a classic case of “can’t get up” this morning. I wake to my alarm only to turn it back off and fall right back asleep. I end up missing the first period but arrange to arrive in time to get into the second without problems, except I notice something strange as I get closer to the school. It’s the pause where everyone should be between classes, but no one is outside and there’s a lot of noise coming from inside. I check my usual doors — mostly glass — and it’s locked with big chains around the inner handle. I see no one there. I go around and find all the doors are locked but one, where a teacher is holding the door in front of a mass of students of every level. Since I usually get along well with this teacher, I knock. He barely cracks it open to shoot to me:)
Teacher: “You wanted to get out, so stay out! See if I care! You deal with the consequences!”
(And he slams the door shut again. I catch a friend’s eyes behind the teacher, and I make a gesture that says, “What the f*** is going on?!” to which she shakes her head and returns the confused gesture. Since no one will let me in, I go back home and call my mother to let her know the story. I include my oversleep as I know I will not be in trouble — it is not a habit of mine, just a genuine accident — and tell her that I have no idea what is going on, and that I was not allowed into the school. At the end of the day, Mom tells me about a phone call she got from the school while she was at work. I’m not sure who it was who called her, but their conversation went like this:)
School Person: “Madame [Mom]? I’m calling you about your daughter, [My Name].”
Mom: “Is it about what happened this morning?”
School Person: “Oh. So, you are aware of what she’s done?”
Mom: “Yes and no. What happened exactly?”
School Person: “Your daughter took part in an illegal student protest, inciting violence and delinquency! Do you have any idea what she’s facing? Unless you both collaborate with us and comply with the consequences we put in place, we’ll have to report her to the police. Do you want us to call the cops on you?”
Mom: “Excuse me?!”
School Person: *detaching every syllable* “Do. You. Want. Us. To. Call. The. Cops. On. You. Two?”
Mom: “You actually reached [Mom’s Full Name] at [Police Headquarters] in charge of underaged, morality, street gang, and drugs and narcotics-related crime. How can I help you?”
School Person: *deflating* “Oh, you… You are a police officer?”
Mom: “No, I’m a civilian but I’m in charge of the office of the commanding officer and all the guys of this section. I’m surrounded by cops. So, how may I help you?”
School Person: *realising they won’t scare or bully Mom into anything* “Huh… Well, you know, your daughter did something really bad here…”
Mom: “Stop right there.”
School Person: “Yes?”
Mom: “My daughter had no part in this mess you are talking about. She was just late, arriving for second period, and found herself locked out and dumbfounded. She went back home since no one would let her in. What did you expect her to do, hang by the door the whole day?”
School Person: *jumping at the opportunity* “Oh, she was late? Well, she should still be punished for skipping first period. “
Mom: “No, she was not skipping.”
School Person: “She… was not?”
Mom: “No, she was not. If I find out you’ve tried to put her in trouble, despite the fact that you guys f***ed up, I’ll come down to see you personally.”
(The next day, my friend told me some people tried to organise a protest, because there was talk about closing our school. Some of the older students actually managed to organize and plan one before, but all legally. It turned out that the school employee had orders to lock all the students in and then tried to excessively punish the students — involving their families and the law — who slipped out, took part in the protest or its “organisation,” or took the opportunity to make trouble in general. I just got innocently caught in the middle of this, without ever being aware of anything. Thanks, Mom, for fighting for my innocence.)
