The Tempo of Tempura Chapter One- Cameron gets too much direction from his band director

“Mrs. Rankin, I assure you we have thoroughly investigated the matter. Mrs. Burris has adamantly denied your son’s claims.”

Mr. Mauk had been the principal of Risner High School for as long as anyone could remember. Today, he wished he had gone into medicine as his beloved mother had wanted. Dealing with an angry mother was never something he enjoyed.

This was especially true when he had to deal with Lauren A. Rankin. That woman sat in a church choir loft every Sunday morning singing like an angel. The other six days of the week, she was a demon. Her obsession with her son Cameron’s music success was infamous among the faculty at the school.

“So you are calling my son a liar?”

Lauren stood up and leaned across the paper-covered desk. She poked her middle finger into the chest of her son’s would-be accuser. Mr. Mauk held up his hands like a bank robbery victim.

“No, no, no. It’s just there is no evidence to support your son’s version of the events.”

Mr. Mauk shuffled through several pages of notes and shook his head. Lauren sensed the tide turning against her son. She reached deep into her purse and pulled out a well-used cell phone.

“No evidence? And, these photographs on my son’s cell phone are what exactly?”

It was Mr. Mauk who now felt the wheel of momentum shifting against him. He flipped through his notes. The index finger on his right hand slid down a page of handwritten scribbles. Mr. Mauk stopped, and he pointed his finger at Cameron.

“It is Mrs. Burris’ contention that Cameron took those pictures without her knowledge.”

Cameron for the first time looked up from his comic book. The thick volume fell to the floor as he leapt to his feet. Wherever his mind had been, he was now engaged in the moment.

“That’s a lie.”

“Hey, stop that. I got that cup from my wife.”

Cameron knocked the cup of coffee sitting in front of his mother all over his faded blue jeans. Mr. Mauk dropped to his knees to pick up the scattered shards of his ‘Husband of the Year’ coffee cup. He put two of the largest remaining pieces of his treasure together, but it was a lost cause.

“Damn it. I loved that mug.”

Lauren pulled a packet of tissues from her old, black clutch bag. She did her best to dab the coffee off Cameron’s wet pants. Her efforts served to spread the mud-colored stain.

“G-D it. I’ll never get all of that out.”

“So what? I don’t care, mother. Screw you.”

Cameron pulled away from her, but Lauren had been through this drill before with him. Lauren’s angry demeanor softened. She put her hand on Cameron’s shoulder. This pleased her son.

“Cameron, sit down. I’m your mother. Let me handle this.”

“You know they make drugs for that sort of behavior. Right?”

“My son does not need medication. Okay? He needs some extra attention. That’s all.”

“More like he needs a stiff drink, don’t you think?”

“That’s funny coming from a man who had more than black coffee in that broken mug based on the smell wafting from the carpet.”

“Ah, well, let’s get back to business. Shall we?”

“I want to go eat, mother. Let’s go.”

“We’ll be another minute or two. Okay, sweetie? Be a good boy for mommy. Alright?”

Cameron resumed his previous position on the leather couch, and he reached down to pick up his comic book. He flipped it open and looked as normal as any teenager in America.

“Yes, mother. I am better now. Thank you.”

Lauren turned her attention towards her next target. Mr. Mauk prepared for the worst as he tossed a breath mint in his mouth. It was he who was going to need another stiff drink.

“Mr. Mauk, those nude pictures of Mrs. Burris did not magically get on my son’s phone.”

“And what about the photograph of your son’s junk we found on Mrs. Burris’ phone? That’s some sort of feat of technology to see through a teenage boy’s pants. Wouldn’t you say?”

“She made him take it. Right, Cameron?”

That’s not what she says. In fact, Mrs. Burris accused Cameron of assaulting her in the band room on that day.”

“Lies! My Cameron would never do anything like that. Cameron, you tell him what happened. Right now, son!”

“Speak up boy like your mother says, you hear? You tell me what happened in that band room.”

Cameron lowered his head, and he pulled out a tissue and blew his nose. He opened his mouth, and he stared at the calendar featuring a cute cat. Tears dripped from Cameron’s face. Mr. Mauk leaned back in his leather office chair as he chomped down hard on the last of his peppermint breath mint.

“See what you did to my son! You know my boy doesn’t relate well with aggressive people. Shame on you. And you call yourself an educator.”

“My apologies. But, Mrs. Rankin, that’s part of the problem. I know Cameron is a talented boy. I have never seen anyone play the piano quite like him. But — ”

“‘But’ what?”

“Cameron lacks the ability to function on a normal social level. Today is not the first time I have witnessed such an outburst from him.”

“I know. But that does not change the fact that the woman assaulted my son. On school property and on your watch, I might add. For shame — ”

Mr. Mauk saw where Lauren was headed with this conversation. The people in the town did not call her ‘Litigating Lauren’ for no reason. She was not above threats of filing a lawsuit to get things to turn in her favor. There were a litany of frivolous legal cases stuffing the files down at the old courthouse in town with her name on them.

There was no way Mr. Mauk was going to let this incident get that far. He pushed his gold-rimmed glasses to his nose. The old educator pulled no punches when it came to protecting the school’s reputation.

“With all due respect, who is going to believe your son? Mrs. Burris is one of the most popular teachers at this school. She’s married and treats the students like her own kids. How dare you insinuate such a thing!”

Lauren knew Mr. Mauk was right. Mrs. Burris was a legendary band director. The school’s marching band was famous for its halftime shows. All the students loved her in the classroom.

Mrs. Burris was featured in a music education magazine for innovative teaching methods. It was the main reason Lauren allowed Cameron to play flute in the band.

It was going to be a hard sell to get anyone to believe Mrs. Burris was capable of assaulting a student.

“I am well aware of that. Cameron doesn’t need this drama right now. He has his audition at the Aprecian Conservatory next month. He’s going to win a big scholarship. Right, Cameron? ‘We are in it — ”

“‘To win it.’”

“That’s my good boy.”

Cameron flipped a page in his tattered comic book. He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. Mr. Mauk shook his head in disappointment. Cameron ignored his mother’s jab to his side.

“Quit slouching. Sit up straight and stop reading that worthless Japanese comic book. I wish I would have never let you order that garbage.”

Cameron’s stomach let out an audible grumble. He pulled a half-eaten candy bar from his pocket. His mother jerked it from his chocolate-covered hand.

“Give me that. Now is not the time to be eating. At least wipe your face, you look like a mess. Please do not embarrass me any further today.”

Lauren tossed her son a crumpled tissue. Cameron did his best to clean his face. It was not perfect enough for his mother.

“Can you please manage to wipe both sides of your face. Is that too much for a mother to ask of her son? Oh where, oh where did I go so wrong with you?”

“I am sorry, mother. Can’t we go get some tempura? I’m hungry.”

Cameron gave the left side of his face another good wipe as his mother nodded. He never missed an opportunity to stuff his face full of food. Cameron was a big boy.

The school nurse sent numerous notes home over the years to admonish Cameron for his obesity. Finally, Lauren put him in a fat camp one summer.

Cameron mailed home weekly letters boasting of his weight loss. But by the end of that summer, Cameron was fifty pounds heavier. That was thanks to his bunkmate’s hidden candy stash.

Cameron’s expanding waistline did not sit well with his mother. Lauren was a svelte woman. She overcame her own obesity issues in college. There was no patience inside her for her boy’s obsession with eating everything in sight. The biting put downs from Lauren came fast and furious when the topic of eating came up between them.

“Food. All you think about is stuffing your face. Is it any wonder you are so fat? What a slob!”

Mr. Mauk wanted to offer some admonishment about the harsh criticism Cameron received from his mother. But he thought better of it. Besides, Mr. Mauk had more important matters to attend to at the moment.

“Ms. Rankin, how can we make this go away? Clearly, you have big dreams for your son. And Mrs. Burris offered to write a glowing letter of recommendation on Cameron’s behalf. You know she is an alumnus of the Aprecian Conservatory. She still knows several professors there.”

“Yes, I know. That would be much appreciated. Thank you.”

Mr. Mauk’s face broke into a sly smile. Lauren’s eyes lit up at the prospect of improving Cameron’s chances of getting into the prestigious music school. It was her sole obsession in life that her son became a classical pianist.

It was well known by everyone she had been talented enough to get into Aprecian. That dream was dashed the day three fingers on her left hand were crushed in a car door. Lauren spent two months in a cast, but her fingers were never the same. She was determined Cameron would reach his enormous potential in music.

“Great, so we can put this matter behind us. Right?”

“No, not quite.”

“What else do you want?”

“Well, you know, since my husband died money has been tight for Cameron and me.”

That was a lie. The family was not poor even after the sudden death of her husband, Herb. The shrewd couple was prepared for such an event. The large life insurance check along with an even larger pension payout from Herb’s company paid off their mortgage.

Lauren’s job as the office manager down at the local hospital paid enough to keep the lights on every month. But, tuition at college like the Aprecian Conservatory was not something she could afford. Mr. Mauk saw the dollar signs in Lauren’s eyes.

“How much do you want?”

Mr. Mauk cringed as he took a handful of jelly beans from the crystal candy dish on his desk. Lauren took the opportunity to reach for the stars as Mr. Mauk struggled to swallow the last green-colored jelly bean in his mouth.

“$100,000.”

“Are you serious?”

“I’m as serious as the stroke that killed my dear, departed husband. God rest his soul.”

The school was in a poor area of the state. That had not always been the case. The county was home to several car companies. The town of Risner boomed thanks to the dealership and the local oil refinery.

The economy took a dive a time later, and the companies found it more profitable to move out of the state. This left hundreds of people out of work, and the population of the town plummeted almost overnight.

“You know this school cannot come up with that sort of money. We have cut staff and expenditures down to the bone. Every year, the state threatens to shut us down. It’s all I can do to keep the lights on every year. You know that.”

Risner High School was a shell of its once former glory. There was no chance to get any real money from the district in court.

“I know. Perhaps, there is another way.”

Lauren pointed to a large poster on the wall. It was an advertisement for the prestigious Poling Foundation Scholarship. The Poling family and their old money were one of the last remaining symbols of Risner’s golden days. The top award was full tuition, room and board, and a study abroad opportunity in Japan for the lucky winner.

“But, that scholarship is sought after by nearly every music student in this area. Cameron is a talented young man, but that’s not realistic in my opinion.”

“Are you not on the selection committee?”

“Yes, I am. But I can’t make them award Cameron the scholarship.”

“I understand. Then, I will be seeing Mrs. Burris, you, and this entire school district in court. Good day, Mr. Mauk.”

Lauren knew that was a bluff. Mr. Mauk should have known it, too. But with visions of his precious school on the 6 o’clock news, he panicked.

“Now, now, wait a minute. Let’s not let this little misunderstanding get out of hand. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Come on, Cameron, we’re done here. Let’s go get you some tempura.”

“Tempura. Tempura. Yeah.”

The pair left the principal’s office. They ate at Gomen’s, Cameron’s favorite Asian buffet. The all-you-can-eat joint lost money that day as Cameron spent two hours shoveling plates of tempura into his mouth. It surprised Cameron his mother’s usual flurry of verbal volleys did not come his way. Lauren thought about it, but her mind was preoccupied with visions of the future.

“All of our dreams are going to come true. You are going to win that scholarship. And, we are going to be rich and famous.”