It was different from the lingering quiet after a full day. As though the lockers, chalk boards, work stations, and desks were bracing themselves for the onslaught of energy of the two thousand students who would be running through the halls to begin another week. The quiet during the morning was peaceful. Contemplative. Soothing. As she reviewed her lesson plan for first period Geometry, Mary thought about how different Walker students were from those in her old school. Calleigh convinced her to leave Traverse City High School this past summer and move west for Walker. Walker was in need of qualified math teachers at all levels, both regular and AP. It was true what people said about right time, right place. Mary’d been burned out by the extreme Northern Michigan winters that started in October and ended sometime around Easter. Or Memorial Day. And the spoiled kids whose only concerns were their AP grades, SAT scores, and Ivy League admissions. After thinking about it for forty-five minutes, she’d returned Calleigh’s telephone call, accepted the offer, and planned her move to Portland.
