Just past the school, to the right of the playground, was a long wire noose hanging from the poles supporting electricity and telephone wires. Taken aback that such an attractive nuisance would be allowed to hang loose, much less hang loose between a playground and an elementary school, Marash Girl approached a man who was standing guard over 2nd or 3rd grade children, the children playing on the cement apron outside of the school. Do you know about the wire? she asked him. Yes. It's been there for a while. Has anyone reported it? she asked. Don't know. She continued. . . Where is the school office . . . I'll report it. Over there but the doors are locked. You can't get in. You can call them. She continued by asking, What is the phone #? I don't know. Do you work here? Yes. Are you a teacher? Silence. What is your name? Silence. Could you call about this? Silence. Marash Girl could not find the phone # on her cell phone, so Marash Girl followed another teacher with two young children into the school . . . one of the children directed her to the office.
At the office: Oh. We already called the police about that. When? Weeks ago. But the loose wire noose is still hanging. You can call if you want. From here? Well . . . I'll call from here.
Marash Girl received no thank you. No greeting. Cold. Unwelcoming. She shivered.
Marash Girl received no thank you. No greeting. Cold. Unwelcoming. She shivered.
Police called, item reported; police sent a detail immediately and corrected the problem. No more hanging wire noose, thanks to the speedy response of the Newton Police Department. At least they cared!
Of concern, however, is that Marash Girl had been treated as an intruder in her own neighborhood. The silent male teacher had called the school office reporting that she had entered the school, but not reporting concern about the hanging wire noose.
Of concern, however, is that Marash Girl had been treated as an intruder in her own neighborhood. The silent male teacher had called the school office reporting that she had entered the school, but not reporting concern about the hanging wire noose.
Marash Girl left the school shaking . . . shaking for the lack of concern, shaking for the lack of respect, shaking for being made to feel an intruder (though her children had attended that very school . . . though she's been an active member of that community for years -- perhaps there lies the rub), and shaking most of all for the lack of caring about the disaster that the hanging wire "noose" could have caused.
If we don't care about our own neighborhoods, who will care?
What . . . did you have a pistol in your pocket?
ReplyDeleteWhat was the attractive nuisance? Marash Girl or the noose?
ReplyDeleteOMG! Can I relate to your story of trying to do the right thing in general, or of seeing a hazard and no one knows or cares about it and then they are even suspicious of anyone trying to do anything about it like even notifying the authorities. This has happened to me so many times.
ReplyDeleteI would not even think of daring to go near a school these days. What was once open and free is now so hostilely paranoid. If you thought they were suspicious of you imagine if you were of my gender!
Love your play on words . . . an attractive "noose"ance!
ReplyDeleteMy second grader told me today that that wire has been hanging there since he was in kindergarten!
ReplyDelete