Free Giving Up the Ghost by Marilyn Levinson Page A

cameras."
    Charlie spun around. "That's great, Ms. Meyerson. Will we meet in our English room like
always?"
    "You got it."
    "Thank you." Theo's words came out strangled. Sullen though she was, her mother's
lessons in manners were clearly something she couldn't ignore.
    "See you tomorrow," Gabbie called after them, more cheerfully than she felt. She knew
zip about photography. It looked like she'd be spending another afternoon in the library, this time
learning the ABCs of photography.
    Once in the teachers' lounge, Gabbie reached for the cup she'd brought in the day
before, and filled it with coffee from the half-full carafe.
    "Coffee klatch is five dollars a month," said a tall, skinny Ichabod Crane-type.
    "Do I pay you?" Gabbie reached into her pocketbook.
    "If you like. Give me two dollars, seeing half the month is gone."
    "I'm Gabbie Meyerson." She handed him two singles and watched him jot down her
contribution in a tiny note pad. When pad and pen were back in the breast pocket of his tweed
blazer, he stuck out his hand.
    "Oscar Tweeney, Science. Welcome aboard."
    Gabbie sat on one of the two worn couches and sipped her coffee. Two women teachers
came in and smiled at her, and resumed their conversation. Gabbie joined their discussion about
New Mexico, an area she'd visited with Paul a few years ago. Later, when she entered her classroom
for her next class, she realized she'd forgotten to speak to anyone about Barrett.
    Her seniors straggled in after the bell, some with coffee, others with soda and snacks.
Entitlements of the graduating class. Well, she'd see about that! When they were seated, she told
them they could bring in food if they liked. They could even sit in a circle. But coming in after the
bell would count against them.
    "How, Ms. Meyerson?" April said.
    "I suppose a minute a point would be too harsh."
    "How about you start counting five minutes after the bell?"
    Gabbie met the dark liquid eyes of a tall, broad-shouldered black boy with riveting good
looks. Byron Stokes. Football quarterback, center forward, and quite the ladies' man with black and
white girls, or so she'd heard.
    "All right, Byron. A five minute starter and not one second more or it counts against you.
But be warned, I start class when the period begins, so don't come whining to me if you've missed
the homework assignment or a test announcement because you decided to dawdle in the halls with
your friends or sweetie of the moment."
    She busied herself with her grade book, pretending not to hear their reactions, until too
many curse words sullied her ears.
    "One more thing," she said conversationally. "No curse words, and I mean none,
beginning with damn and hell."
    "How will that count against us, Ms. Meyerson?" Heather said.
    "You'll find yourself writing all sorts of papers."
    "But curse words are part of our language, Ms. Meyerson," Barrett said.
    Utter silence as all eyes turned to the doorway that framed him like a picture. Evil in
ebony, Gabbie decided, eying his black clothes and black hair.
    She forced her lips to turn up in a smile. "Of course they are, Barrett. Everyone knows
that. Just as everyone knows it's not acceptable to use them in the classroom. Please sit down. Your
tardiness has been noted and will be reflected in your quarterly grade."
    "Five minutes after the bell," Lynne pointed out.
    "Lance," Gabbie said to the plump, unhappy boy in the second row. "We're ready to hear
your essay."
    She deliberately turned her head away from Barrett. When she looked at him a minute
later, he sat sprawled in the last seat in the row beside the windows, his eyes glued to a distant spot
outside.
    Lance mumbled his essay as though it were one long, strung-out sentence. The subject
was movies he considered to be classics and why he liked to watch them again and again. An
interesting subject, but his comments were so vague and repetitive, Gabbie had to cover her mouth
to hide a yawn.
    "Bor-ing," Heather said as soon as he'd finished. Then