When I was seven, I lived in a small town in Texas named "Paralou." The population was less than a thousand. We had two elementary schools there, one on the North side of town and one on the South side. We also had a soup factory, where most of the town's population worked. Paralou was actually quite large compared to other towns in the area, some of which did not even have their own schools. My father was the 3rd grade teacher at the North side elementary school at the time, and there was not a single person who wouldn't go to him to have their questions answered. We had no library and no access to the internet, so unless someone you knew knew the answer to a question, there was no way to find out.
The schools were both very small. As you might have guessed, each had only one teacher per grade. As such, I was preparing to enter my father's class as I neared my eighth birthday. This would not have been that big of a deal, but this was the first year that my father was teaching the third grade, and there was, apparently. worry that he might show favoritism. He had no prior teaching experience, so he had no recommendations he could give in that regard. As such, he had to find some way to prove that he could not show favoritism towards me. The answer was shockingly simple: Invite the principal to dinner.
This town was very traditional in its views. The men would go to work and the women take care of domestic affairs. The principal's wife was infamous for her inability to cook. She tried, but food seemed to detest her. Even the simplest meals would go awry, much to her frustration. The principal, therefore, was almost certain to accept any invitation anyone might extend. The principal was no fool, however, and knew what my father had planned. As such, he replied to my father's inquiry by suggesting that we come visit him for dinner, kids and all.
Now, I don't know if you are aware, but telling someone that their wife simply cannot cook is not something you say, especially not to your boss. Nor do you turn down an offer from said boss. The good news was that my father had an iron stomach. The bad news is that I did not.
We arrived early (which is quite unusual for my family) to a home decorated with shelves upon shelves of books. The principal was a tall, thin fellow with hair that had just begun to be peppered grey. He offered us seats and then snacks before dinner. Snacks that his wife had made.
I was unaware of his wife's complete inability to deal with food, and so when he offered me a devilled egg, I took it and bit into it. I spent the next ten minutes in the bathroom. My father, sensing opportunity, said that I must be sick. He said that I had told him that I was not feeling well, but he thought I was faking. The principal waved it off, guiding us to the table. The smell coming from the kitchen was causing me to feel nausea again, but before I made another run to the bathroom, my father decided that his attempts to subtlely influence the principal were going nowhere. He decided to tell him directly that he intended to show no favoritism to me.
"Well of course not," I heard the principal say as I rushed once again to the bathroom. "That was just a rumor. I would not have hired you if I thought so. Now! Let's eat!"
It was a very long night.
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"Let reason be your only sovereign." ~Wizard's Sixth Rule
I'm working my way up to Attending Crazy Taoist. For now, just call me Dr. Crazy Taoist.