“Bobby Ray Dean.” So this was the teacher. He looked a mess, though his grip was firm and his eyes clear.
Jasper Hawley nodded toward the house. “After you.”
Bobby Ray found space on the couch. Masterson asked the boys to share a little personal history so Mr. Dean could get to know them. One after another, each talked of gang ties, broken homes, court appearances, and time in and out of juvie. Bobby Ray could have told stories about how many times he’d been moved or places he’d lived, or how he always found a way back to the Tenderloin. In the beginning, he’d run back because he thought his mother was still there somewhere in the streets or in a club or flat. After he learned the truth, he still returned because it was familiar.
“Anything you want to say, Mr. Dean?” Masterson looked at him.
“Just because you tell me your sad stories doesn’t mean I’m telling mine. I don’t know you.” He looked around the room and met the gaze of every boy. “I don’t want to know you.”
“I know one thing about him.” José smirked. “He’s afraid of dogs and horses.”
Bobby Ray went hot, but before he could retaliate, the others laughed and started telling Starsky and Hutch stories. One boy had refused to step out the front door for the first week. Another had tried to outrun them once. Starsky had snagged his pant leg, and Hutch had planted two paws on his back and taken him down. He thought he was dead meat until they started licking him.
“So they’re all bark and no bite?” Bobby Ray looked at José.
“I wouldn’t push it.” José grinned at Masterson. “I took a swing at the boss once. Bad idea.”
Masterson changed the subject. Jasper Hawley dropped a few questions, and the boys talked about everything from sports to politics. They each had strong, sometimes opposing, opinions, but didn’t resort to insults or arguments.
After lights out, Bobby Ray lay on his bed, blanket over him. Exhausted and depressed, he wanted to sleep, but the noise outside seemed to intensify in the darkness. “What is that sound?”
“Crickets.” José gave a low laugh. “Drove me crazy the first week. Wait until you hear the frogs after some rain.” He rolled over. “You’ll get used to them.”
Bobby Ray accepted defeat, at least until he could find a way to do battle and win. It was get with the program or die of boredom. Hawley gave him a series of exams to find out where he stood academically. He issued textbooks in advanced algebra, biology, and English composition. When Hawley gave him a choice between Spanish and French, Bobby Ray said why not Latin. Hawley laughed and came back the next day with a used, college-level Latin text. “Just happens to be an interest of mine.”
“I was kidding.”
“Scared you’re not smart enough? It used to be standard in public schools. It’s the foundation of our language, traditions, systems of thought, politics, science. Studying Latin can teach you how to think analytically.”
Bobby Ray was used to teachers just putting in time, not loaded with enthusiasm. Hawley had stories for every subject and taught as though he knew the material inside out, upside down, and backward. He was so excited about what he was teaching, Bobby Ray caught his enthusiasm.
Masterson called Bobby Ray into the office three times a week, and three times a week, Bobby Ray got around the probing questions. Exasperated, Bobby Ray lost his temper. “You’ve got everything in the file.”
“I’m not looking for facts, Mr. Dean. I want to know how you think. I want to know what’s going on inside that impressive brain of yours.”
“No, you don’t.” Bobby Ray had no intention of unlocking that door.
“I’ve been watching you. You do a lot of listening. Talking to someone who cares can help you understand where you’ve come from and how to get where you want to go.”
“I deal with my stuff my own way.”
“And how’s that working for you?” Masterson shook his head. “The truth is, you don’t deal with anything. You’re pushing it all down where you think it’ll stay buried. It’ll eat you alive.”
Susan Masterson was harder to deal with than Chet. A blonde, blue-eyed Texan, she wore her long hair in a ponytail and dressed in jeans, Western shirts, and cowboy boots. The boys all had crushes on her. “Stick with me, and you’ll know your way around a kitchen. Give me guff, and you’ll be mucking out the stables.” Bobby Ray balked and found out she was a woman of her word.