The day finally came for the board meeting. By that time my story was no secret. I mean, most people had no idea the horrors that had occurred throughout the year, but most knew I was being unfairly targeted and bullied at the very least.
Mr. Assistant had apologized for everything. He feared for his own job and his own well-being, and somehow I guess throwing me under the bus looked like a sure-fire way for him to avoid the wrath. He realized what he'd done, obviously a little too late, and I forgave him. After all, I would've done it too, I think. You think you know what your "line" is until you become a victim of every-day bullying, then suddenly you find you just MIGHT betray people you care about if it will end your own madness.
Anyway, I knew there had been a large number of people sign up to attend the closed session, but I don't think I truly believed they'd show up.
I arrived at the meeting a few minutes early. I wanted to speak to Monty before the ordeal started. When I got there, I heard the whispering. The board had decided against letting ANYONE into the closed session except for Monty. The guy who was supposed to have sixty-two people behind him was suddenly going to be thrust in alone. I wasn't surprised.
People poured in for the general session. The library was packed, and people even stood in the back and out in the hall. The poor shmucks who were there to present regular business and had no warning were caught completely off-guard. The transportation director stumbled over her presentation, baffled by the audience she wasn't expecting.
Ms. Fatbelly was there for some reason other than my ordeal, and I heard her whisper to someone, "What's giong on tonight?" It made me smile inside knowing it was all for me. Moreso that it was all ANTI-Beast.
Finally they decided to go into closed session, and shooed everyone out of the room but The Beast. We assumed they planned to take care of "normal" business first. It was hiring/firing time, and we gathered they were going to do all their re-hires first. George, one of the students from FCA, led a prayer among the mass of people.
Soon The Beast emerged, and in Its most Beastly voice sang, "Oh Monty, I think they're ready for you now!" He went in and read his letter to the board. They wanted to know who each and every signature belonged to, so he had to decipher some hand-writing. Then they had a few more questions, and finally asked him, "So which students told you It called Mrs. Lastname worthless?"
Monty must have swallowed hard. I imagine he'd tell you he didn't think twice about answering the question, but even for a split second, the thought had to cross his mind, "What am I doing?" He knew full-well what he was up against, and yet, he spoke.
"One of my best-friends, Mac. And the star-athlete, (also the beau of the Beastly Spawn) Bo."
Meanwhile, we'd all be chatting quietly in the hallway. It was an awkward atmosphere, because The Beast had remained in the hallway as well. It knew every person in that hall was there AGAINST It. It tried Its best to pretend that wasn't the case. It tried to strike a conversation here and there, but really to no avail.
Finally Monty came out, and The Beast was called back in. It carried a full file folder. I imagine it was the counter-stories to my full folder of documentation. The difference? My folder contained statements from several credible sources.
Students crowded the windows, trying to peer without being seen. I remember a few of them went to the windows behind the board (so not to be seen by them) and spied on The Beast.
"OH my gosh. It's flustered!" one reported.
"It's face is so RED!"
"I think they're yelling at It!"
"OOooooh it just raised Its voice!"
Finally It came stomping out of the room and klip-klopped up to Its office. Many speculated It was spying on the cameras, or listening via intercom. A couple of students even snuck up to Its office to see what it was up to, but couldn't get through the main office to see.
The board deliberated.
And deliberated.
And deliberated.
And then they left. None said a word to me, or to anyone else in the hallway. I don't know if they said a word to The Beast or not. And I can't remember if Mrs. SuperAssistant called me that night, or if it was in the morning she told me the news.
"The board voted not to accept your resignation," she told me. "You have a meeting with The Beast and Mr. President in the morning. The board expects the two of you to erect a plan that will allow for you both to do your jobs sufficiently and get along," she explained. Whew. I was sure that meant the board had agreed I was treated unfairly, and they were going to make sure It was put in Its place.
What I didn't know at the time, was that Mr. President was, how would you say it? Up The Beast's butt? That's a little graphic I guess, but that's what I learned. There were MANY rumors and speculations as to WHY that was the case, but none of that matters. All that mattered at that time was that I was going into a meeting thinking I had the board on my side and a neutral party to supervise the agreement with The Beast.
And I was wrong...
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