I was quite surprised and pleased to open up Rochelle’s post today and see my picture. For the curious among you, this picture was taken in a small country school in Korea. In the two years I worked there, the enrollment ranged from 14-20 students from Grade 1-6, usually with 2-3 students per grade. Only two were from the area and the rest came from bigger cities and lived in a dorm as a sort of countryside exchange program. The school did have a electronic bell, but it couldn’t be heard well outside, so they hung up this bell to let the kids know when recess was over.
copyright David Stewart
The Last Few Seconds
One minute remaining.
Brent Brianson stares at the clock, willing it to go faster. His lip trembles in anticipation, like a chinchilla caught in a hurricane.
Thirty seconds.
He is doing stretches, running in place.
Ring!
Out the door he goes, shoving aside the secretary coming in. A congratulatory cake smashes to the floor, like an egg fired from a howitzer. Gravel sprays the building as Brent peels out of the parking. A distant rumble indicates that Mr. Brianson has just broken the sound barrier.
The math class stares after him, aghast.
“Mr. Brianson couldn’t wait to retire, it seems.”
(This story is also dedicated to one of my high school math teacher, Mr. Bingle, who vowed he would leave as soon as his retirement came, even if it was in the middle of class. I think he’s retired by now, so I hope he’s enjoying it.)
The Green-Walled Tower 
February 19th, 2014 at 6:27 pm
It took me a moment and then I laughed out loud.
February 19th, 2014 at 6:38 pm
Like it 😀
February 19th, 2014 at 6:53 pm
Dear David,
If there were a “love” button, I’d be clicking on that. I could so relate. I’m counting the days to my retirement. Loved the image of him smashing the cake on the way out. Since I’m a cake decorator it took on a special meaning to me.
Of course when I retire from my job I’ll spend more time on my career. 😉
Stellar story, sir. Great picture. Thank you for the background on it. I enjoyed that, too.
Shalom,
Rochelle
February 19th, 2014 at 8:27 pm
I’m glad you liked it. This isn’t from personal experience, but I do admit that if I won a lottery, etc. tomorrow, I’d quit teaching. If I did, I would buy one of your cakes and not smash it. 🙂
February 20th, 2014 at 10:29 am
So got to have a love button!
February 19th, 2014 at 7:46 pm
I laughed so hard! You story reminded me so much of my teacher Miss Thorn.
February 19th, 2014 at 8:28 pm
I think we’ve all had those teachers who have mentally retired years before and are just running out the clock. I’ve worked with some of them. :0
February 19th, 2014 at 7:48 pm
[…] For those who counting the seconds to freedom – https://greenwalledtower.wordpress.com/2014/02/19/the-last-few-seconds-friday-fictioneers/ […]
February 19th, 2014 at 8:44 pm
Reblogged this on DYUNGX NIGERIA.
February 19th, 2014 at 9:13 pm
Yes! This is one of those “laugh out loud” stories. Enjoyed it very much now I’m off to work….damn..
February 19th, 2014 at 10:02 pm
Well-written and funny. I know the feeling as I used to be a teacher. This reminded me of the poor teacher in the comic “Calvin and Hobbes” who keeps reminding herself about her retirement over and over.
February 19th, 2014 at 10:07 pm
I would too if I were her, since apparently Calvin is in her class forever. 🙂 I’m a teacher, and some days are like this, although I hope I never get to this point.
February 19th, 2014 at 10:22 pm
HAHA That made me actually laugh out loud 😀
I love the photo as well and the story behind it
February 19th, 2014 at 10:25 pm
lol really funny. and it’s a wonderful tribute to your math teacher. i hated my math teachers. lol 🙂
February 19th, 2014 at 11:02 pm
David, what a wonderful story and so realistic! Excellent imagery and comparisons. Thanks for sharing the back story of the photo, too.
janet
February 19th, 2014 at 11:17 pm
Very entertaining and I loved the imagery.
February 20th, 2014 at 12:23 am
Haha, nice story and some really fascinating images. You really made me feel his impatience.
February 20th, 2014 at 12:24 am
PS Also, thanks for the picture this week. I’m sure I should have done it more justice with a les silly reaction, but my story came as it is!
February 20th, 2014 at 2:51 am
That’s what I feel like on a daily basis as the clock approaches 4:30…. funny stuff, darling.
February 20th, 2014 at 2:58 am
Mine would have been like, “This is a bell. The end.” That’s why I love reading your Friday Fictioneer pieces though, it reminds me that I can expand elsewhere. 🙂
February 20th, 2014 at 3:04 am
Great photo and I really liked your speedy-exit descriptions–I did feel a little sympathy for the lady with the cake but then decided she was lucky to be out of the way when he broke the sound barrier. Fun story and I hope Mr. Bingle (really?) enjoyed his retirement.
February 20th, 2014 at 4:35 am
What a fun read David and I was laughing picturing Mr Brianson rushing out pell-mell!Loved the phrase,” chinchilla caught in a hurricane.”,lol! Your note added an extra zing to the whole story 🙂
February 20th, 2014 at 5:26 am
Ha.. yes sometimes not even a cake can keep you.. wonderful. (and thank you for the background..
February 20th, 2014 at 7:29 am
This gave me a good chuckle, David.
Cheers!
Marie Gail
February 20th, 2014 at 7:58 am
Gee, I just thought he had to go to the bathroom.
February 20th, 2014 at 9:00 am
That would have been a good ending too 🙂 Hopefully he would have just gone, without the drama.
February 20th, 2014 at 11:18 am
Unexpected and funny ending, David. Some great images – loved the gravel spraying.
February 20th, 2014 at 7:01 pm
amazing story! just loved, loved, loved it David! I could see him zipping away from boredom 🙂
February 21st, 2014 at 2:18 am
love the similes…especially the chinchilla caught in a hurricane. Very well told.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:54 pm
Thank you. Glad you liked it.
February 21st, 2014 at 2:48 am
I loved this! I’m sure many people would want to do this when they retire. Just get the heck out of there and not have to deal with all the niceties, cake, etc.! Great photo, too. What will I write, hmm…
February 21st, 2014 at 10:52 pm
What everyone fantasizes about doing, right? 🙂
February 21st, 2014 at 4:32 am
for a moment, i thought he couldn’t wait to go to the bathroom.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:45 pm
That would have been a good twist ending as well.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:37 am
Really enjoyed the photo and the stories.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:44 pm
Thanks. 🙂
February 21st, 2014 at 9:47 am
Very amusing! And thanks for the picture…it reminded me of a farmhouse dinner bell, and fond memories of my aunts’ and uncles’ farms 🙂
February 21st, 2014 at 10:44 pm
This bell is really like that old-fashioned king, with that same really loud clanging. It would be almost deafening in the teachers’ room when they rang it to call the kids.
February 21st, 2014 at 3:27 pm
What a career! He went out in style. Great story! Thanks, Nan
February 21st, 2014 at 10:43 pm
Thank you. They probably won’t forget him, at least (although he might not be invited back to speak at career day either.)
February 21st, 2014 at 6:35 pm
He can’t wait to get away! In a sense, I feel sorry for him – and his students.
Oh well – then again – he probably had a bursting bladder! 🙂
February 21st, 2014 at 10:42 pm
You’re not the first person to think he just had to go to the bathroom. Or maybe his favorite TV show was just starting.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:53 pm
Fabulous! I was much the same after my redundancy, although I don’t think I broke the sound barrier.
Love your comedic imagery, particularly “His lip trembles in anticipation, like a chinchilla caught in a hurricane.” That image will remain with me for some time. 😉
February 21st, 2014 at 10:41 pm
Thanks. 🙂 I don’t know if I’ve ever broken the sound barrier either, but there have been jobs I’ve left pretty happily.
February 21st, 2014 at 11:56 pm
Now this is funny. I could see him ready to go not even a moment for piece of cake. 🙂
February 22nd, 2014 at 12:43 am
Ha ha ha! Over here, some people lie about the age to keep on working past their retirement age. And here we have someone who can’t wait to leave. Well done! 🙂
February 22nd, 2014 at 12:58 am
It all depends on the person, I guess. Do many jobs offer good pensions in Ghana? I’m curious if they need the money or if they just want to keep working. I know in America there has been surge of elderly people working because they can’t afford to retire.
February 22nd, 2014 at 1:00 am
Yes, the government jobs offer pensions that are nothing to write home about. So they would want to keep working.
February 22nd, 2014 at 2:02 am
Thank you for the inspiration this week, David! As for the sound barrier breaking – my step-dad certainly could identify with this – he is loving his post-teaching retirement! 🙂
February 22nd, 2014 at 4:11 am
Awesome photo and hilarious story! Great job.
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:03 am
It really is a thrill when you see your own photo, n’est cest pas? When I saw this bell, and the beautiful sunshine beyond it, I could only think of impending change. Thanks for the challenge, David.
I love the humorous edge to your story. The idea of the teacher, or anyone, waiting for that one moment… Wonderful!
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:13 am
That was hilariously written and lovely picture David 🙂 I enjoyed struggling to write something cheerful in accordance to its peaceful look but alas I failed. I loved the story and hope your teacher is having fun with his retirement.
February 22nd, 2014 at 11:40 am
great story and one most can relate to. thanks for the wonderful photo as well.
February 22nd, 2014 at 7:47 pm
Wonderful! I guess he earned it.
February 22nd, 2014 at 9:19 pm
Great story, David, and I loved the picture. I grew up near a one-room school house that went to the eighth grade. It had a total of 22 students when it closed in 1972. They rang a bell to signal the end of recess too.
February 24th, 2014 at 12:01 am
A great picture and a nice story to go with it. The celebratory cake knocked aside had me laughing out loud!
February 25th, 2014 at 12:00 am
Haha reading this was so much fun! I could just see the faces of the students as they must have looked when their teacher ran out like that! 😀
March 27th, 2019 at 11:16 am
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