THE KITTEN 

By Tessa Harvey

       A week later, Jackson Bryant studied the class from the old teacher dais. His desk was not large. To his surprise, many old textbooks were revealed when part of the platform raised carefully, revealed the past of half a century ago.
    His grandfather had been principal at this same primary school.
    The door was flung open, and a happy smiling face appeared. A much smaller girl was anxiously peering out behind him." G'day Smiler!" called the teacher.
    Immediately the little girl relaxed. "We was taking Harry to daycare," she ventured. "Yeah! He made an awful fuss. You'd a thought we was murdering him!" Henry caught the teacher's sterner expression.
    Embarrassed, they said sorry and made moves to their desks.
    Annie was really happy as half an hour later, she was writing her story. The teacher had asked all the children to write about their pets. BUT, he carefully explained, he expected the older children to make it very interesting and use more unusual words, not just 'nice' and 'sweet.'
    "Make your pets seem alive to me," Mr. Bryant explained. "Use humour and write good grammar," he continued.
    Wandering among the children to encourage them individually and help, he thought of his wife. Velma was improving physically. To her surprise, Jackson had been much more aware of her as a person, not just a pretty convenience - and staying offline, except for work. Slowly, tentatively, she was responding like a budding plant after hard frosts.

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THE KITTEN   By Tessa Harvey     A storm swept in as the children were leaving school, the rain lashing almost horizontally on a freshening cold wind. The skies were very grey.  The children going by bus were helped up the steps of the vehicles as fast as safely possible. Most were shivering as the unexpected, almost freezing rain pummelled adults and children alike.      Some of the children scurried to the line of waiting cars or 4WD's, bringing friends with them for a lift to their own homes. One small girl huddled near Jackson in the door as he waited for parents to come. "Mum's sick and dad's working," the girl Daphne explained. "What will I do, sir?"     It had been a beautiful day earlier and the child had been going to walk home. "I will call Mrs. Bryant," he replied, " but I will ask your mother first." ------------------------------------------------------ VACATION     Harry, Henry and Anna were going on vacation! It was a...
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THE KITTEN  By Tessa Harvey     There was a loud tapping on the principal's door, then the secretary peered around the door, looking a little flustered.      "Mr. Poulson is here to see you." The secretary sounded upset. The principal smiled at her.  "Five minutes.  Just discussing ideas with Mr. Bryant."      "There was no need to try to protect me, Mrs.  McLeod. You see, I will no longer teach anything but what is morally true, just as my grandfather did." Elspeth came  round her tidy desk and patted his arm.     "Mr. Poulson is here to talk about my resignation. The board have warned me about my lack of inclusivity and for advising senior girls that unborn foetuses are actually people from conception.     "I cannot betray Jesus. But you, Jackson, perhaps you could read Mark, chapter 13 in the Bible and the first five verses of the Gospel of John. They will change your life!"     Realising h...
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