Part *Four* of "Homeschoolers in Highschool"

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Police Chief Tomas Costamesa, father of Suri's new friend Gilberto, was strolling all around Lakeshore Park in plain clothes, maintaining a low-key watch on events. Wilson Kramer had informed him of the arrest of Mac the skateboard hooligan, and the reason for it. People tended to tell Tomas things because they tended to like him. In fact, there was hardly anyone at Lakeshore Park this evening who didn't know him by sight.

So he noticed a middle-aged woman who clearly did not recognize him, and whom he had never seen before either. She stood close to the Christian radio station's live-broadcast booth for a long time; and when her turn came to be interviewed by the male announcer who had recently relieved the female one, she began asking the radio personality precise questions about points of Christian belief and Biblical moral standards. The answers she got were all Bible-based, courteously stated, and essentially identical with what Tomas himself believed. But he detected the smirk on the woman's face as she listened.

Highly proficient at tailing suspects, Tomas tailed the stranger without arousing her suspicions. Thus, a bit later, he was able to hear when she spoke--apparently into a recording device, which no doubt had also been running while at the broadcast booth:

"You've just heard it for yourselves--the language of the Inquisition and the Salem witch-hunts, still being spoken by hatemongers in the 21st century. There's a chill wind blowing on this warm Labor Day: the wind of intolerance and theocratic fascism, disguised as love and saving grace. For 'Things To Consider,' I'm Rhoda Gardner."

Tomas did not confront the public-radio hack; since her conversation with the Christian radio host had been part of a broadcast, he couldn't say that Ms. Gardner was violating anyone's privacy. But what he could do, he did: he hurried to the Christian station's booth and warned them, off-mike, that they were about to be the target of a media hatchet job.
 
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Having done what he could to protect the Christian radio station against libel, Tomas Costamesa looked around for Alipang. Finding him alone and visibly despondent, the police chief struck up a conversation. Already briefed on how Alipang had taken down his sister's assailant, he felt no need to address that subject. He also did not mention Kim Tisdale. Instead, he asked Alipang how it was going, changing from a homeschooler to a public-school student.

"I guess you know about the more dramatic part, sir," Alipang told him. "Scholastically, I'm doing fine. But I really don't like my Biology teacher, Mr. Hayata."

Tomas raised an eyebrow. "What, an inherited grudge from World War Two?"

"No, sir--the present-day culture war. Mr. Hayata goes out of his way to ridicule intelligent design, or anything else connected with faith in God. He's militant about not letting anyone even SAY 'God' in his classroom; but he sees no reason why HE can't use his platform as a teacher to 'evangelize' for HIS 'god' of meaningless materialism."

Tomas laughed. "Al, you should go into politics! But the reason why I laughed is, I just met a woman who could be your Biology teacher's twin sister, if they weren't of different races."

"In a manner of speaking, sir, I have a twin sister of a different race."

"Good point, son."
 
Alipang was just coming from his conversation with the police chief. "Hello again, Chil, Dan. I got to entertain Summer's Dad; he came to the picnic, which Summer says is an important recovery step for him."
 
Copperfox said:
Alipang was just coming from his conversation with the police chief. "Hello again, Chil, Dan. I got to entertain Summer's Dad; he came to the picnic, which Summer says is an important recovery step for him."
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"Hi Al," Dan said. "So he's doing alright, then?"
 
"Summer says it sure is lifting her Mom's spirits to see him improving."

"Al, did you see anything of Kim?" Chilena put in.

"Not a thing," replied Alipang glumly. "And I didn't see the boy she was with either, so they're probably both busy at not being seen--together someplace."

Chilena gave him a hug, which he briefly returned.
 
Jen had just finished collecting autographs when Ollie led her out, saying that the bands needed some time to prepare for the show. Jen saw Al, Chilena, and Dan standing by a hot-dog stand, so she left Ollie to go help with setting up and went over to them.
 
"Say, Jen," said Alipang, trying to keep his thoughts off Kim, "you sure look happy. Did you win a lottery?"
 
"Congratulations," Alipang told Jen politely, then resumed listening to the music without enthusiasm. He had even forgotten his intention of offering to help at the Pansit concession stand.
 
Copperfox said:
"Congratulations," Alipang told Jen politely, then resumed listening to the music without enthusiasm. He had even forgotten his intention of offering to help at the Pansit concession stand.
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Jen looked back at her notebook and then onto the stage. She still felt really giddy.
 
OOC: While waiting for more players to post, let me mention this "officially": I have it from the Mods now that, while they DID want that 1,000-post ceiling limit, it is now relaxed. So this thread will NOT break off at the thousand mark.
 
Suri finished with all the pictures she had to take...
"Hey do u want to go with me to the concert that is going to play in some minutes" asked Gilberto, "ummm...sure" answered Suri "Great I'll just go to change and I will come back" said Gilberto leaving the scene
 
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