Мортон Рю - The Wave

Ben could only nod again. He recalled those students in his own history classes who had condemned the Jews for not taking the Nazi threat seriously, for not fleeing their homes and ghettos when rumours of the concentra­tion camps and gas chambers first filtered back to them. Of course, Ross thought, how could any rational person believe such a thing? And who could have believed that a nice bunch of high school students like those at Gordon High could have become a fascist group called The Wave? Was it a weakness of man that made him want to ignore the darker side of his fellow human beings?

David yanked him from his thoughts. “Tonight I almost hurt Laurie because of The Wave,” he said. “I don't know what came over me. But I do know that it's the same thing that's come over almost everyone who's in The Wave.”

“You've got to stop it,” Laurie urged him.

“I know,” Ben said. “I will.”

“What are you going to do, Mr Ross?” David asked.

Ben knew he could not reveal his plan to Laurie and David. It was essential that the members of The Wave decide the matter for themselves, and for the experiment to be a true success, Ben could only present them with the evidence. If David or Laurie went to school the next day and told the students that Mr Ross planned to end The Wave, the students would be biased. They might end it without really understanding why it had to end. Or worse, they might try and fight him, keeping The Wave alive despite its obvious destiny.

“David, Laurie,” he said, “you have discovered for your­selves what the other members of The Wave have not yet learned. I promise you that tomorrow I will try to help them towards that discovery. But I have to do it my way, and I can only ask that you trust me. Can you do that?”

David and Laurie nodded uncertainly as Ben rose and showed them to the door. “Come on, it's too late for you kids to be out,” he told them. As they went through the door, however, Ben had another thought. “Listen, do either of you know two students who have never been involved in The Wave? Two students who Wave members don't know and wouldn't miss?”

David considered for a moment. Amazing as it might be, almost everyone he knew in school had become a member of The Wave. But Laurie thought of two people. “Alex Cooper and Carl Block,” she said. “They're on The Grapevine staff.”

“Okay,” Ben told them. “Now, I want both of you to go back to class tomorrow and act as if everything is fine. Pretend we haven't talked, and don't tell anyone that you were here tonight or that you spoke to me. Can you do that?”

David nodded, but Laurie looked concerned. “I don't know, Mr Ross.”

But Ben cut her short. “Laurie, it is extremely important that we do it this way. You must trust me. Okay?”

Reluctantly Laurie agreed. Ben bade them good-bye, and she and David stepped into the dark.

The next morning in Principal Owens's office, Ben had to pull his handkerchief out of his pocket and pat the perspiration off his forehead. Across the desk, Principal Owens had just slammed his fist down. “Damn it, Ben! I don't care about your experiment. I've got teachers complaining, I've got parents calling me every five minutes wanting to know what the hell's going on here, what the hell are we doing with their kids. You think I can tell them it's an experiment? My God, man, you know that boy who was roughed up last week? His rabbi was here yesterday. The man spent two years in Auschwitz. Do you think he gives a damn about your experiment?”

Ben sat up in his chair. “Principal Owens, I understand the pressure you're under. I know that The Wave went too far. I...” Ben took a deep breath. “I realize now that I made a mistake. A history class is not a science lab. You can't experiment with human beings. Especially high school students who aren't aware that they're part of an experiment. But for a moment let's forget that it was a mistake, that it went too far. Lets look at it right now. Right now there are two hundred students here who think The Wave is great. I can still teach them a lesson. All I need is the rest of the day, and I can teach them a lesson they will never forget.”

Principal Owens looked at him sceptically. “And what do you expect me to tell their parents and the other teachers in the meantime?”

Ben patted his forehead with his handkerchief again. He knew he was taking a gamble, but what choice did he have? He had got them into this and he had to get them out. “Tell them that I promise it will all be over by tonight.”

Principal Owens arched an eyebrow. “And exactly how do you intend to do that?”

It didn't take Ben long to outline his plan. Across the desk, Principal Owens tapped out his pipe and considered it. A long and uncomfortable silence followed. Finally he said, “Ben, I'm going to be absolutely straight with you. This Wave thing has made Gordon High look very bad, and I'm very unhappy about it. I'll let you have today. But I have to warn you: if it doesn't work, I'm going to have to ask you for your resignation.”

Ben nodded. “I understand,” he said.

Principal Owens stood and offered his hand. “I hope you can make this work, Ben,” he said solemnly. “You're a fine teacher and we'd hate to lose you.”

Outside in the hall Ben had no time to dwell on Principal Owens's words. He had to find Alex Cooper and Carl Block, and he had to work fast.

In history class that day Ben waited until the students had come to attention. Then he said, “I have a special announcement about The Wave. At five o'clock today there will be a rally in the auditorium — for Wave members only.”

David smiled to himself and winked at Laurie.

“The reason for the rally is the following,” Mr Ross continued. “The Wave is not just a classroom experiment. It's much, much more than that. Unknown to you, starting last week, all across the country teachers like myself have been recruiting and training a youth brigade to show the rest of the nation how to achieve a better society.

“As you know, this country has just gone through a decade in which steady double-digit inflation has severely weakened the economy,” Mr Ross continued. “Unemploy­ment has run chronically high, and the crime rate has been worse than any time in memory. Never before has the morale of the United States been so low. Unless this trend is stopped, a growing number of people, including the founders of The Wave, believe that our country is doomed.”

David was no longer smiling. This was not what he had expected to hear. Mr Ross didn't seem to be ending The Wave at all. If anything, he seemed to be going more deeply into it than ever!

“We must prove that through discipline, community, and action we can turn this country around,” Ross told the class. “Look what we have accomplished in this school alone in just a few days. If we can change things here, we can change things everywhere.”

Laurie gave David a frightened look. Mr Ross went on: “In factories, hospitals, universities — in all institutions —"

David jumped out of his chair in protest. “Mr Ross, Mr Ross!”

“Sit down, David!” Mr Ross ordered.

“But, Mr Ross, you said —"

Ben cut him off urgently. “I said, sit down, David. Don't interrupt me.”

David returned to his seat, unable to believe his ears as Mr Ross continued: “Now listen carefully. During the rally the founder and national leader of The Wave will appear on cable television to announce the formation of a National Wave Youth Movement!”

All around them students started cheering. It was too much for Laurie and David. Both rose to their feet, this time to face the class.

“Wait, wait,” David pleaded with them. “Don't listen to him. Don't listen. He's lying.”