Roswell Fanatics

Title: Goodbye Mr. Evans, Hey Max

Author: Ken_r

Disclaimer: I used the characters from the Roswell TV show. I tried to be true to their created character. For any of these, I make no claim, they are not mine.

Rating to be on the safe side I am changing this rating to mature. There is physical contact that might be called explicit in chapter 4

The story is one of graduating from a small high school in the Southwest.

Teaching is probably the greatest calling a person can answer. It is also the greatest responsibility a person can take. “It is better that a man be drowned in an ocean with a mill stone around his neck than he cause one of his charges to fall.” Most teacher respect this. Age and vocation separate the teacher from their charges. This must be not abrogated.

Teachers are only human as are their students. The student-teacher relationship is only for a specific time. We consider students to be children only until they are eighteen.

I have tried to make a tender love story that does not cross these lines. Please let me know if I succeed.

Other than that, this might be an enjoyable story of what some graduations might be like.

“Goodbye Mr. Chips” and “To Sir With Love” inspired me more than any other movie during my teaching career. I have incorporated a little of each in both my career and my story.

Goodbye Mr. Evans, Hey Max


Chapter 1

Max had just graduated from college. He wanted to take some time off before graduate school. His Mom had always insisted that no matter what he took for a major, that he get his teaching certificate. She said that no matter what happened, they would always need teachers. He had always resisted, but it only required a couple extra classes and now he was glad. Not many students got through school in the four years any more. There were so many classes that were only taught once every three or four years. So, he padded his last two years with education classes. They were relatively easy and now he was going to benefit by taking a year or so off.

It was unusual for a young person to get to teach a senior class and an advanced placement one at that. It was August and only a couple weeks before school started. David Helms, the beloved science teacher of Roswell high, died. Normally there would be a lot of shuffling and one of the more senior teachers would moved up to this choice class and leaving a vacancy at the bottom for some new, fresh cherub right out of college to fill. David Helms was very good. He taught the Advance Placement Biology because he was the only one on the staff who had the credentials to do so. One of the senior teachers at Roswell high was asked to take the job but the parents knew of his deficiencies and they demanded the board to find someone equivalent to Helms to assume the class. Scholarships were at stake and SAT scores were at stake. The class had to be taught at a level, where the students would be able to demonstrate proficiency in nation wide tests.

Max had just sent in his resume with his transcript and they grabbed him like a cop grabs a donut.

Liz
Maria had called me at seven o’clock in the morning. Sure, I knew school was going to start in two weeks, but why waste the few good sleep ins left. “Liz, you know that science teacher you like so well, Mr. Helms? He died last night.”

I woke up with a start. Mr. Helms was a nice man and what’s more, I was depending on his class to fill out my senior year. A.P. Biology was a hard class. It was taught at the college level and if you did well on the national test at the end, you could receive college credit. Would they cancel my class? Would the twenty or so students that were depending on the course be left without the credit we needed? I got up, showered and dressed and ran down to see mom and dad. They run a restaurant, the Crashdown and usually get up early for the going to work crowd. They were talking about Mr. Helms when I got there. It seemed that he had a heart attack and died suddenly. There was a rumor that Mr. Burns would take over his class. Now, Mr. Burns is just a little more boring than decaying leaves. He isn’t even a biology teacher. He teaches general science to freshmen and most of them leave vowing to never set foot in a science class again.
My parents went to a meeting of parents of honor’s students. It was announced that they had found a temporary teacher for just this year who was right out of college. He was a biologist and he had good credentials.

Story
Max knew that with a class like this, they would bring in someone who was a board sweetheart for next year, but he didn’t care because by then, maybe, he would be ready to buckle down and return to graduate school.

First day of school
The first day the principal and administration defined themselves, while the new teachers tried to listen and the old teachers played crossword puzzles in boredom, at talks that had been unchanged since they had graduated from college. After introductions the new male teachers were told to report to the conference room and the principal, with his evil eye looked at each of them. “We must remember we are gentlemen and we must remember we are adults, I do not want to hear of any of you little bastards touching one of the girl students and a couple of you make sure you keep your hands off the boys, too.” The principal glared at each new teacher as he thought that any chance of a pervert getting into his school would be grounds for crucifixion, with a rusty sword too. Max wondered how the principal had so many perverted thoughts from what was supposed to be his pristine mind. When he was through every man in the room was convinced that he would demand identification, no matter what his sexual persuasion was, before he talked to anyone outside of class.

The afternoon was taken up by the departments as they discussed supplies and room assignments. When he was introduced Max noticed that at least one of the teachers was unhappy at his presence. Max thought that this probably was the teacher who had been promised his schedule, but the parents had demanded a change. Max was a captive when it came to supplies. He was handed what he was assured was the list that David Helms had applied for last spring. By the look of what they gave Max, either Mr. Helms taught like the old Greeks by writing in the sand or more likely his supplies had been siphoned off by other teachers because Max was a newby.

Max was given his curriculum, his text and his teaching guide. If he taught to these books, Max himself would fall asleep during his lectures. Max retired to his room. He sat in his chair and stretched out his full length. Max was the man. Now what was the man going to do for the next one hundred eighty-two days? He picked up his teaching guide and textbook with these and the curriculum. He had to essentially put on one hundred eighty-two shows for his Ap Class and one hundred eighty two shows for regular biology. Max had no intention of remaining a teacher, but he had too many memories of badly run classes to not want to do his best. Max was a natural bull shitter. He remembered one of his teachers in college who said, “Never let curriculum get in the way of a good story.” Max reminisced through his college years and then back to his high school years to remember the classes he enjoyed and the teachers that had made an impression on him. He started by looking at the curriculum and then the textbook. What did he want to say to start his classes? Lastly he looked at the teaching guide and next week started to take form. The next day, Friday, Max spent preparing his class lecture, discussion and the first lab for next week. He checked his supplies and filled out the mandatory objective benchmarks and intended goals the class was to aim at. He began to decide some of the test questions he would use in his first quiz. Reading lessons and discussion questions at the back of each lesson, ad infinitum. Max was even surer this would be for only one year.

After this, Max had to teach three more classes, but they were all just beginning biology. He would have one hour for preparation and one class that was called biology study hall. It was a class that many teachers used for additional preparation, but it was supposed to be a time when students could come in to talk about their problems or get help in special areas.

Max did not get any partying done that weekend. Max wasn’t that much of a party person, anyhow, but he hoped things would smooth out to let him have some sort of social life.

Monday the first day of class
Max walked down the hall. High school students were noisy and boisterous. They shoved each other and he could hear one of the girls yell, “Asshole,” when she was shoved. He had forgotten the language of high school students. Every graffiti word in the book or maybe on the wall was shouted or stated or whatever as the students moved to their appropriate classes. This was Max’s third day at school, but now he had real live students. As he walked down the hall, he noticed several bright eyes fluttering at him. Max had forgotten how many pretty girls there were in high school. Max carried a backpack and the school had a rather informal dress code. Max wore loose fitting slacks, a dark shirt and to give in to adult decorum, he wore a tie. No self-respecting student wore a tie. Many of the students were taking Max for just another of their kind, even with the tie. After all he was only about four years older than some of these students. Max, having graduated early from high school, was almost two years younger than most of those in his college class, even with the extra education classes.

Max entered his classroom and tossed his pack on his desk. He, with his back to the class, proceeded to write ‘Mr. Evans’ on the board. Under this he wrote, ‘A.P. Advanced Biology.’ He quickly spun on his heel and faced the class. “I have two goals this year. First I need to help you prepare yourselves to face A.P. exams this spring and, even more than that, I have to convince you how much I love knowledge, especially Biology. With that, he talked for a good fifteen minutes about advances in biology and topics that were right on the cutting edge of a break though. Almost without stop, he pointed to the first student in the first row on his left, “Please state your name and tell the class why you are taking A.P. Biology.”

The boy stuttered, “ My name is Jimmy Wilkins and I want to go to med school.”

Max smiled at the frightened student and said, “Very good, Jimmy. Now the next young man.”

Max went on down the rows. Each student became more articulate as they warmed up to what he wanted. He came to one small girl that he noticed had been very quiet. “My name is Elizabeth Parker and I want to go to Harvard and study Biochemistry.”

“Quite a goal, Miss Parker,” and Max proceeded on across the room. When they were through, Max passed out a syllabus of the week’s assignments. He also stated, “I will have biology study hall sixth period.” When the bell rang Max held up his hands for the students to remain seated and then with a slight bow he said, “Have a good day.”

Liz
The new teacher is different from any teacher I have ever had. First of all he is good looking. He doesn’t appear to be that much older than we are. He tried to get every student to talk to day in class. He is interesting in that his first statement was that he wanted to help us excel on the AP test. Then he wanted us to know his thrill at gaining knowledge. He has a biology study hall last period. I have this class free so I can hurry to work, but maybe I can be late to the restaurant a few times.

Story
A few of the students, some trying to brown nose and others with complete sincerity, stopped by his desk to welcome him to Roswell High. Max noticed that, what was her name now; Miss Parker gave him a slight smile and then joined the other students as they walked into the war zone known as the hallway.

The next classes were regular biology so Max had alphabetized the seating. He had posted this seating chart at the door so they found their place with a minimum amount of confusion. Max emulated his first class except he asked for names and their major interest. He did this until lunch.

There was truth in the fact that Max himself was shy. He had brought his lunch and intended to eat in his room. He leaned back and closed his eyes and sought, from where ever teachers retrieve it, the strength to make it through the day. Two boys and three girls came by and seeing him eating asked if they could join him. Max nodded affirmative and they introduced themselves. Alex Whitman was a tall skinny kid. He said he was interested in computer science. Max nodded at him and asked if he used Windows or Mac operating systems. Alex perked up at this and they started talking about the advantages of each system. The other boy, Kyle Valenti ,was a jock, which he admitted as almost a challenge. He said that he wanted to go into sports medicine. Max laughed and said if the girls were like the girls in his day, he could retire just on fixing up knees for the girls track team.

One of the girls grimaced and rubbed her knee. “Kyle, you need to hurry up and get your certification. I might be your first patient.” They all laughed.

Max asked if Kyle had heard of using computers and cameras to define why athletes were being injured. They talked about this a bit. Max saw in the back of the room that the little girl from A.P. Biology had sat down and was quietly eating and listening to the conversations. When lunch was over, they picked up their trash and with a bye, hurried to their next class. Max looked up and he saw that the girl at the back of the room had already left.

Liz
I was walking by Mr. Evans’ room and there he was eating at his desk. There were several students in the room talking to him. Kyle has been my friend for a long time. Kyle is a jock and sometimes he can be hard to take. He is terribly in love with a girl named Tess. She doesn’t know he exists. But, then she doesn’t know anyone exists except for herself. I stepped into the room to see what they are doing. Mr. Evans was just talking to them like students talk to each other in the commons. Kyle was bragging about working in sports medicine. I know that if he doesn’t make a good grade in biology, this year, he will never get into the program next year. Alex, our computer nerd, and three girls are also sitting talking with Mr. Evans. I sat in the back of the room and just listened.

Stories by ken_r

House keeping: Max took 5 years to complete his BS degree and teaching certificate. He graduated from high school 2 years early. This would probably make him on one side or the other of 22. He must be 21 to hold a teaching job legally.

Question, What are A.P. classes? Advance Placement classes are made for honor students. They are taught in high school, but governed by a national test. Different colleges require different grades for credit.

My experience was the high school students did better than most college students taking the same classes.


Chapter 2

Story
The next period was the same as the morning regular biology. Then Max had a prep period and he took a deep breath. He closed his door and relaxed. Max prepared his work for Tuesday. Then he started his long-range plans. He worked quietly through his hour prep. The sixth period bell rang and Max opened his door to any who might want to talk. The girl from A.P. Biology was waiting for him to open the door.

“Miss Parker, What can I do for you,” Max stated.

“You said you had a love of learning. Is that true or is it just teacher talk?” She asked looking at him right in the eye.

“Miss Parker, science, mathematics, and especially biology I never lie about. Now, everything else is fair game because lying keeps me awake during my own lectures.” Max smiled because he had just quoted one of his favorite teachers.

She kind of giggled. “Do you think my dream of Harvard is beyond my grasp?”

Max answered, “Miss Parker I do not yet know of your abilities, but no, I do not think it is beyond your grasp. Let me remind you that prestigious schools are probably not that much better than some of our state colleges. They just cost more and, yes, a degree from one of them is more respected.” Max continued, “My interest has always been to gain knowledge and the school isn’t responsible for that, I am.”

She frowned as she was thinking about what he said. “Why did you become a teacher?”

Max laughed, “I am taking a year off before returning to grad school. I had teaching credentials and I had an opportunity, so for this year you are stuck with me.”

“You seem to be confident in what you know,” she said again looking him in the eye. It was as if she was trying to decide whether or not he was telling the truth.

“My dear, having knowledge is not what’s important. It is making others think this knowledge is important. That is the job of a teacher.” Max stated.

Liz
I stopped into the biology study hall. It was still too early for students to worry about needing help in anything, so I was the only one there. I couldn’t help myself. I truly wanted to know if he was for real or not. I almost accused him of lying. He didn’t get mad. In fact his answer was pretty good. We talked about why he was a teacher. I also asked him about Harvard. It was interesting in that he believed that what you got out of college depended more on your attitude than where you went.

Story
The next day at lunch Kyle, Alex and two blond girls came by. The girls introduced themselves as Tess Harding and Maria DeLuca. Kyle seemed to sit near Tess and Max wondered if they had some sort of history. The quiet Miss Parker was also sitting in the back of the room.

“We are getting the new Apple systems that run both Mac operating system and Windows.” Alex was excited. “I have been asked to help set up the systems,” Alex was gushing like a cheerleader at homecoming.

Tess asked, “What do you think of girls majoring in biology?”

“I think girls majoring in anything is always good,” Max replied.

“My ex-boyfriend thinks it is a waste of time for girls to go to college,” Tess said.

“Well, I hope he will be willing to do all of the homework help if he gets married and has children. You need smart women to raise smart children.” Max answered.

“Are you married Mr. Evans?” This was from Miss Parker who had moved up a few seats closer to the front.

“No, Miss Parker, but you can be assured that when I do get married, I want her to be as interested in education as I am,”

Maria wrinkled her nose. “I want to be in show business.”

“Well, if you do then you better follow Alex there and learn how to use computers to manage your own finances,” Max chuckled. “Business managers will steal as much as you make, unless you know how to manage your finances.”

“Wel,l then why do I need biology?” Maria asked.

“For the same reason Kyle does. Your body will be what you use to make your career. Keeping your body in shape and knowing about it are necessary for show business as well as sports.” Max informed. Max always tried to encourage students to see how education helped them in their lives.

Liz
Well, I certainly learned a lot about Mr. Evans today. First, he is not married and doesn’t seem to be about to be married. That is interesting. He was trying to convince Maria and Tess that no matter what they did they needed education. Good luck, Mr. Evans. Alex was there and he gets so excited about the new computers. Mr. Evans seems to know a lot about computers.

Story
Again sixth period biology study hall brought Miss Parker as soon as Max opened the door. “What can I do for you today Miss Parker?” Max asked.

“May I just sit and do my homework and listen?” She asked.

Liz
Again, I was the only one in biology study hall today. Mr. Evans was working on his lectures for some class in the future. He talks to himself. He even debates with himself. As I was watching, he looked like an actor on a stage making gestures and pointing to imaginary things on the board. He looked up and was embarrassed. I think he was so engrossed in his lecture practice that he forgot I was there. He sat down after that and he wasn’t half as entertaining as before.

Story
His first lab was coming up. It dawned on Max that he was going to lock himself in a room of teenagers each of whom would be armed with a very sharp scalpel. He had to have some tight rules. The inherent danger of a lab required a lot more structure than he used in classes. The students came in, boisterous as usual. He didn’t smile as he walked to the front of the lab. “You will be assigned a partner. Try to get along with them. If I see one person doing all of the work, I will penalize the slothful one. And if I see one person bringing the grade down, I will realign the partnerships.” Max read off the partner and station assignments. In AP classes there was little real chance of one person not working. These kids had been aggressively involved in their classes since grade school.

The students used most of the lab time setting up accounts with the supply room for specimens and checking the condition of their tools. They started their journals and by the end of the class they were ready to go.

Liz
I am paired with Tim Johnson. He is a nice boy and he works hard. We should get along fine. I get the feeling Mr. Evans is a little uncomfortable running a lab. He gave us an outline of what we would do this semester in the lab.

Story
The next three classes would be regular biology. Max had to be even stricter in his structure than he was for the AP class. Lunch was an oasis in his hectic day of starting labs. For several minutes, he was alone eating his lunch. Alex came hurrying into the class. He put his backpack down and proceeded to talk about the wonderful computers. Kyle came in right behind Tess and Maria. Kyle had been reading up on requirements for sports medicine. He was still a jock, but he had asked the athletic trainer if he could help as an aide. He was working after and before school when he wasn’t playing sports. Tess just smiled and Max couldn’t really tell what she was thinking. The way Kyle was looking at her, Max could well tell what was on his mind. Miss Parker again sat quietly in the back and listened.

Liz
Kyle is pathetic. He has the hots for Tess so bad he is almost panting. If she would look above her own bodice, she would see that he is a nice boy and could be a loving friend. Kyle is working so hard to improve his grades. I hope he has the sense to get help. Mr. Evans seems to be willing to help anyone that asks. Alex is so excited and I am wondering what is with Maria. We are best friends, but she always sits with Tess when we are in Mr. Evans class.

Story
Max endured one more lab and then he collapsed from the strain. He had to get several quizzes ready for next week. He would continue the AP lab Monday. AP Biology had twice as many or more labs than regular biology.

Sixth period and little Miss Parker was right on time. To make conversation Max asked, “Are you friends with Alex and Kyle?”

She sort of grinned, “Yes, sort of. Alex and I have known each other for a long time. Now Kyle is so smitten with Miss. Blondie that he doesn’t know anyone else is around. Maria and I are supposed to be best friends. We work together at my parent’s restaurant. Lately, she is spending all of her time with Tess.”

Max grinned, “And you Miss Parker, do you have a boyfriend.

Liz frowned, “Isn’t that a bit personal?”

Max laughed, “You are the one that asked if I was married. Just turn about.”

Liz laughed, “No, Mr. Evans, Kyle and I go to school functions so he can groan and moan about the fact that Tess doesn’t see him, but I do not have a regular boyfriend.”

Liz
Today, I really had a conversation with Mr. Evans. He asked if I had a boyfriend. Don’t I wish. I explained about Kyle. He is the easiest teacher I ever had to talk to. Wouldn’t it be nice if he was a senior instead of a teacher?

Story
Sixth period was half over. Liz was in her corner doing homework. She was plugged into an Ipod and oblivious to the world. She had asked Mr. Evans if it was okay to listen to the music and he didn’t mind. The door of the room was thrown open and the principal entered with a boy held by the collar. The principal threw the young man into a seat and announced to Max that he was permanently assigned to this biology study hall. Max just raised his eyebrows. The boy, Michael, was the bad boy of the school. His clothes were run down and his language was bad. He was rude to everyone and he had been thrown out of more classes than most students had ever taken. The principal threw a file down on Max’s desk and left.

Max opened the file. He peered at Michael and said, “Why are you assigned to biology study hall, Mr. Guerin?”

Michael looked at him and mumbled, “Every other study hall has thrown me out.”

Max was sitting on his desk, “And what happens if you do not make it here?”

“My foster father beats the shit out of me,” Michael said with rancor.

“Well, then we should try to not have you thrown out,” Max stated.

Liz was trying to make herself even smaller in her corner. She had always been a little afraid of Michael. Michael just glared. Max continued, “I guess I should tell you my one rule.”

“One! Most teachers have two or three pages of rules,” Michael said.

Max smiled, “No, one is enough.” Then he said in a voice that scared Liz to her toes as he slammed his text book down on his desk, “Just don’t piss me off!”

Michael continued glaring at Max. He said nothing. Max went back to his desk and sat down. Michael looked around and saw Liz in the corner. “Hey schoolie, what are you in here fore?” he wheedled.

Max brought his book down with a slam again and stood up. He walked back to Michael. Liz trembled in her seat. Max stood in Michael’s face and lowered his voice, “Michael, bothering other students just pisses me off.” Liz was sure Mr. Evans would hit Michael. She was terrified. Max leaned further into Michael’s face and waited. Liz was sure Michael would swing at Mr. Evans, but he just stared at him. Finally, Michael looked away and Max sat back down.

The bell rang and Max nodded to Michael and he left.

Liz
I saw another side of Mr. Evans. He has a ready temper, but it is so controlled. I thought sure Michael would take a swing at him, but Michael just sat there and looked at Mr. Evans. I was so scared. Maybe I should not come back to class if it going to be like this. I liked Mr. Evans so much, but he scared me today.

Story
Liz went up to Max as soon as Michael had gone. “Weren’t you afraid he would hurt you or something?”

Max laughed, “Or I would hurt him, you mean. Liz, Michael has a hard time. No one gives him any slack and everyone tries to treat him like a child. With the home conditions he has, he is probably more grown up than other students. He wasn’t going to strike me. I could see it in his eyes. He was just testing me to better know his limits. He just wants, or maybe needs a fair chance.”

Liz
Wow! Mr. Evans was perfectly calm after Michael left. He didn’t even have any resentment for Michael’s behavior. Mr. Evans is either very brave or a fool or maybe, he really cares about his students.

Chapter 3

Story
Monday:
This was the second week of school and Max was alive with no battle wounds. He still had to work too hard over the weekend and now he had regular biology tests to grade. He had finished about half of them during prep time. He still had several students coming in at noon and Miss Parker still came in sixth period. Michael was there and today he actually had some work to do. Max watched him reading for English. Michael was either skimming the pages or he was a very fast speed reader. Max looked at several of the books on his desk as he was reading and the titles were interesting. There was the “Odyssey,” “Catcher in the Rye,” a book that Max hated, but it might have real meaning for Michael, and one of the Fennimore Cooper books.

New Mexico does not have much rain, but when New Mexico gets rain, it gets all it’s rain, at one time. It was streaming as class let out. Miss Parker ran to where her parents car was waiting and Max saw many of his other students finding alternate transportation. Max ran to his pickup and started it, letting it warm up and the de-mister started to clear the window.

Max started out, being careful not to hit any student. As he was going down the street, he saw one student struggling against the rain. He lowered his window and called out, “Need a ride, Michael?”

Michael looked up and shook his head no.

“Come on Michael, don’t be an asshole. You will catch your death out here. Get your butt in the truck!” Max retorted.

Surprisingly Michael stopped and then he got in. “You going to talk to my foster dad?” he asked.

Max laughed, “I don’t think so. I do not think we would like each other very much. Is there something you want me to talk to him about?”

Michael looked at Max and shrugged, “Most teachers want to rant to him and that just gets me in trouble.”

“Well, suppose we settle everything between ourselves and leave him out of it,” Max was staring straight ahead trying to drive.

Michael looked at Max as if he hadn’t seen him before, but he said nothing. Max drove under Michael’s direction to a run-down trailer park and stopped to let Michael off in front of a broken-down trailer. Max left before the man in the doorway could say anything. He really did not want to talk to Michael’s foster dad.

The students in A.P. Biology were enthused and Max was trying to push them into making theories, arguing about them and looking up information not required in class. He enjoyed them very much. The regular classes were a challenge. Max was trying to make much of their studies relevant and sometimes that was hard. Max taught what was in the curriculum, but he started adding as much as he could to make the class more interesting. He was spreading bull shit better than an organic farmer. Max was telling stories and talking about famous biologists. He hoped he was reaching many of these students who were only taking biology for a grade and not because they liked it. Lunch times were about the same. The number of students varied from day to day. His sixth period started filling up after he gave his first quiz. Miss Parker sat near the front now. Max thought that she might be afraid of Michael. Michael was in class every day. Several times the principal would stick his head in to see if Michael was present and then shaking his head in disbelief, he would leave. Max talked to the students about how to study. He talked about looking for highlights in every paragraph. He tried to show them how teachers would emphasize with their voice, the things they thought were important. He carefully explained how teachers would repeat patterns they considered important.

One Saturday morning as Max was driving around going nowhere, he saw Michael just standing on the street. He pulled up and asked, “Have time for a cup of coffee Mr. Guerin?” Michael got in the truck and they stopped at a restaurant nearby.

Max had chosen the Crashdown. Liz and Maria were working that day. Both of them did a double take when Mr. Evans and Michael stepped in. Max waved at the girls. They both brought menus to the booth. Max looked at Michael, “Coffee and pie okay, Mr. Guerin?”

Michael just nodded his head. Maria stood with her hands folded in front like she was reciting in church and read off the current pie list. Max and Michael both made their choices. Maria brought the coffee cups and then the pies. Liz appeared dragging Mr. and Mrs. Parker behind her. Mr. Parker shook hands with Max and Mrs. Parker said, “We are so happy you could take over the AP classes.”

The Parkers went back to work. Michael sat with Max watching him. “Guess it makes you the man to have parents tell you that they like you teaching their kids, huh,” Michael said.

“Michael I busted my butt for so many years. Yes, it is nice for someone to say they are glad I’m doing something.” Max sighed. Then he turned his attention to Michael, “Michael when will you be eighteen?”

“March of next spring,” was Michael’s reply. Then it is good-bye Hank, my foster father. I’ll take my two hundred fifty dollars from the county and then what?”

“Michael, why don’t you start looking for a job?” Max asked. “If you are going to have to drop out of school, why not look into getting a GED. Maybe there are some vocational education classes you could take with a scholarship. We could start with the counseling department. If you would like, I can help you in your search.” Max was hoping to get through to Michael.

Michael finished his pie and coffee cleaning his plate. He thanked Max and in typical Michael fashion, he left.

Max signaled for another cup of coffee, which Maria brought and as he sat there staring into the cup, Maria sat down. “Mr. Evans, why are you working so hard on him?” she asked.

“Maria, he has had crap thrown into his face all of his life. I am just trying to throw a few roses his way, even if he doesn’t want them.” Max patted her hands and leaving enough to cover the check and a tip, he left.

Liz
I just talked to Maria. Mr. Evans really was trying to help Michael. Why would he bother? He admits he is not going to be here next year and he has nothing to gain. I am finding Mr. Evans quite a study.

Story
Max had finished grading his regular biology test and he had made the AP test for next week. He was probably caught up. Max decided to take in a movie. It wasn’t much fun to go to a movie alone, but it was better than sitting at home. Saturday night and it was late enough for the ankle biters to be back home with their loving parents. Max paid for his ticket and sat through the movie. He came out and there in the lobby were the kids from his lunchroom class. “Mr. Evans, we are going to the all night diner for sodas and pie. Come with us,” someone called. Max smiled and thought it should be all right.

Kyle and Alex pulled two tables together and found enough chairs. When Max sat down, he noticed that Miss Parker was sitting beside him. They laughed and talked about the movie and about school in general. Finally Max reached for the check. “This time it is on me. Next time, you can feel sorry for a poor school teacher and take care of me in my poverty.” They all laughed. The students all left and Max went home.

Liz
It was almost like a date. We were all at the movie when, I think it was Kyle who yelled there is Mr. Evans. At the diner Kyle and Alex moved the two tables like we usually do and I was sitting next to Mr. Evans. Tess was pouting about something, as usual, but the rest of us were laughing and telling jokes. Mr. Evans was telling stories and I remembered him saying that he was truthful about science and Mathematics, but everything else was fare game. Kyle dropped me at home and I remember that we were both wishing for something else.

Story
Monday during his prep period when he really needed to finish his work, Max received a note to stop by the counselor’s office. Max hurried over to administration and the counselor invited him to sit down. Michael had requested help in finding information about vocational programs. “Max, I have never been able to talk to Michael. What did you say to him?”

“Nothing, Sam. He is going to be cut loose by the welfare system in March and we have been talking about what he can do,” Max replied.

“You know, we have never been able to get him to take any achievement tests since he has been in school. We don‘t even know if he has any ability.” Sam reiterated.

“Sam, he may be smarter than he seems. I have been talking to him and he has been showing me what he is reading. He is a very difficult boy to learn about,” was Max’s final statement.

Sixth period found Miss Parker sitting in the first seat in the left row nearest the door. Michael was sitting in the back of the room, but he was looking at several bulletins that contained information about different programs. Some of them were involving workstudy where getting a job would be part of the program.

It was Wednesday lunch that it happened. Max was entertaining his lunch class, as they were calling themselves. In walked three girls ruled by the queen of fashion at Roswell High. Max looked up and stood up, “Isabel, I wondered if you were going to come by.”

“Hello, Max,” and they each kissed on the cheek. Liz was all eyes, along with the other students in lunch class. “Mom said I had to stop by and see you. She has been meaning to invite you for a Sunday dinner soon.”

“Any time Isabel,” Max said holding her hands and looking into her eyes. “You are looking so grown up.”

“Mad Max the teacher, I never would have thought,” she said and she departed with her retinue.

Maria spoke first, “Now what was that? Isabel Evans. Oh my god! You two are related,” Maria stood with her hand in front of her mouth.

“Well folks, you have just met my cousin,” Max almost snickered.

Tess was frowning. She did not like being upstaged and against Isabel, Tess just didn’t measure up. Alex sat there with his mouth open. Liz thought he deserved all the flies that she wished would fly in it. Maria couldn’t quit saying, “Oh my god, Oh my god!”

Liz
The Evans were the wealthiest family in Roswell. How is my Mr. Evans connected to them? Who is Max Evans? He had promised only to be truthful when talking about math and science. Well, he certainly was being devious about something.

Story
Kyle recovered first. “Mr. Evans, what is this Mad Max stuff?”

Max had to laugh. “Growing up Isabel and I used to call each other names. We, after all, are not that far apart in age.”

Kyle with a sly grin on his face asked, “What did you call her?”

Kyle you are not as smart as I think you should be, if you think I am going to tell you anything to set Isabel off. I lived with her for a large part of my life. You do not tic off the shield maiden.”

They all laughed except for Liz. She was still deep in thought.

Later that afternoon, Max felt a presence and he turned just as Isabel was going to tap him on the shoulder. “Max, I do need help. It is trigonometry. I am having trouble with it.”

“Isabel, why don’t you go to the math study hall?” Max asked.

“Right, and have that pig salivate, looking at my boobs and ass,” Isabel replied.

“Tell you what Isabel come by sixth period and see, if I can, I will help you and if I can’t, there is a sweet girl there who is a whiz in mathematics. Maybe she will help,” Max said.

Isabel gave Max that smile she had perfected for when she had gotten her way. She stood on tiptoe and attempted to kiss him on the cheek. Max caught her and said, “Isabel, I am a teacher.”

Isabel with the total disregard for everyone except herself replied, “Screw ‘em, Max, I am your cousin.”

Sixth period found Liz Parker waiting by the door. She was surprised when Isabel Evans showed up. “Hey, are you that sweet girl that is a math whiz that Max was talking about?” Isabel asked.

Liz blushed, “Do you mean Mr. Evans?”

“Yeah, but I am not going to call him Mister anything. You do not know what he used to do to me growing up? Max tried to make me go over to the math study hall, but you know Mr. Tandy? He just looks at my breast and my butt and I don’t like that unless I give permission. Max said he might help me or that I could ask you if you have time.” Isabel looked pleading as she watched for Liz’s response.

Liz had never had one of Isabel’s crowd even acknowledge her, much less hold a conversation with her.

When Max opened his room, he found Isabel and Liz in deep conversation. “Miss Parker, if you do not have time I will work with Isabel.”

“That is okay Mr. Evans, I am good at this and it will just take a few minutes to show Isabel how to see the triangles.” Liz responded.

Max really wanted for Isabel to try to be human with other students and he knew that deep down inside, she was a charming, nice girl. That is deep, deep inside.

It was only about ten minutes before Isabel was flying through her homework and even Liz was surprised at how smart she really was. Isabel closed her book, the work was finished and she took Liz by the hand. “Thank you so much. Then with a, “See you, Max,” she left.

Liz
Wow! Again the Evans family is very confusing. Isabel Evans, who would not even know that I existed, actually thanked me for helping her. She teases Mr. Evans unmercifully. She refused to call him mister and always uses his first name. He says he had a name for her, but he is not going to tell it. I heard she kissed him in the hall the other day. True, they kissed on the cheek in lunch class the other day, but they hadn’t seen each other in several years. Now, here is the big question. When she came up to me she asked if I was that sweet girl that knew math. Where did that come from? Could it have come from Mr. Evans? Then, there is Alex. He still hasn’t closed his mouth. I think it is still catching flies.

Stories by ken_r

Public thank you to candycane14 for taking my quiz it just makes an old teacher feel good.

Chapter 4

Story
That night Liz and Maria were working at the Crashdown. Three girls walked in. They sat at a booth and when Liz brought them their menus she was surprised. “Hi Liz, what is your special tonight.” This was from the ice queen, the princess of fashion, the girl that would dictate what the school colors would be, if she could.

Liz stammered and pointed to the sign above the grill. Isabel smiled and said, “That will be fine for each of us.”

Liz
Maria grabbed me. “What is this? Are you and the ice queen friends or something?” I do not know how to answer her. Isabel must be up to something. People do not change that quickly. On the way out, Isabel waited until she caught my eye and called, “Bye, Liz.”

Story
Isabel stopped by lunch period a few times. The result was that Alex in fear of missing one of her visits, would not have missed school, even if he had pneumonia. Tess became more and more angry. She just didn’t like the competition. It was reported that her boyfriend had made some comment about Isabel’s figure and Tess was mad. Kyle had tried to be there to console her, but she was not quite at that point. Besides there was the fall dance and she already had bought her formal.

The fall formal was not all roses, ice cream and happiness. Tess was going with her boyfriend even though she considered him an ass. Neither Alex nor Maria had a date, so they agreed to go together. Maria hoped they wouldn’t get too close to Isabel because Alex would trip over his tongue. Liz didn’t have anyone who knew she was alive, so she was going with Kyle who would be pining for Tess. They could have written their story as a soap opera and sold it.

New Teachers get shanghaied into sponsoring events. First, they do not know any better and it is hoped that they have better tolerance for the music than the older teachers. Everyone told Max how easy it would be. Then they gave him a list of things not tolerated: no smoking, no drinking, no dirty dancing, no making out in the shadows, no kissing in the light, no swearing, no groping, no flaunting skirts, no flashing, no tongues, no hands inside of clothing, no hands lewdly displayed outside of clothing…

Max threw his copy away. He was sure that this was a check list where the girl who gets the most checks wins. It was an extravaganza. The boys rented tuxes and the girls bought dresses. Half of the boys had planned secret rendezvous and the motels double booked because they knew that fully most of the plans would never come to fruition.

The night of the dance, the music was loud and the teachers stood in a circle like wagons waiting for attack. Everything went well past the crowning of the harvest king and queen. It went well even for a town school that had no students at all involved in harvest. Someone always spiked the punch. Then the rumor started that the punch was laced with “Spanish Fly.” The mythical aphrodisiac that all high school kids know about, but none have ever seen. Under the above influence or maybe the myth or maybe just teenage lust, Tess’s boyfriend put his hand down her front and grabbed a breast. Now, the problem was he didn’t ask first. If he had asked, they might have found a quiet dark corner and she might have indulged him. Tess screamed and the dead awoke two towns away. She slapped him and shoved him backward. He tripped and hurt his ankle. Liz shoved Kyle in the appropriate direction and he managed to be in the right place to catch Tess and give her an arm. She threw her arms around his neck, pressed those wonderful breasts against his chest and kissed away her own tears.

Isabel couldn’t remember who she had come to the dance with, so she just drifted. Right in front of the principal she said, “Cousin, please dance with me.” Max and Isabel were on the dance floor when Alex came up to Liz. He couldn’t find Maria and he really did like to dance. Liz and Alex had been friends for years so she was glad to dance with him. Max and Isabel were spinning around the floor when she spun out of Max’s arms and grabbing Alex away from Liz, she shouted, “Change partners!” This left Max and Liz together. Alex had the best time of his short life and later he couldn’t remember one damned minute of it. He knew that he was in heaven, but he felt he should have had more memory to this blessed event. Liz was outwardly cool as she lay, cradled in Max’s arms. Inwardly, she was a maelstrom of emotion. Mr. Evans was her teacher. Mr. Evans was her teacher! Oh god, she was dancing with Max.

Kyle, taking Tess to the sidelines, went behind the line of teachers. Tess was giving up all the promised kisses that should have belonged to her belated, crippled, ex-boyfriend. Isabel, at the end of the dance, took Alex’s face in her hands and kissed him so wetly and passionately that he was an emotional cripple for life. Max, holding Liz’s hand, walked her to the sidelines where her friends were and lifting her hand to his lips proclaimed, “My lady, I thank you for this dance.”

Maria came over and saw that Kyle, was the only one who was still able to walk with his feet-kind of on the ground, quickly rounded up Alex and Liz and sat them down. Both of them were semi-catatonic. And neither of them could explain exactly what had happened.

Isabel felt that she had successfully rocked the boat and if you thought those mega earthquakes were something, you should see the results of earthquake Isabel. No more would Max torment her. No more would the yuppie boys take her for granted. In fact she was not sure if she wanted their shallow emotional displays when compared to the outpouring of passion she had felt from that tall, geeky kid that worshipped her.

Kyle took off with Tess. He was seeking darkened parks and lonely streets. They would get home, maybe. Maria shoveled Alex into her car. He still was not a whole man. No one remembered poor Liz. She was walking to a pay phone, wishing she had brought her cell when a pickup drove up and Mr. Evans opened the door. Liz smiled and with his help, she entered the pickup. The drive home was too short. Liz prayed for a gas shortage, a flat tire, the fenders to fall off or anything else to prolong riding in the car with Mr. Evans, her Max.

Liz
What can I say? Was it a gift of God? Was it a contrivance of Isabel or was it just blind fate that controlled the night? The teachers of Roswell High always congratulated themselves on having complete control of extra curricular events. No one could have orchestrated this night any better. The dance was fun at first, but the ending was divine. I got to dance in the arms of Mr. Evans, Max. I do not even know how I got there. I was so delighted for Kyle that, finally, he was going to have the girl of his dreams. She just fell into his arms and everything was so automatic. I felt so jealous at Isabel dancing with her cousin. Poor Alex was such a sad puppy this week over Isabel that when he asked me to dance, of course, I would. Alex is my friend. But, Isabel was like a enchanted witch who was moving the whole cast. I saw her go past from the corner of my eye and then I was leaning in the arms of the secret love of my life. Never mind after everything that had come to pass. I was deserted by my friends, abandoned to be rescued by my knight and delivered to my doorstep. Then, there was that kiss on my hand.

Story
Semester finals would be soon, right after Thanksgiving. Max, Mad Max, had been a teacher for almost one semester. Parents were happy. Most of the students were happy and sometimes Max was happy. A.P. Biology was going strong. Max visited a nearby college and borrowed a set of semester tests from them. His kids did well above the average. The other classes were doing well also. Max called students into the study hall who were failing. There were a few that just didn’t get what school was all about, but most of the failures could be talked into bringing up their grades. Evans lunch class had risen to about fifteen. Isabel had come in occasionally with Alex. She wasn’t with him all of the time, but she was there enough to make him the happiest man in the world. Isabel wasn’t going with anyone else, so Alex still was convinced that he still might go with her steadly. Maria was alone and Liz, Alex and Kyle all tried to spend time with her, but she was getting depressed. One day in the study hall, Liz mentioned that she was worried about Maria who was alone. Max asked, “Do you have some special one, Liz? If you do, I never see you with him.”

“Yes, there is someone special. I just do not get to be with him as much as I would like,” Liz smiled to herself as she said this to Max.

Sixth period still had Michael in it. The principal quit looking in every day to see if he was present. Liz had permanently changed her work schedule to be there. Sometimes, she would help Michael with any of his subjects. Michael had quit being stubborn about getting help. Isabel would come to Max’s class whenever she needed any help.

The Jonathan Evans family would have a Thanksgiving supper. Most people had Thanksgiving dinner with their folks, and Isabel wanted to invite some friends, so she talked her parents into having a light supper at about seven o’clock. Max, as a nephew, would be there and she had a surprise. Isabel invited two friends Alex and Liz to their supper. She did this without letting any of them know her designs. Max was a bit late. He had lunch with Michael at a restaurant in Roswell. They had talked about Michael’s upcoming majority in March. Around Max, Michael was a completely different young man. Max treated him like an adult and Michael acted like an adult. He was also working with many of the students in sixth period. Isabel told everyone that it would be a light supper because they would be full from their earlier family dinners.

Max entered and he was surprised to see that Liz was there. Alex he expected but why Liz? Jonathan was curious about Max’s experiences as a teacher. Max regaled them with adventures and Liz was reminded that Max would only not lie about science and math. Their late supper was small sandwiches and favors. It was fitting for the after-family dinners.

Jonathan asked Liz if she ate with her family and she laughed. “We have an all day dinner and I have to work. So, the only dinner we have is stolen as we are running from customer to customer. This is the first time I have sat down today. Isabel brought the plate over to Liz and said, “Well Liz let me serve you now.” They all laughed. Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Kathy started telling stories about Max and Isabel when they were children. Liz learned that Max called her Izzy Lizard and she called him Mad Max after that movie. They told of trips they had taken with Max’s parents. Liz learned that Max had graduated two years early from high school and he wasn’t yet twenty two. She learned that he was going back to college next year. He would be getting his Master’s degree in molecular biology at New Mexico State University at in Las Cruces. Liz expressed disappointment that he wouldn’t be at Roswell High next year. Max laughed. I only was given a contract for this year to teach A.P.Biology. I do not think they would let me keep that class for more than that. I do not want to teach regular biology all day.

“How long will you be a teacher Max?” Isabel was asking.

“I only have a short term contract and it will terminate May thirty one.” Max replied.

They talked. Liz was explaining that she was not sure where she wanted to go to college. At a state college she would get a complete scholarship including room and board. Out of state she would have to get a loan. Alex had already decided that he wanted to attend New Mexico Tech, in Socorro, where he also would get a complete ride. Isabel was thinking about attending the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. They all knew that decisions would have to be made soon. Max explained that there would be hard weeks until the end of the semester just before Christmas.

Liz
Oh my god, could things get any more complicated? I went to a Thanksgiving supper at Isabel’s. Guess who else was there? After all, he is her cousin. Mr. Evans is breaking my heart. I know many students get crushes on their teacher, but is this just a crush? Why does Isabel now consider me her friend? She is the most complicated person I have ever known. A few months ago, I would have said that she was a pasteboard figure with no depth. I would have even called her a bubblehead like Tess, but bubbleheads do not catch on to complicated ideas in trigonometry as fast as she did. Bubbleheads are not privy to incidents that control my life like she does. How did she manage that dance fiasco in the fall? Why did she manage me sitting next to her cousin tonight? Either Isabel is the “bestest” friend I ever had, or she is a witch, a demon that will plague my life and bring me to ruin.

Stories by ken_r

Chapter 5

Story
Max was preparing his finals. He put a lot of time into these tests. Any teacher could make tests that were hard and that students would fail, but it took real talent to make a test that would investigate what the student knew, give chances to succeed and be a realistic challenge. Max submitted his test to the department and they secured them like documents from James Bond. He had a breather for a few days. Michael was diligent about always being in Max’s sixth period. At this time of the year, there were many students looking for that last chance. Michael felt secure for the first time in school or in his life.

Now two of the students in this study hall were from Max’s lunch room class. Maria was having problems in both English and in biology. Kyle was worried about biology. For the first time, Kyle was not content to just pass a course. He wanted a good grade in biology to allow him to get into the sports medicine program. Maria was so worried about both of her classes. She felt that she would get more out of Max’s study hall than the English study hall. Max was spreading himself thin. Liz was there every day and she would help students in biology and mathematics. Isabel appeared and she it be known that she would help in the subjects she knew. Isabel always made an “A” in all of her classes. True, she didn’t take any AP classes, but she excelled in the classes she took. Maria had her head down and was crying.

“What’s wrong blondie?” she heard. She looked up and it was Michael. What was wrong? Michael didn’t speak to anyone.

Her first retort was true to her character, “Don’t ever call me blondie.” she almost screamed.

Michael recoiled, but then he saw that she was distraught. He tried again. “What is wrong, my lady?”

Maria was surprised at this approach. “I am having trouble in literature. I can’t understand what the stupid teacher wants out of these assignments.”

Michael took the papers Maria was waving in his face. The first assignment was “Macbeth.” To Maria, the play was just a collection of funny words spoken in a funny way. Michael began to weave the tale of envy and covetousness. He told about lady Macbeth being a good wife, but an evil woman. He told of the envy of her husband and the weakness he displayed as he was tempted to acquire that to which he had no right. Michael told of prophesy and tragedy. Maria had never had anything explained like this.

“Why are you failing all of your classes if you are so smart?” she inquired.

Michael smirked, “I do all of the assignments, but I am not going to listen to these dumb bastards pretend all of these high ideas are their own originals. “I read Shakespeare years ago. I read all of the commentaries I could get because I wanted to see why those people were so screwed up.”

Max sitting at his desk trying to explain the taxonomic nomenclature to a little cheerleader, Stacy, who kept drilling her breast into his back. She wiggled and Max was sure she knew of the effect she was having on him. Max would change position in his chair and Stacy would just move herself again. Max was faced with a quandary. Should he say something and embarrass the girl, if what she was doing was unintentional, or maybe, cause a more difficult situation of facing Stacy and then what was he going to do about it? Angering a teenaged girl was a dangerous journey. Bringing his mind back to the world, Max was thinking of a program at Dona Anna extension college at Las Cruces for students who could show good test grades, but were unable to make it in public school. He would make some calls and try to get Michael an interview.

Liz
It is real busy in sixth period today. Isabel is helping a football player in naming parts of the skeleton. I am working with a girl who just will not memorize the parts of the right triangle and see the ratios for the trig functions. Maria is in the back and Michael, the bad boy, is telling her the story of Macbeth. From what I hear of it, he is really good. Mr. Evans is in front talking to the head cheerleader and she is grinding her boobs into his neck. Mr. Evans tries to reposition her, but she returns to the same old thing. I wonder if that is what Max would enjoy? I have smaller breast than the cheerleader but I wonder if he would enjoy my body pressing against his? Kyle brings me back to earth. He has the outline for sports medicine and is trying to understand their requirements. I wonder if I would like teaching as much as I think I would like research?

Story
The bell rang. Max thought, “Thank god, I can get rid of that cheerleader. She is a minx. If the principal was to come in, I would be up shit creek. I do not know what I would do without Isabel and Liz. They both are natural teachers and it is so surprising that Isabel has so much patience. Michael was full of surprises this afternoon. That reminds me, I have to make a phone call to Dona Anna college in Cruces.” With that Max said goodbye to everyone and proceeded to the counselor’s office.

Isabel was waiting for Liz, which surprised her. “That damn Stacy! She was all over Max. He tried to move away from her, but she just kept a-coming.”

“Maybe, he was enjoying it,” Liz said.

“You do not know Max. He has no use for women or girls who do not have the ability to think. I remember him in high school. Well, he was in high school I was in middle school. Max would do nothing but complain about the girls who would not apply themselves,” Isabel stated.

“Why would he not just tell her to get away?” Liz asked.

“That is the trouble. Max is a gentleman. He tries to not hurt anyone and he seldom admits that a girl would want to hit on him. He is just not that conceited. If that little bitch gets him in trouble, I am going to spread it around about her going to the VD clinic last summer,” Isabel was vehement.

Isabel turned to Liz. “What about you what do you think of Max?”

Liz was shaken; She chose her words carefully, “Isabel, Mr. Evans is my teacher. I could never feel like that about him!”

“Come on, Liz, it is me, Isabel. I don’t make mistakes. You have the hots for my cousin and I have been busting my butt because I really love Max and I think you would be great with him!”

Liz was a vivid red. She was blushing so much. “Please, Isabel, don’t say anything. I hoped I was concealing it better. Mr. Evans is my teacher and I do not want to cause him any trouble.”

“Relax, kiddo, I am on your side. Besides you only have to wait until May thirty-first,” Isabel chuckled.

“What do you mean?” Liz was perplexed.

“Liz, didn’t you hear him. He isn’t a teacher after May thirty-first.” Isabel felt very satisfied with herself.

Liz
Oh crap, I never intended for anyone to know my secret. Isabel promised to keep it, but can I trust her? What if she says something to Mr. Evans.

Story
Max had completed his tests. He was getting most of them corrected. Tomorrow was the last day before the Christmas break. He would post the grades, listed by student number, on the door so each student would know their grades immediately. Max felt satisfied with himself. He had set Michael up with an interview. The college was interested in Michael. He was an ideal candidate. Max noticed that Maria had started to eat in the commons area with Michael. He was happy. Now, only Liz of the original lunch class was unattached. He had talked about this to her and she always smiled. She said that she had someone, but he was not available. Max frowned. He hoped she wasn’t messing with someone like a married man. Max really liked her. Sometimes, he would catch himself wishing she was just a year or so older. She and Isabel had made his study hall a tremendous success. Isabel had Alex, her computer geek, as she called him. It was surprising that she so was nice to Alex. That was a side of Isabel that Max didn’t know. Isabel was always around Liz and that puzzled Max. He knew his cousin or at least he thought he did. The Isabel he knew just wasn’t in the same circles as Liz. He had noticed that Liz and Isabel went shopping together. It seemed that Liz’s clothes became more trendy while Isabel’s were becoming less on the edge.

A.P. Biology was finished and, to no ones surprise, Liz, with her test grades, homework and special projects, had the highest score. Kyle made an excellent score on his regular biology grade. The students who failed were ones who had too many absences, one student that had no business in regular education and two jocks that just screwed around too much. Max was confident that all of his AP students would get enough points for at least in-state schools. The principal came by and congratulated Max for completing his first semester. He also, in an aside, congratulated Max for getting along with Michael Guerin. Max showed him the program in which he was trying to enroll Michael. Isabel was in the room at the time and as she left she smiled at the principal and brushed her hand across his face.

Christmas break
Max called home, but Philip, his father, was busy and Diane said they were thinking of coming to Roswell to see Jonathan and his family for Christmas. Well, that did that. Max wasn’t going anywhere for Christmas this year. Aunt Kathy called him up and informed him that, with his parents coming Max was to be sure to keep Christmas day clear. A lot of the time Max spent with his cousin Isabel and Alex. They went several places together and Max was surprised what good company Alex was. Isabel often wanted to finish off where ever they had been by stopping at the Crashdown. Maria and Liz were usually working. Christmas was a busy time of the year for them and they were trying to make as much money as they could for the season.

Philip and Diane Evans arrived and Max was reunited with his whole family. Diane was delighted that Max was teaching. He had to explain over and over that he only had a contract for one year. She wouldn’t hear of it. “Perhaps, Max they will offer you an extension.”

Max kept trying to tell her that he was going back to school next year. Next thing they railed about was, did Max have a girlfriend? Isabel kept smiling and this irritated Max. He tried to explain that he had not really had time with teaching and such. Diane kept saying, “Aren’t there any nice women teachers at school?”

Isabel told Diane, with that cherubic face for which she was known, that there was Miss Janes of the English department. Diane smiled and looked at Max.

Miss Janes was known by all the male teachers and many of the men else where as a country western girl who was an easy pickup at any bar on the weekend. It was no use to try to explain to his mother that was not what he was looking for.

The Crashdown closed on Christmas and it was about the only day they did close. Having a Christmas dinner was not something that the Parker family wanted after the busy season, so they had a small gathering of friends over for Christmas evening and slept in Christmas morning. Kathy Evans with Diane’s help intended to have a Christmas dinner about two o’clock in the afternoon. Isabel, with her usual conniving self, stated, she was going to have two close friends over for the dinner. She informed Alex that he was to come and he was to bring Liz. Alex really liked Liz. She was a close friend. He loved Isabel, but he well knew how her mind worked. He put his foot down. “Isabel, Liz is a friend and I am not going to help you hurt her.”

“Alex why would I hurt Liz? She is a friend of mine, also,” Isabel looked at Alex and the hurt expression on her face made him feel guilty for a week. Of course, Isabel wouldn’t hurt Liz.

That Christmas morning, Max got up early. He was having Christmas breakfast with Michael. At the last minute, Michael called and asked if he could bring a friend. Max thought Michael having a friend was great. The bad boy of Roswell High was a totally different man. Max was surprised when the friend turned out to be Maria. Max gave Michael the envelope that held the promise of a job and, if Michael could get through the first semester with at least a “C” average, the promise of a paid tuition. Michael accepted the envelop with his typical coolness. Michael probably would not have shown emotion if a freight train tried to run over him, but Max was surprised by the reaction of Maria. She squealed and clapped her hands and then, she kissed Michael. She had enough adrenalin for the both of them. Michael was a bit embarrassed by her action, but Max could tell he was also pleased. Maria was going to take music and business management at New Mexico State at Las Cruces, so they would be near each other. The young people talked with Max for over two hours. They were discussing their plans and their hopes. Maria finally asked Max what were his plans for the day.

“My parents came into town to visit my uncle so I will spent the afternoon at Isabel’s house,” Max told them very matter of factly.

Maria wrinkled up her nose. She knew that Alex and Liz were going to be at the Christmas dinner, but Max didn’t mention this at all. Maria kept her mouth shut and vowed to “ice cream Liz to death” to find out the details.

Max brought a bottle of Las Cruces wine, a rista of chilis and a New Mexico Balloon calendar. He had also bought ristas and a calendar for his parents to take home. He arrived at about one o’clock. He was met by Aunt Kathy and he gave her the gifts. Philip and Jonathan were talking in the living room. Max joined them. Isabel floated by and she kissed Max on the cheek. She had no smart-assed comments to make and Max should have known then that she had something up her sleeveless dress. He heard two voices at the door and he frowned. They both sounded familiar. Alex and Liz came into the living room. Isabel introduced them to the men, “Uncle Philip, daddy and Max this is Alex Whitman and Elizabeth Parker.” Jonathan shook hands with Alex and held Liz’s hand and Philip did the same. Alex shook hands with Max and Max took both of Liz’s hands in his as he said, “Miss Parker, you look stunning to day.”

This was not missed by Diane, who was just in the other room. Her eyebrows went up and Isabel marked one point for herself. The seating had been arranged by Isabel. Isabel, Alex, Liz and Max were on one side of the table and the two sets of Evans were on the other. Liz was being very careful about what she said. Isabel had arranged for Liz to be opposite Diane Evans.

“Elizabeth, what is your major?” Diane asked.

Liz swallowed carefully, “Biochemistry and Molecular biology.”

Diane beamed, “That is almost the same major as Max. Where will you be in school next year?”

Liz looked Diane in the eye, “I probably will be at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.”

Diane was very happy at this statement, “That is very nice, my dear.”

“How long have you been in New Mexico?” Diane inquired.

Liz giggled a bit, “All of my life.”

Philip turned to Alex. “What is your major?”

“Computer Science. I will be going to New Mexico Tech in Socorro,” was Alex’s answer.

Philip continued, “Interesting, why there?”

“They have an excellent computer school along with a graduate program. They are a small school with a lot of student services and, like for the rest of us, the lottery scholarship will pay most of my way,” Alex answered.

This precipitated a discussion among the men about whether the in-state schools with affordable tuitions were that much worse than the Ivy league schools. The arguing was heated when Liz spoke up, “It isn’t where you go, but it is what attitude you have, that tells how much you get out of college.”

“Bravo, Elizabeth! That is what Max always said and it probably is an intellectual truism.” Diane was satisfied she had found a daughter-in-law, but now how to convince Max?

Isabel was delighted. She had told both Alex and Liz to not mention that they were high school students. Alex was a bit concerned and Liz was terrified. She just couldn’t trust Isabel, when Isabel just said, “I know what I am doing.”

They had other conversations, all of which included Liz and Alex. Max, strangely, was quiet. The afternoon was delightful for everyone. Of course, Kathy and Jonathan knew that Alex and Liz were not in college, yet, but if Isabel wanted to pretend to Max’s parents, they did not see anything wrong, yet.

By five o’clock, Alex and Liz stated that they had to go back to their families. Diane took Liz by both hands, “My dear, you are a delightful person and I hope to see more of you in the future.”

Isabel considered that she had point, set, and goal. Everything had worked out just as she had orchestrated it.

On the way home, Liz was strangely silent. Alex stopped at her house and turned to her. “Liz we have been friends for several years. What was going on?”

Liz bent down her head in her hands. “Alex, you must never tell anyone about this.”

Alex was more and more confused. He knew one thing, that Isabel was some how involved. “Liz, I would never tell anything unless I wanted to stop something that would hurt you.”

“That is the point Alex, if you told, it would hurt me and, maybe, destroy Mr. Evans,” Liz was pleading.

“What is it Liz? What is so bad that it would hurt Mr. Evans?” Alex didn’t understand.

Liz gripped both of his wrist, “Alex I think I like Mr. Evans a lot.”

Alex’s eyes got very large. “How much is a lot?”

Liz didn’t dare look at Alex’s face. “I think I am in love with him.”

“What does he say about this,” Alex liked Mr. Evans but, he would be furious if he thought Mr. Evans was playing with Liz’s heart.

“Oh, Alex, he must not know. It might even make him quit teaching and leave. If the wrong people found out about it, this might get him arrested.” Liz was looking Alex in the eye and pleading for his understanding.

“Does this have anything to do with what happened at the dance?” Alex asked.

“Yes,” Liz giggled, “Isabel wanted you and she also wanted me to be with Max.

“That woman is a devil, Liz,” Alex repeated.

“Alex, she really likes you. She would not have involved you unless she had strong feelings,” Liz stated.

Liz
Listening to Isabel has cursed me. I didn’t lie, but I am sure that Mr. Evans, my teacher, knew something was wrong. I can only wonder what his mother wanted. Why did she keep asking me those questions? Why was she so nice to me? Why did I have such a good time? Why did I confess myself to Alex? Why can’t I just die?

Stories by ken_r
Chapter 6

Story
Next day after Christmas, there were shoppers. Liz and Maria were on the late shift, so Maria had time to carry out her interrogation. First, she would soften up the enemy. Alex was not expecting a call. “Alex, meet me in the park.” He recognized Maria’s voice. Alex only knew that it would be bad. Maria sounded too serious.

He approached her. She was staring up at him. Maria could be scary when she was mad or determined. “Well, Alex, how was Christmas dinner?”

Just like that, so simple. He only stuttered a little bit. “Well, Mr. Evans parents were there. We had a dinner, then we talked and then I took Liz home.”

“Now, Mr. Whitman what happened at dinner?” Maria repeated. Alex looked around and things were only getting worse. There was Isabel striding directly toward them.

“Hello Alex, Maria, what gets you out this after Christmas morning?” Isabel sounded cheery, like the butcher talking to the turkey on Thanksgiving.

Alex lashed out. He was in love, but he was still a friend. “What did you do to Liz? I left her crying last night and I am not sure how much I was crying also.”

Isabel stepped back, but she never lost any of her poise. “I helped her out. Max’s mother thinks she is a darling.”

“But, not a darling high school girl.” Alex cried.

Isabel shrugged, “Details.”

“What about me?” Alex cried.

“Philip Evans thinks you are a great young man. He told me I was lucky to find you. He just told me just to be careful about older men.” Isabel shrugged.

“Wait a minute!” Maria said making a timeout signal with her hands. “What is going on?”

Isabel just looked at her. “Sit,” she directed. “Now, if you hurt Max or Liz I will personally run you out of high school and maybe out of Roswell.”

Maria was taken back. Why would anyone think that she would hurt Liz? Liz was her best, forever friend.

Isabel looked around like a conspirator, “Well, Liz has a crush on Max. Max is a teacher and if this is found out by anybody, he will either leave of his own will or they will fire him. Max is only a teacher until May thirty-first, this spring. After that he is just a single guy.”

Wow, how was she supposed to handle this? Maria just looked at Isabel and Alex.

“How does this involve Alex?” Maria was seriously worried.

“Well, I wanted Alex and I thought that Liz would go well with Max. I arranged everything at the fall dance. Now, I am going to have make sure I still have Alex and nobody hurts Liz or Max.” Isabel folded her arms.

Maria was sitting on the park bench. Isabel and Alex were standing looking down at her. Alex was looking from Maria to Isabel. Isabel took Alex’s hand and she led him away, leaving Maria just sitting.

Maria looked at her watch. She was late for serious ice cream time at Liz’s apartment.

Maria picked up the ice cream. Liz always wanted vanilla, but Maria got Rocky Road because she wanted something to hold her concentration. She walked up the stairs and knocked. Liz had been crying.

Maria just sat there and stared at Liz.

“Alex told you,” Liz said with fatality.

“No, Liz don’t get mad at Alex. I had him under the light and it was Isabel who told me. She threatened me with expulsion from the human race if I told anyone. Liz, I am your friend. I am Alex’s friend. Why didn’t you tell me this?” Maria was clearly worried about her friend.

“What was I supposed to say Maria, I have the hots for Mr. Evans or maybe I can’t live without Max?” Liz was distraught. “A lot of this is Isabel. She has some idea that I would be good for Mr. Evans. I am just a high school girl and he is a college man.”

“Liz, according to the ice princess you are only about four years younger than Mr. Evans. You will be eighteen in April and he won’t be a teacher at the end of May. So, unless something happens, May thirty-first, you can go after him.” Maria had it all figured out.

For the girls, the holiday was just work and earning money. They didn’t see anyone they knew. Well, Alex dropped by several times. He was obviously worried about Liz.

At the Evans house, it was a bit more hectic. Diane couldn’t stop talking about Liz. Liz was the epitome of all the girls Max could meet. Isabel cornered Max and told him not to confuse his mom with facts. If she wanted to think Liz was great, well then, Isabel ordered Max to say Liz was great. Max wanted to know what was going on and Isabel smiled that smile from hell and said, “Nothing, just a slight misunderstanding.”

New Years came and went. Two days to sober up and school was back again.

Second semester
Max had his classes going again. Michael was working on his project for getting into the Dona Anna extension school. He passed the GED with no problem. The high school allowed him to stay on campus with the proviso that he not cause any trouble. He tutored Maria during sixth period every day in English. Liz didn’t come in the first few days of the semester. Then, she was brought in by Isabel. She shyly smiled at Max. He did take time to asked if his mom had made her uncomfortable. She assured him that the Christmas dinner was fine. The AP class was going well. They had started going through the list of former tests for practice. Regular Biology was also doing well. The attendance office told Max that he had exemplary attendance in his classes. The truth was, Max made classes interesting and the students enjoyed them. Stacy, the cheerleader, came back. Before she could say anything, Isabel pulled her aside and told her that she, Isabel, would do any tutoring when Stacy came to the study hall.

There was one new thing. There was a substitute teacher. Her name was Corry Lane. She was that teacher all of the boys hoped was a genuine pedophile. Her skirt was above her knees. Her blouse had a neckline that plunged like a credit card debt after Christmas. When she leaned over to help, her ample breasts swayed within their loose confines. Half of the boys left the room holding their books in front of themselves, but they had grins that lasted all day. She always sat on the desk and seldom crossed her legs. She saw Max. She came into Max’s room during lunch and broke up the lunch class. She asked Max to help her with the attendance cards. She out cheeleadered Stacy. Max felt the two soft globes rubbing on each side of his neck as he flipped through Corry’s attendance cards. When he had finished, he handed them back to her. Max noticed that the students in the class had quietly left.

Isabel had heard about Miss Lane. She went looking for Liz. Liz was still shaking. “Isabel is that what a man like Max would want? She has bigger boobs than Stacy. She was rubbing them on Mr. Evans and he didn’t do anything to stop her.”

“Liz, you really don’t know much about men do you?” Isabel said.

“I do not really know much about boys, yet,” Liz stated.

“Well, she is not for Max. I do not like her and I am damned if I will see my favorite cousin hooked up with her.” Isabel stomped off. She dropped by Max’s class. Sure enough, Miss Lane was there with him. She heard Corry trying to talk Max into closing his sixth period and going off with her even, though he could be fired for leaving early. Isabel waited until Miss lane had left Max’s class. “You aren’t going to close sixth period today are you?” Isabel asked.

Max smiled and replied, “I think there are many students who will probably need me. I do not think I will close the class.”

The next day though, the students found Max’s class was closed during the noon hour. Max sat in the lounge for the first time since he had been teaching. Corry sat opposite him on the couch. “Max, why do you dedicate all of your time to those kids?” she said.

“I had so many bad teachers when I was in school that I am trying to do better.” Max confessed.

They spent the lunch hour talking. Corry was an English major. She was trying to get a full time teaching job, but English is not a subject that was short of teachers. Substituting was one way to meet administrators and, sometimes, it could lead to a permanent job. For the first time since he had returned to Roswell, Max made a date for drinks after work. He returned to his room and everything was normal through sixth period. Liz seemed a little distant and Michael and Maria were quieter as they studied her English. Corry was substituting for Maria’s English teacher.

After school, Max met Corry in a bar about two miles from the school. Max drank very little. He sometimes had a beer and that was it. When he got there, Corry had already started. They sat and talked as teachers do, first about the administration, then about the pay and then about the students.

“I have this girl who explains her assignment trying to use the most outlandish examples. I am going to flunk her if it is the last thing I do. She claims this is the way her tutor shows her.” Corry was angry. “Shakespeare has been taught for years. Right here in the guide, it gives the correct way to explain Macbeth. Who would allow a student to turn in work that different from her assignment guide lines? I want her to use the traditional examples. She claims her teacher lets her do this, but I am her teacher now.”

Max frowned because He thought he knew whom she was talking about. “Is it Maria you are talking about?”

“Yes, do you know her?” Corry asked.

“Yes, I think she has always had a lot of trouble with English Literature. Her tutor is her boy friend. He is one of the brightest young men I know. He has a lot trouble with authority and seldom attends class. I am getting him into a program for students who do not do well in public school.” Max explained.

“Well, for all I care she should go to that special program her self.” Corry was tipsy and vindictive. “I have a teaching guide and I expect my students to follow it to the letter.”

Max laughed, “I had a teaching guide once too. I found it worthless. I threw mine away. I think many students have trouble with school because they have imaginations and the guide doesn’t allow them to use their imaginations.”

They talked for about an hour. Max bid her goodbye and left. Corry was still nursing her n’th drink. On the way home Max stopped by the bookstore and bought several Cliff notes.

Liz
Could things get worse? Of course they could and they probably will. Kyle came by today. He and Tess saw Mr. Evans stopping at the bar with Miss Lane. I have been worried that Mr. Evans would find out about my crush on him and now I am almost wishing that he would. I saw how she leaned on him. I wonder if he really enjoyed that? I wonder what it would be like to lean on him like that? What would it be like to feel his body pressing next to mine? Isabel stopped by and said I had nothing to worry about. Isabel thinks she never makes a mistake and I hope she is right. Mr. Evans closed his room yesterday at lunchtime. We were all disappointed. It is almost as if Miss Lane is conspiring to take Mr. Evans away from us, well, at least away from me.

Story
Max started his AP class in the morning. Some of his best students seemed distant today. Miss Parker, who was one of the very best students he had, hardly spoke to him. At lunch he opened his room and it was sometime before anyone came by. Miss Parker drifted in, then Maria, Kyle and Tess and two others.

Max called Maria up to his desk. “Have you done your English assignment yet,” he asked. Maria handed him the paper and Max read through it. Maria, until your regular teacher gets back you and Michael are going to have to use this”. Max handed her the cliff notes. “Do not say anything to Miss Lane about this and do not take these notes from this room. Still let Michael explain things to you, but for Miss Lane you have to be very careful.

Maria didn’t get time to finish her lunch. She spent the whole time redoing her assignment. Max did not think that the other students would say anything. He should have seen the smile on Liz’s face, but Max missed that also.

Liz
My Mr. Evans is back. He helped Maria. I heard Miss Lane was unmerciful to her in class. She had been using the stories that Michael had been telling her and her regular teacher was accepting this, but Miss Lane was very angry and said some pretty bad things about Maria. Maria is sensitive and she doesn’t take criticism very well.

Chapter 7

The story
Corry Lane dropped by Max’s room after lunch to see why he wasn’t in the lounge. “Sorry, Corry, I couldn’t make it I had some students that needed help before their afternoon classes.” Corry walked out of Max’s room.

The spring formal was coming up. Max again was tapped to be a chaperone. Alex was taking Isabel so Liz was planning to go alone when Isabel made a suggestion. “Liz, why don’t you go with Jeb Hopkins? He is a nice boy and you will probably have fun at the dance and I promise you won’t get attached to him.”

The Parkers were delighted that Liz was going on a date. They did not know the young man and Liz kept telling them that he was just a friend so she wouldn’t have to go alone.

Through the first half of the dance Liz was miserable, but she tried her best to hide it so Jeb wouldn’t notice. Miss Lane monopolized Max during the whole time. She danced with him a couple of times and she wouldn’t let any of the girls get near him.

It wasn’t until the last dance before the band took a break that Alex came by and asked Liz if he could have this dance. At the same time, Isabel came by Max. Corry tried to steer Max away from Isabel, but Corry was just an amateur. The beautiful Isabel was not denied anything she wanted and she wanted to dance with her cousin. They swirled across the dance floor. Isabel was one of the best dancers of the senior class. As they passed Alex and Liz, Isabel and Alex broke with the precision of an air force fighter squadron. Max found himself with the delectable Miss Parker in his arms. This song was the last one before the band took a fifteen-minute break. It was a little longer than most of the songs they usually played and a kiss on the cheek to the lead guitar player from Isabel made it even longer. The song over, Max took Liz back to her date and thanked her and him for allowing this dance. Jeb was impressed at the way Max handled himself. Jeb didn’t know Mr. Evans very well, but he now felt that Mr. Evan was a real gentleman.

During the break Miss Lane went to the ladies room. Alex and Isabel stopped by. Max frowned at Isabel, “What the hell are you trying to do, Iz?”

She just smiled, “Trying to make people happy.”

When Corry came back, she looked at Isabel. Corry didn’t like being in second place and next to Isabel, everyone was second place or worse.

“Well, Max, who is your little girlfriend that you were dancing with? You started with your cousin, but you sure weren’t dancing with her long.”

“That is Miss Parker. She is the brightest student I have in A.P. Biology.” Max explained.

“Well, you better watch out. The way she was looking at you sure wasn’t the way a student is supposed to look at her teacher,” Corry returned with a touch of venom.

Max frowned. He didn’t want to cause a student trouble and he did like Miss Parker, as a student that is.

Liz
There is no one like Isabel. She even has Alex helping her. She managed to get me back in the arms of Mr. Evans. He was so polite. He didn’t even hurt Jeb’s feelings. Iz says we can’t let him know how I feel until after I am eighteen and he is no longer a teacher. I really do not like that Miss Lane. Isabel keeps telling me not to worry.

story
Maria was at the dance with Michael. His suit was run down, but he was clean for once and Maria was delighted. They came by and Maria wanted to dance with Mr. Evans. Corry tried to interfere, but somehow, before she even knew it, she was in the arms of Michael and Max was across the floor with Maria. Corry was angry. She had been manipulated. “Miss Lane you would dance better if you quit trying to be so stiff. This angered Corry even more. She tried to break away, but Michael was very strong and he just kept swinging with the music. Almost at the end, she gave up, relaxed and she discovered what a good dancer Michael truly was.

Maria’s talking was mostly about how much she thought Michael had changed. At the end of the dance though she said, “You and Liz look so cute together on the floor.” Max frowned again.

After the dance, to Liz’s disappointment, she had a secure ride home. He walked her to her door and she kissed him on the cheek like Isabel had advised her. Jeb left very happy.

Max, though, took Miss Lane home and it was different. She insisted he come in. She fixed them drinks and although Max consumed very little, she proceeded to drink several. Max excused himself, to her disappointment, and went home.

Michael was secure in his inclusion in the program for next year. He was treated like an adult by Max and he responded as an adult. Maria was smitten by the distant young man. Maria’s grades had improved after Max’s help and although Maria and Miss Lane didn’t like each other very much, Maria was passing the class. Corry was still constantly on Max because he worked too hard with his students. She said that made other teachers look bad and didn’t Max want to have the respect of his peers? Max laughed at this because May thirty-first he was free of any peers in teaching.

Isabel would come by on Saturdays and they would do things together sometimes including Alex. Isabel would often suggest that they stop into the Crashdown. At first, Mr. Parker wondered what Max was doing with the teens until Isabel explained that she and Max had grown up together. Mr. Parker liked Isabel because she was so helpful to his daughter, Liz. Now Liz was Isabel’s best girl friend. Isabel spent a lot of time with Liz when Liz wasn’t working, of course, this included Maria. Maria and Liz both were ready with stories of how Mr. Evans was helping someone at school. Mr. Parker was developing a great respect for Mr. Evans. When Maria brought her new boyfriend to meet Mr. Parker, Jeff recognized the poorly dressed, almost homeless boy, who the whole town knew. Michael had made so much of a change that Mr. Parker offered him a job. Max stopped in to thank Jeff. He explained how Michael was about to reach eighteen and be removed from the welfare roles and be set free with two hundred fifty dollars and nothing else. Max and Mr. Parker found Michael a studio apartment that he could rent with the amount he earned at the Crashdown for the few remaining months until Michael would go to Las Cruses. Isabel managed for Max to sit with Jeff and talk about school, students and Liz whenever he was at the Crashdown. Jeff asked why Max wouldn’t stay at the high school if they could get him an extension on his contract? Max explained that he wanted to return to graduate school.

Stories by ken_r

Stories by ken_r


Chapter 8

Easter
Roswell had an interfaith, sunrise service on Easter. It had become a tradition long before the any of the different faiths had enough members to have their own services, some saying the tradition went back to its founding in eighteen sixty nine. Now, political and different religious leaders would all give a short speech or a prayer. Then everyone would retire back to the town and have a early breakfast. Isabel asked if Max would take her and, of course Alex to the service. She suggested that Aunt Kathy did not want them to go alone. Kathy Evans had been an observer of Isabel’s machinations since the birth of her daughter. She had learned that Isabel never hurt anyone on purpose and that it was best to just let her develop whatever plans she had without question. When Max agreed, Aunt Kathy just said thank you and wondered what Isabel was up to.

Max arrived at Isabel’s well before sunrise. They drove from there to Alex’s home and then to a rise of hills just outside of Roswell. It was inspiring, as the brisk, crisp air was stirred by that last breeze before the bright dawn could claim the day as its right. All of the spiritual and political leaders, as intended by the rites of spring, promised a bright and enduring future in the coming year. Then it was time for the mass exodus back to the town and breakfast. All of the diners were open at that ungodly time. Of course, Isabel insisted that they go to the Crashdown.

The Crashdown was a zoo. There were no seats left. Jeff had put up tables in his courtyard in the back. Liz and Maria were being run ragged. Isabel disappeared and when she returned she said very seriously, “The Crashdown has two waitresses who did not show up this morning.” Alex immediately went to the back and donned an apron. He went into the kitchen and began to help the cook and Michael. Isabel came up to Max and put her arms around him, “Please, Max, Liz and Maria are about exhausted and they need help badly. She tied a short apron around Max and he started delivering food. Max soon learned the code on the check where the food was to be set out. He quickly learned who the waitress was that took the order. There were two other waitresses other than Isabel, Liz and Maria. They put in the orders and with occasional help, Max brought out the food. There were a few cat calls of, “Hey, Mr. Evans has a day job.” Max would laugh and wave and they, miraculously, survived. By ten o’clock the restaurant was empty.

Alex, Michael and Jose from the kitchen, Max, Liz, Maria, Isabel and the two regular waitresses from the front, Nancy Parker, Liz’s mother from the register, and Jeff Parker from the store room all collapsed. Max was sitting on a chair at the table as Maria put her head on his shoulder. Michael got up and came over to Maria and Max handed her off to her boyfriend. Isabel was leaning against Alex. First, Nancy Parker and then Liz came over to Max and put their arms around him. Liz kissed him lightly on the cheek and then Jeff put out his hand to Max. Finally, Jose and then Jeff got up. “The Grill is opened,” Jeff called out. Quickly, Jose and Jeff had a large platter of pancakes and sausage. Liz got up, and with Maria’s help, served orange juice to everyone. Michael had fallen asleep and it was only when Maria tried to spoon-feed him that he woke up. Pushing her away and then reeling her in for a lingering kiss. Everyone was laughing at the two teens. Isabel and Alex were smiling. Max had no idea of why. Jeff slid a large platter of pancakes in front of Max. Nancy sat opposite him and he heard that beautiful voice ask, “Mr. Evans may I sit beside you?” Liz was already in the process of sitting down.

Isabel called out, “Liz, do not get too used to that Mr. Evans crap. It is back to just Mad Max, come May thirty-first. Liz blushed. Nancy turned to Isabel for an explanation.

Alex called out, “May thirty-first and Mr. Evans is just a post-teen, single college student called Mad Max.”

Nancy turned to Max, “I do not think I have ever known a teacher that has as many students think so much of them as they seem to do you.”

Max stretched, his back audibly cracking, “I just hope I last to May thirty-first.”

Chapter 9

Max was about to think that his first year of teaching was going to be a cakewalk. Isabel and Liz were at every sixth period study hall. Several of his other AP students would come by from time to time. The students who afforded themselves the services offered at the study hall class were bringing their grades up higher all of the time.

Max received a summons to close sixth period study hall and report to the office. He placed a notice on his door. Liz saw it first and she called Isabel immediately. Isabel was waiting for Max in the office when he got out of the principal’s office.

Max was white as a sheet. Isabel ran up to him. “What happened Max?”

He just looked at her. “Someone is alleging that I was not behaving properly around my students.”

Isabel just looked at Max. “What or who and what did they say?”

Max Just shook his head. “They won’t tell me. They want to have a hearing to see if they are going to fire me or not.”

Isabel took out her cell phone. “Daddy, I need you at the principal’s office immediately! Yes, daddy, it is an emergency.”

Jonathan was not a big city lawyer like his brother, but he did know his way around the court. His daughter said it was an emergency. He cancelled his appointments and drove over to the school.

When Jonathan Evans arrived at the principal’s office, he presented his card, attorney-at-law. The principal wondered who had called him. He looked out his office window and he saw Isabel glaring at him.

“A…we don’t need an attorney, Mr. Evans. I think it would be best if we keep this just within the school.”

Jonathan Evans took a chance and said, “Max Evans is my nephew and I wouldn’t want anything to be said against him without full representation.”

If we need to I can call my brother, Philip Evans, and we will use the resources of both of our teams.

“Now, Mr. Evans, it has been alleged that Max Evans is spending a lot of time outside of class with some of the teens he teaches,” the principal weaseled.

“I am afraid to prevent a law suit we would need a lot clearer evidence than that.” Jonathan affirmed. “Let’s see. He got a Michael Guerin a job at the Crashdown and an apartment to stay in until he departs for Las Cruces. He drives my daughter, his cousin and some of her friends, when we can’t, to functions and chaperones them. He gives up his lunch hour to oversee a class of students that need someplace to just talk. Who is making these allegations?”

Max was relieved from his job with pay until the allegations were cleared up. The principal refused to announce who had made the allegations.

Isabel went into full swing. She asked the Parkers to call the honors-student’s parents. She wanted to know if they would support Max. Then she needed to find out who made the allegations.

First law of Isabel: Always be nice to the support staff. Isabel was liked whenever people did not have to put up with her too much. The secretaries were her first quest.

“What are they going to do with my cousin?” Isabel asked the secretaries who she was helping file the attendance cards. “I just am so worried that someone is telling lies about him.” The secretaries just kept on working. Finally, Isabel finished her task and gathered up her books. Folded in one of the books was a paper with one name, Corry Lane.

Kyle was throwing baseballs with some of his buddies. “Who is the last teacher to leave every night?” he requested.

“Well, last week it was Miss Lane and Mr. Byrns,” Rob the pitcher said.

That night the parents of the gifted, advanced placement and honors students met in the school library. Jeff Parker led the meeting. “What are we going to do about Mr. Evans?” was his first question.

“What if the allegations are true?” was a question from the rear of the room.

“What are the allegations anyway?” this was a question from the front of the room.

“I heard he was spending too much time with his students. What does that mean?”

Maria was tightly holding onto Michael’s arm. When he stood up she had to stand up also. “Mr. Evans was getting me a job and an apartment so when I go off the foster care system next week I won’t be just a homeless guy unable to manage his life,” Michael stated. He and Maria sat down.

Kyle wasn’t gifted, or honors either, but he heard there was a meeting about Mr. Evans so he and Tess attended. Kyle stood up. “Mr. Evans has been helping me prepare for my test in sports medicine.”

It went on like that. Max Evans was a favorite because he had worked hard. A Voice in the back of the room asked, “Does anyone know if Corry Lane has anything to do with this?”

The principal, who so far had just been just holding his head in his hands, quickly looked up and saw the sweet Isabel smiling. He could swear that no one except for his personal secretary knew about the interview he had with Corry Lane after school.

“Are they trying to bring Mr. Byrns back to teach the AP class?” again from the room somewhere.

The principal swore again. He had called Byrns in late to talk about teaching the class. He had hoped he could just transfer Max to teaching a set of general classes and the whole situation would disappear. He squinted and saw that her father, Jonathan, was sitting beside Isabel.

Finally, Jeff took charge. “I think we are going to have to know who is making the allegations and they should be cross examined by Mr. Evans’ lawyer.”

“The next day, Corry Lane entered her English class. She was in a foul mood. The principal, the old fool, had told her that the parents were demanding that she be cross-examined by Max’s lawyer. This had appeared so simple. Just drop a slight allegation and let it snowball. Most of her class just glared at her. She heard a trip, trip, trip, coming down the hall.

Isabel was wearing a tight red dress with stiletto heels. She walked into Miss Lane’s room. Her flowing blond hair, her eyes almost jet black with anger, she stared at Miss Lane. Are you trying to get my cousin Mad Max in trouble just because he wouldn’t go out with you?” she asked.

“You little trollop!” Corry screamed. She advanced toward Isabel. Two football players stood up and took their place beside Isabel.

Isabel turned and walked back out into the hall. The football players walked backwards until she got out of the room. Then they proceeded to just sit down.

It was reported that Miss Lane ran crying to the principal’s office and that she left the school soon afterward.

Max was called back to school. He told his students that they had already lost too much time and he would just as soon forget this week.

Max was called into the principal’s office and asked if he would control his cousin, Isabel. Max told them that when he was four years old Isabel had been born and she had refused his control ever since.

Chapter 10

It was April. Isabel asked Mr. and Mrs. Parker if they would let her use the Crashdown on Sunday night after closing. She would like to throw a eighteenth year birthday party for Liz. Jeff was learning how really efficient Isabel was at doing things. Isabel got the decorations and arranged for some of the AP class students, who all knew Liz to put them up as soon as she got Liz out of the restaurant. Isabel had ordered a cake, but instead of an eighteen, it had the words one half-down. In smaller letters to the side of the cake it said May thirty first. Every one assumed that it meant the end of school. Isabel arranged for a jukebox and cleared space for dancing. Isabel asked the Parkers if she could invite her cousin Mr. Evans, since he was Liz’s favorite teacher and probably the favorite teacher of most of the students in the class. Both Jeff and Nancy liked Max, so they thought it would be great. Sunday evening was very slow. There hadn’t been any teens in the Crashdown all day. Liz thought that this was strange. They closed early and Liz helped Maria with the clean up. Maria got a pint of ice cream from the cooler and followed Liz up the stairs. The minute they cleared the restaurant, Jeff hung a mirror ball and the glittering reflections called everyone in. It took only about fifteen minutes to get the decorations up with Isabel in charge. The cake was brought in and the birthday party was ready.

Maria was being a baby. She had dropped her spoon and she was refusing to rinse it. Liz finally consented to go down to the restaurant and get a clean spoon. As soon as she entered the room, she saw most of her friends and off to one side of the room, she saw her parents and Mr. Evans.

Isabel passed out favors in sealed envelops to all of the boys, to Max and Jeff Parker. She then announced that Liz would dance with all of the boys and the two men sometime that evening. They were to each give their favor to Liz as a keepsake.

Jeff was happy that so many students were showing his Lizzy such attention. “That Isabel, she is a real organizer isn’t she?” he said to Max.

“True, Jeff, and she is as devious as a cat. Isabel always gets her way and her way is usually the right way.” Max replied.

Jeff looked at Max, “Oh that is right, I keep forgetting you grew up with her.” Jeff turned to Max, “Let me ask you something, Max. You are only a few years older than your students. Does that make it difficult? To be the teacher and all?”

Max Laughed, “Jeff, you may think of yourself as a young man until you try to keep up with a pack of high school kids.” Max became serious again. “Jeff I have always tried to remember my responsibility toward my students. I hope, even with the allegations made by Miss Lane, that my parents can continue to trust me. I love all of my students and I do not want harm to come to any of them.”

Liz finally came over to her father and asked, “Dad will you dance with me.” Isabel had arranged a “golden oldie” maybe even one that Mr. Parker remembered from the time he started to date Liz’s mother, Nancy. Every body cheered and clapped as they finished the dance.

The cake was cut and served. Liz’s birthday was celebrated and she truly had a time that would remain with her always. The party was almost over when Isabel clapped for attention. “There is one more person Liz must dance with.” With that, she called for “Mad Max.” Max was blushing, he still did not take attention very well. Liz was a little flushed herself. She approached him and curtsied, “Mr. Evans, I believe you owe me this dance?” There was clapping and calling as Max, now a bright red, walked out onto the dance floor. It was a slow waltz. The rest of the party formed a circle as Max and Liz swirled around the room. Max looked down into her eyes and smiled. He then looked out at the crowd and smiled. Jeff beamed with pride at his Lizzy, all grown up. As the dance came to a close and Max handed Liz his envelope, the students applauded. There was a brief moment of silence and Isabel, Alex and Maria all said in unison, “May thirty-first.”

As they were cleaning up and throwing everything away, Jeff turned to Max, “Do you think you will see any of your students next year when you are back at graduate school?”

Max laughed and replied, “It would be fun to get together. We will just have to see.”

Everyone had left the Crashdown. Jeff and Nancy were sitting at a table trying to get up enough energy to climb the stairs. Liz had retired to her room with her arms full of presents. “Jeff, what do you think of Mr. Evans?” Nancy said as she sat with him sipping tea.

“I think he has done a great job with our children.” Liz says she is ready for the AP exam and they all seem to like him. I understand that his room has the highest attendance of all classes.” Jeff answered.

“I mean, what do you think about him as a person?” Nancy thoughtfully asked.

“I think he is a man of great integrity. It was unfortunate that the Lane woman saw fit to make those allegations against him.” Jeff replied.

“Jeff, I figured out what that cake meant.” Nancy stated. “One-half down. Liz is eighteen this week. After May thirty first, Mr. Evans is no longer a teacher. Max said his cousin was the most devious young woman he knew.” Nancy frowned, “Did you see the way Elizabeth looked at him tonight?”

Jeff wrinkled his brow. His wife was confusing him. “Do you think Max is acting with impropriety?” he asked as he was trying to think back to all he had seen between Max and Liz.

No, Jeff, It is not Max. It is Liz.

They both sat thinking their own private thoughts. Finally, Jeff broke the silence, “What should we do?”

“Nothing,” Nancy sighed. “Liz is an adult. Next year, she will be at college with men of all ages. We have worked hard to give her values and we just have to trust that she uses what she was taught. Do you have anything against him?”

“Noo… he is a teacher of underage children and he should have strong ethics of some sort.” Jeff thoughtfully murmured.

“Not after May thirty-first,” his wife leaned over and kissed him. Then, she took him by the hand and they climbed their stairs.

Liz was in her bedroom. Her presents were laid out and she was making a list before she forgot who to send the thank you cards. The only two left were Mr. Evans and a box marked from Isabel, Maria and Alex. Mr. Evans had given her a leather-covered journal marked, “My College Career.” She opened the box from Isabel, Maria and Alex. It was a silver charm bracelet. There was a note inside. “Open the envelopes.” Liz had placed the envelops separately on her bed. She examined them carefully. Each envelop had initials on the corner of the boy who gave it to her. There was one marked Dad and another with a script M.

Liz opened all but the last two envelops. Each envelope contained a silver coin with the name of the boy giving it to her. They were all drilled and had rings to be secured to the bracelet. She opened the one saying, “Dad.” It was inscribed “My dad” and on the other side “Jeff Parker.” She opened the last one, the one she was sure was from Mr. Evans. It said, “May thirty-first,” on one side and “Learn to say Max,” on the other.

Liz went to bed that night as the ballet said, “With visions of sugar plumbs dancing in her head.”

Stories by ken_r

coming soon "Liz of The Desert"

Stories by ken_r

I had an ending already written. One big kiss and I would leave the rest to your imagination. Candycane14 and katydid brought up the difficulty of going from teacher - student to peer-peer. In my experience this was a very complex situation. As implied in the title the name going from Mr. Evans to Max is the first step. In my class I always called students by Mister or Miss and their last name. My name is Renouard and this is very hard for most students to pronounce. Most students just called me Mr. Ren, so they already were using a nick name. Later the administration also adapted this. As graduation approached I always noticed some seniors would try out Ken. At first to see if I would get mad and then later almost as a challenge.

I also noticed that I have some students who are over thirty and married and still call me Mr. Ren.

There is another point. Were the Parkers satisfied with their daughter wanting to date a man that much older than she? They saw he was a good man. Liz was going to be with students of all ages that next fall. I was 24 and my wife was 19 when we started dating. I wasn’t her teacher. We had been pen-pals for 7 years. I can’t get my in-laws to tell me how they felt about it.

It has taken me several days but please consider how I finally handled the end of the story. Let me know if I succeeded. I have enjoyed writing memories into this fict.

Chapter 11

AP exams had come and gone. Max was confident that his students had done well. Grades would be mailed in the summer. Finals were being created and printed, there were three more functions, and then, Max could say his career was over. Prom, grades, Graduation, every year the schedule was different. There are divine beings somewhere who declare how the schedule is made. This year, the prom would be in the middle of May, grades would be given in the last week of May and graduation was on the thirty-first of May. All, any of the teachers knew was, that it would be different next year.

About all of the lunch period class had paired up for prom. Kyle had his big-breasted blond who he adored and, since he treated her with a lot more respect that had any of her other boyfriends, she seemed to dote on him, also. Alex didn’t have to catch flies with his open mouth anymore because Isabel treated him to loves that he never dreamed a poor computer geek could deserve. Isabel felt adored and not viewed as a trophy but as a beautiful, intelligent girl which Alex never tired of telling her that she was, over and over. Maria had an adult boyfriend. He realized her insecurity about not having a father, he enjoyed her company and he had taught her to love and discuss literature. She had given him the security of her loving arms, something neither adult nor peer had ever given him in his life, before. Only Liz remained unpaired. Maria, Isabel and Alex didn’t think this was a big deal, but her other friends all felt sorry for her. Craig Leever, a good-looking young man who happened to be, at that time, between girl friends, asked her to the prom. Liz thought about it, but she didn’t have any good reason to turn him down. Most of her friends thought this was a wonderful thing to happen. Isabel frowned, but she said nothing. Even Tess was a bit uneasy when she was talking about Mr. Leever.

Max was chosen as chaperone, first because he was leaving and they wouldn’t get to use his services again, and second to show everyone that the administration had complete confidence in him.

This was the night that a group of girls had decided on which, to loose their virginity and half the boys had decided to try to take someone’s virginity. Due to the inability of teenagers to plan anything correctly, ninety percent of this never happened. Chastity would be preserved more by adolescent incompetence than learned morality. More couples broke up at the night of the prom than at any other function. More couples broke up preparing for the prom than any other time. Prom could be both a treasured event and a disaster. Some couples even found each other that night and lived happily ever after.

Until the digital revolution, Proms were secretly supported by Eastman Kodak. Families took pictures coming up the walk, going to the car and driving away in the car. Some, then, took pictures of each other so they would remember how they looked before their children grew up or what ever.

Maria was there because the administration no longer disliked Mr. Guerin. In fact, the principal held him up as an example of good school management. Max was there with no Corry to hang on his shoulder and tell him how he was wasting his time with his kids. Isabel was there to show what true beauty should be and also because a goddess does not allow her world to be run by proxy. Liz and her beautiful escort entered and there were sighs from both the boys who hadn’t seen the woman lurking inside the slender scholar and the girls who wished they had known Craig was going to be between girlfriends and that they had made their plays before he came to Liz. A sociological thesis could be written on the inner personnel movement within the prom attendees.

No one knew who had put the words May Thirty-first on the curtain behind the band. Everyone assumed that if meant the end of school.

Michael brought Maria up to Max and she curtsied and asked to dance. They swung about the dance floor and Maria kissed Max on the cheek as she said, “thank you for all you have done for Michael and thus for me.” When they were through, Michael shook hands with Mr. Evans.

Stacy came by and she wanted to dance. “If you could get rid of that damned cousin of yours I could come by any period for help,” she purred as she crushed her magnificent globes against Max’s chest.

The faculty was congratulating Max about him almost making it through the year. Several of them tried to talk Max into staying and applying for another contract. Maria’s regular English teacher was back. She had a lot of work to correct the neglect the students had suffered from Corry Lane. Isabel, Kyle, Tess and all of the other students that Max had become close to, all came by to talk or to dance. It was a good time. Max was looking for Liz. He hadn’t seen her for some time. Max waited until he could catch the eye of Isabel. “Where is Liz tonight? I saw her come in, but she disappeared.” Isabel organized a ‘hunt for Liz’ party.

The prom was almost over. Michael came running onto the dance floor to get Mr. Evans. He whispered to Max and they both left running.

Liz
I wanted to go to the prom so badly. Everyone in our group has paired up. I had been dating a few weekends with different guys, nothing serious. Craig Leever was polite and seemed to be a nice guy. I had explained at the first that I didn’t want any serious relationship. I hinted that I had a boyfriend in college. He said he was okay with this and we could just have a good time at the dance. When we arrived, I saw Mr. Evans. He was dancing with Maria. Michael was waiting on the sidelines for them. I think I even saw Maria kiss him on the cheek. Craig and I danced. At the break, Craig said he had to see a friend and would I wait for him. This seemed like a good time to see Mr. Evans. I went over to the side of the room where the teachers were standing, but I couldn’t find Mr. Evans. Craig came back and he had two cups of punch. He seemed a little different. His eyes looked bigger and the pupils looked smaller. There was a sort of wild look in him. He tried to get me to drink the punch, but I tried a tiny bit and I got dizzy. He wasn’t the boy I came with. Craig grabbed my wrist and pulled me out into the parking lot. He began kissing me. Not the kisses I had always dreamed of from Mr. Evans, but hot, rough kisses. They went down my chest. He pulled at my dress. It was strapless and he was able to pull it down to where it hurt my breast. That was when the fashion queen found me, Isabel and Maria, bless their hearts. They both laid into Craig. They rained blows and scratches on his face and, finally, they drove him off. Michael caught up with us and now, I guess, I have ruined the prom for everyone.

Story
Max followed Michael as fast as he could into a dark part of the parking lot. Liz was leaning against a car and her makeup was ruined. Her face was lightly bruised, but he didn’t see any cuts or heavy bruises. She was crying, mostly as far as Max could tell, about ruining the prom for every one. There was a bus stop bench at the street side. Isabel helped Liz to the bench and motioned for Max to come over. Max sat down. Liz leaned her head against his chest. Isabel had a single packet moisture pad and she was cleaning up Liz’s make up. Tess, Maria and Isabel all contributed make up as Isabel repaired Liz’s face. After a while, Liz had managed to control herself. She clung to Max. Both Kyle and Tess not, knowing the story, watched on with widening expressions.

“Max, I think we should take her home.” Isabel said.

Do you want to get her into your car?” Max asked.

“No, Mr. Evans, don’t leave me!” This was about the first words any of them had her Liz say.

“Guys, help me get her into my pickup. Michael would you take the keys and go get it for me?” Max handed Michael the keys. Alex would you and Isabel mind going ahead of me and talking to Mr. and Mrs. Parker. The rest of you, I will see at school Monday. Please respect Liz and do not say anything to anyone about this.”

Max and Isabel got Liz into his pickup then Alex and Isabel drove off to get to the Parkers ahead of them. All of the way home, Liz clung to Max’s arm and wouldn’t let go. The Parkers were up when they arrived. Max finally just picked Liz up and carried her into the Crashdown while all of the time Liz was tightly holding onto his neck.

Max explained that he had missed seeing Liz on the dance floor, so he sent his cousin and Maria to look for her. They found her date getting rough with her so they ran him off. Then, they called Max.

The Parkers wanted to know what to do. Max explained that he had no idea. If they wanted legal advice they should call his Uncle Jonathan tomorrow. If they thought that Liz had been raped, they should take her to the emergency room. This was not in the lecture nor in the education classes that Max’s mother had forced him to take. It took the Parkers some time before they could pry Liz’s arms from around Max. Max was embarrassed and hoped they didn’t take offense.

Chapter 12

Test week
Senior tests are the most important. Most of the seniors Max had were AP students. They were not in any danger of failing but they presented another problem. The top twenty students would sometimes have one tenth of a point to differentiate their position. Tests had to be given and to be graded and grades assigned as quickly as possible so the school could determine the order of the top twenty.

Every teacher and every subject had its supposed favorite type of test. Many of the departments used multiple-choice-test. You were supposed to figure out what was the best answer or at least what the teacher would think was the best one. Giving the best answer was enough to make the clergy drink. Math department had it easy. They had real, imaginary or complex answers, although, sometimes, they gave partial credit. True and false tests were where you had to look at words such as sometimes, always and never. English departments always trying to martyr themselves attempt to assign essay tests and then grade by a point system, not taking into account the dexterity of explanation or creative expressionism. They also asked personal questions about the authors who would invoke swords at dawn if presented to the authors in person.

With all of this, most students taking usually no more that three, two-hour tests each day, would finally pass out in utter fatigue and just fall back on divine and forbidden, school prayer. School was almost over for the year. When the last test was graded and the last grades were in, spirits in the local pubs flowed and the teachers knew that no matter how they tormented the students this year, they, the teachers would have to be back and do it all over again, except for Mr. Evans. All Max had to do was survive graduation.

Elizabeth Parker was the valedictorian. This was predicted, but her parents were very proud, anyhow. Their only daughter, the girl who had worked in their restaurant, had the highest grade point average for this year’s class. Max had no way to get out of graduation exercises. Until after midnight on the thirty-first, Max was still an employee of the Roswell Public School System. He had to wear the funny hat. He was given a ceremonial spear and a black gown. Max had to practice, as well as the students, in entering and exiting the gym. Girls would wear heels so there would be junior class football players at the stairs to help them and keep them from falling. They were warned to make sure they wore dresses under the graduation gowns. The company renting the gowns said they were taking their gowns as the students filed out and if the girls weren’t fully dressed, it wasn’t their problem. The gowns were hot and problems had developed before. “Pomp and Circumstance,” where the trumpet players take turns playing lead to save their lips, would be played and repeated. It would be an example of endurance. Prayers were to be offered and the only thing Max cared about was Elizabeth Parker’s speech. Max wondered why it was so important to him. He told himself that it was just because she was one of his students, but Isabel knew that there was something stirring inside of Mad Max.

The year had been good for Max. He had made friends in his classes and that would stay with him for a long time. Several students, including Miss Parker, had applied and had been accepted at New Mexico State at Las Cruces. Max wondered what next year would be like. Max was sitting with his cousin on the couch waiting to get ready to go to the gym.

“Max, it has really been fun having you at school this year. I found a dream man. Maria found someone who gives back to her as much as he needs from her. Kyle has his boob girl. Max, you also have found something if you will only look for it,” Isabel said, for once with out any double meaning.

Max looked at her. “Izzy Lizard, what do you mean. I busted my butt for a year so you and your friends could graduate. What could I find?”

Isabel looked up at Max with the smile that could start and stop wars. “Mad Max are you still employed?”

“You know I am Izzy,” Max replied.

Isabel turned quickly and kissed Max on the cheek. “Ask me when you are unemployed.”

Graduation featured every thing promised. Liz’s speech was excellent. At the end, she said a cryptic statement, “As we leave this hall of knowledge and proceed, we shall look for treasures in our future. Some of them only a few hours away.”

The applause was defining. Liz had been a favorite of many of the students. The work she had done in sixth period study hall had endured her to many an athlete worried about his eligibility.

As the students filed past the administrators, there were sighs of relief and some of them even from the parents. The administrators had an abbreviated spite of pride until they remembered the junior class that was coming next year and they knew the cycle would be repeated. Occasionally, a student would file past the podium and a parent reeling with pride would singly stand and cheer as if he never thought he would see this day.

Was it Zintz, Zamora or Zorraster, there was a final student. He walked passed the podium and stately to his seat. Then a yell and hats were thrown up in the air, cat calls were made, students were completely beyond the authority of the schools. Then, a few of them looked in the folders, given to them, to see their diplomas and found them empty. The diplomas would be picked up behind the curtain where last minute fines could be assessed and collected and then, with the assurance of a diploma, and the ushering of the students out into the night air while grasping the hat and gown for the rental company, the students were free.

It was supposed to be nighttime, however, with all the photo flashes and video cameras, it might as well be day. Mad Max had also endured the grasping hands disrobing him, grabbing his hat and stealing the spear that he might have wanted to keep as a souvenir.

Max was outside. His eyes still hadn’t adjusted when Michael came running and grabbing him by the arm he led Max to one of the many separate crowds that were forming around groups of students.

The Jonathan Evans were there, of course the Parkers, Maria’s mother, Kyle’s dad and Tess Harding’s family. Every family had singled out their progeny and were taking pictures, then borrowing from each other, they composed group pictures. When Michael arrived with Max, Max found he was passed from group to group like a plate of hors d’oeuvers at a superbowl party. Maria grabbed Michael and her mother took many poses, all with Maria standing beside and proudly proclaiming her feelings for Michael. The action of her mother was a proclamation of her acceptance of her daughter’s choice of boyfriend.

When it was the Parkers turn with Max, he without thinking, put his arm around Liz and held her close. Neither of the Parkers gave any show of surprise, but several of the other parents looked on with raised eyebrows.

It was declared that the Crashdown would be opened shortly for a graduation party to end all parties. Jeff Parker had dreamed of this day or rather night, for eighteen plus years. Everyone drifted off to their cars and Max was just getting into his pickup when Liz ran up to him asking him for a ride. She jokingly told him that she was assigned to make sure he came to the party. When they arrived, the restaurant was open. Entering, everyone, except for Nancy and Jeff Parker, were surprised. Banners, as expected, stating the class of this year was the best and graduates for ever, were hanging, but right as you entered the door there was a bright banner saying, “Goodbye Mr. Evans, Hey Mad Max.” Even Isabel was surprised, for once someone had one-upped her. She turned to see Jeff Parker smiling. She soundly kissed him and embarrassed the hell out of him as his wife snapped the picture to last forever. To the side was a small banner, “18 and May 31.” Liz looked at her mother and frowned slightly. Her mother just smiled. Liz was to learn that it takes bright parents to produce valedictorian daughters.

Max and Liz walked into the Crashdown together. Parents, couples and maybe some just-loving people were hugging and kissing. Liz looked at Max and took his face in her hands. She kissed him and it was not as she should have kissed a teacher. Kyle, holding Tess in his arms, shouted, “Hell Max, it is June first somewhere. Kiss her like she deserves to be kissed.”

And with his heart lifting his whole body into the sky, Max did!!!!

CHAPTER 13

The Crashdown was opened by José and two waitresses. Except for Christmas and when they were forced to attend business out of town, the Parkers were always on hand to greet the morning customers. Today neither Jeff nor Nancy was able to get up early. Liz, finally, was awake and then she remembered last night.

Liz
Oh my god! What happened last night? I remember entering the Crashdown with Mr. Evans, I mean Max. Will I ever get where I can use that name? Mom and dad had decorated the dining room with banners and my mom looked at me like she knew my secret. In the excitement, I kissed Mr…I mean Max and he really kissed me back. The party was wild. Dad was so proud of me. He was as excited for my graduation as I was. Mom and dad sat with the other parents and we all had so much fun just talking to each other and dancing to the juke box. Michael was with Maria and her mom. He seemed to be making a good impression because her mom was treating him a lot better than she had treated Maria’s other boyfriends. Kyle and Tess were late arriving and I saw his father and the Hardings frowning at them. Both Kyle and Tess might be in for a grilling by respective parents today. The Jonathan Evans family and the Whitmans were seen talking to each other as it seemed that they might have a mutual interest, at least for a while. The Evans were surprised because this was the longest Isabel had ever gone with a single boy and the Whitmans because this was the first time they knew anything about their son even having a girlfriend. He had gone to school functions with one of his friends, usually Maria or me, but he didn’t call either of us a girl friend. The Whitmans had not noticed who he took to the prom. All of the parents were in a bit of a daze because graduation was recognized by everyone as a major step in their children becoming adults. I had kissed Mr…ah..Max and I think he kissed me back. What was in store for me next?

Story
The Crashdown was back to normal by afternoon. Liz and Maria had been given the day off to enjoy their celebration of graduation. Michael was offered the day off but he told Jeff that he would work the evening shift. Maria and Liz had phoned each other about ten o’clock that morning and decided to call Isabel and have a genuine girl debriefing. They gathered on Liz’s balcony. Liz supplied the ice cream and with several different flavors and several spoons, they dished Ice cream and dished the events of their world. At the last minute, Liz had called Tess and invited her to their party. They were teasing Tess about being late and Tess was trying to keep a straight face as she denied everything. She hadn’t heard from Kyle, but she already had been grilled over and over by her parents. Her excuse that it was the excitement of graduation was only half heartily accepted. Tess, on her part, was curious about Liz and Mr. Evans. She remembered the night of the prom when Liz looked to Mr. Evans for help. She kept trying to remember if there were any other difficult-to-explain situations that involved them. The subject of Mr….Max just brought on blushes from Liz.

Now, Isabel was a different story. Liz and Max were her creation. “Max and I are like brother and sister. We have always gone places together and I do not want to loose that relationship. If Max wasn’t so shy, he would have been dating all those many coeds when he was in college. I consider Liz to be my friend and if she becomes Max’s girl friend, then we can still double date and hang out together,” Isabel was satisfied with herself.

Tess frowned. She had always considered Isabel a bit pompous. The idea of controlling things was a little foreign to her. Tess always had been a “let it happen girl.”

The conversation turned to what would happen this next fall. Isabel had already been talking with Alex about how them being about ninety miles apart would affect their relationship. Kyle and Tess were both going to New Mexico State. Tess didn’t know how long their relationship would last but Kyle actually liked and respected her. Tess knew she had an effect on boys and she used her body to make her way through life. She knew that the first thing Kyle had seen in her was her figure, but as they dated and hung out together, she was learning that he enjoyed her company. She also learned that he might only be a jock in high school, but he had strong plans about what he wanted to do in college. Kyle wasn’t big enough nor dumb enough to allow himself to be knocked silly in the almost professional level of college sports, but he liked team sports. Working in sports medicine would be a career he would probably like.

Tess herself was undecided what she wanted to do. She had thought about modeling, but most professional models were taller than she was. She also wasn’t sure dedicating herself to body worship was the life she wanted to have. She had signed up for University studies for her first semester.

Maria would be studying music, music theory and voice at New Mexico State in Las Cruces. She didn’t know what Michael would be taking, but Dona Anna College was part of NMSU’s campus and they could be together. Michael was free, He was answerable to no man, but he was answerable to Maria’s mother if anything happened to her.

Liz was sure what she was going to do. She would get a degree in biochemistry and then go on to graduate school and take work in molecular biology. What her relationship with Max would be was in question? She was just eighteen and he was twenty-two. He had a lot more options in girls he could date. He would be living in an apartment near campus and she would be in a dorm, at least the first semester. Did that kiss mean as much to him as it had to her? Would he have more expectations from a girl than she was ready to give?

As the four girls sat, talked and dished ice cream, they all realized that their futures were both exciting and frightening.

Alex got up early. For him, everyday just got better. His parents smiled when he came to breakfast. They were dying to ask him more about that Evans girl. What was his relationship with her? Secretly, they wondered what did she see in their son? Was she setting him up to be hurt? She looked like a girl who ran in fast social circles and they knew that Alex had only a small tight circle of friends.

Kyle waited until he knew that his father was about ready to go to work. His father only had enough time to say, “We need to talk soon.”

Max woke up with mixed feelings. He had made it. He had taught for a year. He had proved that he could teach if he had to. Then the clear dawn brought back to him that party last night. What had gotten into him behaving as he had to Miss Parker? He was surprised that her father had not been taking sniper shots at him by this time. Her father and mother had been, surprisingly enough, very calm about the idea of their only daughter kissing her teacher. Then he thought of how nice it felt to hold that beautiful body against himself. Oh, oh, he was a teacher and he should not have those thoughts. Shit, he wasn’t a teacher anymore! He had behaved himself the whole year and he did like Miss Parker or Liz, what ever. She was eighteen and next year they would both be students at NMSU. He would be a fellow student with many of his former charges. Did he want to act like a fool? That kissing business was probably just the excitement of the moment. Kids probably didn’t see as much meaning in a kiss as he would. Max took relationships seriously, that is why he hadn’t had many. In two weeks, he would return home and then come back to Las Cruces for fall semester. He would store his stuff, which wasn’t much, and then take it to Cruces in time for the apartment lease he had signed to be ready. He thought that he might head over to Aunt Kathy’s for lunch. He didn’t have any other plans.

He called Uncle Jonathan, “Could I come over for lunch? I really do not want to eat alone.”

Kathy Evans met Max at the door. Isabel had already left for the girl party at Liz’s. It was just Kathy and Jonathan eating with Max. They were both a little depressed. Their only daughter was getting ready for college. That is what they had prepared themselves for since she was born but the reality was now setting in. Albuquerque was over two hundred miles away. She would be on her own at the University of New Mexico. Privately Kathy worried if the world was ready for Isabel. At least at home, her mother could defuse some of Isabel’s machinations. They liked her new choice of a boyfriend. He was a lot more substantial than some of the other boys she had dated. They both were thankful that their nephew had been at school to keep an eye on her. Everything they had heard about Max as a teacher made them proud and they would share this pride with the Philip Evans family.

Kathy had to ask Max one thing though. It was driving her crazy and that was what about the relationship Max had with the Parker girl. They knew she was a close friend of Isabel’s, but her interest in Max on graduation night was interesting.

Max laughed, “I guess I made a fool of my self. It was just the excitement of graduation and when she kissed me, I just kissed back. She was a wonderful student and she is one of the friends that I have made this year. I don’t think it was more than that.” Jonathan laughed, but Kathy had seen more than that in the Parker girl.

Max went on, “Girls in high school do all sorts of things to express their feelings. I doubt if she will even think about last night this morning. I conducted myself properly throughout the year.”

Kathy wanted to know more about Alex.

“Alex is a bright young man. He shows great promise in computer science. He comes from a good family and Isabel says he likes her for all the right reasons,” Max told them.

Jonathan was satisfied, but Kathy wondered what the “right reasons” meant.

It was two days after graduation. Liz and Maria were back at their shifts at the Crashdown. Michael was in the kitchen and the summer was as usual. There were some changes. Kathy Evans had arranged to have the Whitmans over so they could get to know each other. Jim Valenti, Kyle’s father, and the Hardings wanted to get together to establish ground rules for their children. Everyone was realizing that the authority of parenting was eroding as their children became adults, both legally and by preparing to leave for college. They were going to have to rely on hoping they had instilled values in their offspring and hope the offspring made the best use of these values.

The Parkers were surprisingly calm about graduation and the displays of the graduation party. Perhaps because they had over a month to see the change in their daughter’s feelings. They had no idea of what the relationship of Max and their daughter would be. They did believe that Max had values they could accept and they remembered how concerned he had been for her prom night. After he was no longer a teacher there was little barrier between Max and Liz if they wanted to associate with each other.

They felt that Max had proved himself as a man with a vocation. They would prefer that Liz wait until she finished college, but would she find someone else better if she did? Then the reality of the situation was that both Liz and Max might totally change their affections as time went by, anyway, and any concerns of their parents would be void.

Diane Evans had not seen her son since Christmas. She was very happy to hear from Kathy about Max successfully completing his year of teaching. She had come to terms with the fact that he wanted to go back to college for his Master’s degree. What she was most interested in, and Kathy just wouldn’t be informative enough on, was that sweet Miss Parker she had met at Christmas. No matter how hard she inquired she was unsatisfied with the answers she received. Max would be home in two weeks and then she would find out all about Miss Parker.

Max hadn’t shaved for two days. He was just trying to get back to doing nothing. His door bell rang and there was Isabel and Alex. “Max, why haven’t you shaved to day? Get cleaned up and let’s go somewhere,” Isabel entered the apartment and turned on Max.

“I thought it was summer holiday, Iz.” Max replied.

“Max, you haven’t been out of this room, except to see my parents when I wasn’t home, since graduation. I bet you haven’t even been to see Liz at the crashdown?” Isabel smiled.

Max groaned, “Iz, I am not sure they even want to see me again. Making out with one of my students was not one of my finest moments.”

“Max, one kiss is not making out. If you think it is, you are more retarded than I think you are,” Isabel had the lead and she was pulling Max along.

“My parents said we could use their barbeque pit this afternoon. We are going to have a cookout, Max,” that was Alex.

“Come on, we are to pick up Liz and be ready when the rest of the gang arrives,” Isabel was doing her best to get Max in gear.

“Iz, I am not sure it would be safe for me to go to the Crashdown after the other night,” Max said in a worried tone.

“Nonsense Max, everything is covered. We are going on a cookout and you are needed.” Isabel was so used to getting her way that Max just conceded. He went into his bedroom, took a quick shower and shaved and dressed. The three of them went to the Crashdown. If Jeff Parkerr shot him down right at the door, he wouldn’t have to go home in two weeks. If Jeff shot him, he wouldn’t have to worry about graduate school, if Jeff shot him…

“Hey Max, did you recover from graduation?” it was Jeff calling from the kitchen.

“Hey Jeff, I am still recovering from a year of teaching.” Max called out. This was a lot better than what he thought he would face. Little Miss Parker or rather Liz came bounding out. She was dressed in shorts and a loose blouse and was wearing tennis shoes. Her hair was done up in a poly tail and she looked like she was in Junior High.

They got back in Alex’s car and Max found himself sitting beside and very close to Liz. Alex and Liz were talking and exchanging banter about something. Max was feeling about as comfortable as he had when he was called into the principal’s office. Finally arrived at Alex’s home and they got out. Kyle and Tess were already fussing around with the charcoal and they waved. “Your dad told me to go ahead and start the charcoal and get things ready,” Kyle called out.

The Whitmans paid an obligatory appearance to the group as they were going out to a business supper. They called out to Max, “We sure appreciate what you did for our kids this last year.”

About that time Maria arrived. “Michael will be over as soon as he is through with his shift at the Crashdown,” she called out.

The six kids were laughing and talking. Max remembered he had a hard time relating to students when he was their age and now he felt so old and out of it. It wasn’t long before Michael arrived. He also had trouble fitting in with the horseplay of the others. He and Max stood watching the cooking steaks. Liz noticed that Max felt uncomfortable. She wondered if he thought of all of them as children and beneath his dignity.

Maria put on some music and she and Michael began to gyrate to the rhythm. Liz came over to Max and took his hand. She led him to the clear walk where they also started swaying to the music. It was nice to feel her hand and he enjoyed dancing with her. He noticed that Michael and Maria were now close dancing. About that time Alex and Kyle called out for steak orders. Rare, medium rare, medium, done all descriptions for the steak Kyle gave you. There was the usual argument that Kyle didn’t know rare from done and they traded their steaks until everyone was reasonably satisfied. They all laughed at the situation. There was a lot of talk about next fall. Tess asked, “Mr. Evans, what are your plans for the rest of the summer?”

Max laughed, “I am going home to see the folks in two weeks and then I will return to Las Cruces in time to start classes.”

Only Isabel saw Liz freeze at this statement. It meant that Liz only had two weeks to establish a relationship with Max strong enough so that they would gravitate together when classes started. After they had turned off the barbeque pit, policed the paper plates and cups, the young people spent the rest of the evening dancing and talking.

Max and Liz were sitting in the shadow watching the rest of the group dance. “Max do you find it boring to be with us?” Liz asked.

“No, Liz, it is just that I found it difficult when I was your age to make small talk at parties, even parties among friends. It hasn’t gotten any easier,” Max explained.

Liz winced, that phrase, “your age” as if there was a insurmountable wall between them. “Are you really that much older than we are, Max?”

Max laughed, “No, not really, Liz, I am afraid those words are just an excuse.”

“I always wished I could be like Isabel and be so comfortable in so many situations. When we were growing up, I, of course, was always the oldest but it was Isabel who always knew the right things to do. I used to tell her that I was just so much older than she, but that I couldn’t do what she did,” Max sighed. “I want to apologize for kissing you at the crashdown graduation party.”

Max was not prepared for Liz’s reaction. Her face practically fell. She got up and walked away from him. Max just watched after her, not understanding. Liz walked over to Kyle and asked him if he and Tess would take her home. Isabel shot Max a look that would kill. Max still had a totally blank stare on his face.

The party broke up. Alex took Isabel and Max home. Isabel spoke not a word to Max.

Early the next morning, Isabel called Max. “What did you say to Liz?” she demanded.

Max still had sleep in his head and he was not clear in his thinking. “Iz, I was just explaining how I never knew what to say and how I always wished I could be like you.” Max shook his head and tried to reply.

Isabel thought a moment. “No, Max you must have said something else. Think! What did you say to Liz that upset her,” Isabel was interrogating him.

“Well, I told her if I made her uncomfortable at the graduation party, I apologized.” Max said thoughtfully.

“Max! Did Aunt Diane drop you too many times on your head or is it a ‘y’ chromosome thing?” Isabel was shouting. “You weren’t supposed to apologize for that kiss! You were supposed to want more! Liz has been crying all night.

There was silence on Max’s end of the phone. “Iz, I never was very good at saying what I wanted to.” Max replied. “What do I do now?”

“Get dressed, Max. You have less than two weeks to straighten this out,” with this, Isabel slammed the phone down.

Max dressed and went over to Isabel’s. Isabel had called in the big guns. She was waiting for him with her mother. As soon as Jonathan had shown Max into the house, he went to the store, the one across town that took a long time to get to.

Kathy was scowling at Max. She didn’t like to get involved with Isabel’s schemes, but Isabel had told her that it involved people who belonged together.

Kathy liked Isabel’s friend, Liz, but she imagined how she would feel if Isabel was showing interest in her teacher. She had noticed that the Parkers had come to terms with this, or at least they appeared to. Kathy Evans knew that Max was a good man. He was not that much older than Liz. If they were to make a working relationship, both of them were going to have to be forgiving. Kathy understood what Max had meant to say, but to apologize to a girl for kissing her might not be his wisest move. It was still morning so the first thing she suggested was that Max send some roses. Max called the florist and they promised to deliver by five o’clock that afternoon. Next, she had Max purchase a box of chocolates and a bag of Hershey’s kisses from candy store. He took the chocolates out of the box and placed a candy kiss in the squares. One square he left empty. Then he wrote a note with Kathy’s direction, “I wish I had stolen more kisses than I the one I did.” Isabel was persuaded to deliver it after five o’clock. Kathy then advised Max to go home and keep out of trouble.

The next day, Liz had to go on shift at ten o’clock that morning. Isabel called Max and told him to be in the park at nine. She also told him to do a few other things.

When Max got to the park that morning, he saw Liz waiting on a bench. He took a deep breath and walked up to her. He handed her the bag of kisses and said almost without faltering, “Liz, I want to return as many kisses as I can.”

She giggled, but then she quickly became serious. Max indicated the bench, “May I sit down.”

They sat at opposite ends of the bench facing each other. Max sighed, “I had Aunt Kathy help me with what to say.”

Liz looked at him, “I was afraid you just thought me a silly high school girl.”

“You used to be a high school girl, but you were never silly.” Max explained.

“What kind of high school girl has a crush on her teacher?” Liz looked at him.

“Maybe, one who understands her teacher better than the teacher does himself.” Max replied. He reached out across the space between them and took her hand. “Miss Parker I would like to try to develop a stronger friendship with you.”

Liz laughed. The thought of any of the boys she knew wanting to develop a stronger friendship was just funny. Then, she looked at Max and realized that he would request a friendship first and then see how things went from there. Max walked back to the Crashdown hand in hand with Liz.

At the door he gave her a quick peck on the lips which deepen into a lingering kiss of promise before they parted. They only had two weekends left before Max would go home. What memories would he have to share with his folks.

--------------------

Now will Max and Liz have smooth sailing in their romance, if it really occurs? Hardly. Max was a teacher to many students many of which will look him up at college. Liz is going to have to be secure enough not to be jealous if she sees him in the college student Union cafeteria having coffee with a pretty girl from their old high school. I am sure that Tracy the cheerleader will come by. With his temperament Max would be polite and gracious to every ex-student without meaning to lessen his growing interest for Liz. Max on the other hand will see the many freshmen that attempt to hit on Liz simply because she is a single woman in their class. If she was rude in rebuffing their advances she wouldn’t be his Liz so he is going to have to trust that she will still be faithful to her interest in him. Max, as a graduate student will probably teach some labs. It would be very difficult if Liz was to be assigned into one of these labs. Read “Everything,” by Anne at Alien Blast to see some of the problems this might cause. Will they get married while they are in college? I do not see a problem with this. Many students do and they manage, maybe at a slower pace. Will it be worth it? Yes! If they find someone they really love and loose them they may never find, that strong a love, again. This is roughly a quote from Queen Victoria.

Am I going to continue this story sometime? I have to think about this. Am I able to write these happenings into a narrative?

The First Day of School

I will Return For You, My Love

Liz of the Desert

Stories by ken_r
---------------------
---------------------

I wasn’t sure I could return to this story. It was after a lot of thinking that I have attempted to continue the story of the young people from Roswell High, going to several different colleges, yet still keeping in close touch with each other. They are no longer children but rather young adults making mistakes, with many insecurities and learning to rely on each other for help. They are also young adults that are making decisions about their lives and finding intense relationships that will bind them to each other. I want to consider their parents, learning to let go and still be part of their children’s lives. Some parents that feel that they have put their own lives on hold as they raised their children, are now feeling they have the right to go forward with their own lives. It is the young collegians that need to learn to let go and celebrate their parents new-found interest. I want to pay especial attention to Jeff Parker. I had sons and I, personally do not know how I would feel raising a daughter, but I wanted to show Jeff remembering his own youth and hoping for the best for Liz.

As before, all incidents come from real life and I have tried to describe, as accurately as I could, what I remember about college life. I also bothered several relatives and friends for their experiences. I have tried to portray each of the three schools as well as I could as to their strengths and offerings to students. I have tried to portray the beauty of mixing the many cultures of this area. I hope you get some pleasure in the continuance of this story, as much pleasure as I have in writing it. Ken r

CHAPTER 14

Max had driven back to Roswell. It had been a month since he said goodbye to the kids who had been in his class and had since become his friends. He had kept in touch by email, but he did miss them. He wondered what was in store with him and Miss Parker. They had had fun under Isabel’s direction the weeks after he cleared up their misunderstanding. Damned girl, didn’t she understand that when he saw her in those shorts and bobby socks that she looked just like a kid? Well, she was a kid and he had been her teacher. Then they had passionately kissed after graduation and even more passionately after he made up with her after Isabel, and even this time, Aunt Kathy telling him he just wasn’t too bright.

Roswell was empty for Max. Liz and her folks would already be in Las Cruces with her things, getting her situated in the dorms of New Mexico State University. Isn’t that quite a name for the old school that used to be called “manure tech,” especially by its rival in Albuquerque when it was an agriculture and technology school. The school still had an extensive agriculture program, a wildlife program and a law enforcement program to differentiate it from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. All of these specialty programs needed university technology. Besides, the students in southern New Mexico needed a big institution as well as those in the big city, so it had grown into a full university.

For Max, NMSU had an extensive program in molecular biology as well as related fields. Max had received acceptance into a graduate studies program and he would be a teaching assistant for at least one class. He didn’t know what that class would be. He would have to make sure that it wasn’t a class that Liz was taking. The university frowned, in their old fashioned way, about grad students dating freshmen, but they were correctly strict about teaching assistants dating freshmen in the TA’s class.

Max had heard that his cousin, Isabel and her folks were in Albuquerque to set up her kingdom. Max laughed and wondered how Isabel would operate in an existence where half the girls she would meet would be drama queens and manipulators. Secretly, Max was sure that Isabel would show this myriad of pretenders how true royalty worked. He had already warned Isabel to stay clear of his mother for a few centuries.

To say that Diane was pissed was an understatement. The trouble was, she couldn’t figure out who to be angry with. Diane had formulated dreams of the perfect coupling of her only son with that delightful girl she had met last Christmas. She was sure that things only needed time and that with them both going to Las Cruces, nature would take its course and the hopes of Diane Evans for grandchildren would be on their way. When Max came home, that was all she could talk about. Finally, Max told her that Elizabeth Parker had been a senior in the class he taught. The rest of the time Max spent at home were hell. His father wasn’t much help because he was laughing so much at his wife and her well laid plans going astray. Privately, Philip Evans had talked with Max, “Son, what about this Miss Parker?”

“Dad, she was a charming girl in my class and I treated her no differently than the other students in my class. The romance, if it was there at all, was a fiction of your damned niece. Isabel managed to throw us together several times, but I always behaved as I should. I kissed her in front of her parents after graduation and we sort of hung out together with Isabel’s other friends until I came home,” Max explained.

Philip chuckled, “What did her parents think of that?”

“Well, they didn’t shoot me and they seemed to be cool with her hanging out with Isabel’s crowd including me,” Max shrugged.

With this Philip really laughed, “Your mother is mad because she was upstaged by Isabel. She thinks of Isabel as a child and doesn’t understand that Isabel has studied under the same muse as Machiavelli. In fact, Isabel would have given the old Italian a run for his money if they had been pitted against each other. Take it slow son and give Liz plenty of chances to decide if she is ready for a serious relationship. If she decides in your favor, make sure you are ready to take on this responsibility. You haven’t exactly been a Don Juan, you know.”

Max laughed, remembering that many of his students were more experienced at love in high school than he was in college. But, he didn’t get the feeling that Liz had done that much dating either. His dad was right. She needed to make sure she didn’t feel that she was missing too much if she stayed connected to him.

Max remembered the dinner one night when out of the blue, “Kathy and Jonathan should put that Isabel in a cage!” Diane was still raging.

Philip winked at Max, “Remember that the difference in our ages is more that the difference of Max’s and Liz’s.”

“Yes, but I wasn’t a student in your classroom and you weren’t my teacher,” Diane fumed.

“But dear, I was halfway through Law school and you were working as a clerk in the office where I was an intern,” Philip soothed.

Diane sat and sputtered for a second, “It is not the same thing, so there!”

Max said nothing. Liz was the same person who Diane had fallen in love with last Christmas. In fact, Liz would be even more mature when, and if, Diane met her next Christmas, providing the relationship between Liz and Max survived that long.

Max had been staying at Motel 6. Most of the students he knew were either working, getting ready for or were at college. The help he had received moving his stuff from his apartment to the storage would be missing. Max had to rent a trailer, load it and head out for Cruces on his own.

Isabel was preparing for her new kingdom. Alex had driven up in about a hour and a half from Socorro where he was attending New Mexico Tech, proving that it really wasn’t that far away. The girl’s dorm was a large building on the north side of the campus. Girls, their families and their boyfriends were busy carrying in the plunder each considered necessary to their happy existence. Isabel met her roommate. She was an attractive, but quiet girl, overwhelmed by the descending of the royalty, which was Isabel. She spoke to the Evanses and smiled at Alex. Her name was Corina Martinez. She had already set up her nest in a corner. She had a small desk with a Macintosh computer tower and a book case crowded with systems manuals and books on art. Alex quickly examined her computer. This caused a twinge of jealously in Isabel, but Corina was such a quiet and apparently nice person, that even Isabel had a bit of guilt. After Alex returned to Socorro, Jonathan and Kathy asked Corina if she would like to have dinner with them that evening. Jonathan and Kathy had booked a motel room as near to the university as possible. They retired to their rooms to rest and freshen up before meeting the girls for supper. Jonathan had noticed a frown on Corina’s face when he told her that they would be staying at a motel right down the street from the “U.”

As they were taking their luggage into the motel, Jonathan did notice some of the stares he was getting from the other guests. They turned on the TV and were at first pleased to see the rooms all had cable. Then, Jonathan searched through the channels offered. There were the basic channels, two playboy channels, two penthouse channels and the Naked News channel. He heard Kathy clucking her tongue, “These really aren’t suited for people with families are they?”

Jonathan frowned, but something in the back of his mind just wouldn’t come forward. They picked up the girls at six o’clock. There were many restaurants in Albuquerque. Jonathan picked a Mexican restaurant a few miles from the campus.

“Corina, tell us something about yourself,” Jonathan asked.

“Well, I am a sophomore. Last year didn’t go too well. My room mate didn’t like to study and she made it hard for me. We didn’t get along very well. I am a student in computer graphics. I study design and fashions. I probably spend way too much time on my computer. It was a gift from my brothers. I am the first of my family to go to college and they are very proud of me,” Corina looked at Isabel and smiled. She was still hoping that this girl from the south would be the friend she had missed last year. “I am also considered to be a computer geek,” she said shyly.


Isabel hugged her as she said, “I am going to have to watch my boyfriend around you.”

Corina’s eyes got big as she shook her head, “Oh no, no, I would never do something like that…”

“Before she got any further Isabel laughed and said, “I was just kidding. I probably will want you to hone my computer skills so I can cope with him.”

They talked about their respective families, about their hopes for the future and about what they hoped to get from school in the coming year. The Evanses had the feeling that the year was going to go well for Isabel. Corina was relieved that she, maybe, would like this outgoing girl. Jonathan wanted to go back to the motel. Having a daughter in college was reminding him that he was getting older and carrying her stuff was telling on his body. They made arrangements to have breakfast at the famous, at least in New Mexico, “The Frontier” restaurant across the street, just south of the University.

The Frontier was a fixture at the “U.” Whenever important international events such as declarations of war, declarations of peace or Britney Speers divorces or pregnancies occurred, the traveling reporters would seek out the erudite students of the world, for profound statements as to their feelings toward these crises of our times. The Evanses had seen it so many times in the TV news, they wanted to, at least, visit it before they returned home.

When they got back to the motel, they saw that the parking lot was crowded with people. They had a room on the first floor at one end of the building. They both felt a bit uncomfortable so they hurried into their room. The night had in store for them, both an education and an awaking.

The University of New Mexico in Albuquerque was built in the late 1800s. The neighborhoods south of the campus had been built up from the railroad track a couple miles to the west, finally passing the campus as the city grew toward the mountains, limiting expansion in the east. The houses nearest to the railroad were some that had been built at the turn of the century. As they approached the campus, they traveled past houses of the twenties and so forth. The street dividing the campus from the housing areas was the original main street leading east-west in and out of Albuquerque and named Central Avenue. During the heyday of tourists in the seventies, there were many motels built near the campus. As the city progressed, nicer motels and some hotels were built nearer to the airport some distance from the campus. To put it nicely the motels on Central near the campus had 250% occupancy every night. Some of the better rooms could be used three or four times in a single evening.

Diane couldn’t get over what seemed to be going on outside her window. She saw men bending their women over backwards as they expressed their feelings. Then she saw some of them bending their women forwards over their car hoods. Diane was becoming concerned.

Diane, you are going to have to get used to the modern morals of youth, especially near the university,” Philip warned her.

After they turned out the lights, Diane couldn’t tear herself away from the crack she had made in the curtains. They heard a siren and two policemen jumped out and began beating a man. Diane was appalled and then aghast, as the policeman lifted a sawed off shot gun, two knives and a string of plastic bags off their victim. One lady bent over to talk to a car passing by, and again Diane was taken back because the lady didn’t wear any underclothes under her short skirt. She heard people coming and going from the rooms through out the motel. She was about to decide that she and Philip were the only ones who stayed in their room the whole night. Diane, finally, came to bed and passed out from fatigue from her over-active imagination reguarding the patrons of their lodging.

The next morning, the Evanses quickly packed their car and hurried to the Frontier just a few blocks from their motel. When they encountered Isabel, she had a mischievous smile, “How was your night?"

Corina seemed a bit uneasy, “There are better motels and such further from the campus. The city is busy condemning the old places near the campus, I should have said something last night, but I guess I was afraid or maybe to embarrassed.”

Isabel was still laughing as her mother tried to find a mother-daughter way to describe last night. The meal at the Frontier was excellent.

There were lots tears as the Parker family moved Liz into the mixed dorm at New Mexico State. Some of the tears were even from Nancy Parker. Jeff just wasn’t completely ready for his daughter to grow up. They were unused to the idea of men and women living at the same dorm. Secretly, Jeff hoped Max would watch over Liz. He kept this to himself because he sure wasn’t going to give Liz a carte blanche to move in with Max. But, he hoped Max still cared enough to be there for her if she had problems. He liked Max. He didn’t like growing old and seeing his only daughter grow up and move away. The Parkers had a motel room across from the university and their room was nothing like the experience the Evans family was having. They all had supper in the Student Union building. Kyle, Tess and Maria all came over to talk to them.

Tess had been at the University for a week because she was going to join a sorority. Tess was finding college a cornucopia of opportunities. She liked Kyle, maybe even loved him. Tess felt that there were many experiences that she wanted to savor. Sorority rush had been eagerly anticipated by Tess. She looked forward to being part of something bigger than she had experienced in Roswell. Tess felt a little homesick already. The sorority offered her the atmosphere of home. She even liked the rules, which gave her more stability. She could live within the rules, testing them as needed, and still feel that someone was watching out for her. Tess had been an only child and the sorority gave her sisters, who she could confide in and quarrel with. The sorority offered social functions when they met once a month with one of the fraternities. Tess found this gave her a lot of opportunities to make more friends and to be with other guys. Tess was told that the sorority would give her a chance to always have friends where ever she lived. She became completely swept up in the swirl of the Greek life.

Michael had gotten an apartment and the program he was in had arranged a job for him to meet his expenses. Maria was in the dorms, as were Tess and Kyle. None of them had met their room mates yet. The Parkers hugged and kissed their daughter and went to their motel rooms so they could make an early rising and head back to Roswell to be at the Crashdown as soon as possible. José could run it for a day, but he didn’t want that responsibility for very long.

Max had loaded his trailer. He decided to stop at the Crashdown for supper. He knew the Parkers weren’t there, and for sure, Liz wasn’t, but old habits were hard to break. José welcomed Max, “Hey, Senior Max, the love of your life and her parents are already at school.”

“Relax, José, Liz may find many better men than me when she gets to school and sees the world,” Max greeted a little sorrowfully.

José laughed, “If she does, Senior Jeff may remember he was state skeet shooting champion for several years running. I heard him, the other day, telling Nancy that he was sure glad that you were at Las Cruces to watch over their little girl.”

“Don’t you think that is sort of like having the coyote watch over the sheep pen, José?” Max smiled at the enthusiastic cook.

“Ah, Senior Max, I have watched her grow from a little girl in pigtails into a fine woman. That one needs a good strong man to care for her. You were a good teacher and I think you would be a good husband,” the cook emphatically declared.

Max laughed, “Thanks, José, but as much as I could hope to maybe win her, she deserves the chance to see the world and make her own choices.”

As Max finished his meal and left, he did not hear José mutter, “Crazy gringo, you leave too much to chance. What happened to John Wayne grabbing the girl and riding into the sunset?”

Stories by ken_r
I will Return For You, My Love
Liz of the Desert
The Magic Horn

yes Begonia my name is French or perhaps Belgian. Kenneth Renouard was very hard for my students to pronounce. They substituted Mr. Ren and the lazy administration soon did likewise. I like my name but it didn't bother me about the nick name.

I read French poorly and speak it worse. i had so much trouble in English grammer that my teacher, who was from the Academy of Paris gave up on me.

Stories by ken_r

Chapter 15

Max arrived at Las Cruces just after midnight. He had an envelope with the key the superintendent had mailed to him. He had an apartment on the ground floor. Max had been in this neighborhood when he had been interviewed to be accepted into the Master’s program. It was in an older part of town. Max had met several of the people who lived in houses near by. One of them he talked to was an old engineer from the old Manhattan Project in Los Alamos during WWII. The area was laid back and Max thought that it would be a good, quiet place to study. It was about four miles from campus. Max parked his truck and trailer, and taking oout a sleeping bag, he went into the bare apartment for what was left of the night. It was afternoon the next day before Max had finally unloaded the trailer and returned it to the U-Haul dealer.

Max headed to the NMSU campus. He checked in at the administration building. He was assigned to the biology department as a teaching assistant for a Bio 101 laboratory. Now, to see Liz and make sure she would not be in his class. As Max walked down the paths, several students waved and called out, “Hey Mad Max.” Max noticed that he received a lot of smiles from many of the girls walking with his former students. He went to the desk of the Residence Administrator. He asked if Elizabeth Parker had checked in. The pimply faced kid at the desk just shrugged. He had no idea and he wasn’t sure he was supposed to answer that question, anyway. Max asked if he could leave a message for Miss Parker. The kid shrugged again but, he agreed to put the message in her mailbox, not realizing that he had just answered the question whether or not she was there. Max left his name, cell number and his new address. He knew that the Parkers had gotten Liz a new cell phone, but he didn’t have her new number, or for that matter, he didn’t have her old number either. He would have to find one of her friends. Max, also in the back of his mind, kept repeating, “She has to be the one to want to continue this relationship.” Was this even a relationship?

Max toured the campus, leaving the biology department for last. He entered and was met by one of the professors. He looked up Max’s name and introduced Max to his graduate advisor.

Max finally went back to the Student Union and decided he would have a coke before he went back to town. While sitting at a table, he heard a voice ask, “Max, may we sit down.” Max looked up and it was Stacy, the little cheerleader. For some reason, when being out of school, she did not look so little now.

Max smiled and answered, “Of course Stacy.” The two other girls following her sat also.

Stacy introduced them to Max. “Let me see your schedules girls,” he suggested. Max looked at their Biology labs. Max smiled and said, “Well, you, Stacy and Mitzie, are in my class.”

Stacy smiled and asked, “Where is your damn cousin?”

Max laughed then and replied, “She is safely tucked away in Albuquerque.”

Mitzie looked at Max, “Are you taking Biology 101?”

This time both Max and Stacy laughed, “No silly, he is teaching it,” Stacy answered.

Max corrected, “Teaching assistant lab instructor for Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.”

Mitzie looked at Stacy. Her appreciation went up a notch. Imagine being introduced to the good-looking lab teacher before school even started.

The girls left when Kyle came up. He sat down and said, “We have been looking for you all over the place Mr. Ev... I mean Max.”

Max smiled and said, “What’s happening Kyle?”

“Well, we all are registered, we have our classes, and we are settled into our dorm rooms. Max, do they really try to match us when they choose dorm mates?” Kyle seemed a little exasperated.

“I doubt it, Kyle. You have to just take the luck of the draw,” Max was amused. He remembered a couple roommates who he was still friendly with, but there were a couple that he really did want to forget. Max wrote on a piece of paper. “Take this Kyle. It is my cell number and address. My old Yahoo e-mail still works and I should have cable internet tomorrow. I am living in downtown Las Cruces.”

“Lucky you, I don’t suppose you have to have a room mate, either, do you?” Kyle expressed sullenly.

Max laughed and replied, “Kyle, just keep your eye out this semester for someone you can get along with and change in the spring.”

“Oh, yeah, Liz is looking for you,” Kyle added.

Max raised his eyebrows, “Well you can give her my number and address and tell her to call me if she needs anything.” Max was sure he was doing this wrong, but what was he supposed to do. When Liz got among all of these other students and met all of the other men on campus, would she want to still be with Max?

Liz
I am in college. Already I am lonesome. Maybe it is homesickness. I met my room mate today. Her name is Katherine. I guess she is okay. She seems to be more interested in parties than in classes. We got our schedules this morning. I need to talk to Max. We had a lot of fun before he left to go home. The age difference isn’t too much when he loosens up. Max is always afraid that he will over step some boundary or other. Mom and dad were crying as they left last night. I saw Kyle and asked him to see if he could find Max. We never exchanged cell phone numbers. Katherine wants to look the boys over. I told her that I had a ‘sort of’ boyfriend, already. Her response was that she was engaged to a man from Yale, but Yale was a long way from Las Cruces. I guess I do not understand her. We went walking across the campus. It is so beautiful here. The doves are constantly calling. Birds are everywhere. Katherine found a group of boys and we sat down with them. She does this so easily. Before long, one of the boys had his arm around Katherine and she was giggling. The boys seem nice enough, but one of them put his arm around me and I tried to explain that I had a boyfriend who had not arrived yet. He backed off, but he kept looking at me. When we left, Katherine asked, “what’s wrong Liz? Don’t you like boys?”

“Katherine, of course. I like boys," I answered, "but I have a boyfriend.”

Katherine giggled, “Don’t you think he enjoys the company of other girls when you are not around?”


I wonder. Max never seemed to have any girl friends when he was teaching. He never mentioned anyone else when we were talking. That whole year, I wondered why wasn’t Max seeing someone? This is the first time I have been away from home. The rules mom and dad set up for me aren’t here anymore. I must decide for myself. Maybe, Max will want to see other women and still be my friend. I will have to learn to deal with this.

Story
“Liz, I saw Max,” Kyle shouted across the grounds. Katherine just looked at Kyle and then Liz. Kyle handed Liz the paper with Max’s cell number and address. “You better call him soon, Liz. Stacy and one of her friends were talking to him in the sub.”

Katherine just looked at Liz. Then she smirked, and with a toss of her head, she headed back across the campus. Liz sat with her back against one of the little trees. She dialed Max’s number. “Max, Liz here. Where are you?

“I am just leaving campus, Liz. I have been looking for you,” Max was relieved that she called him so soon.

“Max, when can we get together?” Liz inquired.

“What about tonight after supper about seven o’clock? I will pick you up if you will meet me at the desk in your dorm,” Max stated. He hung up and proceeded home to a meal of cold cuts.

Liz was a little excited and she could hardly eat. This wasn’t missed by Katherine. “Mr. Wonderful coming by tonight?” Katherine asked.

Liz smiled, “Yes, I haven’t seen him since he left this summer to go back home.”

“He doesn’t live in your town?” Katherine thought she saw a mystery.

‘Yes, he lived there for a while, but his parents live back east,” Liz informed Katherine.

“How did you meet him?” Katherine was still searching.

Liz cast her eyes down to her hands like she always did when she was either embarrassed or scared. “He was my teacher last year.”

Katherine
Holy shit. I thought this little thing was just a lost sparrow and here she has seduced her teacher! Wow, there is a lot more to her than I ever thought! No wonder she didn’t want the advances of these boys. She is really into other men.

Story
“When can I meet your dream man?” Katherine asked.

“We are going out for a couple of hours. I can bring him by the dorm before we leave,” Liz stated.

Katherine was watching the office when she saw a young man walk up. Liz ran to meet him and she was wrapped in his arms. Katherine raised her eyebrows. Yes, there was a lot more to this Miss Liz Parker. Katherine hurried back to her dorm room. The rooms in this dorm were built like micro apartments. There were two people in each room and two rooms paired shared a bathroom. Men and women were both in this dorm. You would have four women sharing a duplex and then four men sharing the next two rooms. The entrances all opened to the outside. Max and Liz walked down the side walk to her room. Liz knocked on the door and Katherine opened it.

“Katherine, I would like you to meet my friend, Max,” Liz was holding Max’s hand as she presented him.

Liz did something she was not sure about, “Max, do you know what classes you will be teaching this fall?”

Max smiled, “Teaching assistant for Tuesday and Thursday Bio 101 labs.”

Katherine frowned, she consulted her schedule which she had tacked up on the wall. “I think I might be in your class.”

Max smiled, “Then, I will see you Thursday if not before, when I visit Liz.”

“Max, you are not angry that I told Katherine you were a teacher, are you?” Liz was a little fearful.

“No, Liz, that is one of the things I wanted to talk to you about,” Max said.

Liz shuddered. Her imagination was running away with itself. It had been slightly over a month since she had seen Max. Maybe, his parents were not happy about him going with her.

Max walked to the Student Union building. There were couches and the cafeteria was still open. Max held out his hands in inquiry. Liz indicated the couch in one corner of the room.

They sat on the couch. “Max, what did you want to tell me?” Liz asked almost timidly.

Max smiled, “I forgot for a minute how much I enjoy seeing you.” Then, he got serious, “Have you met many new people?” he hedged.

Max was sitting beside Liz and turned slightly, facing her. He had his arm behind her resting on the back of the couch. Liz was sitting with her hands in her lap. She was wringing them in a nervous reaction. Liz was trying to read his body language, but her own insecurities were giving contradictory information. So much so, that she just shut down her subconscious processing.

Liz turn toward Max. “Katherine and I walked around the campus this afternoon. Katherine is a very outgoing person. We sat and talked with some boys she met. I guess that the university is so much bigger than Roswell that I feel sort of lost. Katherine is like Isabel, but she is also so different that I do not know when to trust her. She doesn’t seem to have any boundaries and I do not think she thinks ahead as well as Isabel.” Liz was trying to compose what she really wanted to say and it was difficult. It had been so much easier to talk to Mr. Evans before. Even when he didn’t know her secret, she felt she could express her self without fear of any judgment. Now, she so much wanted to express her desire to rekindle the gentle relationship they had experienced just before he left. In Roswell, she felt that they were the only people in the world. but here, she felt that she was going to have to compete with so many who were better equipped than she.

“Max smiled, “I don’t think that there is another like Isabel. She does dominate, but her intentions are usually correct. I am glad you are seeing a lot of people. That is what I want to talk to you about. I want you to feel free to enjoy yourself as a freshman. I guess there will be many opportunities for you to meet many people. I do not want to be an albatross that keeps you from doing this.”

Liz looked at Max, “Is that what you want to do, enjoy the company of other people?”

Max hugged Liz to him, “No, Liz, I went through being a freshman years ago. I do not want to meet ‘lots’ of people. I enjoy you and as long as you want to be with me, that is all I want. You are young and I would feel badly if I stole experiences away from you.”

Liz pulled away from Max and whacked him on the shoulder, “Damn it Max quit pretending that age difference. You are not that much more older than I am. What makes you think I want to meet a lot of people? I am not like Katherine.”

Max, again, thanked his favorite cousin, Isabel. It was Isabel who directed him to Liz, and for that, no matter how long it lasted, he would be grateful. They sat the rest of the evening holding hands and talking. This was not missed by several of the other freshmen who had met Liz through Katherine that afternoon. They had dismissed Liz as a shy, quiet person and the fact that she, indeed, had a good-looking boyfriend made them take another look at her.

Max asked, “What does your schedule look like?”

Liz smiled, “I received credit for all of my AP classes. I am, essentially, a sophomore.”

Max had two reasons to be happy for Liz. First, he was proud that his girlfriend had fared so well, and secondly, he was pleased that, as his student, she had done so well.

Max and Liz walked back to her dorm. The moon was just coming up from behind the Organ Mountains. These rugged peaks, that if you got just the right angle, looked like an old-fashioned pipe organ showed in silhouette. Even more than Roswell, Las Cruces was desert which cooled off when the sun went down. As they walked Liz was reminded that at night, she should always wear a sweater or light jacket. The campus was magical with the electrically lit path from the Student Union building to her dorm. Liz could let her imagination range as they walked, that just out side the light, there was a dangerous forest that was populated with all sorts of monsters preying on the unsuspecting. Liz snuggled up closer to Max’s embrace. Max gave her his jacket and she could hear the night birds singing as they walked. When they kissed at the door of her dorm and she returned his jacket, Liz put all the passion she could into the kiss. Liz was learning that even if Max was older, it would be Liz who had to quell the insecurities in both him and herself.

Stories by ken_r
Chapter 16

The first week of college
Max went with Liz to buy her text books. At first she wondered why he had insisted on coming, then she learned. Every class had at least one or two required books. College professors evaluate their success by the chiropractic damage they cause when the students carry their texts. There was the inevitable rush to find used books at half price. These books, if found, were evaluated as to condition and one other thing. Upon examination of the used texts, one looked carefully at the highlighting. If in addition to highlighting, there were carefully notated comments in the margin, this book might be worth even more than one at full price. Or, if they were sloppy, it might indicate that the student wrote down the wrong things, not knowing what they were doing making it worthless. The used books seldom lasted more than two or three semesters because the professors changed their text regularly as a bonus to salary security.

When they were through, Max had two bags and Liz was hefting one more. Liz was noticed that the more experienced students had small folding grocery carts to pack their intellectual guides for the next semester. On their way back they met Maria sitting on one of the stone benches scattered through out the campus. Maria had a smaller collection of books because many of her classes would be in the music department. She still had the basic university course to follow as a freshman. Maria had her English book in her hand and was looking at it edgewise. “This thing is thicker than all the texts we had in Roswell combined. How will I ever get through it?”

Liz laughed and pointed to the three bags of books she had purchased, “Maria, I have all of these to read this semester.”

Maria grabbed Liz’s shoulders, “Babe, do you supposed if we hurried back to Roswell, your father would give us our jobs back?”

Max smiled, “Maria don’t you want to think about the bright future you are going to have as a singer?”

“Max, carrying these books and trying to read them, my shoulders are going to be so slumped over that I won’t be able to breath well enough to sing,” Maria stated looking for some sympathy. “Besides, I was told that I would have to be taking voice lessons before they would even let me sing.” Maria was finding herself very overwhelmed as she faced her immediate future. She really did miss the simplicity she’d had working as a waitress. She knew what was expected of her there. Here, besides the size of her literature book, the enormity of the task before her was just daunting.

The, once, teacher and students, and now three friends, walked toward the line of dorms. Maria was in a different line of buildings than Liz, although her dorm was similar, all with their outside entrances. When Max finally got to Liz’s door, Liz unlocked it and looked in, “Are you decent she called out?” When Katherine answered in the affirmative, Liz threw open the door and Max deposited her books on her bed.

Katherine was sitting on her bed doing her nails. When she saw the three bags of books, her eyes got big, “Liz, my God, are these your books for the whole four years? By the way, Hi, Max.”

Liz giggled, “No, Katherine, this is just for the first semester.”

“Sweetie, when are you going to have time to party if you have all of those books to read?” Katherine was serious as she looked at Liz.

Liz grimaced, “I don’t do much partying. I am going to have a heavy load this semester.”

Max and Liz stepped outside of the room to say goodbye. Max held Liz as he kissed her, “Don’t let Katherine get to you. She will either flunk out the first semester, or she will find ways to control her social life.” With that, Max departed.

Liz went back into her room. “Mr. Wonderful leave?” Katherine asked. “Liz, seriously, this is the last chance you have to live off your parents. College is your last chance to be free.”

Liz sat down on her bed, “Katherine, my parents are not paying for my college. I am on full academic scholarship. I have to maintain my grades or I will have to drop out of school.”

Katherine just sat there, “Wow, I knew you were smart, but I never thought my roommate would be one of those brainy kids. What about you and Mr. Wonderful? Isn’t he a distraction?”

Liz looked down at her hands, “I hope not. We are just exploring our relationship. We have only been dating since my high school graduation and he resigned from the school system to go back to graduate school.”

Katherine frowned, “Shucks, I was hoping you had seduced him someway or the other and you would have wonderful stories to tell when we girl-bonded or something.”

Liz looked up, “Sorry, Katherine, Max’s cousin is my best friend and she brought us together after I graduated and Max quit being a teacher. Don’t get me wrong, the university here has an excellent program, but Max being here is probably why I chose New Mexico State.”


Tess didn’t break up with Kyle, but she did explain that there was going to be something greater than their immediate relationship that she would be involved in. Tess asked if Kyle was interested in pledging to a fraternity. But, the expense and time worried Kyle, so he told her he would think about it.

Kyle found in his class of sports medicine that there were opportunities more to his liking. They had a program for students to assist at the local high school and junior high sports programs. This was what Kyle had wanted out of sports medicine. He would be an assistant trainer with a junior high football team. Kyle wasn’t sure what his relationship was going to be with Tess. He just knew that college was so much bigger than he had found high school. There was one other thing. Kyle had not seen his roommate. He asked around, but some other boys told him that the missing roommate was in Juarez, Old Mexico. It was three days into the school year before Kyle ever saw him.

Maria had gone seeking Michael the minute she saw the size of her literature book. Michael was living in an apartment within walking distance of the campus. He worked afternoons and evenings at a short order restaurant. Maria would go there in the afternoons, before the evening crowd arrived, to read and talk to him on his break. Sometimes on evenings when the supper crowd was small, she would wait for him and he would walk her home. The program he was in was still assessing his abilities. They were, however, talking about either this semester or at the latest next semester, putting him in a regular English literature program. Michael had picked up a second hand motorcycle. Now that he had transportation, the program was going to put him in a government-funded tutoring program for high school students who had a hard time understanding English literature. Much of this he owed to Max’s recommendations sent in last year. Maria’s mornings were given over to music lessons, music theory and basic college courses.

Max started his first class. It was different than last year. When he entered the lab, the students were sitting in the front where the desks were located. They were much more orderly than the high school students had been. Max introduced himself as just Max Evans. Some of the students would call him Max, but there would be others who felt more confident calling him Mr. Evans. Max really didn’t care. He made lab assignments and his students, much like last year, went to their stations and inventoried their equipment. Max was told to assign lab partners rather than allowing students to choose their own. “They tend to make choices for reasons other than doing the best work. It has been found best through the years to just arbitrarily assign partners and be flexible if problems arose. They are here to learn after all,” was the lecture from his advisor. Unfortunately, since it was known, he had been a teacher last year they tended to worry more about the other TA’s who had no previous teaching experience, so Max was on his own. Max had a chart of the lab stations. He took roll from that. Attendance was different in college. Some classes didn’t bother. They just tested and made grades from that. Labs, though, were graded by actual observed work. There were not many ways to pass if the student didn’t have good attendance.

Stacy was glorying in the fact that she knew Max from last year. She made it a point to greet him so the class saw that they must have had some history together. Stacy went up to Max at the end of class and asked if he wanted to have a cup of coffee after class. Max smiled and politely refused. He made it a point, to say, “I have to meet my girlfriend pretty soon and I need to finish this work on my first day of class.”

Stacy frowned. She had no idea Max already had a girlfriend. She remembered hearing something about him being with one of his students after graduation, but she hadn’t paid attention and couldn’t recall any more of the story.

It was about four o’clock when Max went to the Student Union. He found Liz sitting with Katherine. He slid into the booth beside Liz, making sure to give her a quick kiss as he sat down. Liz giggled, “How was Stacy in class today?”

Max grimaced, “Is my life on reality TV or what?”

“No, one of Katherine’s friends was also in the class and she said Stacy was bragging how she was going to get Mr. Evans this year,” Liz reported.

Max cringed, “I wonder if it is too late to ask Isabel to move down here?”

Katherine was looking puzzled, so Liz told her, “Stacy was a cheerleader and she did everything she could to get Max’s attention last year. Isabel is Max’s cousin and she threatened Stacy if she didn’t leave Max alone.”

“Does Isabel interfere in all of Max’s affairs?” Katherine asked.

“Only in the ones that interfere with her plans. See, Isabel wanted Max to get together with me,” Liz had a little bit pride in this last statement.

Katherine shook her head. Every time she heard more about her roommate, she marveled at the story more. She hoped someday she would get the whole story.

At UNM:
Isabel was finishing her first week of school. She and Corina were becoming good friends. Isabel was also learning that the entire female freshman class believed they could out manipulate Isabel. She had thought about pledging to a sorority. The problem was that Isabel was just too independent to really be part of a group. Corina was worried because she thought that if Isabel pledged, she would leave to go to a sorority house and Corina would, again, be without a friend. Corina was very careful about saying anything. Isabel’s classes actually were not difficult. Isabel was very smart. She just hadn’t applied her self to Advance Placement classes like Liz had. Isabel still had no idea what she would major in.

Alex would be coming to Albuquerque next weekend. His roommate was a junior in computer science and Alex was staying at his house. Alex hinted that, maybe, Isabel could arrange a date for him and they could double up. “Corina, would you help me out this weekend?” was the way Isabel started her conversation. Corina would learn in the future that when she sounded like that running might be advised, but, also, that Isabel’s schemes usually worked out to everyone’s advantage.

Corina at first was adamant, “No, no blind dates! They always expect more from me than I am willing to give.”

“It will be a double date. We will be together and Alex talks like his roommate is a nice guy. If it doesn’t work out, then you will always be busy if they ask again,” Isabel saw everything as simple.

Finally, after much discussion, Corina agreed, “If this doesn’t work out, then no more arranged dates, understand?”

Alex and John Sheriod had become friends from the first day at New Mexico Tech. John was heavily into programming. He could write in several different computer languages. He had both a Macintosh and an Alien Ware towers. He carried a small Toshiba Libretto with him everywhere he went. He had hacked into so many systems, that Alex was in awe of him. He also played Sax in the jazz band. Alex hadn’t known about Tech’s jazz band. He investigated and found that it was a sort of simple credit course where students gave concerts various times through out the year. Alex had a bass guitar at home, but he found he could borrow one here and he could retrieve his from home later on. John was tall and quiet. He didn’t know about a double date, but Alex told him that Isabel, Alex’s date could fix up everything. Alex also had met the girl in question and he could assure John that she was a nice person. Then, Alex added the clincher, Corina had a brand new state of the art Mac tower.

Alex and John arrived in Albuquerque about five o’clock Friday evening. They paid the appropriate respects to John’s parents, then they went to the girl’s dorm on UNM campus.

Isabel had fixed Corina’s hair and make up. She had always had an ability to see and apply fashions. When the boys arrived at the desk, the girls were notified and they came down. John was surprised. He had always been very shy and he just didn’t see himself with someone like Corina. Her dark hair was shinning and her soft brown eyes were pools to dive into. John stuttered, “I..I..am pleased to make you’re a.. acquaintance.” John so wished he had a silver tongue, like he saw in Alex.

Corina, at first, was surprised. This guy was good looking. When he started stuttering, she felt for him, but if he did this all night, Corina would not be able to take it. John was driving his Dodge Stratus. He held the side door for Corina, while Alex and Isabel got in the back seat. They were going to a good Mexican restaurant in one of the large malls in Albuquerque. Isabel chattered continually with both Alex and John. John answered her questions with only a slight stutter. Alex started talking about computer classes and John joined in quickly. They were talking about systems and applications when Corina joined in. Soon, all three were conversing comfortably about the technical workings of the computer. Corina was explaining how she used her Macintosh to manipulate graphics and the different filters she used to enhance her work. John suggested that he could write filters for many graphics programs and they started up a discussion about what was wanted and not available. Isabel quietly sat and let the three of them talk. She knew that she would have all the time in the world later with Alex, and if his roommate liked her roommate, a lot of wonderful things could happen. Besides, she could mask out some of their techno talk and think about her former project, that is, Max and Liz. A reminder to her self, call Liz soon and see how things were going. It was so hard ruling her kingdom when it was so far flung.

Dinner in most Mexican restaurants in Albuquerque was usually good. Corina, being from northern New Mexico, and John from Albuquerque both ordered fairly hot food. Alex was a little more timid and he stuck with a combination plate. Isabel had a taco salad in an edible bowl made from a tortilla. The waiters kept bringing bowls of salsa and baskets of sopapillas and honey. Corina saw that Alex was a bit timid about the hot food, so she ordered a side order of sour cream. When she mixed the cream with some of the items on Alex’s plate, he marveled that the hot pepper he wasn’t used to, was made milder and more palatable. John also reminded Isabel that drinking water when your mouth is burning doesn’t work. He took a sopapilla, which was a fried sweet bread that was puffed up into a little pillow and broke one end open and filled it with honey. He handed it to Isabel. She carefully bit into it and was surprised that as she chewed, the hot chili sensation disappeared.

Corina was now having better thoughts about her blind date. True, when he was nervous he stuttered, but he knew even more than she about computer systems. Also he was very familiar with local food. She had learned that he had lived in Albuquerque all of his life.

Their dinner was a success. They stayed at their table talking, eating and joking for quite a while. Isabel wondered if would she always be blessed with such perfect planning. Would her skills wane as she aged into some middle aged professional housewife with a husband and two point five kids? Right now she was satisfied that the evening was going well. Soon she could spring the surprise tickets purchased several days before for a concert Saturday night.

They returned to the Student Union at the University of New Mexico lounge. They sat at the outside tables under the evening sky. John and Corina were arguing about computer systems and their efficiency. Alex had time to cuddle with Isabel. Isabel whispered, “Do you think they would be on for tomorrow night?” Alex smiled, that was why he liked Isabel, she always had a plan.

Isabel and Corina got up to go to the ladies room. As soon as she was out of ear-shot, Isabel asked, “How do you like your date?”

“He is such a sweet guy. He is so shy that he stutters when he is scared. He knows more than I do about computer systems.”

Isabel pursed her lips, “Then, how do you feel about a date tomorrow night?”

“Do you think he would want to go out with me again? Where would we go?” Corina thoughtfully asked.

“Well, I have some tickets for a concert at the Pavilion for tomorrow.” Isabel declared.

Corina frowned, “They said it was sold out today. How did you get them?”

Isabel smiled, “I bought them three days ago.”

Colrina was a little put out, “You promised that if this date didn’t work out, you wouldn’t arrange anything else.”

“Is the date working out?” Isabel quizzed.

“But, how did you know it would?” Corina challenged.

“My plans always work out,” Isabel tossed her head. Corina just didn’t understand that Isabel was never wrong.

Chapter 17
Las Cruces:
Kyle had gone on a few dates with Tess since they came to New Mexico State University. They had gone to a football game, a concert and couple of movies shown on campus.

He was finding that Tess was, for the most part, busy. Tess seemed happy and when they were out, she couldn’t stop talking about her new friends. It would be more difficult to call her when she was living in a sorority house, but that wouldn’t be for a while yet. Tess explained she had duties to her sisters. In all, Kyle felt that he had been replaced by an institution. Kyle was prepared to be devastated by the lack of attention he was receiving from Tess. Surprising to him, was the lack of great grief. Kyle had enjoyed the charms of being with Tess. He had no regrets about the time he had spent with her, but where was their relationship to go from here? Kyle was spending a lot of time working with his kids on the junior high ball team. Kyle found that it was beneficial for him to take physical education courses, which included courses from the college of education. Kyle hadn’t thought about it, but he might enjoy being a physical education teacher. Kyle was keeping himself in good shape. He lifted weights and ran every evening. In Las Cruces running was comfortable most of the day, except for the summer when the day time temperature could get over 100 degrees. Then you could run only in the morning and evening. There was a football field just south of the university proper. Kyle would jog from his dorm to the field and then round the field several times every evening. In the dry desert climate, the air would cool rapidly as soon as the sun went down.

The breeze was warm, but not unpleasant. Sometimes Kyle would carry an ipod and run without regard to the world around him, but this time he wanted to think. His relationship with Tess was becoming untenable. He admired the relationship he saw in Max and Liz. Of course he was sure it hadn’t gone very far yet, but they were taking joy in the presence of each other. They were also fun when Kyle had had lunch with them. There was no irritability about having him there, as if he might be keeping them from some intimacy. Max and Liz seemed comfortable in their own companionship, but also, the joint companionship they shared with others.

Kyle laughed, the Evans-Parker relationship, born of the platonic association at school, had become something that made both of them happy. Kyle saw another jogger way ahead of him. The jogger appeared to be female and Kyle knew that most of the women only jogged with someone else for safety. Oh Well, if he appeared to be catching up to her, he would just divert himself into a couple runs away from the track around the field. Kyle didn’t want to alarm the woman if she was someone he didn’t know.

Kyle saw her stumble. Then she went sprawling. Now Kyle did pick up his pace. When he arrived, he recognized a girl from Roswell. “Stacy,” he called as he approached, “What happened?”

Stacy looked up. She knew that someone was behind her and she had been watching to see if he might be a threat to her. That he was someone from her old high school, was a surprise. “Kyle, I knew you were here, but I hadn’t seen you.” Then her face became a bit grim, “I turned my ankle stepping on a rock.” Stacy having been a cheerleader at Roswell High well remembered Kyle. Kyle had been on several teams and some were surprised when he didn’t try out for the college football team. Kyle just didn’t have the bulk for college ball. He probably could have made the team because of his speed and experience, but Kyle knew that he could be seriously injured if he was hit by one of those steamrollers.

Kyle knelt beside Stacy. He looked into her eyes for permission, “Stacy, I am in sports medicine Although I am just starting, I might be able to see how bad this is,” he said gingerly.

Stacy bit down hard on her lip, but nodded her permission. Kyle carefully took her ankle, and with his fingers, he probed to see if any bones were broken. He was using his own personal experience, not what he had learned in class. Kyle had broken, sprained and pulled his lower leg several times during high school.

“Stacy, I do not think it is broken but do you have a boyfriend or a room mate with a car who can take you to the infirmary?” Kyle inquired.

Stacy smiled, “No Kyle, no boyfriend yet, and my room mate isn’t in right now.”

Kyle picked up his cell phone and dialed, “Max, where are you?”

“Liz and I are just leaving and heading to her dorm, why?” Max replied.

“Stacy, the girl from Roswell, has just sprained her ankle way out here behind the ball field. Could you pick her up and take her to the infirmary?” Kyle requested. Kyle heard conversation mainly from Liz saying, “Max, we have to help. What if it was me, way out there and you weren’t close enough to help me? We must help, her if possible.”

Kyle smiled. That was Liz. If someone was in trouble, she immediately worried about their welfare. He patted Stacy’s shoulder and said, “ We will have help in a few minutes. Stacy looked up at Kyle. If she was right he had just called Mr. Evans. She also frowned because, if she was right again, she heard another voice from Kyle’s cell phone that indicated Mr. Evans was not alone.

It took Max about ten minutes to follow the circuitous path of the road. Finally he and Liz saw two people sitting in the middle of the jogging path. As Max got closer, the people were waving. Max got out of his truck and walked over to Kyle and Stacy. Stacy could see someone else in the truck cab, but she couldn’t make out who it was. Max shown a flashlight on Stacy’s ankle. It was already turning ugly. Kyle got on one side and Max on the other. Being very careful not to put any weight on the damaged ankle, they helped Stacy to stand. Max indicated to Kyle that they would make a two man sitting carry. Max and Kyle held each others forearms. They indicated for Stacy to sit on their arms and lean against the other arms held a little higher. Like being in a sling, they lifted Stacy and carried her backwards carefully sitting her down in the truck. Stacy felt warm fingers helping her to turn in the seat and then she looked into the eyes of Liz Parker. Stacy, even in her pain, couldn’t repress the cry, “You are the one!”

Liz giggled, “If you mean the person with Max, yes, I am the one.”

Stacy laughed as she had envisioned so many different people as the mysterious girlfriend of Max Evans. That it was the girl who was his aid in running the study hall, had never crossed her mind. “I am sorry for interfering with your evening, but I really appreciate you helping me.”

Liz’s eyes got big, “Stacy, I wouldn’t ever want Max to not help someone if he could. I am just thankful we could be of assistance. What does Kyle say about your ankle?”

“Is Kyle an authority on injuries?” Stacy asked with a slight smile through her pain.

Liz just shook her head, “Kyle is studying sports medicine. Besides, he has broken almost everything major at one time or the other. He probably knows what he is talking about.”

Max opened the back of the shell on his pickup “Sorry, Kyle, this is the only place not yet taken.” Kyle climbed in and made himself comfortable on some blankets.

It was a short way to the infirmary. When they got there, Kyle jumped out, quickly borrowed a wheelchair and brought it out to the truck. Again, making a sling with their arms, they lifted Stacy and placed her carefully in the wheelchair. They were told there would be about an hour’s wait. A nurse came out and examined Stacy’s ankle. She brought Stacy an ice pack. Max asked Stacy if she wanted him to wait. She said no and Kyle quickly replied that he would help her get back to the dorms. The infirmary was not far from the dorm.

After Liz and Max left, Stacy was full of questions for Kyle, “How long have Liz and Max been going together?”

“Just since the end of school. She had to turn eighteen and he had to quit being a school teacher. Then with Isabel’s help, they got together.” Kyle informed her.

“Are you sure there was nothing before school was out?” Stacy inquired.

Kyle smiled, “I am sure. Isabel was very careful not to even let Max know how Liz felt about him until after he quit teaching.”

Stacy just shook her head. She had been so sure she could get to Max, just given a chance, and here he had been “fixed up” since graduation. She turned to Kyle, “How about yourself, didn’t you go with that little blonde? Tess, or something like that.”

Kyle just shook his head, “Things change, Stacy. She wants to go to her sorority functions and I want to go to my junior high football games.”

Stacy raised her eyebrows, so Kyle told her about the team he was coaching and being trainer to as part of his curriculum. Stacy had known Kyle when he was on the Roswell team, but she had never sat and talked with him like she was now. Stacy had planned to become a teacher. She would probably take elementary education courses. It was well over an hour before the doctor could see Stacy. He examined her ankle, quickly x-rayed it and pronounced it sprained, just as Kyle had told her. They gave Stacy some Vicodin pain pills and told her to soak her ankle. They gave her a small package of Epson salts and loaned her a pair off crutches. Kyle managed to pack all the smaller items in his jacket pockets. He helped Stacy as they made their way the short distance across campus to her dorm. At the door, Stacy suddenly found that she had enjoyed Kyle’s company this evening. Not so well as to negate the pain, but it had helped that he had stayed with her. Stacy for reasons she, herself, wasn’t yet aware of, reached up and kissed him lightly. Kyle asked if he could stop by and see how she was getting along tomorrow. Stacy thought as she said, “Yes,” that she was looking forward to seeing him again.

Michael had a new job. The Doña Ana school project had found him a position helping high school kids with their English literature. There was a government grant that paid him better than what he had been making at the little restaurant. Maria would spend almost every evening, that she didn’t have to spend on her music, at his apartment. Michael, for the first time in his life, saw a future. He greatly admired Max. He had decided he wanted to return what Max had given him. Michael was thinking about being a teacher. Maria was still thinking about becoming a professional singer, but to put food on the table, she was also thinking about taking some music educational classes. She was also finding that she had a real talent for writing music. Sometimes, she thought about the writing rather than the performing. She and Michael would study until bed time, then he would walk her over to her dorm, or sometimes, he would take her on his motorcycle. Sometimes when they would finish their homework early, they would just sit in the dry, balmy air of Las Cruses, cuddle and talk about things they had never had the opportunity to just talk about before. Maria’s father had left when she was very young. Her mother had several boyfriends. Maria was always careful not to bond with any of her mother’s friends, because they might be gone next week. Maria had thought that she was independent. She needed no one. But, on the evenings she sat with Michael, she wondered what it would be like to be part of a family. She had heard that her mother and Kyle’s dad were getting serious. If they decided to get married, she would be step-sibling to Kyle. It was when having thoughts like this and Michael’s arm was holding her close, that Maria thought what it would be like to be a writer, to have a stable home, and always come back to some one who loved her.

Michael had never had any home. He had been in and out of the foster care system all of his life. He had, from the first wondered what it would be like to live forever with someone who loved him, to produce children and give them the love he had been so much denied. Michael was having strong feelings for Maria, and it was probable that she was feeling the same.

The Slave Girl
this is an attempt at an original story. it is very long. and in four parts. let me know if you like it. All of the parts will be posted at:
Writers Cave at Roswell Heaven