Joshua Crandle slowly made his way through the wide deserted halls of Central High School while nervously fingering the note he had received from Mr. Jackson while he was minding his own business in study hall! Why did he wanna see him anyway, he hadn’t done anything wrong as far as he could figure, but this 18 year old senior was still starting to sweat profusely as he neared his office. Mr. Jackson’s secretary, Gwen Silver, looked up from her typing and asked efficiently, “And how may I help you young man!?!” “Uh, well ya see, it’s like this,” he mumbled while handing her the personally written note from Mr. Jackson, “I guess he wants to see me or something.” After taking several seconds to read the note, Miss Silver pressed the intercom button on her desk while informing her boss that Mr. Crandle was in the out offices waiting for his appointment. A quick verbal exchange between them ensued, and with a nod of her head, the secretary motioned him to go inside.

Of all the places on the face of the earth this was one of the last ones he wanted to be at, so nervously he stood in front of the huge oak desk and waited while Mr. Jackson completed writing something in a notebook before even acknowledging his presence. “And you must be Joshua Crandle,” the fifty year old man said softly, “I’ve heard so many nice things about you, and I must say, from what I can see from here those reports were more than accurate. Nervously shifting his weight from one leg to the other, Josh still hadn’t a clue what this meeting was all about, but like a lightning strike in a rain storm, Mr. Jackson stunned him when she offered, “Mr. Laurens has told me everything, and if you want this to remain out little secret you just do as you’re told, understand!?!” With his head now spinning out of control and the feeling of lightheadedness overtaking him, all he could do was make a big gulp and reply softly, “Yes, sir, I understand.”