Announcements over, Dr. Pellechia rubs his eyes, frustrated once again.

“I don’t get it,” he mutters. “Every day I come on and tell the girls, tell the faculty and staff to have a wonderful day. Every single day I do this, and what I get in return? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

He wanders to his offices and slumps in his chair. Outside in the halls, he can hear the students on the move, chattering and laughing joyfully.

“Listen to them! All day long that’s what I hear!”

“You know,” he says, a mischievous smiling forming, “sometimes I hope that everyone actually has a horrible day. I’m saying to have a wonderful day, but I’m not thinking that! Oh no, I’m hoping they all have the worst days ever! Failing tests and forgetting homework and never knowing the right answer. Maybe a boring lunch, or worse, a hair in their lunch. They trip up the steps, they slip on some mud. Any of that, all of that!”

A piercing, maniacally shriek of laughter shakes the office. Mrs. Jones, walking by at that moment, pops her head in.

“Everything okay in here?” she asks, scanning the room with apprehension, but when Dr. Pellechia doesn’t answer, she backs away.

“You see,” he says, “she could’ve said it right then.” He sighs heavily. “I’m not a vindictive guy. I’m all about let bygones be bygones, turn the other cheek. But enough is enough. I’m done. Let’s see how they like it. Let’s see how long they last without my kind words. They’ll be begging me to say those words again. They’ll be sorry. Oh, yes,” he says, nodding slowly, menacingly, “they’ll be sorry.”