"Thomas Easton - Organic Future 03 - Woodsman" - читать интересную книгу автора (Easton Thomas A)

loose robe instead of the usual coverall, was standing in the doorway,
delivering stern instructions to the school librarian. When she saw the
Nickers, she turned, gestured, and said, "Go right in. Sit down." She did not
smile, but that was not alarming. No one had ever seen her bend her
tight-pressed lips in any friendly way.

A moment later, she was standing behind her desk and saying, "I felt we
had to have a little talk. I wouldn't want you to misunderstand."

Sam looked at his wife. Her eyes were widening in alarm, just as, he was
sure, were his own. He turned back to the principal. "What is there to
misunderstand?"

She pushed a litter of papers aside to reveal a keyboard. She tapped keys,
stared at the screen set to one side, and said, not quite as if she had not
been studying the same information for hours or days, "Your record is fine.
Your students do well on the achievement tests. And you yourselves..." The
principal gestured as if to indicate their skin color. "You're good examples.
You show the kids what progress means. You demonstrate the silliness of
prejudice."

She paused. Sheila reached for her husband's hand and squeezed it. Both
their hands were damp. "But..." said Sheila.

"Yes." The principal nodded. "But. I don't have any problem with what
you've done to yourselves."

"The parents," said Sam. His worry vanished. Now he knew what was coming,
and it was as bad as he might have guessed.

She nodded again. "The district has a lot of Engineers and
Engineer-sympathizers. And they don't want their children learning tolerance,
or the value of progress. They don't want their children coming home and
questioning their parents' values or attitudes."

"They don't want their children exposed to us," said Sheila.

The principal nodded. "So. I'm afraid..." She sighed. She turned one hand
palm up, mutely imploring them not to create a scene. "I'm afraid we won't be
able to renew your contract for next fall. You can finish out the year,
but..."

"Unless we return to normal?" asked Sam.

She nodded. "That would help, I'm sure."

"No," said Sheila. "Ask the Nazis. Once a Jew, always a Jew." Her voice
was tight, almost choking.

When the principal looked blank, Sam added, "Or the Ku Klux Klan. It