Carrie (Page 16)

Significantly, this report is from one of Andrea’s brothers, as quoted in the September 4, 1955, issue of Life magazine. Life is hardly the most scholarly or unimpeachable source, but there is a great deal of other documentation, and I think that the point of familiar witnesship is served.

In the case of Carrie White, the only witness to any possible prologue to the final climactic events was Margaret White, and she, of course is dead.

Henry Grayle, principal of Ewen High School, had been expecting him all week, but Chris Hargensen’s father didn’t show up until Friday-the day after Chris had skipped her detention period with the formidable Miss Desjardin.

‘Yes, Miss Fish?’ He spoke formally into the intercom, although he could see the man in the outer office through his window, and certainly knew his face from pictures in the local paper.

‘John Hargensen to see you, Mr Grayle.’

‘Send him in, please.’ Goddammit, Fish, do you have to sound so impressed?

Grayle was an irrepressible paper-clip-bender, napkin-ripper, corner-folder. For John Hargensen, the town’s leading legal light, he was bringing up the heavy ammunition – a whole box of heavy-duty clips in the middle of his desk blotter.

Hargensen was a tall, impressive man with a selfconfident way of moving and the kind of sure, mobile features that said this was a man superior at the game of one-step-ahead social interaction.

He was wearing a brown Savile Row suit with subtle glints of green and gold running through the weave that put Grayle’s local off-the-rack job to shame. His briefcase was thin, real leather, and bound with glittering stainless steel. The smile was faultless and full of many capped teeth – a smile to make the hearts of lady jurors melt like butter in a warm skillet. His grip was major league all the way-firm, warm, long.

‘Mr Grayle, I’ve wanted to meet you for some time now.’

‘I’m always glad to see interested parents,’ Grayle said with a dry smile. ‘That’s why we have Parents Open House every October.’

‘Of course.’ Hargensen smiled, ‘I imagine you’re a busy man, and I have to be in court in forty-five minutes from now. Shall we get down to specifics?’

‘Surely,’ Grayle dipped into his box of clips and began to mangle the first one. ‘I suspect you are here concerning the disciplinary action taken against your daughter Christine. You should be informed that school policy on the matter has been set. As a man concerned with the workings of justice yourself, you should realize that bending the rules is hardly possible or-‘

Hargensen waved his hand impatiently. ‘Apparently you’re labouring under a misconception, Mr Grayle. I am here because my daughter was manhandled by your gym teacher, Miss Rhoda Desjardin. And verbally abused, I’m afraid. I believe the term your Miss Desjardin used in connection with my daughter was "shitty."’

Grayle sighed inwardly. ‘Miss Desjardin has been reprimanded.’

John Hargensen’s smile cooled thirty degrees, ‘I’m afraid a reprimand will not be sufficient. I believe this has been the young, ah, lady’s first year in a teaching capacity?’

‘Yes. We have found her to be eminently satisfactory.’

‘Apparently your definition of eminently satisfactory includes throwing students up against lockers and the ability to curse like a sailor?’

Grayle fenced: ‘As a lawyer, you must be aware that this state acknowledges the school’s title to in loco parentis – along with full responsibility, we succeed to full parental rights during school hours. If you’re not familiar, I’d advise you to check Monondock Consolidated School District vs Cranepool or-‘

‘I’m familiar with the concept,’ Hargensen mid. ‘I’m also aware that neither the Cranepool case that you administrators are so fond of quoting or the Frick case cover anything remotely concerned with physical or verbal abuse. There is, however, the case of School District No. 4 vs David. Are you familiar with it?’

Grayle was. George Kramer, the assistant principal of the consolidated high school in S.D. 14 was a poker buddy. George wasn’t playing much poker any more. He was working for an insurance company after taking it upon himself to cut a student’s hair. The school district had ultimately paid seven thousand dollars in damages, or about a thousand bucks a snip.

Grayle started on another paper clip.

‘Let’s not quote cases at each other, Mr Grayle, were busy men. I don’t want a lot of unpleasantness. I don’t want a mess. My daughter is at home, and she will stay there Monday and Tuesday. That will complete her threeday suspension. That’s all right.’ Another dismissive wave of the hand.

(catch fido good boy here’s a nice bone)

‘Here’s what I want,’ Hargensen continued. ‘One, prom tickets for my daughter. A girl’s senior prom is important to her, and Chris is very distressed. Two, no contract renewal of the Desjardin woman. That’s for me. I believe that if I cared to take the School Department to court, I could walk out with both her dismissal and a hefty damage settlement in my pocket. But I don’t want to be vindictive.’

‘So court is the alternative if I don’t agree to your demands?’

‘I understand that a School Committee hearing would precede that, but only as a formality. But yes, court would be the final result. Nasty for you.’

Another paper clip.

‘For physical and verbal abuse, is that correct?’

‘Essentially.’

‘Mr Hargensen, are you aware that your daughter and about ten of her peers threw sanitary napkins at a girl who was having her first menstrual period? A girl who was under the impression that she was bleeding to death?’

A faint frown creased Hargensen’s features, as if someone had spoken in a distant room. ‘I hardly think such an allegation is at issue. I am speaking of actions following-‘

‘Never mind,’ Grayle said. ‘Never mind what you were speaking of. This girl, Carietta White, was called "a dumb pudding" and was told to "plug it up" and was subjected to various obscene gestures. She has not been in school this week at all. Does that sound like physical and verbal abuse to you? It does to me.’