Deals with the Devil

So, yesterday's meeting with Palpatine turned out to be the battle that never started. My department chair told me that having the union rep in the room helped a lot. (1)

But yeah, everyone was smiles and handshakes. So much so that I couldn't help but think "This is too easy. How is this going to turn bad for me later on down the road?"

Anyway, here's what we came up with:

* People in the community have been belly-aching about a marching band. But mostly that's been athletics parents who want a band out there supporting their kids. We don't know if there's much of a need from parents for their own kid to be in marching band (or from the students who would be filling the ranks of said marching band.) We're going to develop a survey to see where they stand on that.

* If it turns out that there is interest in being in marching band, then we're going to look into hiring someone to do it. It doesn't have to be me.

* If not that many people respond, then Principal Palpatine can go back to the whiners and say "Look, we put the bait out there, and hardly anyone bit. I'm sorry but unless you're kid is going to pull double duty and march in the band themself... it isn't going to happen."

* We are not going to run a marching program that tricks, blackmails or forces kids to be in it.

I can live with that.

It is a little strange to finally have come to some common ground with Principal Palpatine.... I've gotten so used to distrusting her. What started to cross my mind during the meeting was the possibility that the pressure she's been putting on me may have been a result of the pressure people in the community have been putting on her. But this is Palpatine we're talking about... she isn't exactly honest about conversations she may or may not have had with other people. Also, I'm pretty sure that the idea of marching band as a dumping ground for the "middle" kids is still very appealing to her.

The really freaky thing, though, is the thought that after all this time longing for the day that Palpatine would just pack her bags and go.... she may have just become the "devil I know." Not only that, I may have just cleared the one and only hurdle that lay in our path.

Wow.

Regardless, I'm counting yesterday's meeting as a victory for my sanity. My good friend / former AP Jeff says that I probably earned some respect from Palpatine just by having the balls to show up to that meeting with an entourage that meant business.



1. Also, I've been taking codeine-laced cough syrup the last few days. It kind of takes the edge off.