Speed Gibson

Previously: 1 2

"Come in, Leora!" bubbled Fran Dodsworth, wife of insurance broker and school board member Sam Dodsworth. Every one always thought that the Dodsworths should live in a larger place given both Sam and Fran's successful practices, Fran being a Certified Public Accountant. So was Leora's husband Martin, the Finance Director of the Gopherville public schools. Fran had sold her practice three years ago to Paul Riesling, but she stayed on part time primarily during the tax season that had just ended.

"¡Hola!" shouted Juanita Haydock from the kitchen. Fran walked Leora back to the four season porch. It was far from the largest home in town, but it might well be the best maintained and most superbly decorated. Plus, it was spotless. Fran had decided long ago that she'd rather have a smaller home that she could keep up with. Juanita followed them in with a tray of homemade conchas, small Mexican pastries which she placed next to the coffee service already on a side table. They all poured and took a concha or two and sat down to cover the first order of business: girl talk.

This was their fifth meeting. The first was a chance meeting at the Coffee Club where Leora had indiscreetly repeated what her husband had said about school superintendent Will Kennicott. Martin had gone well out of his way to welcome Kennicott ten years ago and help him through his first few months learning about Gopherville itself, not just the schools. They had developed a close personal relationship in addition to a very productive working relationship. Martin Arrowsmith had no thought of being a superintendent. Will Kennicott, while duly diligent as required, was happy to delegate every financial matter possible to Arrowsmith and rely on his judgment.

But financial matters were becoming ever more acute as the student enrollments continued to decline. Talk of merger with the slightly larger Zenith system 14 miles away was increasing, something Zenith openly welcomed on the presumption that their high school would be the survivor. It was larger, newer, and had a swimming pool thanks to Senator George Babbitt's ability to make that part of the 1996 bonding bill. The two schools had a decades-old sports rivalry, and Gopherville did not want to lose the final struggle to their long time foe. This was all wearing on Kennicott, whose first love was education itself, not the finances, and certainly not the politics. To avoid program cuts, he was willing to make all those phone calls. He had made it to St. Paul three times already this year to plead his case. He hated every minute of it but shared that only with his wife Carol and with Martin, thinking it would go no further.

Leora Arrowsmith had assumed that Juanita was already well aware of this situation, given she was Kennicott's secretary. She wasn't, as Kennicott thought it was enough that he and Martin had to worry about it. But once Leora had mentioned it, any number of memos, meetings, and mannerisms came immediately to Haydock's mind to confirm it. It was all news to Fran, however, and she decided immediately that something had to be done, almost out of motherly sympathy. This inadvertent meeting became a formal arrangement, publicly a coffee klatch which it was, but held at Fran's house to assure the privacy needed to discuss Kennicott and all things Gopherville.

The war came to them at the third meeting, shortly after Vice Chair Champ Perry's surprising outburst of February's meeting of the GMSDA - the Greater Minnesota School District Association. Juanita had brought the video tape of that school board meeting obtained from the local cable company that broadcasts many civic meetings as part of their franchise agreement. As surprising as Perry's assessment was, even more surprising to the group was how quickly Clerk Bea Sorenson had agreed and volunteered to look into the matter further, which Thompson and the rest of the Board agreed seemed appropriate. "One thing, Bea," had warned Thompson. "I want this in the open, starting by talking to Jim Lefferts and his people directly. In fact, I'd like you to do that in person if possible. Without objection, the board will pay for your travel." This Sorenson had done, followed by the GMSDA visiting Gopherville.

Here at meeting five, Fran put down her coffee and smiled. "Ladies, this Greater Minnesota thing got me thinking. But first." She motioned with her arms to bring down the imaginary cone of silence, which Juanita had first used at meeting two. "Juanita, what reaction did Will have?"

"He's hard to read. You all know that. But my sense is he's a little torn. He doesn't mind one less set of meetings, that's certain. I think he'd agree they weren't of much value. But the staff, that's another question."

"The staff? You mean the teachers?" asked Fran.

"Everyone."

"It's job security," said Leora, "simple as that. The association does lobbying. Lobbying brings in more money, or at least we think it does. More money means no layoffs."

"We'll lose one or two because of enrollment," cautioned Juanita. "Maybe three this year in fact, as I don't think they'll replace Burch when he retires." She felt with her hands to make sure the cone of silence was still there.

"Chatterton didn't put up much of a fuss, regardless." observed Leora. "Kind of odd, but maybe they have no more use for the SDA than Champ does. They have their own sources."

"Why should they care? Her union has the largest delegation in St. Paul. They're being heard," said Fran.

"So what's on your mind, Fran? Don't worry about Will," said Leora, leaning forward.

"Either of you play poker? Not those machines, the real thing, with your own money?"

Juanita smiled. "Sí, señora. ¿Qué están pensando?"