class is not water
NoonNovember 30, 2022 – 10:08
These Christians who disembark on land are not exactly easy for them
Cardamone is waiting for me on the threshold. «What is it?», I ask him. «I’m on time…».
“And you mustn’t do that, Arthur…”
I don’t have time to ask if he’s taken the pills for his blood pressure when Chiara gives me a dirty look from afar and shows me the door to the presidency. I must have done something and I must immediately talk to the principal about it, I translate. I go in and Tozzo starts abruptly: «Arturo, what’s up to me? Was he supposed to meddle with migrations?». I understand right away.
«So, principal, first of all it was a class of civics. Should we do this civic education or not? Let us know. The story is that the day before yesterday, at the sixth hour, in 4G, I mentioned the question of these NGO ships off the coast of Sicily, these Christians who disembark on land are not exactly easy for them, right?».
“Of course! But what did she say, exactly!».
«So, principal, what have I ever said? I must have said that I understand everyone’s reasons, maximum respect, please, but that we must also take into account the remote possibility that… the transmigration of souls is a true hypothesis!».
“And that there is an even more remote possibility that this will occur together with the eternal return of the equal!”.
Squat stares at me with wide eyes.
«Headmaster, in short, in short, it cannot be completely ruled out that the next time we’ll find ourselves on those ships, you and I and a minister of the interior, for example, with clogged toilets and an unbearable stench, and instead land those who are now on the ships! Be honest! It cannot be ruled out a hundred percent that on the next round they won’t make it a lot of trouble to disembark, that in the meantime we can smell the stench on the ship… within a school hypothesis, principal, and that, I don’t know?”.
The inquisitor is grim.
«What did I say, principal! I will have added that if on the second round we were on the ship, and among us there was someone who in this round instead commands it… well, I will have added that in this very remote hypothesis it is not that we of the ship would take it well… and we would hold him somewhat responsible for what he did in the previous round, you understand, principal…».
«So you throw him overboard!», he explodes.
«But no!», I rebel. «I have always been for non-violence, principal! At the most, I work for awareness… at the most… of course, these are delicate situations…».
“Exactly!” he growls. “Precisely for this, because he doesn’t carry out the program and that’s it!”.
«I’ll do it!», I protest. «Because this is an exercise in empathy, principal, and empathy is among the soft skills, a transversal competence, my gosh! And don’t tell me that empathy shouldn’t be taught in school! What about all the updates? What about the relational skills to enter the world of work today? What about business needs? Come on…».
He would like to throw me out the window. She would like to cry. Instead he has a flash and resolves: «All right, professor. I’m not taking any action right now. With the boy’s father, with the lawyer Case, then she speaks to us. Then I’ll evaluate.”
It’s a wide and full smile that lights me up. I reassure him and leave the presidency, convinced that I have become the one elected. Not because of my virtue, but because my adversary – however formidable he is – must first of all teach his son two rules of behavior. And he doesn’t beat me on that. I’m waiting here for Avvocato Caso, Raimondino’s father. Of course, the ideal would be to meet him in front of the ship’s toilets, the scarily full ones, with Plato and Nietzsche by my side. But I can deal with it here too, with Cardamone, in this anonymous staff room. I inhale and smile. It’s a good day to fight, Chiara, I’ll whisper to her if I cross her.
November 30, 2022 | 10:08
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