THE PHONEBOOTH

The clock on the wall said nine o’clock, my watch said fifteen to! Which was the right one? I couldn’t be late!

So I rushed over to the nearest student just to make sure, asking him what time he made it.

"Five after nine," he actually bothered to answer, but that meant I was really late! But the maybe his watch was off, I need to ask a teacher.

Luckily the Maths teacher Mrs. Balfry was standing by the buffet table eating the cookies.

"Ma’am, what time is it?"

She gave me a strange look, but checked her watch and said curtly. "Five to nine…"

Damnit! So many different times. How could I know for sure? Then the idea struck me…The Speaking Clock! 1500-555, it always had the right time!

Luckily the newly installed pay telephone was just outside the Gym Doors so I pretty much jumped over to it and threw myself inside shutting the door, stuffing a nickel in the pay slot and dialing the number.

For some reason they’d chosen the slowest talking man in the world to do the recordings so I stood there phone pressed to my ear as the voice paused between every word.

"Welcome…to…the…Speaking…Clock…" of course it had to mention the weather first! "The…temperature…is…forty…five…degrees…The…wind is…blowing…in…a…south…easterly…direction…at…five…miles…an…hour…"

It went on like this! I almost screamed! At some point I thought I heard a scrape outside, like something sliding against the glass door, but I couldn’t be sure. I was waiting for the time….
"At…the…tone…the…time…will…be…nine…oh…clock…exactly…"

The tone sounded, slamming down the phone I whirled around to open the door.

It wouldn’t open!

This time I really did scream and started pounding on the door like a man possessed.

Suddenly, a laugh rang out, from around the corner red-haired, freckled face Mark Dixon appeared with five friends.

"Hey look, like a fly in a jar!"

"Dixon, let me out of here!" I yelled still banging on the door.

"Ooh, watch it there, McFly, you don’t want to knock yourself out." Another one sneered and the rest cackled.

"This isn’t a joke! Let me out!"

"Oh, temper, McFly," Dixon smirked at me with his big red lips. "Your wings are flappin’ in a rage."

"Damnit!" This was too much, Marty was waiting for me, Darth Vader was probably watching from Vulcan…"If you don’t let me out I’ll-"

Luckily just then there was the sound of footsteps, because I didn’t have a threat to give.

"What’s going on out here?"

"Shit, Strickland!" Dixon hissed, then he and his friends ran off, not bothering to let me out of course.

I checked my watch in horror; it had to be about 9.05 now!

Just then Strickland appeared and started at me.

"McFly, what are you doing here?" He demanded, marching over with a sour look on his face. Sometimes I really wondered why this man had gotten into teaching or schools at all, he obviously couldn’t stand adolescents, didn’t they notice that in the interview?

"Mr. Strickland! Please, you have to let me out of here."

"You’re a slacker, McFly! Only slackers get caught in phone booths!"

Slackers and people who were mercilessly picked on, but try telling that last bit to that guy.

"I know, I know I’m a slacker, Mr. Strickland, I’ve learnt my lesson, now please let me out!"

Shaking his head at me in disgust he walked off…

Without opening the door!

I don’t swear, but I was really tempted to do so as Mr. Strickland walked off, at least then he’d let me out so he could expel me…

All the while Marty was out there wondering what the Hell had happened to me and why I’d left him in this mess. Not to mention Lorraine…I mean it wasn’t exactly a plan to be proud of, touching a girl on her…

I had to get out there!

Finally after a lot of pushing on the door and cursing the loudness of the music in the hall, the ruler finally broke and the door open almost sending me tumbling onto the floor.

I’d done it!

Now all I had to do was get out there! Hold on Lorraine, I’m coming to your rescue!