The soft word people use when fear becomes paperwork.
I marched to Mr. Harlan’s office.
He was on the phone.
I waited in the doorway until he looked up and saw my face.
He ended the call quickly.
“Don’t start,” he said.
“I am absolutely going to start.”
“It wasn’t my decision.”
“Whose was it?”
“The sanitation department. They’re reviewing.”
“Reviewing what? Whether he was too helpful?”
Mr. Harlan sighed.
“Public pressure.”
I laughed once, bitterly.
“Public pressure from people who weren’t there.”
“I know.”
“Then say something.”
He rubbed his temples.
“You think I haven’t tried?”
“Try louder.”
He leaned back.
“You know what the hard part is? If they put him back and one nervous parent complains, they’ll say the town ignored concerns. If they keep him off, they punish a man who did the right thing. Nobody wants to be the person who makes the call.”
