Everybody at our school agreed that Harriet really did look like Sophia Loren the famous Italian film actress. She had the same big eyes, wide mouth and straight nose and the same lovely short curly black hair and a lovely dark complexion, coffee coloured or olive which ever you prefer. You couldn't take your eyes off her. And her voice just added to her magnetism; it was a deep throaty purr just like a cats. The way she moved with effortless grace and elegance that was utterly mesmerising. Some of my colleagues in the staff room thought her mouth a bit too wide or that her nose was a bit too long but that is just nitpicking in my opinion. Put them all together and the result was stunning.
The only problem with her though was that while she was smart and hard working she was could also be a bitch sometimes. She took herself very seriously, too seriously in my opinion and she was not one for suffering fools gladly. She was not the kind of woman with whom you could have a bit of a joke and a laugh or flirt with. But we all put up with that because let me tell you she was a sight for sore eyes. I would have murdered my own mother for a smile or a kind word from her. If she had said to any of us "I want you to jump off a cliff" we would have rushed to do it! And all the boys at school felt the same way about her too. When she walked into the canteen the noise level dropped as all the boys stopped talking their forks halfway to their mouths as they all stared at her.
And I could tell that they were wondering what me and my male colleagues in the staff room were wondering: What must she be like in bed? Opinion was divided. Some held that she was too much of a prude and that shagging her would like shagging a piece of wood while others were of the the opinion that she would be pure filth in sack on the grounds that "still waters run deep" and no water was as still and deep as Sophia Loren.
At the end of the summer term we always had a big graduation party at our school where everyone was invited; pupils, their parents, friends and so on. It usually took place in the gym which was decked out to look like a banqueting hall and everyone enjoyed a huge slap up meal. If the weather was nice though a massive BBQ was set up on the sports field. The Head made a speech and awards of one kind or another where handed out to pupils and teachers who had done something spectacular. Then there's be music and dancing and perhaps a comic on stage and fireworks to end the evening.
There were five students who had sneaked away to the store room to have a smoke and share a bottle of spirits. One was Robert I remember a big lad and a bit of a lout, Thomas who was a pretty decent rugby player and his mate Chris who was another sporty type and "commie" who was a boy whose parents had come from Poland as a refugees back in the 1980's some time and finally Jason who liked to think of himself as a bit of a rebel and whose speciality was good old fashioned tomfoolery. The store room was a was a popular "smoking zone" with the smokers' club in the 6th form ( smokers in other years had to make do with standing outside behind the bikesheds whatever the weather) and this little gang were just there, I think, for old times sake. Anyway as they were standing there smoking and taking turns to have a swig from the bottle and talked about their plans for the future and so on who should turn up but Harriet. They all gave her an "ironic" cheer.
"You coming for a quick smoke as well miss?" said Jason with a laugh.
"You can have a swig of this if you want as well," offered Robert holding out the bottle of spirits they had been drinking, "it's only cheap but it's every effective."
But true to form Harriet started to treat them like naughty 1st years. Telling to make themselves scarce and to put out those cigarettes and to give her that bottle. All lads looked at her in astonishment. They reminded her that weren't little schoolkids any more who could be bossed around. The were adults now and she couldn't tell them what to do. But that was what Harriet was like. She treated everybody like a small child. So she ignored them and simply demanded that they did as they were told.
"Okay, but only if you give me a kiss," suggested Chris cheekily.
Harriet ignored that.
"Can I have one too?" asked Thomas.
"Yeah, go on miss?" said Chris, He's fancied you for ages!"
All his mates burst out laughing. Poor old Thomas.
"Yeah, how about it...as a graduation present," suggested Jason.
But Harriet ignored him too.
And you know what they say don't you? One thing led to another. One of the lads, Jason I think, who was standing next to her put a arm around her waist. Harriet wasn't worried though and very calmly pulled it away. Then she started to lecture them again about how they should behave while they were on school grounds and made it perfectly clear that she expected them to obey her. It was obvious now that the lads were feeling a bit put out by her high handedness. This was their graduation party after all. They were old enough to get a job, join the army, get married, sign a contract. They were men now and lets not beat about the bush, boys don't like being told what to do by a woman especially when those boys think they should be treated like men.
"Come on miss?" Jason insisted no humour in his voice any more, "just one kiss."
"That would a graduation present to remember," added Robert also sounding very serious all of a sudden.
Instead Harriet told them to stop being silly little boys and to just hand over the bottle and their cigarettes and to get out and if they didn't she would have no alternative but to report them. All the lads let out a low whistle to register their amazement at her threat. That wasn't called for!
"Come on miss, don't be like that," said Jason who again put an arm around her waist. Harriet tried to pull it away but Jason's grip was firmer this time and pulling her towards him he plonked a kiss on the corner of Harriet's mouth. His mates cried out and applauded and Jason looked very pleased with himself as if he'd pulled off a feat of extraordinary skill and daring. And in a way he had. But Harriet was furious and warned him that if he didn't stop and pull himself together there would be real trouble and told him in no uncertain terms that no matter how big he thought he was not too big to get a clip around the ear if he didn't start behaving himself.
