There's a kid in every class who's a natural leader. Usually the kid is one of the taller children in the class, often one of the brightest, usually very cute if a girl or handsome if a boy and always gregarious. In Marty Toliver's class, that kid was David Marshall. Until he's gotten the nigger talk from his father and because Dexter had mentioned that he had treated Marty and told a little of Marty's background, David had not been unkind to Marty but neither had he been particularly friendly. David had assumed that his dad heard about the nigger thing from Marty. How else would he know but David also realized that Marty had not intended to get him in trouble. He was mostly sorry about how Marty had to live.
Everybody wanted to be David's friend. When that distinction fell on Marty Toliver, the poor kid, the stinky kid, the stealer kid, it engendered a considerable amount of jealousy. Since most kids didn't want to get on the wrong side of David, Marty experienced a new level of respect, a respect that Greg Hager thought should be his. To rectify this injustice, Greg convinced Billy Butler that Marty should be beaten-up. The redress was executed Thursday after school. Marty was not severely injured, mainly because David Marshall happened by. To their horror, Greg and Billy found themselves fighting not Marty but, oh my god, DAVID - David Marshall, the same David Marshall they so badly wanted to impress.
The conference with the principal and the parents of the little pugilists was set for Friday morning at 8:30. A pompous Larry Hager convinced a somewhat reluctant Dick Butler that they had to get there at 8:00 and set the principal straight. That little welfare brat had attacked their kids and, by god, Steve Brainard was damn well going to do something about it.
Steve let Larry rant. Larry actually made an ass of himself; spouting extreme right-wing political epithets frequently punctuated with profanity. He, he made quite clear, was damn sick and tired of paying for these lazy little thugs let alone having them assault his son. "The damn kid steals from hard working people like me than beats the shit out of my kid on the playground." What was Steve going to do about it?
Steve made no comment other than to ask that further conversation be without profanity. He looked at Dick giving indication that he was ready to listen to Dick's comments. Dick seemed almost embarrassed to be there. "Uh - I didn't come to talk politics. I just don't want my boy fighting on the playground."
Steve said, "Thank you for coming in and expressing your opinions. The fathers of the other two boys will be here shortly...."
"Two? Greg said just that that welfare brat punched him and that kid's old man is a goddam drunk."
"Uh - Billy said there were two."
Larry shot Dick a choleric glance. He had brought Dick along to support him not to contradict him.
Larry Hager was an anomaly in Wisconsin. There were, of course, some conservatives. Dick considered himself a conservative. He had never before, however, heard anyone spout Larry's kind of bigotry.
Larry was smug. As are all bigots, he was sure he was right and that nothing could prove otherwise. He was slightly taken aback, however, when two of the town's richest men came into the office.
Steve stood and greeted the men. "Dr. Marshall." They shook hands.
"Dr. Schmidt. I'm surprised to see you here."
"I'm Marty Toliver's Big Brother. Mrs. Troller called and asked me to come this morning because the timing was such that both she and Mr. Troller were needed to get the other children off to school."
Steve and even Dick had to stifle laughter. Henry Schmidt was the biggest land owner in the area. His employees farmed three thousand acres. Larry had been trying for three years to get Henry's fertilizer account. The poor man turned white as a ghost.
Steve Brainard proved to be an ornery rascal. "Mr. Hager, would you like to tell Dr. Schmidt your concerns?"
"Uh - well - I am concerned about the boys fighting and Mr. Brainard, Mr. Butler and I were discussing ways to prevent that from happening in the future."
"And what are you suggesting, Larry?" Henry asked.
"Well, I'm going to take my boy home and explain how foolish and unkind fighting is. I don't know Marty well, but I'm told he's a fine boy..."
"So you don't really think he's stealing by getting free lunch?"
"Dr. Schmidt, I would never say a thing like that. Whatever gave you that idea?"
"I just heard someone say something like, "The damn kid steals from hard working people like me. The voice sounded a lot like yours. Were you speaking of Dr. Marshall's son?"
As is the wont of a bigot when cornered, Larry Hager became angry. "I'm not going to stay here and be insulted. I want my kid. I'm going home."
"Steve Brainard stood. The boys are waiting in the outer office. You made a good choice, Mr. Hager. From both teacher and student witnesses to the fight, general agreement is that Greg was the instigator. He is suspended for three days. You must return with him next Wednesday.
"Mr. Butler, any comments?"
"Billy told me what happened. Whatever punishment you suggest we'll accept."
"Take Billy home with you now. He may return to school on Monday."
Larry, Dick and their sons left the building together. As soon as they were outside, Larry hit Greg on the back of the head so hard that he knocked the boy down. "Goddam you, you little ass hole. You just lost me the biggest account in my district." He than kicked his son. Dick just reacted. He had been embarrassed by what Hager had gotten him into and he was angry but he even surprised himself when he rendered Hager unconscious with one punch.
Hager filed assault charges against Dick Butler but they were dismissed. When there were rumors that he might be charged with assault on his son, Larry Hager left his family and went to mama in West Virginia. Dotty Hager filed for divorce and moved her family to Madison, closer to her work.
Marty was petrified. David Marshall was more than apprehensive. Neither had ever been in a fight and had no idea what was about to happen to them. Both Henry and Dex had rushed past them to intervene in the altercation between Larry and Dick. The complainants had driven to the meeting together and, of course, had no intention of returning home that way. Dex offered to drive Dick and Billy home after the matter regarding Marty and David had been resolved.
As Henry and Dex returned to the office, Marty leaped into Henry's embrace. "I couldn't help it, Uncle Henry. They fighted me. I didn't try to fight them. David helped me. Do we got to go to jail?"
David, almost as frightened, clung to his father's hand as the four entered the office - Marty being carried by Uncle Henry. Marty sat on Henry's lap and continued to cling to the man's neck. David, also needing reassurance sat of his father's knee.
Steve Brainard was actually moved by Marty's interaction with Henry. He had been trying to get something done for the boy for four years and, even though the child was currently frightened, Steve could see the love and trust. He had to take a few moments to compose himself before he could speak.
"Boys, you are not in trouble. You did not want to fight, I know that and I'm not going to punish you. But I want you to think if either of you could have done anything differently so we wouldn't have had to have your father's come in."
In Marty's mind this thing had gotten totally out of hand. He was in another mess. He had the wrong person there. "Mr. Brainard, Uncle Henry ain't my father but I love him and he loves me. He told me so. Can we pretend that he's my father?"
"Your Uncle Henry is fine. I used the wrong word. Don't worry about it, Marty.
"Marty, can you think of anything you could have done differently?"
"Eh - maybe not stink? Billy's mother won't let me come to his house no more because I stink. But", Marty hastened to add; "I don't stink no more. We got a good shower at Aunt Myrt's' and Uncle Henry's got a hot tub and I don't even have to take showers at school no more and Mr. Franks don't have to wash my clothes no more. I'm sorry I stinked. I won't do it no more."
"I don't think that's why Greg and Billy were picking on you. Could you have talked to me or your teacher about the boys picking on you?"
"You mean be a tattle tail?"
"Think about this. If you had a bike and I stole it and you told the police, would that be tattling?"
"I ain't got no bike."
Uncle Henry broke in; "We're pretending, Marty."
"Oh, ya, if I had a pretend bike. No, you can't tattle when you tell a cop. That's their job to find stealers. You know what, they call me stealer sometimes 'cause I get free lunch. I ain't tryin' to be a stealer. You said I could get free lunch."
"You're not a stealer, Marty. And you are right. It's a policeman's job to help you if someone steals from you. If you tell a policeman, you're helping him do his job.
"It's my job to make school fun for everybody. If someone's picking on you, school can't be fun so if you tell me, you aren't tattling. You're helping me do my job."
"Oh, ya."
"David, how about you? What could you have done differently?"
"I should have got a teacher but they were hurting Marty and he's my friend."
"You tried to help but that wasn't your job. Since you tried to do my job, it's caused a problem for your father. He probably should be somewhere else right now. I don't think they could have hurt Marty too badly if you had come to me or gone for a teacher. Even trying to help if it's not your job can cause problems. Do you think you understand me?"
"Yes, sir, I'm sorry."
Marty still clung to Henry's neck. "Did Billy and Greg go to jail?"
"Marty, no one goes to jail if they get in trouble at school. Why do you think I would put you in jail?"
"That's where bad people go and we was bad."
Steve stood, walked over and stroked Marty's hair. You weren't bad, Marty. You just made a mistake. People like your teachers and me are here to help boys who are nine learn how not to make mistakes. Doesn't Mrs. Willis teach you how to do arithmetic so you don't make mistakes?"
"Ya?"
"Well, part of my job is to teach you how to behave so you don't make mistakes."
"Oh, ya. Are you mad at me Uncle Henry?"
"No, Marty. Will you promise me that you will let Mr. Brainard help you if you ever have a problem on the playground so you don't make another mistake?"
"Ya, I love you, Uncle Henry. You know what, Mr. Brainard when a dog licks you he ain't gonna eat you. He ain't tastin' you. He's kissin' you. We got a dog named, Fritz, ain't we Uncle Henry?"
Marty was still a little scared. He had to move the subject to something happy.
"Yes, we have and how would you like to go fishing with Fritz and me tomorrow?"
"FISHING! I ain't never been fishing. I don't know how to do it."
"I'll teach you. I think if Mr. Brainard is finished talking to you, you better go to your room."
Henry kissed Marty on the forehead and got a strong hug and a protracted kiss in return. After Henry and Marty had left his office, Steve had to dip into his tissue supply. They were there, he thought, for the use of upset children but right now they came in very handy for a very moved, gratified man. Marty finally had the kind of love he deserved - the kind of love all children deserved. You can't work around children for twenty years and not develop a soft heart. If you can, you'd better take-up bar tending.
Steve jokingly told Henry later never to promise the boy anything exciting in the morning. Mrs. Willis said that Marty was a regular dervish all day.