Sue: Jackie, what am I supposed to have heard? I've only just got here.

Jackie: About Dixie! Have you heard about Dixie?

Sue: Mr. Dix, what about him?

Jackie: He's leaving! I can't believe it! He's going at Easter.

Sue: And your point is?

Jackie: Sue! If Dixie leaves we could fail all our GCSEs!

Sue: Don't you think that's just a little bit OTT? He only teaches us English, he doesn't teach us everything.

Jackie: I know, but he's the best teacher we've got. It just won't be the same without him.

Sue: Jackie, we leave in about eight weeks, you can't expect him to hang on just because one of his pupils will miss him you dopey mare! He's probably got a better job somewhere else. I expect he's going to be Head of English somewhere. He'll be going for a promotion just you wait.

Jackie: No! He's going because he can't bear to stay here anymore since his girlfriend walked out on him!

Sue: You what? Where did you get that from you silly cow?

Jackie: It's true! She split up with him about three months back. She left him for another bloke that she met at the squash club.

Sue: Give over, you're just making it all up you melodramatic tart. How could you know all that?

Jackie: He told me.

Sue: Dixie? Dixie told you that? Who died and made you Claire Rayner? He wouldn't tell you, he's a teacher.

Jackie: He made me promise not to tell anyone.

Sue: Well you managed well with that one didn't you!

Jackie: That's not the point. The point is he told me, so I know.

Sue: And just precisely why did he single out "Saint Jackie of the Blessed Comprehensive" to share his troubles with?

Jackie: Because he trusts me! ....and because I caught him crying in his classroom when it happened.

Sue: What?

Jackie: Well I went to see him about my coursework, I couldn't understand the book we were looking at and I went to see him first thing that morning. There was hardly anyone in school and it was really quiet. I went to the staff room and Gibson said he'd seen Dixie going down to his room. So I went down there.

He was sat on a desk at the back of the classroom, looking at the display on the wall, you know that crappy year 8 one about Shakespeare. I stood in the doorway and I tapped on the doorframe.

Sue: What happened?

Jackie: He turned around.

Sue: (After a slight pause) I mean after that you fool!

Jackie: Oh! Well, he turned around and he was crying.

Sue: Dixie? Dixie was crying? What did he say? What did you say?

Jackie: He tried to pretend nothing was happening, that he wasn't crying. You know like lads do when they're at the cinema and the lights come up after a sad film and they pretend its the light that makes their eyes water.

Sue: Oh yeah, my Dad did that when we watched "Bambi" on video.

Jackie: Well, Dixie apologised, coughed and spluttered a bit and said "What can I do you for?". You know, making a bit of a joke about it. I said, I needed some help with my coursework. He started to help me, and then he just began to cry.

Sue: Bloody hell, it must have been hard then!

Jackie: Not at the coursework, because of his girlfriend. I said "Sir, are you alright Sir?" and then he said he was really and he told me that his girlfriend had left him the night before and it had only really just hit him. He said he'd be okay by the first lesson, but he made me promise not to tell anyone.

Sue: So did he sort your coursework out then?

Jackie: No, he didn't! I left him alone and went out to the playground to see you.

Sue: God, some teachers just aren't prepared to work are they?!

Jackie: Don't be so nasty! He was upset, anyway I worked it out for myself, the coursework I mean. But the point is he told me about his girlfriend. So I know, that's why he's leaving, to get away from here. So that his broken heart can be allowed to mend!

Sue: Oops, sorry I got it wrong, somebody died and made you Barbara Cartland not Claire Rayner!

Jackie: Give it a rest, I'll miss him, I like Dixie, I feel sorry for him. I can't believe he's going.

Sue: You fancy him! That's what this is all about isn't it?

Jackie: No! I don't fancy him, he's not my type, and anyway he's old. He's at least twenty nine.

Sue: I'm only winding you up, I know you don't fancy him. To be honest, I was always surprised that his girlfriend did. I mean he's nice and he's a good laugh and that but he isn't exactly what you'd call a dream date though is he?

Jackie: Well he's the best teacher I've got and I can't bear to think of school without him. He's made a big impression on me, I'm going to take English at college next year. English, Theatre Studies and Media Studies. I'm even thinking of taking English at university.

Sue: You at university? Get real! If I hear one more dopey comment from you, I swear I'm going to dye your hair blonde. They want clever kids at university not the likes of you!

Jackie: You cheeky cow! I've been predicted five A's and two B's for my exams. You're the one who needs to get the application form for the chicken factory not me!

Sue: I suppose it will be strange, not seeing Dixie in class. He's alright, he did let us use this room at break and dinner, even when it wasn't wet. And he did let me off my homework when I split up with Darren. I suppose its because he treated us like human beings, not like little kids, or robots, or something. Oh God!

Jackie: What?

Sue: Who will we get instead? I bet we'll get someone really strict! What if we get Mrs. Peters? She'll bite our heads off if we're two seconds late! She keeps her class in until the very last second on her clock. When one of the kids put the clock fast she said "That's funny, somebody appears to have been tampering with the clock. My watch and the clock always show exactly the right time, but my watch appears to be running slow." Then she gave the whole class detention without even asking who did it! She's mental.

Jackie: Or it could be Briggstock! He doesn't know what year it is never mind what day! He took a French class for English, simply because they were in the room and he thought it was Tuesday not Monday. You'd never get anything done with him.

Sue: How do you know?

Jackie: Because nobody ever gets anything done with him.

Sue: No, I mean, how do you know that Dixie is leaving to mend his broken heart. I mean he didn't tell you THAT did he? I mean, you're just guessing really aren't you? We should ask him.

Jackie: No, we can't. He'd know I told you, I promised.

Sue: Well, I'm gonna say something. I won't let on about... you know!

Jackie: You'd better not or I'll never speak to you again.

Fordy: Alright Sue? Alright Jackie?

Sue: Alright.

Jackie: Hiya Fordy! Have you heard about Dixie?

Fordy: Yeah, its crap isn't it? I mean, you know, its like, crap. I can't believe he'd just go and leave us as we're about to do our GCSE's. He's a good bloke, why does he wanna go and get sacked.(girls respond) I heard he got sacked, well made reundant, you know, because of the cuts. I heard they had to get rid of him he was too expensive they want somebody cheaper. My Dad says that there won't be any old teachers left soon, because they cost too much. Its cheaper to get new young teachers. But I hate new young teachers you know, because they think that they're like your mate you know, and they try to be all cool and trendy and talk about bands we've heard of not the old ones from when they were in school. And they try to dress cool too. Did you see when Mr. Cook came in in that dead trendy jacket? I thought it was so funny when that Year 7 kid was sick over it! Serves him right he should have let the kid in to the toilets at break.

Sue: He should have come to school in a proper jacket like the older teachers.

Jackie: What like Denning? He's had that blue suit for about twenty years, they'll bury him in it when he dies.

Sue: I think he has died, its only the suit that keeps him going round school its taken on a life of its own!

Fordy: Yeah, and a smell of its own! Its probably the sweat and BO that fuels it as it goes from class to class.

Jackie: He hasn't been sacked though, he might be old but he's not ancient. He's only been teaching a couple of years, he can't be that expensive.

Sue: I still reckon he's been promoted in another school.

Fordy: Is that what you think too?

Jackie: I don't want to say.

Fordy: Why not? Do you suppose he's an axe murderer or something and that's why he's been sacked?

Jackie: He hasn't been sacked, he's leaving for personal reasons.That's all.

Fordy: Oh so it was him who got that Year 10 girl pregnant was it?

Jackie: Oi! Don't be horrible, that's how rumours start.

Fordy: I'm only joking I don't mean it. God your a bit touchy today! Is it that time of the month already?

Jackie: Get lost Spotty, what would you know about it anyway? I happen to think Dixie is a nice bloke and a good teacher. I don't want to hear people like you causing trouble and starting rumours.

Fordy: Sorry, I didn't realise I'd hit a nerve. I mean I do think he's a good bloke, he certainly helped me out when Jason decided to pick on me. I was getting my coat at dinner when Jason and his mate came in and started to pick a fight, because someone had told them I support Wolves, you know. Anyway, Jason grabbed me by the coat, swung me round and smashed me through the doors. I went flying down the steps and Jason came out after me. As we both hit the ground I looked up and saw Mr. Dix looking down at us. He's quite a big bloke really you know. He just said "This school hasn't sanctioned experiments in human flight yet!" He sent Jason to his room to get a set of textbooks which he didn't even need, and he asked me if I was okay. He said to tell him if I had any more problems with Jason or his mates. And I never did you know, I don't know what he said to Jason, but he never came near me again!

Sue: That takes some doing, Jason never leaves me alone, he keeps getting his mate to ring me up and ask me to go out with him.

Jackie: I hate it when lads do that. Why can't they just ask you themselves?

Fordy: Well, it isn't just lads who do it is it Sue?

Sue: Shuttup right now Fordy!

Ollie: Hiya! (They all reply) Have you heard that Dixie's leaving? (general response) Its really sad isn't it? I mean he's so young. I can't believe it.

Jackie: Sorry?

Sue: What are you on about Ollie?

Ollie: About Sir. Its really sad. I can't believe it.

Fordy: What are you on about dipstick? What's sad?

Ollie: That he's got to give up work, he's got to leave.

Fordy: Well, that's government cuts for you.

Ollie: What's the government got to do with Sir being ill?

Jackie: Ill?

Ollie: Yeah, well he's ill, that's why he's got to give up work. He's got a shadow over his lungs or something, and its getting worse. Things don't look very good for him. My mum said she'd heard down at the supermarket from Jason's mum. apparently he's getting worse. It's something hereditary, I think his brother died from it when he was twelve. Its awful I really feel bad now.

Sue: Why should you feel bad?

Ollie: Well, for skivving his lesson last week and saying that I had to go and see my uncle in Wales who has only got three months to live. I mean, my uncle in Wales is as fit as a fiddle and plays rugby for the village side every week. I just wanted to go into town with Tony so I lied. I didn't realise Sir was ill and getting worse! I feel really bad. He told me that I could talk to him if things got worse or I just needed a chat.

Jackie: I hope you do feel bad, that's a horrible thing to make up!

Ollie: Well I know that now don't I?

Sue: Does anybody actually know why Dixie is leaving at Easter?

I mean has HE actually told anybody what his reason is?

Jackie: I think we should organise a surprise leaving party for him.

Fordy: We could, you know, have a whip round for him!

Sue: Yeah, bring your own whip!

Ollie: We could buy him a card or a present or something!

Fordy: Or "something"! How about a stripagram?

Jackie: Trust you! We want to something nice, not embarrass him. We could take him out somewhere, for a meal or to the theatre, there's a good play coming on by Catherine Cookson I think.

Ollie: I'm not going to the theatre to see some poncey bloke in tights!

Fordy: How can you do a cookery programme in a theatre?

Sue: What? What are you on about? More to the point, what planet are you on? Who said anything about a cookery programme?

Fordy: Jackie did! She said the play's called "Catherine Cooks On".

Jackie: God I can't believe how stupid you are sometimes. She wrote it and its got naff all to do with cooking, I think.

Ollie: Well, I still don't like the idea of going to the theatre.

Sue: You liked it when Dixie took us to see "A Midsummer Night's Dream" done like Quentin Tarantino.

Ollie: It was alright I suppose, but we ought to give him a present. Something to remember us by when he leaves. What do you reckon?

Sue: I could ask Mr. Woods what he likes, he's his mate. They go out drinking together.

Jackie: Dixie and Mr. Woods? How do you know?

Sue: I saw them in the Dog and Cabbage when I went in one time with Darren. Dixie saw us and didn't say anything. I swear I was petrified, I thought he'd tell the landlord, but he just raised his eyebrow, the way he does, and looked disapproving. When Mr. Woods had gone to the loo and Darren had gone out to get some fags, Dixie came over and said "You're looking pretty good tonight, could even pass for eighteen. But I don't know that its a good idea for us both to drink in the same pub do you? Could be awkward, this is my local, and I know the landlord I wouldn't want him to lose his licence serving under-age drinkers. Don't worry I won't tell him tonight, but if he asked me I couldn't lie!" He was dead nice about it, and he wasn't threatening me or anything, so I told Darren I thought the pub was too smokey and asked if we could go to the Three Cups instead. I waved to Dixie as we left and he smiled and waved back. He never mentoned it again, he is a good bloke isn't he? I mean if my mum ever found out she'd kill me. She didn't like Darren and she didn't like me in pubs. What time is it?

Jackie: About five minutes to the lesson.

Fordy: About ten minutes until the others get here then!

Ollie: Do you think he'll mention it? Leaving, I mean.

Jackie: I don't know, do you think he wants us to know? I mean it is sort of personal isn't it? He might not want us to know just yet.

Sue: Knowing Dixie, he probably won't want us to worry in the run-up to the exams.

Jackie: He'll be here soon, have you noticed how he always manages to get here two minutes before the bell? He gets his mark book out and crosses everyone off as they arrive. I'll write to him when he leaves, tell him how I'm getting on. See if he can help me with my A level English.

Sue: Why stop there? What about your degree?

Jackie: One step at a time Sue.

Fordy: Someone's coming!

Ollie: Its Dixie! Bang on time! Are we going to ask him then?

Jackie: I will, before everyone else arrives.

All: Morning Sir!

Jackie: Sir, can I ask you a question? Why ARE you leaving Sir?