Dead Poets Society

and Todd
stopped to look for their belongings. Neil spotted his bags and went to find
their room.
    “Home, sweet home,”
he chuckled as he entered the small square space barely large enough to fit two
single beds, two closets, and two desks. He plopped his suitcases on one of the
beds.
    Richard Cameron
stuck his head in the room. “Heard you got the new boy. Hear he’s a stiff.
Oops!” Cameron said as Todd walked in.
    Cameron quickly
ducked out. Todd walked past him, dropped his suitcases on the other bed and
began to unpack.
    “Don’t mind
Cameron,” Neil said. “He’s a jerk. ” Todd just shrugged, focusing on the task
at hand.
    Knox Overstreet,
Charlie Dalton, and Steven Meeks then showed up at their room. “Hey, Perry,”
Charlie said, “rumor has it you did summer school. “
    “Yeah, chemistry. My
lather thought I should get ahead.”
    “Well,” Charlie
said. “Meeks aced Latin, and I didn’t quite flunk English, so if you want,
we’ve got our study group.”
    “Sure, but Cameron
asked me too. Anybody mind including him?”
    “What’s his
specialty,” Charlie laughed, “brown-nosing?”
    “Hey,” Neil said,
“he’s your roommate!”
    “That’s not my
fault.” Charlie shook his head. Todd continued unpacking his suitcase while the
other boys talked. Steven Meeks walked toward him.
    “Hi, I don’t think
we’ve met. I’m Steven Meeks.”
    Todd extended his
hand shyly. “Todd Anderson.”
    Knox and Charlie
walked over and extended their hands in greeting, too.
    “Charlie Dalton.”
    “Knox Overstreet.”
Todd shook their hands formally.
    “Todd’s brother is
Jeffrey Anderson,” Neil said.
    Charlie looked over
with recognition. “Oh, yeah, sure. Valedictorian, National Merit Scholar...”
    Todd nodded. “Well,
welcome to ‘Hellton.’” Meeks laughed.
    “It’s every bit as
hard as they say. Unless you’re a genius like Meeks,” Charlie said.
    “He only flatters me
so I’ll help him with Latin.”
    “And English, and
trig...” Charlie added. Meeks smiled.
    There was another
knock on the door. “It’s open,” Neil called. But it wasn’t another of their
buddies this time.
    “Father,” Neil
stammered, his face turning white. “I thought you’d left!”

Chapter 3

     
     
    The boys jumped to
their feet. “Mr. Perry,” Meeks, Charlie, and Knox said in unison.
    “Keep your seats,
boys,” Neil’s father said as he walked briskly into the room. “How’s it going?“
    “Fine, sir. Thank
you,” they answered.
    Mr. Perry stood face
to face with Neil, who shuffled uncomfortably. “Neil, I’ve decided that you’re
taking too many extracurricular activities. I’ve spoken to Mr. Nolan about it,
and he’s agreed to let you work on the school annual next year,” he
said, and then walked toward the door.
    “But, Father,” Neil
cried. “I’m the assistant editor!”
    “I’m sorry, Neil,”
Mr. Perry replied stiffly.
    But, Father, it’s
not fair. I...”
    Mr. Perry’s eyes
glared at Neil, who stopped midsentence. Then he opened the door and pointed to
Neil to leave the room.
    “Fellows, would you
excuse us a minute?” he asked politely. Mr. Perry followed Neil, closing the
door behind him.
    His eyes raging, Mr.
Perry hissed at his son. “I will not be disputed in public, do you
understand me?”
    “Father,” Neil said
lamely, “I wasn’t disputing you. I…”
    “When you’ve
finished medical school and you’re on your own, you can do as you please. Until
then, you will listen to ME!”
    Neil looked at the
floor. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry.”
    “You know what this
means to your mother, don’t you?” Mr. Perry said.
    “Yes, sir.” Neil
stood silent in front of his father. His resolve always crumbled under the threats
of guilt and punishment. “Oh well, you know me,” Neil said, filling the pause.
“Always taking on too much.”
    “Good boy. Call us
if you need anything.” He turned without further comment and walked off. Neil
looked after his father, feeling overwhelmed with frustration and anger. Why
did he always let his father get to him like that?
    He opened the door
to his room and walked back in. The boys tried to look as if nothing had
happened, each waiting for the other to speak. Finally Charlie broke the
silence.
    “Why doesn’t he ever
let you do what you want?” he asked.
    “And
why don’t you just tell him off! It couldn’t get any worse,” Knox added.
    Neil wiped his eyes.
“Oh, that’s rich,” he sneered.