Written by William E. Spear
Published by The Three Fifty-seven
26 March 2024
He’s dying to forget.
She lives to remember.
(Tenny’s Theme fades up)
Hello . . . and welcome to the Three Fifty-seven.
My name is William Spear and this is our series titled SEVENTEEN.
Severin Vincent Tennyson, a sixty-four-year-old non-verbal, cane-using janitor at Gunderson High School in central New Jersey, has spoken for the first time in over forty years.
In the basement of the high school, Tenny is reliving battles only he can see while struggling to deliver a decades-old message to Superintendent Millicent di Stefano from her deceased brother, Tony. He is surrounded by Di Stefano, Principal Baker, History Teacher Clarke Evans, and Jennifer Hargrove, Tenny’s job coach.
And now the Eighth, and Concluding, Episode titled . . . HIS FINAL MISSION.
(Tenny’s Theme plays and goes under)
Tenny was distracted by the approaching sounds of whirring and slicing helicopter rotors.
His basement rattled and locker fell over.
He shook Millicent’s shoulders and shouted, “Get out!”
Metal beams twisted, growled, and dropped from the ceiling. It was chaos for one.
He backed away from her, grabbed his head, screamed, and collapsed.
(Loud explosion sound comes up and goes under)
Forty years melted away and he was lying in the midst of a bombed helicopter. Ears ringing and body bleeding, he called out: “Tony? Tony. Tony!”
Smoke stung his eyes and combat deafened him but he looked for his colleague. “TONY!”
A whisper, imagined and real, begged, “Tenny.” The voice was under a pile of rotors and cockpit.
Tenny dug into the rubble, pulled off the metal, found his friend from high school, Tony di Stefano, and screamed for a medic. And screamed again: “MEDIC!”
Tony spoke: “Take this to Millicent.” Tenny refused explaining he would get well and deliver it himself.
Tony shook his head “No” and demanded his request be honored but again it was refused. He held out his hand and this time Tenny knelt and grabbed it with his. Tony whispered, “Be strong.”
Sounds erupted around them.
Tenny wept. As his tears fell so did one more explosion . . .
(Loud explosion sound comes up and goes under)
. . . And he drifted through his memories looking for his friend.
Sitting in his hospital room, and watching over him as she had since becoming his job coach in her sophomore year, was Jennifer Hargrove. She heard him call out: “Tony? Tony!”
She heard him plead, “Don’t leave. Come back!”
She also heard him cry. Deep, body-racking sobs.
She remained stoic. Her posture was as rigid as Tenny’s cane leaning against her chair. She waited. Hour after hour, waited until . . .
There! A soft metal click followed by padded footsteps coming closer. She closed her eyes and calculated the distance of the intruder. Not yet . . . don’t move . . . a little bit more . . . NOW.
With a lightning move, she grabbed the cane and swung it within an inch of the throat of . . . Millicent di Stefano.
Jennifer cut the distance between them in half and growled, “I thought it was your stench.” The swiftness of the cane and fierceness of the interrogation caught di Stefano by surprise.
Hargrove ordered di Stefano to leave and raised the cane to strike but-
“It’s okay, J-j-jennifer,” spoke Tenny. “Thank you.”
He had never said her name and she smiled at the gesture. But she kept the cane aimed in di Stefano’s direction.
Millicent asked Tenny how he felt and Jennifer barged into the conversation: “How do you think he feels?” She turned to Tenny and said, “Say the word and I’ll throw her out.”
Tenny stared at Millicent and said, “She’s a fffriend.” Millicent told Tenny he was lucky to have such a friend.
Millicent spoke in a barely heard voice: “You said Tony wanted . . .” Tenny stared and Jennifer tightened the grip on the cane.
Millicent closed her eyes and steeled herself: “I am curious . . . curious to know what . . . if it is not going to upset you . . . what he wanted me to have.” When she opened her eyes, Tenny was offering three military dog tags. The first two were inscribed Anthony di Stefano and his enlistment date from forty years ago.
The third read: “Millie-You are always with me. Your loving brother, Tony.”
She sagged from the weight of delayed emotions and hugged Tenny. Jennifer lowered the cane.
However, Principal Baker entered and lacked any sentimentality. She strode to pull di Stefano off Tenny. Jennifer put up a hand to signal everything was okay.
Baker waited while the forty-year-delayed reunion played out. Millicent and Tenny separated and he spoke: “P-p-principal Baker, I’ve never p-p-properly introduced myself. I am Severin V-v-vincent Tennyson. Please feel free to c-c-call me T-t-tenny.”
They shook hands and Baker spoke: “It’s a pleasure to speak with you. While you were unconscious, doctors conducted tests and identified anomalies. Severe anomalies. Possibly connected to your combat service. They would like to discuss their findings with the possible recommendation of corrective surgery and related risks.”
He looked at Jennifer and said, “Maybe n-n-no more c-c-cane” and she smiled. He looked at Millicent and said, “You h-h-have everything f-f-from Tony” and she smiled.
He spoke to Principal Baker: “P-p-please ask the doctors to c-c-come in.”
(Sombre music plays and goes under)
Three months later, a sombre group gathered in a cemetery. Words such as “brave” and “courageous” were offered and acknowledged.
Chief of Staff Trace Jones, her missing puzzle piece restored, and Clarke Evans, history teacher at Gunderson High School, stood on the perimeter.
Jennifer Hargrove, job coach and soon-to-be-senior, was on the side of the grave. Next to her was Principal D.B. Baker.
Furthest from the headstone was Superintendent Millicent di Stefano. With her eyes fixed forward, she only glanced away to watch a wreath placed upon the grave.
Tenny struggled to stand and Jennifer instinctively stepped to his side. He thanked her and said, “Maybe getting rid of the cane was premature.” They smiled and leaned on each other.
Principal Baker stiffly asked the Superintendent to say a few words but she shook her head “No”.
Baker asked if Tenny might speak and di Stefano nodded “Yes”.
Tenny bowed his head, thought, then spoke to the headstone: “Anthony di Stefano served the country with distinction. With his final words, he launched me on a mission to deliver a precious gift.”
Millicent clutched the dog tags from her neck and stared at them.
Tenny continued: “But Tony’s gift went beyond that. As his life ended, he offered guidance that goes beyond the battlefield and echoes in every day moments. He said, “Be strong.” May each of us honor the memory of Anthony di Stefano and ‘Be strong’.”
Jennifer squeezed Tenny’s arm. Clarke patted his shoulder and Trace complimented his eulogy. The four walked away.
Principal Baker turned to join them but the Superintendent said, “Stay . . . Please.” The principal stayed. Reluctantly.
The Superintendent continued to stare at her brother’s headstone and spoke: “The Board wishes you to know it appreciates your return as Principal of Gunderson.”
Baker chose to say nothing.
The Superintendent went on: “The Board also acknowledges the outstanding work you have done with the school’s reduced budget.”
Baker screamed her silence through clenched jaws and gritted teeth.
The Superintendent took one more verbal step: “The Board-”
“-Has it ever occurred to you that I don’t care what you or the Board say or do?” roared Baker.
Di Stefano faced her detractor and resumed: “The Board appointed you as Superintendent of the district.”
She started walking to catch up with the others but Baker blocked her path and demanded: “What do you mean?”
Di Stefano sidestepped and tossed over her shoulder, “You got what you wanted.”
From behind her, di Stefano heard mocking laughter and cutting words: “Poor, poor Millicent di Stefano. Still running from the world.”
“Poor, poor Millicent” reversed course and Principal Baker braced for combat.
Di Stefano flashed bravado: “I submitted my letter of resignation.” “And?” prodded Baker.
“And told them you were better suited for the position,” alleged di Stefano. Baker bore down: “That’s not what happened.”
Di Stefano considered bravado or humanity and chose the latter: “I told them I needed time to grieve Tony’s death.” Forty years of denial fell from her.
Baker’s hostile tone relented but she maintained her intellectual distance. She walked by and offered a monotone: “That took courage. Compliments.”
Di Stefano delightfully switched gears: “However, I did recommend you for the Superintendent position.” She stared at the Principal, nodded her head up and down, and reiterated: “Yes, I really did.”
Baker did her best to fight back a smile but the corners of her mouth curled up. “Thank you,” she said then went on. “What are you going to do?”
The two walked toward the others and Millicent answered: “Travel the world. See where Tony died.”
Baker supported: “Let us know where you are. And, Millicent . . .”
They faced each other and Baker continued: “Take your Chief of Staff.” Di Stefano argued: “That was part of the deal.” Baker teased: “I’ll give you back the Super job.”
Millicent defended Jones: “She’s better organized than four of you and has more decorum than eight of you. Admittedly, a cactus has better decorum than you. Beyond that, she can navigate the Board blindfolded.”
Baker admitted better decorum alone was worth it. She offered her hand: “Deal.”
(Tenny’s Theme fades up)
You’ve listened to Episode Eight titled HIS FINAL MISSION.
Theme music is through the courtesy of Lemon Music Studio.
William Spear wrote and narrated the series and it was produced by The Three Fifty-seven.
Thank you for your attention.
(Tenny’s Theme fades out)
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