[Day: Monday, July 26, 2004.]
[It's cloudy.  One of those summer showers is probably around the corner.  
Luke's standing in the middle of it, oh no!  Actually, he's in Lakeview High's 
parking lot.  There are a few cars here and there, and it's actually pretty 
large, but it's nothing for about a thousand juniors and seniors (not to mention 
teachers).  Ahead of him is the school, in all its three story, brown brick 
glory.]
[There are bars over some of the bottom front windows.  But just the bottom 
ones.  Luke's got an interview at the principal's office.  He doesn't want to be 
late, or he might get detention.]
[Intro Session Start.]
* Luke Mendel shuts the door of his green S.U.V. and starts across the parking 
lot to his new place of employment (or so he hopes).
* Luke's a good looking guy in his late twenties.  He's got short, slightly 
spiky black hair and brown eyes.  He's wearing grey slacks and a blue shirt at 
the moment, and has an earring in his right ear.  In his left hand, he's 
carrying a slim black attaché case with silver clasps locking it shut.
[It looks pretty well kept.  There's a track and field to the right, past a 
chain link fence.  No stairs lead up to the main entrance; the doors are glass, 
and there are six of them in three pairs of two.  The one all the way on the 
right is boarded over.  Some kid probably broke it.  He was told that the one on 
the far left would be unlocked.]
* Luke heads for the unlocked door and gives it a try.
[It opens!  Go info.]
<Ardweden> (That gives Luke a higher percentage of correct info than Ben.)
<Luke> (But you know Ben would have known the correct door anyway.)
* Luke pulls the door open and heads into the school.  In the months to come, he 
may regret this moment.
[There's another set of doors inside, which Luke defeats without issue.  Past 
them, he can see a long, large main hallway with brown indoor/outdoor carpeting 
and ugly orange lockers.  The walls above the lockers are a faded yellow.]
* Luke strolls the empty halls, his footsteps echoing.  He seeks the principal's 
office.
[Luke strolls!  He sees halls branch, down which are probably classrooms, but 
it's hard to tell with all the lockers.  He passes the cafeteria on the left, a 
few staircases, and the gym on the right.  In between doors to the girls' and 
boys' locker rooms, the lockers break, turning into a glass case with pictures 
of the school's sports stars and trophies.]
[Far down one of the halls he's passing, Luke spots a man high on a ladder, 
messing with one of the ceiling lights.]
[He looks like a janitor, what with the ugly blue outfit.]
* Luke seems strangely unconcerned that janitors have infiltrated the school.
<Ardweden> (It could be a vampire janitor!)
<Luke> (Yes.  Luke still isn't going over.)
<Ardweden> (Well, that'd be an even better reason not to go over, come to think 
of it.)
<Luke> (Don't distract the guy on the ladder?)
* Luke continues onward, ever onward, toward the principal's office.
[He keeps going!  The lockers change from orange to cream.  More halls, more 
stairs, more everything.  Up ahead, he can see a more open area that's probably 
the way to the auditorium.  To the left is a much more narrow hallway than the 
one he's in, and there are (oh no!) no lockers down that way.  His !mysterious 
source told him to head down there.]
* Luke casually turns to walk down the narrow hallway.  He seems not to be 
considering the possibility of ambush.
[Luke is AMBUSHED AND EATEN BY RABID INSECT NINJA.  Actually, he walks to the 
end of the hallway - not a long walk and all.  It turns left, but the office he 
wants is right in front of him.]
* Luke knocks on the door, just once.
[There's a brief pause, then a, "Come in."  The voice is decidedly male.]
* Luke opens the door and enters.
[It's a reasonably sized office.  There are windows in the back, a few chairs to 
one side, and one in front of the desk at the end.  On the desk are a few stacks 
of papers, a desktop, a potted cactus, and one of those name plaque things (what 
do you call them?).  This one says, "Douglas Sheldon".]
<Luke> (And, presumably, Mr. Sheldon?)
<Karasu> (No, Mrs. Sheldon is sitting in for him today.)
<Karasu> (She's just got a head cold.)
<Luke> (With her uncanny ability to mimic a male voice.)
[A man's standing from his comfy chair behind the desk now.  He's white, 
probably in his early fifties, and heavyset with balding, gray hair and blue 
eyes.  Babysitting teenagers must've done a doozy on him.  He's wearing a suit 
and tie, and he smiles as Luke enters.  "Mister Mendel?"]
* Luke nods and holds out his right hand.  "Pleased to meet you."
[He shakes Luke's hand solidly.  "Likewise.  I'm Doug, the principal here.  Have 
a seat."]
* Luke gives an easy smile.  "Then I'm Luke."
* Luke sits, putting his briefcase onto his lap.
[He chuckles, sitting down and putting a pair of glasses on.  He picks up one of 
the stacks to his right and sifts through the paper.  "You're here... for the 
position in the English department, aren't you."]
<Luke> "That's right.  I heard you were having trouble finding someone."
["Yes.  Usually there isn't so much difficulty, with the substitute programs and 
all, but this is sort of last minute.  Nobody wants to come up with three full 
syllabi within a month.  We can get some of the other teachers to cover, but 
it's a lot to ask for."  He pulls a few papers out of the stack and arranges 
them in front of him, looking them over.]
* Luke nods.  "I know I don't have much experience, but I've been looking to get 
into teaching."
[Doug nods, looking through his glasses at the papers.  "You have the education, 
though I'm afraid you really are lacking in experience."]
* Luke gives a self-deprecating grin.  "I don't suppose enthusiasm makes up for 
that?"
[The principal eyes Luke.  "You think enthusiasm will stop burnout?"]
<Luke> "You have to have something to burn out."
["That's true."  He pauses, then continues, "So, tell me a little about 
yourself."]
<Luke> "Well, I graduated from university six years ago.  I spent some time 
abroad, then came back to the States.  I lived in California for a while, worked 
in marketing for a few companies, but I realized the private sector wasn't for 
me.  Writing advertising copy felt hollow.  I wanted to do something important, 
to make a difference in the world.  And that's not easy to do with an English 
major," Luke adds with a chuckle.
[Doug chuckles, too, and nods.  "I'm afraid teaching isn't any more glamorous."]
<Luke> "I didn't think it was.  I don't want glamour.  I just want to know that 
what I'm doing is contributing."
[Doug nods once.  "Why Illinois?  People usually go from here to there, not the 
other way around."]
* Luke shrugs.  "Why not?"
["Bad weather."  Doug opens one of the drawers down and to his left and starts 
looking through it.]
<Luke> "I burn easily in the sun anyway."
<Luke> (Though he doesn't catch fire.)
<Luke> "And this weather's not so bad.  It reminds me a bit of my stay in 
England."
<Ardweden> (<Doug> Doesn't catch fire.  Check.)
["I've never been to England," he comments before he comes up with a small, 
stapled stack of paper.  He hands it to Luke.]
* Luke takes the papers.  "Well, your stomach's probably better off for that."
[Doug nods.  "These are the requirements for the position.  Two classes of 
Junior year English, two for Expository and Creative Composition, and one 
British Literature.  The last three are Senior-level courses.  You'll also have 
to monitor detention and a study hall period once a week, but that doesn't take 
as much work."]
* Luke gives another easy smile.  "I take it I'm hired, then?"
[He shrugs.  "I'd like you to look over it now, if you could.  Let me know what 
you think."  He rubs at the back of his neck, removing his glasses.  "No 
offense, but I wouldn't hire you normally."]
<Luke> "I wouldn't either."  Luke starts to read.
[It's pretty standard stuff.  Hamlet's required for Junior year English, as well 
as The Great Gatsby, and a Shakespearean play for Brit. Lit. that isn't Romeo 
and Juliet, Julius Cesar, or Hamlet as well as a novel by Dickens.  Other 
required textbooks are listed for all classes; those are standard and will be 
handed out to students.  The pages following list what they cover literature and 
composition-wise.]
[Doug is rubbing his forehead.  "These were the requirements for last year, but 
no major changes have been brought up with me as far as what the head wants."]
* Luke nods.  "I'll have to reread a few of these, but this looks good."
[He nods.  "I'll see about having the texts sent to you by Wednesday so you 
start working on that.  Call me if you need anything- did they give you my 
number?"]
<Luke> "No."
[Doug looks around, then finds a business card in the front drawer.  He hands it 
over to Luke.  "I want to see all three teaching plans by August ninth.  That's 
two weeks from now and the longest I can give you; a week later, and we mail out 
the schedules."]
<Luke> "Not a problem."
[He nods, thinking.  "Anything else- oh.  You'll be sharing an office with a few 
other teachers.  And there'll be a meeting the day before the term starts at ten 
in the morning, in the cafeteria.  Just to go over things with everybody."]
<Luke> "I'll be there."
["Good, good.  Any questions?"]
<Luke> "If I have any, I'll call you."
[Doug smiles.  "Excellent.  Well, I'll be hearing from you, Luke."]
* Luke stands up, taking the briefcase in his left hand again.  "Thank you.  And 
thanks for taking a chance on me."
[Doug chuckles.  "It'll be official when I see those lesson plans."]
<Luke> "Then I better get right on them.  Nice meeting you."  Luke heads for the 
door.
["Call if you need anything," Doug reminds as Luke leaves.  Then he gets back to 
work.  Principals.  They do... uh, something.]
<Luke> (In principle.)
<Ardweden> (Yes!  He could be one of those less principled principals.)
* Luke exits the school an employed man.
[The world rejoices!  Well, maybe just Luke.]
[Intro Session End.]