School Bells

Yesterday was a "half-day" school day for students. The teachers were to stay and work on report cards. Monday is a holiday so there is no school. The students left before the usual lunch-time bell. When the bell rang for lunch, and then again when the students would normally return to class, it brought memories of Dad. He had a issue with the school bell ringing when students were not in school. He would call the office to remind Carol (the secretary) to be sure to turn off the bells if the next days were holidays. He thought the bells ringing would make people thing "those teachers aren't working again today." He would tell Carol that people would say it isn't fair that teachers get so much time off when the rest of the public still has to work. Every time I hear a school bell ring and the students aren't in school I think about Dad. Carol said on the day that school ended before Christmas, she automatically went to the clock and turned off the bells for the holiday, then remembered that Rue wouldn't be calling. She cried, and still turned the bells off. She usually doesn't turn them off the one-day holidays, like this coming Monday, but she will for Easter, and for sure for the summer. But I will remember him every time I hear a school bell.