Fast Fiction: The Deputy Head
Mr Coker, the deputy head, finds himself in hot water as he struggles to maintain order, in this all-too-real story by Richard Mallinson.
'Settle down, please,' said old Coker, the deputy head.
'Settle down yourself,' cried a male voice.
'Now, now,' old Coker countered, 'there's no need for that. We must be properly prepared for the head's speech.'
'Why's he wanna make a speech?' another male voice asked.
'Because that's what he does now and again, or hadn't you noticed?'
'Yeah,' called a female voice. 'We've sat through more of his boring speeches than we've had cornflakes.'
'Now come along,' snapped old Coker, 'enough of this nonsense ... You, the girl over there, please sit down or I'll send you out.'
'But, sir, I'm only standing up to ask a question.'
'Oh, you silly girl, this isn't the time to be asking questions.
The head will be here any moment now and I want total silence ... yes, total silence. I will deal very severely with anyone who - '
'Ouch,' shrieked the girl as she sat down. Somebody was pulling her hair from behind. There was an outburst of giggling. Old Coker raised a clenched fist.
'Hey, sir, don't do that,' called a male voice, as the giggling subsided.
'No, sir,' said a worried female voice, 'it don't seem right.'
'You look like a right swine,' a male voice yelled.
'Now who said that?' cried old Coker. 'Come on, own up. Does anybody know who said that? Point him out to me, please, and I will make an example -'
Instantly many fingers pointed at many individuals, causing a great surge of laughter as the head entered. 'I'll speak to you later, Mr Coker,' he growled.
