FOE Family First Chapter 25 Today I Gained Knowledge and Wealth
"Knock, knock, knock" Tommy Hawke knocked gently on the door of the office that previously belonged to teacher Ronnie Williams with his fingers.
Otilia Farrell's voice came from inside: "Come in."
Tommy opened the door and walked into the office. The layout of the office had changed with the change of owner. The signed posters, photos and surrounding items of the baseball team that Mr. Williams liked before had disappeared. Instead, there were some decorations that looked extremely high-end. And the rich girl and top student from a prestigious school, Miss Ottilia Farrell, was wearing a Chanel blazer and holding a small spray bottle with the word LV printed on it. She was watering the several pots of green plants on the desk carefully and attentively to ensure that every leaf was moisturized.
"Ms. Farrell, uh...the school office called my place and said you wanted to see me?" Tommy Hawke asked tentatively, standing at the door.
He was at home reviewing his schoolwork and preparing his high school thesis, but the school called him to come in, saying that teacher Ottilia Farrell wanted to talk to him after learning about his situation.
"Tommy, please sit down and be casual, just as relaxed as you were when you were getting along with Mr. Williams before." Ottilia turned her head, responded to Tommy Hawke with a friendly smile, and spoke.
Tommy sat down near the door. "What's going on, Miss Farrell?"
Otilia Farrell finished watering the plants, then looked at Tommy Hawke and said sincerely, "After all this time getting to know Lincoln High School, first of all, I want to solemnly apologize to you, Tommy Hawke. I think the question I asked rashly when we first met..."
Seeing the other person's guilty expression, Tommy Hawke knew what the woman wanted to say, so he said decisively: "Ms. Farrell, your subsequent apology may be understandable to me, but I don't recommend that you communicate in the same way with others if you don't want to get a nickname starting with B in this high school."
This was clearly an expression of pity that white people in big cities are accustomed to. After some time, she understood the difference between Lincoln High School and Andover Phillips High School where she attended. Then she realized how embarrassing what she said that day was, and immediately a strong sense of guilt surged in her heart.
But Miss Farrell obviously didn't know that what she said that day was not actually hurtful to anyone, because she knew nothing at the time. It is this kind of pity-like guilt at this moment that is really hurtful. In other words, the person being apologized to will not pay attention to her apology and guilt, but will only sensitively capture the superiority of the guy opposite her who deserves a beating.
Of course, this is not her fault, but a common problem of the so-called upper-class elite Americans. When they realize that their words have hurt people of a lower social class than themselves, they will show this so-called gentlemanly behavior. He is indeed apologizing, but the secondary harm caused to the person being apologized will be far more serious than the first time.
In his previous life, he had witnessed this situation with his American business school classmates. When those guys found out about their mistakes, they would immediately seek forgiveness from the other party. However, even with a very sincere tone and expression, the other party just didn’t want to forgive him. They just wanted to punch him in the face and call him a Son of Bitch..
Farrell was a little surprised when Tommy Hawke interrupted his apology. After all, he was a teacher, and it was very rude for a student to interrupt him. But looking at Tommy Hawke's expression, it was obvious that his apology this time was very, very bad.
"Did I do something wrong?" Farrell asked in confusion, "I just want to apologize to you for what I said that day."
Tommy Hawk glanced at his cheap watch helplessly. "Ms. Farrell, you just need to remember not to apologize for your ignorance. Ignorance does not require apologies, but reflection. So, is there anything else? I still have a lot of problems to solve, and the AP exam is imminent. If you like to communicate with students, you can change a student, such as Dennis Herbers. As far as I know, he has been asking for your contact information recently."
"I'm annoying? Tommy Hawke? I see that you look at me with helplessness in your eyes, as if talking to me is a torture for you." Farrell asked with some anger and amusement when he saw Tommy Hawke's helpless expression.
Although she felt that she might not be a true teacher but rather a school administrator, at least at this moment, judging from her appearance and sincere attitude towards people, she would not make a student look helpless.
"No, you are very beautiful and attractive, and you are the type that many boys like, including me. But my passion for grades now surpasses yours. I just want to use my precious time to study, get into a decent university, and leave this place."
"That's why I called you. As your college admissions advisor, I understand that you are preparing for your high school graduation thesis, but I found that our school library hasn't been updated for four years, and other private high schools have updated related reference books. I mean, Lincoln High School's books seem to be updated too slowly compared to private high schools, so I want to tell you that I'm sorry about what happened last time, and about Andover Phillips High School... but... it looks like I messed up this meeting again." Otilia Farrell said at the end, took a breath with some depression, and slowly stood up: "I'm sorry, I hope that next..."
After hearing clearly why the female teacher in front of him called him, Tommy Hawke stood up from his seat with undisguised desire in his eyes. However, Otilia Farrell said in a very serious tone: "No, Miss Farrell, you are a great instructor, better than Mr. Williams. At least Mr. Williams would not think of giving students some help outside the campus."
"Really? Wow~" Farrell looked at Tommy Hawke, a little surprised by his reaction.
The boy opposite him changed from a helpless look on his face to full concentration in an instant.
Tommy Hawke nodded vigorously. "Yes, I do need some reference books that are missing from our school, but if I sell them myself, the price is too expensive. If you have a library card from another school library and can help me borrow some relevant books, I would be very grateful."
The woman in front of him was from Phillips Private High School in Andover. Although the school was 170 kilometers away from Warwick, if she was willing to help him get a library card, Tommy Hawke would not mind driving 170 kilometers to acquire knowledge.
"No need. I just said that I hope these reference books will show you my efforts as your instructor. I will try my best to do this job well and treat you as equals." Otilia Farrell walked to a storage box in the corner of the office, bent down to open the lid, turned her head and signaled to Tommy Hawke: "I referred to the standards of Andover Phillips High School and bought some academic reference books published by professors from well-known universities."
"Give it to me? All these books are for me?" This was the first time that an expression of greed appeared on Tommy Hawke's face after more than two months of traveling through time.
Because in these two months he has realized how difficult it is for the poor people at the bottom of the American society to acquire knowledge.
"No, you just have the right to use them in the short term. After you graduate and go to college, you have to leave them in the school library." Seeing Tommy Hawke's reaction, Ottilia Farrell knew she had done a good job.
"Of course, of course!" Tommy Hawke agreed repeatedly, squatted forward in disbelief, and gently stroked the brand new books in the storage box that had not yet been unsealed. You know, the price of books in the United States is incredibly high, especially academic rather than entertainment books, which are more expensive, costing more than ten dollars a book. This box of twenty or thirty academic papers, which seem to be not many, may cost Ottilia a month's salary.
The black leader Martin Luther King once said that since the founding of the United States, putting aside variables such as economic inflation, it has been difficult for blacks and the poor to obtain knowledge because the price of knowledge is too expensive. The government has always kept the value of a book equal to seven pounds of beef. It is precisely because of this that the vast majority of poor people cannot have both food and knowledge.
"So, are you sure you won't be unhappy about what happened that day?" Farrell asked with a smile as he looked at Tommy Hawke, who was stroking the book covers like a greedy dragon coveting treasure.
"Unhappy? Miss Farrell, you are now as famous as the Virgin Mary in my mind. If the Virgin Mary does not blame me for blasphemy, I might stick your photo on her portrait and worship you day and night." Tommy Hawke stood up and looked at the beautiful teacher in front of him: "This is me..."
"Tommy! That bastard Hugh Spade was helped by Aunt Melonie and I in the police station, like a holy knight, to slay that damn dragon!" Dennis Herbers poked his head out of the office and roared in a low voice with an expression that could not hide his excitement.
Otilia frowned slightly, looked at Dennis Herbers in a cute way and reminded him, "Student, you seem to have forgotten to greet the teacher first."
"Ms. Farrell, hello, Tommy! Hugh..." Dennis Herbers lifted the headband on his head, and was about to add a greeting to the teacher, and then continued to repeat what he had just said. Tommy Hawke turned around and said, "Don't remind me again. I won't default on my debts, Dennis. They are yours, and you can take them away anytime."
"Goodbye, Tommy." After receiving Tommy's reply, the bad friend immediately retracted his head.
Tommy Hawke turned to look at Otilia Farrell, bowed deeply and said, "Today, I have gained both knowledge and wealth. This is the happiest day of my life in the past two months. Thank you, Miss Farrell."
But soon, Dennis Herbers poked his head out of the door again and said, "Just to confirm, Tommy, according to the agreement, the thirty-seven Penthouse magazine posters you have accumulated now belong to me, right?"
Tommy Hawke lowered his head in despair: "Yes, Dennis."
"Yeah." Dennis shook his arm, and as the footsteps faded away, he completely disappeared out the door.
"I'm glad to know that your previous knowledge and wealth came from Penthouse magazine, Tommy." After hearing the conversation between the two boys, Ottilia shrugged and teased.
