“This is the third time this month” Principal Smith said to Mom and Dad. Mom nodded and Dad pursed his lips. Max was on the roof of the school. He had not threatened to jump. He had not thrown any objects over the side. He was just there. “If this happens again we will be forced to suspend Maximillion and charge the both of you with the fees from the fire department.”
“We understand” Dad said as he rose to his feet. “Sorry about the trouble. We’ll talk to Max later.”
“The thing is Maximillion is a good student, Mr. Thomason” Principal Smith said. “But his behavior is, how can I say this?, odd.”
“Odd?” Mom asked. “How so?”
“The backpack full of garbage. The rooftop incidents. He never speaks in class. Just…odd behavior.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad” Dad said. “Is he disrupting other students?”
“No” Principal Smith said. “Have you ever considered counseling?”
“Our marriage is fine thank you and I don’t see what that has to do with Max’s behavior” Mom said defensively.
“No, for Maximillion” Principal Smith said. He removed his glasses and began cleaning them with his tie. Max smiled. The smile was not returned. “Children like, uh, him, eventually are lead down a dark path. Crime. Drugs. Assault.”
“Assault?” Dad asked as he looked at Max. “Him?”
“It happens” Principal Smith said. “There have been plenty of students that began quiet, just like Maximillion here only to turn to a life of crime. Just last year a former student was involved in that bank robbery near downtown.”
“I remember that” Mom said. “Sad story” she said with no emotion.
“We will look into getting Max counseling” Dad said as he pat Max on the head and left with Mom. Max looked at Principal Smith and smiled once again.
“Its just you and me, young man” he said to Max. “You have privacy here. Did your parents ever touch you?” Max smiled. “You can tell me. Did they ever hurt you?” Max just smiled.
His parents had never touched him painfully or inappropriately. Principal Smith shook his head at Max and opened his door. Max smiled and left the office. It was lunch time and Max had a meal waiting for him. The lunch lady, Mrs. Simmons, handed him his meal from behind the counter.
“Just the way you like it, Max” she said with a smile. Max frightened Mrs. Simmons. He was quiet. Too quiet. “Have a good day.” Max licked his lips and opened his mouth slightly. The lunch room went silent with the anticipation of hearing Max speak. He sniffed for a moment, took a fork, and walked away.
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