Tapio was satisfied that he had everything in order that he needed today, and also he noticed the students were arriving, so he left the corner and came over to the front of the seating area. He didn't want to leave them unattended for too long, because he knew what a temptation an interesting new plant with a sign saying "Do Not Touch" was for a young person. But he really, really needed them not to get near this particular tree today, not without instructions and the proper protective equipment.
"God eftermiddag, Herr Bergstrand," he greeted Char, also in Swedish, for he'd spent some time in most of the northern European countries. Checking the large pocketwatch he carried, he decided that it was five minutes past the hour and time to get started. "Hello, Miss Marchand", he continued as more students arrived. "Hello, Miss Atreyu-Rehman". He gave an equally polite nod to Mitsuki Rasting, as well as to some of the other students who came in without saying anything. "Good afternoon, Mr. Whitlaw, Mr. Fox" He smiled to himself as he saw them all looking at the tree. He knew that he was becoming known among the students for his use of temporary greenhouses by now, but today he had a good reason for it, as indeed he always did, and they would soon see why once class got underway.
Checking the large pocketwatch that he carried, he decided it was time to start class, five minutes past the hour. "Good afternoon, everyone, please settle down for class. Thank you for paying attention to my sign and not disturbing the tree, because it's actually a bit dangerous if you don't take proper precautions.
"This tree is the topic of the day. It's called the Sandbox Tree, also sometimes called the Dynamite Tree. So the first thing I want to ask you is what, if anything, do you know about it?" Tapio stood there smiling and looking expectantly at the class. |