Story Fourteen - Tommy

TOMMY and the PENGUIN

Background to what inspired the story:

Ibstock is a small village in the county of Leicestershire. For a thousand years Ibstock’s men worked in the local mines, digging out the coal that not only provided warmth to countless homes but also fueled the country’s 19^th century industrial revolution.

Now, because of a decision made by Mrs. Thatcher, the British Prime Minister, mines were closing down in England and Wales, leaving thousands of men without work.

Ibstock Junior School had served the old mining village for over a hundred years. Built in red brick from the local brickyard, a high rusty iron fence separates its playground from the busy main road that cuts through the village, taking traffic from one busy industrial town in the south to another in the north of the county.

Young children don’t have far to walk from home to school each morning, many coming hand-in-hand with their mums and dads. As the kids play in the yard, waiting for the school bell to sound the start of another day, the men and women light their cigarettes and share the local hot gossip.

In his second week of his appointment, the new Headmaster called an evening meeting for all parents to discuss his plans for the school and to give them chance to air their thoughts, their views and their hopes.

The parents started arriving in school about an hour before the event was to start. The men, mostly former miners in the local coal mines, wore cloth caps, jackets, white shirts buttoned at the neck, but no ties, and the women, cotton frocks and small, tightly fitting hats.

Sensing the growing impatience, the headmaster walked into the hall ten minutes before the meeting was due to begin. The chatter subsided and the room went quiet. Everyone stood up and watched as the Headmaster stepped through the hall door, and walk across the room, up to his place on the stage. The Headmaster straightened his tie, tugged at his waistcoat, looked around the room, and welcomed everyone to the meeting.

After thanking the parents for taking the time to come to school, he proceeded to tell his audience about his plans for their school. 

There wasn’t a word from the audience as he spoke, not one word, not a sound as he outlined his views on education at Ibstock Junior School.

The Headmaster told the packed hall about the new National Curriculum, about how the school would continue to emphasize reading and writing and mathematics, and especially how it would bring inquiry science into their children’s lives.

There was no reaction to anything he said. Everyone looked down at their knees. Feeling a little uncomfortable, the Headmaster looked around the hall and asked, “Any questions for me?” 

The question was greeted with the kind of silence you can almost hear, the kind of silence you can cut with a knife. Then, a large grey faced man put up his hand. ‘Sir? he said, ‘Take us to the zoo!’ Everyone exchanged glances and stared at the man who asked the question. What sort of question was that, thought the Headmaster. Was he missing something? Was it some kind of in-joke?

Another man pushed his chair back, stood up, cleared his throat, looked around the room as if needing the crowd’s approval, and, almost in a whisper, said: “Yes, Sir, take us kids to the zoo……………..”

The question was picked up by others and echoed around the school hall, ‘Will you take us and our kids to the zoo?’ Everyone in the hall clapped and cheered. The Headmaster was taken aback. The zoo? The ZOO?

And then it dawned on him. In such desperate times, with little hope of finding new work, they didn’t want to hear about the National Curriculum! What everyone wanted was a day out for their kids, a day away, a treat away from the daily stresses and strains and monotony with little to do but search and search for a new job.

And so it was that the Headmaster began his new job with one main goal in his head:  to make plans for a school trip to the nearest zoo.

At the following day’s staff meeting, the Headmaster’s first with his staff, the Headmaster discussed the evening parent meeting idea with the teachers. “So, what do you think?” They smiled, knowingly. ”We knew it was coming. What a great idea!” said one of the senior teachers, adding that all the teachers would be delighted to go to the zoo and see to it that the kids had a wonderful, not-to-be-forgotten day away from the village.

The next day the Headmaster sent out a newsletter asking for volunteers. Twenty parents said they would come on the trip to the zoo and help supervise the children. Some of them arranged a bake sale after school one Friday afternoon, and then a rummage sale on a Saturday morning, putting the proceeds towards the money for the eight coaches needed to get everyone to the zoo.

One group of ladies from the church said they'd be delighted to make a lunch for every one of the school’s 360 pupils. Another organization bought from the village corner-shop a red backpack and a red woolen hat for every boy and girl.

After checking every outdoor-trip detail, all that remained was for the Headmaster to phone and book the coaches to take over four hundred people on a day trip to the zoo - and wait for the day to come.

And now, the story:

Tommy and the Penguin

PS.

I first told the following made-up story to my cohort of aspiring teachers in Denver, 1996.

It became an urban legend when retold, and eventually appeared as a story on NPR.

Excitement mounted in school as the zoo day drew near. 7 year-old Tommy talked about it every morning in class, constantly asking his teacher, “Is it today we're going to see the animals? Will we see elephants and tigers and penguins?”

Because of his inability to sit still, get on with his work, and behave, Tommy was sent to The Headmaster almost daily.

Even when he was in the Headmaster’s office, he couldn’t concentrate on doing his writing. He couldn’t stop thinking about the zoo. He asked the Headmaster, “Mister, Mister, when are we going to the zoo?” Tommy, like most of the kids in school, had never been to the zoo. Tommy, in fact, hadn’t been anywhere outside of the village.

The big day eventually came. The Headmaster arrived at school early, checked through his mail, and then watched through his office window as the school yard filled with parents and kids with their red backpacks and woolen hats. Everyone was excited about the day ahead. The Headmaster and the teachers called out the children’s names, and then ushered got the pupils and the parents on the coaches.

Tommy sat in the first coach, in the front row, just behind the driver, next to the Headmaster, his excitement making his legs and arms twitch. Tommy’s eyes opened wider and wider as the bus drove through the school gates. Tommy couldn’t stop talking, looking up at the Headmaster and constantly asking: “Are we there yet, sir? Are we, are we?”

When they arrived at the zoo, the Headmaster checked that every boy and every girl had their backpacks and lunches and then put them with their group leaders.

Tommy went with Mrs. Thompson and three other boys, telling the Headmaster that they were going to the bird park first.  The Headmaster then sent them off to explore the zoo.

The Headmaster relaxed. Everything was going to plan. The kids would have a great time, he thought.

Hardly twenty minutes had gone by when he saw Mrs. Page running up towards the coaches, shouting, “Headmaster, Headmaster, Tommy’s missing!!”

The Headmaster’s cheeks turned red: missing? A child missing? In the zoo? However could that happen?

Mrs. Thompson told him that as soon as they got to the bird park, the boys were excited to see the eagles, the owls and the other birds of prey.

She let go Tommy’s hand for a second, pointing out a large bird. When she looked at the group, Tommy had gone. The other kids said he’d run out through the side door. Feeling very upset and annoyed, they searched the bird park and couldn’t see him anywhere.

“Oh, Headmaster, Headmaster,” she cried. “Wherever could he be?”

Wherever indeed, thought the Headmaster.

Mrs. Thompson went back to her group, leaving the Headmaster to find the missing Tommy. Feeling pretty upset, the Headmaster walked quickly around the small zoo, starting first with the bird park then onto the lion house, but couldn’t see Tommy anywhere.

As he walked towards the elephant house, the Headmaster saw two elephants in the muddy field, being washed by the elephant keeper. And, standing close to a zookeeper who was washing the back of one of the elephants. there was Tommy.

Each time the man dipped his long brush into the soapy water, Tommy got splashed. He was soaked from head to toe and dripping water. Anxious not to upset the elephants, the Headmaster waved and called softly, “TOMMY… TOMMY..” hoping to catch Tommy’s attention,

Tommy didn’t hear him. The Headmaster waved his arms and called more loudly. Tommy looked up, smiled, and waved back at the Headmaster. “Come over here to me, Tommy,” shouted the Headmaster.

Tommy grabbed his red backpack and held it close to his chest. As he trudged over to the Headmaster, water trickled down his clothes. The elephant keeper came over. “He’s only just come…….said he was lost…….I was just going to take him to the office as soon as I washed down my elephants.”

The Headmaster thanked the keeper, held out his hand and led Tommy out of the elephant park. He looked down at the bedraggled boy, looked at him, and said firmly, “Stay with me, Tommy, ok? OK? With me!”

Everyone met back at the coaches for lunch. Mrs. Thompson, looking very relieved that the Headmaster had found Tommy, asked: “Tommy, Tommy, where’d you go? I was so worried about you.”

Tommy looked at her and said, “Sorry, Miss, just wanted to go and see other animals.”

“You’re wet through,” said, Mrs. Thompson, adding, “we didn’t bring a change of clothes, Headmaster.”

“No,” said the Headmaster, “ you’re right. We didn’t. Tommy…….come and sit with me, here, on the grass. Get your lunch out of your dirty bag.”

Everyone sat on the grass and took out their lunchboxes from their red bags. Everyone, that is, except Tommy.

“Do have your lunch, Tommy,” said the Headmaster. “Ain’t hungry. Sir.” “Jus’ cold.” said Tommy.

Tommy held his wet bag close to his chest as it dripped water on his shirt.

When lunch was finished, the children had another quick trip around the zoo, revisiting the areas they enjoyed the most. Tommy, now wearing the Headmaster’s jacket, went with the Headmaster to see the bears, still clutching the very wet red backpack close to his chest.

Soon it was time to head home and everyone, tired but happy, got back on their coach and settled down for the journey back to Ibstock.

On the coach, still wet and scruffy, Tommy clutched his wet backpack, sat next to the Headmaster and talked and talked about the great time he’d had at the zoo.

It was about 6 o’clock in the evening when the coaches finally pulled into the schoolyard. Lots of parents cheered as they saw the buses, and then kissed and hugged their tired and excited kids. Everyone thanked the Headmaster for taking the kids out to the zoo for the day. He looked around to see if he could spot Tommy’s Mum. But, there was no-one there from Tommy’s family to meet Tommy, not Dad, not Mum, no-one.

The Headmaster checked that everyone had someone to walk home with, and then turned to Tommy and told him that he would take him home.

He put some newspapers over the back passenger seat for Tommy’s wet backpack, and, a few minutes later, the Headmaster pulled up outside Tommy’s house. Tommy picked up his wet bag from the back of the car and ran up the path to his front door.

As he opened the door, Tommy’s Mum came out from the kitchen. She took one look at her wet and bedraggled son: “Tommy!! Whatever happened to you?”  Then she saw the Headmaster. “What’s gone off?” she asked. “Well,” the Headmaster said, ”it’s quite a long story.” He proceeded to tell Tommy’s Mum what had happened at the zoo. Tommy stood and watched sheepishly as the Headmaster explained about how Tommy got lost and was found later washing the elephant. “And that’s why he’s so wet, you see……….”

Tommy’s mother looked down at him: “Geroff upstairs and take a bath. Now!! Quick, before your Dad gets home and sees what a mess you’re in!! Get in the tub, ok?”

Tommy ran upstairs, backpack in hand, leaving dirty wet footprints in the grey stair carpet.

The Headmaster, knowing it was time for him to go, said goodbye to Tommy’s mother, and got in his car, thankful that his day was over. Tommy’s Mum gave the Headmaster his wet jacket and waved as he drove off towards his home and his well-earned rest.

It sure had been a busy and eventful day.

When The Headmaster got home, he told his wife briefly what had happened and went upstairs to get changed, ready for his dinner.  He and his wife sat down and he told her more about the day’s adventure and what had happened to Tommy. As they were talking, the telephone rang. “Crikey”, said his wife, ‘Whoever can that be at this time of night?’ She got up from the table and picked up the phone. “It’s a parent from school”, she said and quickly passed the phone over to her husband. It was Tommy’s mother.

The Headmaster had some difficulty hearing her because there was a lot of talking and laughing in the background. He knew Tommy’s mother didn’t have a telephone, and realized that she had gone to the local pub to use the public pay phone. “Headmaster,” she shouted above the din in the background. “You’d better come over to our house quick. Tommy has something he has to show you. Come quick!!“

She put the phone down before the Headmaster had chance to ask just what Tommy had to show him. Couldn’t it wait, he thought, until Monday when everyone was back at school?

The Headmaster apologized to his wife, telling her that he had to go back to Ibstock. “Why? I have no idea.” He quickly changed back to his formal work clothes, jumped in his car, and drove over to the housing estate where Tommy lived.

The Headmaster felt somewhat irritated as he drove up to the house and got out of his car, wondering what it was that Tommy had to show him.

He caught his breath, sighed, put on his best Headmaster’s face, and knocked on the door. “Come in, come in, come in and sit down.” Tommy’s mother Her voice was high pitched. The Headmaster knew she was very upset.

The Headmaster went through the door and sat down on the first chair he could see. Tommy’s mother stood tall in front of him. He looked up at her. “Well, Headmaster, ” she said, “you’re not going to believe this. When Tommy came home, he was smelly and looking pretty dirty. You remember?  I told him to go upstairs, take off his wet clothes and take a bath. Didn’t want him to be seen by his Dad when he got home from work. Got a new job, you know, working in the fields. He wouldn’t be pleased.”

She sat down on the chair close to the Headmaster. “Well, I filled the bath, left him to it, then I heard our Tommy splashing in the water when his Dad came through the door.”

“Where’s our Tommy, Hilda?” my ‘usband asked.  Upstairs, taking a bath, I said. “Taking a bath?” He said. “What for? He had a bath on Monday!” “Well, he came home from the zoo trip pretty dirty, I said, and wet, so I told him to take a bath before you got home. My ‘usband went to the bottom of the stairs and shouted up at Tommy. “Hey, Tommy, you ok? Did you have a dead good time at the zoo?”

“There was no answer. My ‘usband, he then climbed the stairs and knocked on the bathroom door. Hey, Tommy! Can I come in?” 

“He could hear the water splashing in the bath but there was no sound from Tommy.” He pushed the door open and went in. He saw Tommy’s wet clothes piled on the floor and Tommy’s red bag, you know, what you bought ‘em all. And he saw our Tommy, sitting up in the bath.

He looked down in the bath and then stepped back in shock. “Tommy!!” he shouted. “What’s that? What’s that swimming around your legs?”

“Headmaster, Headmaster,“ said Tommy’s mother, looking him right in the eye. “You’re never going to believe this! There, swimming in and around Tommy’s legs was a penguin. A REAL LIVE PENGUIN!!”

“It’s my penguin, Dad,” said Tommy to his dad.  Bert shouted downstairs: to me “Hilda, ‘Ilda! You have to come up here and see what I see!”

“So, when I saw what was flapping around in the bath, I called you, Headmaster.”

“Um………………..thank you, thank you, you did the right thing!” said the Headmaster, struggling to catch his breath. Was what he was hearing true? A penguin?.

“So, where’s the penguin now?” he asked. Tommy’s mother pointed upstairs. “Can I see it? The penguin?” asked the Headmaster, worried that the penguin was ok. “Yes. Tommy’s up there, too, wiv ‘is dad. The penguin’s ok………got some soap on his skin, though.”

The Headmaster flew upstairs and went into the bathroom. Sure enough, there was the black and white penguin swimming in clean, cold bathwater. Tommy and his father were sitting and watching.

“Allo, Mr. ’Eadmaster.” Said Tommy’s dad. “ What do you think of this, then?” Tommy looked up and gave the Headmaster his biggest smile. The Headmaster looked away and walked downstairs. He told Tommy’s mother that he had to call the zoo. He drove to his school, went into his office, picked up the ‘phone, and dialed the zoo. “Have you, uh, um, lost any animal today?” he asked. “Well, sir,” came the reply, “who’s enquiring? Who are you?”

“I’m the Headmaster,” the Headmaster replied. “I actually, came with my school today, you know, from Ibstock.”

“Oh, yes, well,” said the zookeeper, “we think we have mislaid a small penguin.”

“I have it. I have it,” said the Headmaster, “one of my pupils brought it home today, in his red back pack.” The zoo manager was taken aback. “A kid did what? Brought it home in his backpack? And nobody knew? Well, where is it now? Is it ok?”

“It’s swimming in his bath tub, at home, in Ibstock.” said the Headmaster.

“IBSTOCK?” asked the zookeeper. “Where’s that………oh, I know, near Leicester, right? I’m sending a man down right away. Take the penguin out of the bath and dry it, please. NOW!!”

The Headmaster ‘phoned his wife to tell her what was happening, adding that it would be some time before he got home. Then, he went back to Tommy’s house, told Tommy’s parents what was happening, and went upstairs to see the young penguin. Rolling up his sleeves, he carefully, he took the penguin out of the bath and dried it with a bath towel.

About two hours later, the man from the zoo arrived in his zoo van, and knocked on Tommy’s front door. Tommy’s mother opened the door, and without a word being spoken, the gathered the penguin up in his arms, looked at the Headmaster, then at Tommy, shook his head, and took the penguin to the safety of the van.

He drove off, taking the bewildered penguin back to the zoo.

The Headmaster went back to his home and told his disbelieving wife everything that had happened.

The next day, everyone in the village was gossiping about the zoo trip and what Tommy had collected in his backpack. It was the hot news of the day.

On Monday, during morning assembly, the Headmaster asked Tommy to sit with him at the front, and together they told all the students and all the teachers what had happened on Saturday evening. They told everyone that the penguin was alive and well and back in its home in the zoo.

Staring at Tommy, everyone laughed and clapped.

After morning assembly finished, the Headmaster went back to his office.

There, sitting in the secretary’s office, was a newspaper reporter waiting for him. The reporter had heard the gossip and was dying to know all the facts so that he could write about it for the evening newspaper.

The Headmaster fetched Tommy from his classroom and Tommy, giggling, told the reporter what had happened when he went to the zoo.

“I just wanted a baby penguin. I wanted to take it home and look after it. I just picked it up and put it in my bag.”