On the flight home from New York I ordered myself a mini Chardonnay, plugged some early Drake into my ears, opened my laptop, and said a prayer. Out loud, I think, because Aunt Viv elbowed me hard after my amen.
As I opened my first e-mail, I closed my eyes and took several big, deep meditative breaths to calm myself for what may be waiting for me on my screen. Turns out, you live in the Bay Area long enough and no one is immune to all that Eastern philosophy mantra mumbo jumbo.
FROM:Beatrice Pembrook
DATE:March 6, 2019
SUBJECT:Scholarship
TO:Josephine Bordelon
Dear Josie,
I’m feeling badly about what happened with Viv’s scholarship. I was so excited when you asked me to participate that it inspired me to reengage with the Fairchild Community. I called Nan to tell her that I would like to serve on the Advancement Committee or maybe even as a board member again. Who knows, soon I may have a grandchild to attend the school. Nan acted like she was familiar with the Vivian Bordelon Scholarship, but now that I reflect on our conversation her questions were quite probing and her exit from our call quite curt.
I’m not sure what the future holds for Nan Gooding and her tenure at Fairchild, but I want to assure you my offer to support the scholarship well into the future still stands.
All my best,
Beatrice
P.S. I have been meaning to tell you that I am an acquaintance of Meredith Lawton. While she can be, shall we say, a bit of an unhinged prima donna (sorry, but more appropriate words are escaping me at the moment), her son and her husband, Christopher, are absolutely delightful. The Lawton men are worth the trouble of taking Meredith on as a package deal.
So, it was both Meredith and Beatrice who blew my cover on the Vivian Bordelon Scholarship. Oh, how happy Meredith would be to know she and Beatrice shared the same social faux pas.
FROM:Elsanansassistant
DATE:March 6, 2019
SUBJECT:Nan would like to talk to you
TO:Josephine Bordelon
Please call Nan at your very earliest convenience. She will be in her office all day.
Elsa
FROM:James Dyer
DATE:March 7, 2019
SUBJECT:Interim Head Position
TO:Josephine Bordelon
Dear Josie,
I have been informed that you are on a college visit with your daughter. In light of this weekend’s events, Nan, with the support of the board, will be taking a six-month leave of absence. In her place the Fairchild Country Day School Board of Trustees unanimously voted for you to act as interim head of school given your previous experience in the job. Please contact me at your first availability.
Warm regards,
James
FROM:Elsanansassistant
DATE:March 8, 2019
SUBJECT:Nan’s leave of absence
