Dr von Tersch called security to get control of the situation. Then he quickly brought the Dean up-to-speed and then went out to see why the media had shown up.
He approached the men who were unloading equipment from the truck and informed them, “I cannot allow you into the building. We have a fire/explosion risk that we are mitigating at this time.”
“Are you evacuating the building?” the gawky young man who von Tersch recognized as one of the local news stations second-string reporters.
“Not at this time. We believe that people who are in classrooms are more secure there than if we evacuate them through the high-risk zone. The situation is developing even as we speak.” von Tersch told the newsie.
“Can you give a statement?” the newsie asked.
“I can but you are going to hear exactly what I just told you. If you try to dig out any more information we are both going to look like idiots” von Tersch told him.
Two minutes later, the newsie was ready to start taping but von Tersch was not.
He didn’t allow the newsie to position him so he was squinting into the sun. He had seen interviews where the person being interviewed was made to look like a liar because not wanting to look into the sun was interpreted as avoiding eye-contact.
“I have weak eyes, we are going to have to do this in the shade or I am going to have to wear my “Go Aggies” baseball cap. Your choice” von Tersch told the camera-man.
The newsie grudgingly allowed the interview to take place under a shade tree. He hated bird-poop and his disgust and discomfort came across in the interview.
“I have Dean von Tersch with me. What can you tell me about what is going on inside?”
“First of all, it is just “Doctor” von Tersch. I am the head of the Language Arts Department” von Tersch calmly corrected the newsie.
“Ok, whatever” the newsie said, knowing he could edit out any parts he didn’t like.
“We have a minor event going on that involves some sparks forming. And out of an abundance of caution, we are limiting access to that area while the issues are being resolved” von Tersch said.
“Why aren’t you evacuating the building?” the newsie asked.
“We aren’t evacuating at this time because that would expose the people in the building to the higher risk areas. We are handling the issue by cordoning off that area and only allowing emergency personnel in.”
“How long will it take to resolve the issue?” the newsie asked.
“I don’t have that information” von Tersch said. “We have all of the resources we need at this time and they are diligently working on the problem.”
Then the newsie sprung his “gotchya” question. “We heard that a professor that flunked more than half his class was trapped in an office. Is that true?”
Dr von Tersch hoped the shade masked the flush of anger that he could feel rising up his face.
“I don’t have that information” von Tersch repeated. “Let me reiterate that we have all of the resources we need and that they are diligently working on the issue.”
***
Cutting off the hinges had not been enough to spring the door.
Bernie and Chuck were having an arcane discussion about the relative merits of a tool called a Sawz-all and a circular saw.
They quickly agreed that they need to use both tools.
“Ok, we have a plan” Chuck told Gwain. “We are going to use a circular saw to cut through the shims at the top of the door and see if that will be enough to pull the door open. If it isn’t we are going to use a Sawz-all to cut the shims at the bottom and try again."
“Both tools are very loud and they might make a bad smell” Chuck added.
Gwain said “Give us a minute.” as he rifled through his drawers and found the remains of a package of Covid facemasks.
He handed one to Olivia as he put one on his face. “OK, let her rip.”
He didn’t expect the masks to stop the smell but at least they wouldn’t have to breath the dust.
Cutting the top was not enough but cutting the shims on the bottom was just enough when Chuck slid the wrecking bar through the gap at the bottom of the door and oriented it to hook the door’s edge.
Dr von Tersch had assigned Violet the task of picking escorts to lead Gwain and Olivia through the Language Arts building and through maintenance door beside the loading bay at the back of the building and thence to the Student Health Services.
In addition to Violet who could clear a sidewalk with a stern frown, there was Assistant Professor Ed Stoffer and a grad-student named Otis Grant.
Otis had grown up on the wrong side of the tracks but through strength of will and the disciplines imposed by Mixed Martial Arts and weight-lifting had freed himself from the claws that tried to pull him back. He considered the Language Arts Department to be his new tribe.
Otis took the drag position. He shed his dress shirt and was wearing a tight, black tee-shirt. He flexed as he walked through the maintenance door and assumed his “Hulk”, balls-of-feet posture and his pre-competition game-face. He activated his constant-scan mode, a skill that had helped him avoid several muggins in-da-hood. Nobody was going to sneak up on “the package”.
“Do you have any kids?” Olivia asked Gwain as they walked across the concrete apron of the loading dock.
“No. That is a gift that God did not give us” Gwain said. It was a wound, long covered with scar tissue.
“You would have been a great dad” Olivia said, almost too softly to hear.
Gwain reached out to touch her hand in thanks.
She grabbed it and did not let go as the five people “convoyed” through the quiet path behind the buildings toward the Student Health Services building. Four of the five were totally unremarkable: A dumpy, fifty-year-old black woman, a prematurely bald white man wearing a polo shirt, khaki pants and carrying a briefcase, a gaunt, stooped old man holding hands with a girl who looked much younger than her 19 years.
Most of the people they passed were entirely absorbed by their smartphones. The few who noticed the group quickly averted their eyes when they saw the man in back, the one who radiated barely-contained psychotic-rage looking for a place to explode. They averted their eyes and briskly picked up their pace as they walked past them.
(C) 2025 Eaton Rapids Joe, All Rights Reserved
Good point made on TV interviews made in full sun. I was interviewed coming out of a USPS facility in mid afternoon. I was placed facing the sun, answering the reporter's questions.
ReplyDeleteI did not realize until much later when I saw the interview on TV of my eyes squinting in the full sunlight. I was okay with the editing of the questions, but I did appear a bit more 'Memeworthy', lol.