02 Mister Teacher Read Online Free Page A

02 Mister Teacher
Book: 02 Mister Teacher Read Online Free
Author: Jack Sheffield
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qualifications, except for a natural ability to cut hair like a professional. But if degrees had been awarded for hairdressing psychology, Diane would have graduated with honours. She was particularly skilful at handling Nora Pratt, her next-door neighbour and owner of Nora’s Coffee Shop.
    Diane glanced up at the clock above the canisters of hairspray and the poster of Bo Derek. As usual, Nora was late for her appointment.
    The bell above the door jingled madly.
    ‘Sowwy, Diane,’ gasped Nora. ‘Me an’ Dowothy ’ave been weally busy. We’ve ’ad a wush on.’
    Nora had difficulty pronouncing the letter ‘r’. In spite of this, as President of the Ragley Amateur Dramatic Society, she always landed the star part in the annual village pantomime. This year she was due to be the princess in
Aladdin
and rehearsals had just begun.
    ‘Don’t worry, Nora,’ said Diane. ‘Come and sit down.’
    Nora was clutching a copy of the
Daily Mirror
and pointing to a full-page picture of Charlie’s Angels. ‘It’s the Wagley Talent Contest tonight an’ ah’ll pwobably win it,’ she said breathlessly. ‘So ah weally want t’look like ’er.’
    ‘Which one?’ asked Diane, with suitable restraint.
    ‘Fawwer Fawcett,’ said Nora eagerly.
    Diane looked down at the photograph of the nubile, slim and athletic movie star with the perfectly coiffured, artfully fly-away, highlighted hair. Then she stared thoughtfully into the large mirror at the reflection of plump, forty-one-year-old Nora with her limp brown hair that at present resembled rats’ tails.
    Thirty years of hairdressing had prepared Diane for this moment. ‘No problem, Nora,’ said Diane, with glassy-eyed sincerity and a Mother Teresa smile. ‘Let’s gerrit shampooed and set.’
    Nora breathed a sigh of relief.
    ‘So what y’singing tonight, Nora?’ asked Diane, putting a warm towel round Nora’s shoulders.
    ‘A song fwom
The Sound of Music
,’ replied Nora.
    ‘Which one?’ asked Diane, amid a lather of shampoo suds.
    ‘“Favouwite Things”,’ mumbled Nora, from under the towel. ‘An’ they’ve got that weally handsome entertainer from Easington, Twoy Phoenix, to pwesent it.’
    As Diane plugged in the hairdryer and collected the tray of plastic rollers and a big hairnet, she glanced at the clock. There was now no doubt in her mind where she would be at half past seven.
    Three miles away, in Trevor the Barber’s Shop in Easington, Shane Ramsbottom picked up a
Playboy
magazine, rested his size-eleven Doc Marten boots on one of the battered wooden stools, and lit up a Piccadilly King-Size Filter cigarette.
    Trevor Brearley, affectionately known as Chainsaw Trev, had learned his trade as a boy apprentice to his uncle, Tomahawk Tommy, whose speciality, after giving one of his trademark severe short back and sides, was to singe hair with a lighted taper to prevent the customer from getting a cold!
    This was definitely an old-fashioned, no-frills barber’s shop where, according to Trevor, men were men and women knew their place.
    ‘Usual, Shane?’ asked Trevor curtly. Chainsaw Trev never wasted words.
    ‘Usual, Trev,’ replied Shane gruffly.
    ‘Owt ’appenin’?’ asked Trevor, making an attempt at conversation.
    ‘Nowt much,’ answered Shane.
    As Trevor shaved Shane’s skull with the finesse of an Australian sheep shearer, Shane had an afterthought. ‘’Cept f’Little Malcolm,’ said Shane. ‘’E’s playing ’is ’armonica in t’village ’all t’night.’
    ‘’Ow come?’ asked Trevor.
    ‘It’s Talent Night,’ explained Shane. ‘Me an’ t’lads are off t’watch ’im.’
    Trevor grunted in a non-committal way. This was his usual way of ending a conversation. Also, while he had no time for theatrical show-offs, he was reluctant to mention this deep-seated prejudice to Shane in case he took offence. Trevor was aware that the members of the Ragley football team were a band of brothers, and an insult to one was taken as
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