Charlie's conscience

Charlie, who narrowly escaped death, and Frank, who gave up on suicide, sat on the couch in the room, chatting. The Frank in front of Charlie was no longer the strong military man; he was just a kind and amiable old man.

"You know what's kept me goin' all these years? The thought that one day... well..." Frank said meaningfully but shook his head in the end, choosing to give up.

"What?" Charlie, still teary-eyed, asked.

"Silly," Frank mumbled to himself, "Just the thought that maybe one day, I'd... I could have a woman's arms wrapped around me and her legs wrapped around me. That I could wake up in the morning and she'd still be there. Smell of her, all funky and warm." Frank paused for a moment. "I finally gave up on it." Frank slowly savored the drink in his cup.

Looking at the Lt. Colonel in such a state, Charlie said earnestly, "You know, when we get back to New Hampshire, I don't know why you can't find someone. I mean, you're a good-lookin' guy, and you're fun to be with, and... you're a great travel companion, sensitive, compassionate."

Frank suddenly realized, "Charlie, are f*ckin' with me?"

Charlie chuckled, "Yes."

That night, Charlie and Frank returned to New Hampshire. Charlie mentioned the school meeting scheduled for the next day, which worried him. His parents couldn't come to attend, so he had to face the pressure from the school alone, and he hadn't made a decision to compromise yet. As for George, he had completely cut off contact.

Before leaving, Frank, who refused to bid farewell, gently touched Charlie's face, trying to remember the young man's appearance this way. It surprised Charlie because he remembered how much the Lt. Colonel despised his touch at the beginning.

After saying goodbye to Frank, Charlie walked into the auditorium alone, facing the turning point of his impending fate. But just before the meeting began, Frank, who should have gone home, appeared in the auditorium. With Charlie's support, he walked onto the stage and sat in Charlie's father's seat, facing George and his father, Old George. George didn't even dare to meet Charlie's and Harry's gaze—everything was just as Frank had predicted.

The headmaster began questioning little George on the spot. At first, he tried to be evasive, using the excuse of not wearing contact lenses and having poor vision, but the headmaster didn't buy it. Under the headmaster's relentless pressure and Old George's coercion, little George finally succumbed. "Don't believe everything I say. It was dark, and I couldn't see clearly without my contact lenses, etcetera. It might be... Harry Havemeyer, Trent Potter, and Jimmy Jameson."

George betrayed his friends, the other three members of their gang. Everything was just as Frank had expected. Even when the headmaster intended to further press for details, George betrayed Charlie again, shifting all the blame onto him. So, the headmaster turned around and started questioning Charlie.

"You don't wear contact lenses, do you?" The headmaster wisely confirmed once again, receiving an affirmative answer before continuing, "With your untrammeled sight, whom did you see?"

When the crucial moment arrived, Charlie still couldn't make a decision because it was a moment that would determine his future. On one hand, there was the future, and on the other hand, there was his conscience. He couldn't make a choice. "Well, I saw... I saw something, but... I couldn't say who," he stuttered.

"All right. What was the something you saw?"

"I-I couldn't say."

"You couldn't say or you wouldn't say?" The headmaster's relentless pressure left Charlie at a loss.

"I... I just couldn't say!"

"Couldn't, wouldn't, shouldn't? You're exhausting my patience and making a mockery of these proceedings. I will give you one last chance. The consequences of your response will be dire." The headmaster was on the verge of anger. "By dire I mean your future will be jeopardized permanently." Faced with such oppression, not to mention Charlie, even George sitting across from him couldn't bear it anymore. "Now for the last time, what did you see last Tuesday night outside my office?"

"I saw somebody," Charlie was finally forced to affirm.

""l saw somebody", good. Did you see their size and shape?" The headmaster saw the dawn of victory, and Charlie was forced to nod. "And they were the size and shape of whom?"

Charlie's amber eyes were filled with hesitation and uncertainty. "They were the size and shape..." But just before the words came out, Charlie struggled once again. However, this time, he knew his final choice and stood firm. "... of most any Baird student, sir." Charlie chose to stick to his own beliefs.

The anger of the headmaster erupted. "Mr. Willis's testimony is not only vague, it is unsubstantiated. The substance I was looking for, Mr. Simms, was to come from you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry too, Mr. Simms, because you know what I'm going to do, inasmuch as I can't punish Mr. Havemeyer, Mr. Potter, or Mr. Jameson? And I won't punish Mr. Willis. He's the only party to this incident who is still worthy of calling himself a Baird man. I'm going to recommend to the Disciplinary Committee... that you be expelled."

"Mr. Simms, you are a cover-up artist, and you are a liar." The headmaster's accusations were interrupted by Frank. "But not a snitch!"

"Excuse me?" the headmaster said.

"No, I don't think I will," Frank said firmly.

"Mr. Slade." the headmaster tried to admonish.

"This is such a crock of shit!" Frank's words caused a commotion among the students present.

"Please watch your language, Mr. Slade. You are in the Baird school, not a barracks." the headmaster didn't intend to continue arguing with Frank. "Mr. Simms, I will give you one final opportunity to speak up."

But Frank responded, "Mr. Simms doesn't want it. He doesn't need to be labeled... "still worthy of being a Baird man." What the hell is that? What is your motto here? "Boys, inform on your classmates, save your hide; anything short of that, we're gonna burn you at the stake"?" Frank's powerful voice reverberated in the hall. "Well, gentlemen, when the shit hits the fan, some guys run... and some guys stay. Here's Charlie facin' the fire, and there's George... hidin' in big daddy's pocket. And what are you doin'? You're gonna reward George and destroy Charlie."

"Are you finished, Mr. Slade?" the headmaster wanted to ignore this speech, but Frank wouldn't allow it.

"No, I'm just gettin' warmed up. I don't know who went to this place. William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryant, William Tell, whoever. Their spirit is dead, if they ever had one. It's gone. You're buildin' a rat ship here, a vessel for seagoin' snitches. And if you think you're preparin' these minnows for manhood, you better think again, because I say you are killin' the very spirit this institution proclaims it instills."

Frank easily captured everyone's attention with his powerful words. The hall fell silent, and only his voice echoed.

"What a sham! What kind of a show are you guys puttin' on here today? I mean, the only class in this act is sittin' next to me. I'm here to tell you this boy's soul is intact. It's non-negotiable. You know how I know? Someone here, and I'm not gonna say who, offered to buy it. Only Charlie here wasn't sellin'."

The headmaster could no longer bear it and struck the gavel. "Sir, you're out of order."

But Frank stood up directly and said with a stronger voice, "I show you out of order. You don't know what out of order is, Mr. Trask. I'd show you, but I'm too old, I'm too tired, too fuckin' blind. If I were the man I was five years ago, I'd take a flamethrower to this place!" Frank forcefully slammed his cane on the table. "Out of order? Who the hell you think you're talkin' to? I've been around, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen. Boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there is nothin' like the sight... of an amputated spirit. There is no prosthetic for that. You think you're merely sendin' this splendid foot soldier... back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say you are... executin' his soul! And why? Because he's not a Baird man. Baird men. You hurt this boy, you're gonna be Baird bums, the lot of you. And, Harry, Jimmy, Trent, wherever you are out there, fuck you too!"

"Stand down, Mr. Slade!"

But Frank, with a simple "I'm not finished." left the headmaster speechless. He said, "As I came in here, I heard those words: "cradle of leadership". Well, when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, and it has fallen here. It has fallen. Makers of men, creators of leaders. Be careful what kind of leaders you're producin' here. I don't know if Charlie's silence here today... is right or wrong; I'm not a judge or jury. But I can tell you this: he won't sell anybody out... to buy his future! And that, my friends, is called integrity. That's called courage. Now that's the stuff leaders should be made of."

Frank's words made even the headmaster avoid eye contact. He continued, "Now I have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew, but I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard. Now here's Charlie. He's come to the crossroads. He has chosen a path. It's the right path. It's a path made of principle... that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey. You hold this boy's future in your hands, Committee. It's a valuable future, believe me. Don't destroy it. Protect it. Embrace it. It's gonna make you proud one day, I promise you."

Frank's impassioned speech was met with intermittent applause from the audience, which eventually grew into unified applause. All the students applauded Frank. Even though the headmaster continued to strike the gavel, he couldn't stop this admiration.

The committee then engaged in discussions, and in the end, Mrs. Hunsaker announced the results, saying, "Misters Havemeyer, Potter and Jameson are placed on probation for suspicion of ungentlemanly conduct. It is further recommended that Mr. George Willis, Jr receive neither recognition nor commendation for his cooperation. Mr. Charles Simms is excused from any further response to this incident."

At the moment the results were announced, all the students in the auditorium stood up, cheering and applauding, showing their highest respect for Charlie and Frank. It was the most important and profound moment in their lives!

After leaving the auditorium, the political science professor, Kristin Donnelly, caught up with Frank and Charlie, expressing her admiration for Frank and even revealing her admiration for him. As Frank left, his face regained its bright radiance.

Charlie escorted Frank back home, watching as Frank approached the Rossi family. But facing the children who had always been criticized and disliked by him before, Frank, for the first time, smiled and kindly called them into his modest house to enjoy some chocolate.

At this moment, Frank's figure stood tall again, which brought a radiant smile to Charlie's face.