Roger Noons
a bottle of Pepsi but no straw
‘You
wanted to see me, Mr Beard?’
‘Yes Harris, come in.’
Although the teacher stared at the fourteen
year old, Peter Harris gazed out the window.
He cleared his throat. ‘I gather you have
been fighting again?’
The pupil looked at him but remained
silent.
‘Har … Peter, you need to accept that
violence solves nothing. If someone annoys you, the solution is not through your
fists. Which part of that do you not understand?’
‘Sir, you teach history and many of your
lessons are taken up telling us about wars and battles.’
‘Yes, but—’
‘So if they solve nothing, why
fight?’
‘There can be some achievement from
fighting, but resolution is by talking.’
‘Okay, I’ll talk to Jimmy Williams … when
he comes out of hospital.’
