Deals with the Devil Pt. II

Another meeting with principal Palpatine today. Hopefully, the last in a long time. I think we finally put this issue to rest (of course, that's what I thought after the last meeting.) We agreed to move forward with the promotion of our already existing drum line... new equipment, uniforms... all the trappings Palpatine wants in a smaller package. Then we'll see if it grows into a genuine interst in a marching band. As always, I find myself walking away from the table... knowing that the devil is grinning ear to ear, wondering how this deal will come back to haunt me.

Of course, she had to open the meeting with a blatant attempt to subjugate me with a direct question: "Mr. Maestro, do you not feel that it falls within your jurisdiction to expand the Music Department to meet the needs of the students of *OUR SCHOOL*"

I held my ground.

"Mrs. Palpatine.... whether or not I am willing to meet the needs of my students is not in question. What we have yet to determine is whether the establishment of a marching program at *OUR SCHOOL* meets the needs of the music students, or merely the people who wish to see the program, but not participate in it. Would you not agree that every school program, academic or extra-curricular, should, first and foremost, statisfy the needs of the students enrolled in said program?"

No... you don't own me.

She tried multiple times from multiple angles to get a positive response from me, until finally she concluded that I had indeed answered her question in not-so-many-words. (I let it go... there was bigger fish to fry). Her eyes also flared up when I stated quite plainly that the music department in general, should be focused on the needs of the students, not the approval of the surrounding community. I could tell she was offended by that idea.

Yeah... did I mention the "not owning" part?

Sigh.... Oh Principal Palpatine.... for all your cunning and trickery, you fall short of being a truly masterful manipulator. Throughout this meeting you had so many opporunities to simply tell me what I wanted to hear... all you had to do was lie to me and tell me that you fully supported a music program that was more about the music students than the football parents. All you had to do was take the term "school spirit" and the phrase "Everyone wants to see it" out of the conversation. All you had to do was try to make me feel that the music program wasn't being used... and you would have gotten a lot less resistance from me. There were so many things you could have said and done that would have made it a lot easier.

Alas.... you are a idiot.

Anyway, it doesn't matter. You got what you wanted. I got what I wanted. Let me get back to the music.