06 Educating Jack Read Online Free

picked up her cup of Earl Grey tea.
    ‘So what do you think of the new caretaker, Vera?’ asked Sally.
    Vera paused for a moment, clearly intending to choose her words carefully. ‘Well, Mrs Earnshaw is definitely
different
to Ruby,’ she said with a knowing look. She held up a sheet of paper covered in childlike printing. ‘And I’ve just removed her notice from our crockery shelf.’ It read:
    AFTER TEA BREAK
    STAFF SHOULD EMPTY POT
    AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN
    ON DRAINING BOARD
    I grinned. ‘Yes, it does seem a bit extreme, Vera.’
    ‘Precisely, Mr Sheffield,’ said Vera and dropped the notice into her wicker waste basket. ‘I’ll have a word, shall I?’
    It was during afternoon school that Patience Crapper made her mark. While Anne was busy in the classroom, Patience blocked up the sink in the reception class cloakroom with her leg warmers and water was swimming everywhere on the tiled floor.
    ‘Oh no!’ said Anne and immediately asked Vera to contact Mrs Earnshaw to clear up the mess.
    ‘And your boots and socks are soaked, Patience,’ she said. ‘Take them off and we’ll dry them on the children’s washing line.’
    During afternoon break, in the staff-room, Anne was quietly fuming. ‘I’ll give her patience,’ she muttered.
    Sally looked up from her
Art & Craft
magazine. ‘Patience,’ she said, ‘the state of endurance under difficult circumstances.’
    ‘Too true,’ said Anne through gritted teeth.
    At the end of school, the parents of the children in the reception class wandered into school to collect their offspring. While Anne was talking to Mrs Crapper, Vera saw Patience trying to put on her pixie boots.
    ‘Come on, I’ll help you,’ said Vera.
    After a huge struggle Vera managed to pull on both boots. ‘They don’t fit very well, do they?’ she said, getting a little exasperated.
    ‘’Cause they’re on t’wrong feet,’ said Patience.
    ‘Oh dear,’ said Vera and pulled them off. Getting them on again seemed an even greater struggle. Vera was feeling exhausted.
    ‘What about m’leg warmers?’ asked Patience.
    ‘Leg warmers?’ said Vera. ‘Where are they?’
    ‘In m’boots,’ said Patience.
    ‘In your boots!’ exclaimed Vera. ‘Why are they in your boots?’
    ‘’Cause Miss said put ’em there t’keep ’em safe,’ said Patience in a matter-of-fact tone.
    ‘Oh no,’ said Vera, pulling off the boots once again.
    Eventually, fully attired with leg warmers and boots, Patience tottered off with her mother.
    Back in the staff-room we all gathered to relate the events of the first day and Vera regaled us with her story of the pixie boots. Her patience had finally run out. She half closed her eyes and quoted from memory, ‘Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.’
    ‘Point taken, Vera,’ said Anne.
    ‘First Timothy, chapter one, verse sixteen,’ said Vera.
    ‘And that’s the problem, Vera …
eternal life
.’
    ‘Ah,’ said Vera as the penny dropped.
    We all stared as, for no obvious reason, Vera suddenly put her arms round Anne and gave her a hug. ‘I understand, Anne,’ she said kindly. ‘I’ve just been through the same thing, except another decade down the line. I sent you a card in the holidays.’
    ‘Yes, thanks Vera,’ said Anne, ‘as you always do.’
    ‘And without a number on it,’ added Vera quietly.
    There was a pause as Anne nodded.
    ‘Ah, I see,’ said Sally.
    ‘Me too,’ said Jo.
    ‘Well, I don’t,’ I said.
    They all gave me that ‘well-he’s-only-a-man’ look, and shook their heads.
    ‘Oh, Jack, haven’t you worked it out yet?’ said Anne. ‘I loved being in my forties … and now I’m
bloody
fifty!’
    It was then I realized that the problem with patience is that some days are better than others. It was also the first and last time I ever heard my deputy head swear.

Chapter Two
A Decision for Vera
    The Revd Joseph Evans recommenced his