Binky #9: A Field Trip

It was a clear day on the Chardon Square. Across the street at the elementary school a teacher was bundling up her first graders. They were all set for a field trip. For the past two weeks the students had been preparing for this field trip. It was not a regular field trip with a big yellow school bus. It was a simple walk across the street to the Square. The first graders had spent the last two weeks writing stories, learning vocabulary, drawing pictures and studying about pigeons. It seemed that Binky’s notoriety had spread all the way down to first grade.

They had heard about the many awards that judge was being given, so they decided to make their own award and give it to Binky.

They made a big award for Binky on a piece of butcher paper. It was 4’ x 8’. They colored it and drew pictures of pigeons on it. They all signed their names. The inscription read, “To our friend Binky, a good citizen and a man who is a helpful.” The teacher explained how they could roll the award up like a scroll. Then they could unroll it and read it like a proclamation.

When they were ready the teacher brought out a surprise. She gave each student a small bag of birdseed to feed to the pigeons. Then off they went to the Square.

Binky was standing in his usual spot. He looked up and saw an unusual sight. About 20 1st graders were coming toward him.

The kids greeted Binky warmly and Binky responded. The teacher helped them unroll the scroll. The kids read the words on it. Binky looked at the kids, then the pigeons, and finally the teacher. Binky was a little choked up. Then the kids asked if they could feed the pigeons.

“Oh yes” said Binky, “please do.”

About this time there was a commotion and lot of loud hollering. From across the street came that judge yelling and waving his gavel in the air with his robes flying behind him. He ran up to the group and started shouting that Binky was endangering the children. He said Binky was creating a health and safety hazard for the children.

The first graders were afraid and huddled behind their teacher. Indeed, a man in a black robe waving a gavel, does look menacing.

Now, if you have spent any time in an elementary school you know there are no wimps among first grade teachers. They love teaching, but are fiercely protective of their students.

That judge continued to yell and wave his gavel. That lit the teacher’s fuse. She stepped up toe to toe with that judge and said “There is no danger to the children. There are no safety or health hazards here. Stop scaring my students.”

That judge was enraged. “I am finding you in contempt” he yelled at the teacher. The teacher was having none of it. She stared right at that judge and said, “The only contempt here is the contemptible nature of your behavior toward these children.”

The commotion had not gone unnoticed and about this time two police cars a sheriff’s deputy and even a highway patrol car pulled up. Sheriff Heidelberg got out of one of the cars and walked over to where the judge was standing. He calmly and quietly said to that judge, “It’s time for you to go back to work in your courtroom.”

That judge turned his anger at Sheriff Heidelberg and began berating him. 35 years of police work had taught the Sheriff how to calm a situation down. He quietly said, “Your honor I don’t want to arrest you, please go back to your courtroom.” That judge had never been addressed this way. He knew he had met his match. He turned and still yelling stomped back toward his courtroom.

Sheriff Heidelberg turned to the children and said “It’s OK now everything is fine. He asked the kids if they would like to blow the siren on the squad car. There was a lot of noise from all four squad cars blowing their sirens.

This was a field trip no one would ever forget.

NOTE: There will be some big events going on next week. There will be no episode of Binky’s Bench next week.

The opinions expressed are solely those of Dave Partington and of course Bud, Randy, Harold, Larry and the rest of the guys sitting at the bar at Bud’s. Bud’s Geauga Corners is a work of fiction. Bud’s Geauga Corners is paid for solely by Dave Partington.