Chapter 2: Out of Mind, Out of Time.

For Dad, 16 was a year of many changes; for mom, she underwent those changes at a younger age, though some would say it was much later for her. I'm not talking about puberty, but from becoming an adult from a child through action and responsibility. This is my second year at the same school they attended almost a generation ago: Brooklyn Technical High School, still #3 in its ranks of nation public schools and perhaps the world. Fortunately, the student body has been reduced to 14,000 from the 25,000 of the 1980's.

The pressure's still there for high grades and good work, but from learning in my first year, there are only a very few that can be trusted. But those are few and far between, as the numbers of those in here that as my father would say, "want me dead or worse", seem to permeate through the entire student body and school staff. One in particular: Gayle Reilly. An English teacher, former principal of the school, gave dad such a hard time with English 7: Victorian Period Literature, that he almost dropped out of school. At one time thanks to her, he had to take the course 3 times in the same semester, and through her tampering of the schedule- had her for all 3 periods. I asked the question as to why she would that, the answer I was given was that he ended a teacher/student lover's relationship between Ms Reilly and a female friend of his, with Ms Reilly finding it that it was him who interfered. Least to say- she went after him to ruin his academic career, and came very close to succeeding.

Mr. Mendelson is also there, one of the few teacher's dad can say was one of his favorites, now Assistant Principal and formerly Acting Principal the year before, Mr. Mendelson was dad's history teacher- giving him 95+ grades every time he took his class. The story of their first meeting was hilarious, from I was told- a blind kid showing up to class and Mr. Mendelson thought he was just wearing dark sunglasses in class to be cool. Dad was blind for a short time in his life, which he calls the best time of his life. I would not know why, cause of the pretty girls he would not be able to see. "Beauty lies within a person's heart- not on their outward appearance", he would always tell me.

Walking to the school from the Nevin's Street train station, I am constantly reminded of the horrors of how the tall fancy buildings hides the ghettos where gangs and crime seem to take over the streets of the neighborhood. Although the school and other tall buildings border the ghetto, I have to traverse through it to get to the school. Its like one of those math equations, where you cut a quadrilateral with a bisecting line. And weighing under 100 pounds at 5'3", there are some that would deem me as an easy target. Unfortunately for them- I am my father's daughter, which may mean nothing to all around me, but he once was this neighborhood's hero once. I would certainly not want to be in that same situation, but that responsibility may thrown onto me by not of my own choice. Until then, I just have to be Kitty G- Cat Girl of BTHS.

I have been playing the Cat Girl routine since kindergarten, though it has scared away many that would have been my friends, it kept much more that would want to hurt me away. I've only had a few friends back in elementary and Jr. high, but here in BTHS- even with the 14-thousand plus, I am all alone.

First, as per my father's request- a joke must be played, one that was planned but not been implemented during my first year here. I walk down the halls with my pair of 90% Brown- Smoked Quartz glasses down the first floor west hall, tapping a cane in front of me. Though I can see perfectly well with the glasses, I continue onward, noticing that people are actually getting out of my way as I go towards my intended target. The echo of tapping cane changes as I make it pass the center hallway and onto the Principal's, Security and finally Assistant's Principals offices. As practiced, I slide the cane against the wall to 'feel' for the door and then open it to step inside. The door opens with little effort, to a small waiting area. As always, it was full of kids and some parents, all wanting to see Mr. Mendelson. Taking a few steps inside, I stop at the center of the room and tap my cane against the floor. Everyone looks around towards me, some moving about to make room for me to sit by them, but there was one person's attention I did not catch. I tap the cane harder against the floor, finally getting her attention.

"Who the.... whoa....", she says as she looks up at me from her desk and computer terminal. I pretend to walk to her by the direction of her voice and stop in front of the desk when my cane finally taps against it. She just stares at me in bewilderment- never before had Tech had such a student with such a handicap other than my father some 20 years before. Wheel chairs and walkers perhaps, and a special section for the deaf students, while students with limited vision were treated as normal students with special needs, but never a totally blind one.

"Is Mr. Mendelson in?", I ask, as I reach into my shirt pocket and pull out my school ID and reach out to her for the secretary to take. She takes it and reads the information to herself aloud.

"Well, Fran- You can have a seat and wait for him.", as she hands back the card to me.

I quickly snatch the card from her and put it back in my pocket, leaning over the desk and eyeing her through my glasses, "Don't you ever call me Fran again... Its Francesca, or Kitty G. Call me Fran again and I'll kill you."

She leans back against her seat to keep the maximum space between us. "OK, Miss G... just have a seat... and he'll be right out." I just smile at her, showing a little fang. Bad enough she was pale to begin with, but I swear that this woman just turned white when I did that, and yet- it felt good.

"Thank you.", I tell her, before turning around and looking for a seat. Unfortunately, there was not a single one that was paired of with another empty seat, for I wanted to be seated alone and not next to somebody. I decided to take a walk to the back of the room and stand by the wall.

No sooner have I gotten to the rear of the room, a voice comes in through the intercom, "Ms Snider- send in the next student."

"Uhm.., yes sir.", she replies, looking around the room and finding me at the opposite end from her. I stand there looking at her with my hands crossed at the top of the cane. She signals to me to come, but I do not answer. She signals again, saying, "Next...", but I refuse to yield. Another gets up, but she signals them to remain seated. Finally she gets up out of her desk and calls to me, "Fran- its your turn."

I start my way to her desk, and stop when the cane strikes it. "I told you not to ever call me that."

"Well, miss- Mr. Mendelson will see you now.", as she points to the door.

"I hope you're not pointing at the door- for that would be a great disrespect against me...", I tell her. As dad would say, 'Take No Shit From Anyone.'

A door opens to the side of the secretary's desk, "What is the delay here?", Mr. Mendelson says as he sticks his head out of his office.

I turn to the doorway, and smile at him, "Hi.... I'm just having a little problem here with this lady... uhm, could you guide me to the door?... Please?..."

At first he looks at me with a stern, eyeing me from head to toe, noticing the dark glasses. But then once he spots the eye-seeing cane, he has a double take and his whole attitude changes. He steps out into the lobby and hold the door open, giving my directions and reaching out with his hand until I was close enough for him to grab me gently by my upper arm and walk me the rest of the way into his office.

"How can I help you, Miss...?", he says as he places a chair in front of me and puts my hand on it. I feel it for a second, and position myself to sit on it. He takes a seat and draws it near me as I fold the cane and put it on my lap, folding my hands on it.

I turn to him for a second, and take off my glasses for a second, to wipe my eyes for a second and return the glasses to my face, "Well, Mr. Mendelson, my dad told me to see you before continuing on with the rest of the school year...", I explain.

"Is there any reason why you cant continue?", he asks.

"Its not that- but I'm going to loose a lot, because of this handicap. Which is why dad told me to see you first.", I try to explain.

"Then your father must be a very wise man for him to tell you to go see me.", he says.

"Uhm... not really.", I try to say holding back the smile, "but its because he went through the same problems 20 years ago, and you were there to help him out a bit."

He just sits there, probably undergoing a brain freeze at the moment. I reach into my shirt pocket and remove my school ID and hand reach out to him. He slowly takes it and studies it for a second,

"Francesca Gutierrez........ F. Gutierrez? Fernando Gutierrez... The Gutch?", he says to himself. "You're his daughter?", he finally says, adding, "...and blind too?"

"Uhm... yeah.", I answer back.

"Your father created himself something of a legend here- I hope you wont follow in his foot steps.", he says almost to himself.

"How so?", I asked.

"It would be too much to explain. But I see you that you'll need a little bit of help with your condition. Tell me, please- how you ended up like this? I mean- blind... if you don't mind me asking", he says.

"My dad and I ran into a house that was on fire to get the people out during last week's Spring Break, and it exploded on us.", I explain to him.

"Whoa... is your father OK?" he asks.

"He's OK- a little crispy around the edges and some problems with his eyes too, but it seems I got the worse of it.", I explain further.

"Well, you seem OK otherwise.", as he walks back to his desk and rummages through the drawers. He returns with a clipboard and starts writing on a sheet of paper. He rips it out of the clip board, folding it and hands it to me. "Now, you need to go to the main office and see the head secretary there, Mrs. Garrison. She will give you a permanent HC pass to give you access to the teacher's elevator and permission to enter classes late and leave early."

'Yes!', I say in my mind. Another person enters the room.

"Mike, there will be a staff meeting after 3pm today.... wait- you know that you belong on the other side of the desk when you talk with students.", a male voice says.

"This is one is a special case, Lee.", Mr. Mendelson says.

"How so?", the male voice asks in sarcasm.

"Well, I would be careful with what you say around her. Her father may not like it and come knocking on your door.", Mr. Mendelson says.

"I don't care who this child's father is... now quickly finish with her and come to the office when you're done.", the male voice says. I push against the floor and find the chair can spin freely on either its wheels or its supporting rod. Looking around, I stop the chair precisely where I can see him. It would figures it is Lee D. McCaskill, principal of the school.

"I can see why my dad calls you the next Bucatto in line for failure.", I said out for him to here.

"I will take none of that attitude from you or any other student.", Mr. McCaskill saids.

"Or what are you going to do? Suspend me?", I say as I take my cane of my lap and pull on its thong, forcing it to unfold and snap together rigidly. In his mind I can hear him almost wanting to run out and get security, but once I put the tip against the ground and stand up, the pieces add up in his head, 'girl wearing dark glasses and using a cane- Oh God- she's blind.'

I turn to Mr. Mendelson and reach out for his hand and tell him thank you. He takes it and shakes it. I turn to the door, acting like I remember where it was and tap-step my way towards it. Mr. McCaskill tries to step out of the way, but I stop right in front of him and turn towards him. I look at him, staring him down through the glasses, and observing the nervous look on his face.

"Mr. McCaskill, you better learn that there are some students here that more power than you do. I'm not one of them, but like my father was with Mr. Bucatto, I will be for, with and against you.", I tell him.

"I am definitely not going to have that attitude from you miss. Report to my office with your parents tomorrow morning.", Mr. McCaskill demanded in an angry tone.

"Lee, I think you should reconsider.", Mr. Mendelson saids as he approaches us, "Francesca- see Mrs. Garrison and then come back to me if there any more problems you need help with."

"Thank you, Mr. Mendelson.", I said to him politely.

"And tell your father he's welcome to drop by to see me anytime.", Mr. Mendelson adds.

"I'll tell him that.", as I smile at him before turning to the doorway and tap-stepping out the door and through the lobby before entering the hallway.

"Who was that, I want her name and prefect...", Mr. McCaskill says in anger towards Mr. Mendelson.

"Her- Francesca Gutierrez, daughter of Fernando Gutierrez.", Mr. Mendelson explains.

"And who the hell is Fernando Gutierrez?", Mr. McCaskill asks a bit too loudly, to the point where everyone in the lobby hears it.

"He was known as 'The Gutch.' The one who saved the school from itself back in 1980's, and the reason why Mr. Bucatto was forced to retire when he did.", Mr. Mendelson explains. Those who heard it, gasped, as the rest of them tried to make head and tails of the conversation between the assistant principal and the principal. Most of them murmured about the legend of "The Gutch".

"Some how I don't believe none of that happened here.", Mr. McCaskill saids.

"Its in his records. Look it up and read it, along with the School newspapers and year books of the time.", Mr. Mendelson says.

"BAH! I got no time for bull crap and games. Be in my office in five minutes.", Mr. McCaskill says as he starts to step out of the office.

"You better start to knew these kids better, or you will become the next Bucatto.", Mr. Mendelson says.

"Is that a threat coming from you?", Mr. McCaskill replies.

"No, But with Francesca Gutierrez around, I can guarantee that things will be like 1980 again. And her being blind is an affirmation of those days soon to return.", Mr. Mendelson says to him.

"And what is that supposed to mean?", Mr. McCaskill stated.

"When Fernando came here, he was totally blind, like she is now. If like father, like daughter, then you got hell to pay and soon.", Mr. Mendelson stated in return.

"Bull Shit... any student that starts trouble will find themselves in the front of a disciplinary board awaiting a suspension hearing.", Mr. McCaskill said, trying to make himself more reassured of himself.

"We'll see about that.", as he walks to his desk and pulls out a brief case from behind, and returns near Mr. McCaskill. "But she is right, and you better start knowing these kids better.", Mr. Mendelson adds as he walks out of the office and by his secretary's desk.

He looks at her for a second and then to the rest of the room. "If Francesca arrives, give her anything she needs, sign any papers for me from her and make sure she is well treated in the school.", Mr. Mendelson explains.

"Anything else sir?", she asks.

"The others can wait or leave until I return...", as he looks around the group, "except for him, call his mother and have her pick him up." as he points to a sickly looking student in the back of the room.

"Will do, sir.", the secretary says.

"You're giving that girl too much slack and leeway. She's going to be nothing but trouble.", Mr. McCaskill saids as they both walk out the door.

"What do you want to see me about?", Mr. Mendelson asks in the hallway.

"I needed you to get out of there when you're sitting too close to a female student. Don't you know that is how rumors get started?", Mr. McCaskill stated with concern.

"In the past 30 years I have been working here, with any other student, I would have concerns about. But she is a daughter of a former student who I can trust my life with and stake my reputation on. The question I must ask for my personal curiosity is, 'who is the mother?'", Mr. Mendelson says trailing down to a softer tone.

"Look, Mike- every student is given an opportunity here that no other school in this country has... opportunity. Now, if you are going to squander away opportunities for others to excel and throw it all on just 1 student, then, I would have to ask you to resign before this becomes a newspaper headline. Now, what is it going to be?", Mr. McCaskill stated trying to show who was in charge.

"You do not need to worry about such concerns of me with her or any other students. The problem is do you?", Mr. Mendelson stated to him, proving who really is in charge and who is the ship's figure head. They stop by the center section, as Mr. Mendelson steps towards the exit doors.

"And where are you going?", Mr. McCaskill asks.

"First- get some lunch, then to my physician's office to get some test results. I'll see you back at the staff meeting.", Mr. Mendelson says.

"I'll give you thirty minutes to be done and return.", Mr. McCaskill says with authority.

"Yeah, sure.", Mr. Mendelson says to himself as he walks out to the foyer and onto the next set of door which lead outside, making sure to nod agreeingly so that Mr. McCaskill saw it.

Mr. McCaskill walks down the length of west side hallway where the school's offices reside. I start to walk out of the general office with the cane tapping in front of me. Most of my paper work has been done, all it needs is Mr. Mendelson's approval and signature. We walk into each other soon as I take two steps out of the door. I pretend to fall and spill out a folder with various paperwork that would make things easier for me for the rest of the semester and let go of the cane. The glasses flew off my face upon impact, sliding down the rest of the hallway.

Several of the office workers step outside to see what was the commotion. Mr. McCaskill stood there 1/2 angrily and 1/2 surprised and shocked at what just happened, with the first shouting loud words coming out of his mouth being, "Don't you watch where you are going?!!!"

I slowly get up into a kneeling position, adjusting my semi-formal school uniform a bit and start looking for me belongings as I reach out and feel along the floor. The office workers come out and get on their knees and start picking up the various items for me, as Mrs. Garrison steps out by the door.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, Mr. McCaskill... this is a blind-handicapped student, and you dare say 'Don't you watch where you are going?!!!' Never in my 40 years have I ever seen such audacity as this! Get all her stuff together and bring her back inside guys.", Mrs. Garrison says to the principal and then to her staff who was outside assisting me.

"My glasses...", I start to say repeatedly, as I feel for them on the ground. I can see Mr. McCaskill standing there, in awe and shock as he was being chewed out by one of his subordinates. But Mrs. Garrison having being one of the elder staff of the building, has more seniority over him and has more than just the right to put him his place.

Somebody to the side of me touches me by the shoulder, "Here honey, stay still for a moment.", as one of the lady secretaries puts them back on my face.

"My cane?", I said quietly. Another two take me by my arms and help me up, and someone places the cane in my hands. The others finish gathering my papers and put them into the folder and takes them into the office. One of the secretaries takes me by the arm and guide me back into the office again. Mrs. Garrison waits for everyone go enter the office as she stands by the doorway staring down Mr. McCaskill.

"You did not even get down to help her, don't you have any shame?", she sneers at him. He just stand there, nodding negatively in small movements before he turns around and walks away.