On the day he arrived,
an involuntary shudder rippled through the School.
The new boy was clever but unintelligent,
assertive and arrogant,
controlled, yet strangely vulnerable.

He terrified the students
and intimidated the staff.
Those who laughed at his fragmented, inarticulate speech
were dealt with swiftly and savagely.

Aggression was his sole social strategy.
It had worked well for him at other schools
bringing him popularity,
status, prestige and power.

It was not possible to work with him
unless you first agreed to work for him.
His memory was long
and his propensity for detail, impressive.

He could make students’ lives miserable;
he could ruin teachers’ careers.
His intemperate words and impertinent actions
could taunt, tease, bully, harass and vilify.
He was the Deputy Principal.

Russell Boyle