Connections

Dan was somewhat agog when he found a handwritten note in his mailbox, inviting him to join her for tea and biscuits. He was living on the ground floor of an apartment building that decades earlier was the residence in the city for renters with means, who eschewed home ownership, for whatever reason. He had assisted Lilian with some heavy packages on a blustery day, and she felt obliged to this young school teacher with a disarming smile. The Saturday invitation, and the paper on which the note was written, conjured up a scene from a Jane Austen novel, so Dan put on his best school teacher outfit. Entering her apartment, he was instantly aware that it was more than ordinary. It was another world. Not that Dan hadn't seen a variety of art works, but this was different. Paintings, sculptures, pieces of ceramic and they were everywhere; floor, walls, even some attached to the ceiling. He had heard about the eccentric living on the top floor of the building. Hers was two apartments rolled into one and the space was filled. The chair on which he sat was not contemporary, but comfortable. He had the choice of tea or orange juice, but felt it would be like a venial sin not to take tea. After refreshments, she invited him to take a close look at any of the pieces that might be of interest. Standing at one end of a magnificent living room, the abundance of creation was dazzling and the mix reminded Dan of the stunning swath of colour he had seen during the May tulip festival. As he looked, she mentioned in a soft voice that almost everything was Canadian. ''This is so amazing! It’s like a series of galleries rolled into one. This must be a life’s work.'' Lilian just smiled and said, ''I’m glad you like it.'' She watched as Dan stared at three paintings side-by-side. ''I was a bit slow to be drawn to abstract expressionism after the war. This small group comes from Quebec artists. I particularly like the one on the left by Jean-Paul Riopelle.'' Dan grew up near the air force base at Trenton. His father was an electrician and fully expected his son would do the same thing, and of course, eventually take over the company. -2- Not a natural artist, nonetheless, he had taken a couple of history of art courses at university and that experience nurtured his interest. Dan figured out that Lilian was seventy-five by a comment she made about World War II, and he thought the passing reference to a pilot was more than a throw away line, as her upper lip quivered mentioning him. Lilian was from a wealthy Winnipeg family, who had made money in the grain business and was well connected politically with the major political parties as her uncle was pleased to say, with his usual self-assuredness. She thought it was a little like stacking the deck, but he saw it as staying on top, where they belonged. Born in 1915, she went to university and then spent a year in France as an au pair with an appropriately suitable family. She met Thomas just after the outbreak of World War II in Winnipeg at a church social. There was an implicit understanding of marriage when he went to England to join the Royal Air Force in 1940. After he left, she moved to Ottawa and worked with the Red Cross throughout the war. When she later learned through a mutual friend he had been a favourite of more than one woman in London before his death over Germany in 1944, it clouded her memory of him. For years afterwards, she oscillated between feelings of anger and lost love, occasionally taking out the bundle of his wartime letters to reread. During that period, she was aware that some men were interested in her, but reciprocity never crossed the threshold of her mind. Lilian stayed in Ottawa after the war and her financial security was guaranteed with the death of her father. That period saw major growth in the city, with Lilian often supporting beautification initiatives. She was particularly pleased with the relocation of rail lines from the center of the city and the creation of a greenbelt. She was now helping the city with its incipient art gallery and promised a number of pieces to it. As he was leaving, Dan was really pleased when Lilian said, ''come back sometime if you wish.'' -3- ''I would really like that! It was most interesting chatting and so exciting seeing your collection.'' They developed a cordial friendship, getting together, always at her place, about once a month. It wasn't the son she never had, rather an appreciation for his vitality and someone who shared her values. He loved her worldliness and ability to zoom in on the essentials. * * * At school on Monday, Dan took a few minutes to tell his Grade sixers about the different works of art he had seen on the weekend. As he finished, twelve year old Scott said, ''what’s the use of all those paintings and sculptures? Why would you spend money on them when you could buy a cool car or go to Disney World?'' When Rachel smiled, he was reminded that some of the students liked it when he talked about art or showed some examples. But what caught his attention was Bobby, sitting near the front of the class, whispering rather loudly to David, ''that creep Dickinson smiled as he stepped on my foot. When I said, get off, it hurts, he laughed and said he hadn’t seen me because I was a pipsqueak.'' Dan was in his second year at the school and the previous year he had heard nothing regarding a teacher using physical force with a student. But this was the second time this school year he learned about such an incident; it was the same person and it was only November. Dan did not know Bill Dickinson particularly well, who was new to the school, besides the fact he had played hockey at university and was much bigger than anyone else on staff. However, he decided to broach the matter the next time he saw him. A week later they were alone in the staff room and he mentioned to Bill that he overheard one of his students say his foot was sore because you had inadvertently stepped on it. ''Do you remember who said it? That doesn’t sound like something I'd do. You know what kids are like. They exaggerate all the time. Fortunately, I think most of us have figured that out.'' Dan heard nothing more about abuse until shortly after the school’s winter carnival in February and the broomball game between teachers and students. Near the end of the match, Todd, one of his students from the previous year, scored the winning goal on Mr. Dickinson and celebrated loudly. A week later, he saw Todd in the school’s main hallway favouring his right hand. -4- It didn’t take much cajoling for him to tell Dan why his hand was sore. ''That teacher ran into me as I was carrying a box of materials to the principal’s office. He said let’s shake hands on a great game. I put the box down and as we shook them, he squeezed harder and harder. I told him he was hurting me and he asked why I showed him up after scoring the goal. As the pain increased, I apologized and he laughed and said, not such a bright star today, eh.'' Dan went to see the principal at the end of the day to share his concerns. He barely finished his explanation that Mr. Dickinson is very rough with students, squeezing their hands very hard, or standing on their feet, thus causing pain, but leaving no marks, when she said, ''I’m aware we have a problem, but it will be going away at the end of the year.'' ''What do you mean, is he quitting teaching?'' ''No, he’ll be moving on elsewhere, so it will no longer be our problem.'' ''But what about the students here, for the next few months, or when he simply goes to another school and starts anew. We can’t just allow his behaviour to continue.'' ''Look Dan, I like you. You’re a very good teacher and I’m pleased you are part of the staff. But you can only rock the boat so much. I think, sooner or later, Dickinson will get the message that teaching is not where he belongs and do something else with his life.'' Dan decided to talk with Lilian about the situation and his frustrating conversation. ''There is a teacher at our school, whom I believe is rough, no, violent, with some of the students.'' ''What exactly do you mean?'' He proceeded to tell her the story from the beginning, including his meeting with the principal. He added, ''Mr. Dickinson is a big guy, whom I think the principal and most of the other teachers are afraid of.'' ''I understand it’s his third school in five years. Each one, in a community where parents, for a variety of reasons, are less likely to complain.'' ''Life is not black and white Dan. I learned that the hard way. I couldn’t accept the man I was to marry would deceive me, so I never wanted to be with one again. A tragic mistake! But when something is wrong, we must stand up to it. -5- ''If the school, or the board won’t act, you should. But remember, in my experience, inertia and defending the institution are well-established management practices. ''Your telling the truth would cause a lot of grief for the person responsible, the parents who will feel betrayed, those who covered up and most of all you. The school board will survive by taking the necessary steps to protect itself.'' * * * Dear Lilian, Thank you for your letter of August 22nd, that I received just prior to moving out of my apartment. I spent a few days with my parents and arrived in a snowy Yellowknife on September 1st. I am very pleased you have completed your monthslong cancer treatment and will be returning to your home in Ottawa in the next few days. Just after you left for Toronto, my life spun out of control with the appearance of a newspaper article. I had never seen so many senior staff from the school board at one time, as I did on April 2nd. No one was prepared to act when I raised the matter of physical violence with my principal again, after our conversation, and then with the superintendent responsible for the school. When the media explosion occurred, Mr. Dickinson denied that he had been rough or hurt any of his students. The problem for him was that the journalist had spoken with the president of the parents’ council at the school and when she put out feelers about Dickinson, it didn’t take long to learn about his comportment. Worse for him, the reporter was able somehow to find out where he had previously taught and had corroboration from some of those parents as well. The closure of community schools last year already had the board on the defensive, so it was in meltdown mode when this issue exploded. What is really ironic, is that I was not the journalist’s source. At my meeting with the superintendent, I had informed him that unless Mr. Dickinson was removed from the classroom, I would act, without specifying anything in particular. -6- I was adamant, having learned of another case of Dickinson hurting a student. I was waiting a few days as I was hopeful my intervention would cause action to be taken. Although I wasn’t the whistleblower, I was immediately fingered as the anonymous source by the school board administration. I quickly learned what happens to someone who is suspected. I think Dickinson wanted to punch me out, but that was the least of my worries. While many of my colleagues were supportive of my purported action, the superintendent informally told me I should look for a job elsewhere for the next school year. But surprise, surprise! He also said I would get a laudatory letter of reference, because I was a really good teacher. I don’t know if he believed I was not the whistleblower, but to use the diplomatic lingo, I was persona non grata. Adding to the puzzle, I received a postcard the same day as your letter, with a picture of the Rideau Canal. Unsigned, it said, I hope your new job works out well. I couldn’t live with the consequences, as you have had to, so I didn’t own up. I’m sorry! Take care! Dan PS: I do want to see you and your magnificent collection again when I return to Ottawa at Christmas. I met a woman this summer, when I took a course to learn more about northern Canada, and I’m hoping the relationship continues to blossom.