And I'm comforted by the knowledge that you can be an even bigger asshole. Really, I am.
You want to know who you are to me, Mr. Waltz? You're just another one of hundreds of demanding, entitled parents I've met over the years. You know the kind I'm talking about? The ones who talk down to me and act like I work for them because I teach their kids. Some other assholes will take your place next school year. I probably wouldn't even remember you a few years from now, normally, except you had to go and bring the same attitude here.
If I were soft-skinned, I would've quit my job a decade ago.
[He takes a moment to reply. Stunned. Of all the people he expected to give him so much grief, he couldn’t have predicted Jeff Calhoun. His fingers are practically shaking with anger as he replies. Writing. Deleting. Writing. Deleting.]
I don’t know what you have against my daughter, but I’m starting to think it’s you who has the attitude problem. My child’s future is in your hands, and I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure she’s given every opportunity she deserves. I know my daughter. She is intelligent. She can do anything she puts her mind to. If she’s failing your class, it’s a reflection of your lazy, hackish teaching, or some prejudice on your part.
I will come down on you like a fucking hammer if you mar her record, and trust me, you won’t forget it.
You’ll remember my name, and my face, as you sling burgers at McDonalds.
Annnnd there we go, we're back to the root of the issue!
[ JJ, when Jeff's concern is Athena, and with Waltz pulling this territorial BS as an excuse to punish him EVEN MORE for marking JJ's grade down for, y'know, NOT DOING HER HOMEWORK. Not even doing the bare minimum for the classroom participation grade. Not taking him up on a single offer he's made to help her out with tutoring or extra credit or flexible deadlines. He's even tried to engage with her about her attitude, with constructive conversations, but that went nowhere, too!
IT'S REALLY HARD TO FAIL HIS CLASS. ]
I'm gonna be really honest with you: Athena's my #1 priority here. Not you, and not JJ. As far as your daughter's concerned, I'm not getting into that with you, AGAIN, until we're back home and she's back in my classroom.
It's cute that you think you can threaten me with a service job, though. Been there, done that, no shame in it!
This might come as a surprise to you: I didn't give you Athena's number, because I wouldn't hand it out to anyone short of her aunt. I wanted to give HER the choice to talk to you.
[ That's kind of Jeff's parenting method. And his mentoring method! LETTING THE KID'S OPINIONS AND DECISIONS MATTER.
Plus, it's not like he really knows Waltz from Adam, outside of their horrible JJ-related encounters. ]
And I'm so sorry I doubted the sincerity of the offer you made in between insulting my competence again and again.
I won't argue that teachers are criminally underpaid.
It's very alarming to me that my office assistant, whose primary responsibilities are bringing me coffee and shredding paper, has a higher salary than the man I'm trusting my child's education to.
[You know what? He'll take Jeff up on that. He's not shy.
Most of the time.
Have a video of Cam sitting on the edge of his desk, clapping slowly while making direct eye contact with the camera. He's dressed down, as far as Cameron Waltz goes.
Now, here's the thing: objectively, yeah, Jeff already knew that Cameron Waltz was a good-looking man. But he was good-looking, to Jeff, in the way that art is. You like looking at it, but that's about it. There was nothing attractive or appealing beyond 'nice to look at, for a totally mean person.'
But dressed down and showing a little bit of sense of humor? Shit. Now Waltz is human, instead of a sexy T-1000.
FUCK.
Athena must never know that a snarky video message from Cameron fucking Waltz is the reason he's grinning like a doofus right now. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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You want to know who you are to me, Mr. Waltz? You're just another one of hundreds of demanding, entitled parents I've met over the years. You know the kind I'm talking about? The ones who talk down to me and act like I work for them because I teach their kids. Some other assholes will take your place next school year. I probably wouldn't even remember you a few years from now, normally, except you had to go and bring the same attitude here.
If I were soft-skinned, I would've quit my job a decade ago.
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I don’t know what you have against my daughter, but I’m starting to think it’s you who has the attitude problem. My child’s future is in your hands, and I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure she’s given every opportunity she deserves. I know my daughter. She is intelligent. She can do anything she puts her mind to. If she’s failing your class, it’s a reflection of your lazy, hackish teaching, or some prejudice on your part.
I will come down on you like a fucking hammer if you mar her record, and trust me, you won’t forget it.
You’ll remember my name, and my face, as you sling burgers at McDonalds.
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[ JJ, when Jeff's concern is Athena, and with Waltz pulling this territorial BS as an excuse to punish him EVEN MORE for marking JJ's grade down for, y'know, NOT DOING HER HOMEWORK. Not even doing the bare minimum for the classroom participation grade. Not taking him up on a single offer he's made to help her out with tutoring or extra credit or flexible deadlines. He's even tried to engage with her about her attitude, with constructive conversations, but that went nowhere, too!
IT'S REALLY HARD TO FAIL HIS CLASS. ]
I'm gonna be really honest with you: Athena's my #1 priority here. Not you, and not JJ. As far as your daughter's concerned, I'm not getting into that with you, AGAIN, until we're back home and she's back in my classroom.
It's cute that you think you can threaten me with a service job, though. Been there, done that, no shame in it!
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I offered to assist you with her care, and YOU refused it.
You wouldn’t even give me her contact information.
As far as I’m concerned? You’re the one putting your interests before hers, and making this difficult.
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Unless you’re as incompetent at flipping burgers as you are at teaching, that is.
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[ That's kind of Jeff's parenting method. And his mentoring method! LETTING THE KID'S OPINIONS AND DECISIONS MATTER.
Plus, it's not like he really knows Waltz from Adam, outside of their horrible JJ-related encounters. ]
And I'm so sorry I doubted the sincerity of the offer you made in between insulting my competence again and again.
2/2
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It would explain how you've made it this far being a complete and utter idiot.
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Work the pole.
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I might've missed my window of opportunity for that by a good 10-15 years.
Too bad. Could've made way more money that way!
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I won't argue that teachers are criminally underpaid.
It's very alarming to me that my office assistant, whose primary responsibilities are bringing me coffee and shredding paper, has a higher salary than the man I'm trusting my child's education to.
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It's pretty alarming to me, too. Almost like I picked this job because I love it, or something... Weird.
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And here I assumed you got a primarily useless degree and didn't know what else to do with your life.
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You can't see it, but I'm clapping right now.
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Most of the time.
Have a video of Cam sitting on the edge of his desk, clapping slowly while making direct eye contact with the camera. He's dressed down, as far as Cameron Waltz goes.
Contrary to popular belief, he does own jeans.]
Don't say I've never given you anything.
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Now, here's the thing: objectively, yeah, Jeff already knew that Cameron Waltz was a good-looking man. But he was good-looking, to Jeff, in the way that art is. You like looking at it, but that's about it. There was nothing attractive or appealing beyond 'nice to look at, for a totally mean person.'
But dressed down and showing a little bit of sense of humor? Shit. Now Waltz is human, instead of a sexy T-1000.
FUCK.
Athena must never know that a snarky video message from Cameron fucking Waltz is the reason he's grinning like a doofus right now. ]
I'll cherish this video forever.
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Better include the conversation too, so your descendants will know great-great-grandpa could've been a stripper.
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[ And he is a history academic, after all.
Okay, not an academic... At least, he doesn't consider himself one. ]
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Not that Jeff wasn’t equally dickish.]
Upon review, I’m not sure I’d want anyone reading that particular transcription.
[Was that a slight admission of his less-than amicable behaviour?]
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[ ...so maybe Jeff can admit he was kind of a jerk, too. HE STILL WAS LESS OF A JERK THAN CAM, THOUGH! ]
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We have enough problems here as it is.
Chief of them being keeping Athena Parker in one piece.
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I swear, she's gonna kill herself in her quest to give us heart attacks!
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