After taking a long hot bath and celebrating our mutual success in completing the second challenge of Last Gladiator Standing with Maggie, I decided to give the school a call and see how things were going. Wolverine answered the phone.

"What's up, Chuck?" he asked, followed by that annoying little snicker he does each time he uses that stale, tired, over-done unfunny joke.

"Hello Logan. How are things at the school?"

"Uh . . the school . . yeah . . it's still here. Sure, things are, uh, just fine."

"Well that's a relief. Is Scott around?"

"Sure, here's right here balled up in the corner whimpering to himself."

"Excuse me?"

"No, no. I mean he's right here. Hang on."

Logan rested the phone down but I could still make out some of what was said in the room. There was a loud thud sound, sort of like a boot kicking a pile of clothes.

"Get the hell up," I heard Logan say. "It's Chuck."

"W-who?" came a very soft girl's voice.

"You know, bald guy. Wheel chair. Founded the X-Men."

"The P-professor?"

"Yeah, that's the guy. Now get up."

There was a long pause and then I heard a new voice on the phone. It took me a moment to realize it was Scott.

"Uh, hi Professor."

"Scott, wonderful to hear your voice. How are things at the school? Any problems?"

"Uh, problems? Um . . nope. No problems at all. Everything is, uh, just like you left it. The, uh, the kids finished their exams and, uh, most of them went home for the summer. So, uh, no problems here. Nope. None at all. Everything is fine. Thanks for asking."

"Excellent. I knew I made the right choice by leaving the school in your capable hands. You've really grown quite a lot Scott and I'm very proud of you."

"Um . . thanks?"

"Keep up the good work. These long distance charges are terrible so I have to get going."

Sounds like the school is doing fine in my absence. Well that's a load of my mind.