3:30 PM

   Stacy found exactly what she was looking for. Mr. Maxwell the drama teacher, had given her $30.00 to spend on a specific type of hat that was needed for the school play. Conveniently enough, there was a novelty shop at the mall that specialized in that sort of thing on the 3rd floor, and she managed to find one for nearly half that price.  After making the purchase, she headed towards the escalator, which meant passing by the multiplex.
   It was at this moment that yet another bizzare coincidence was about to take place. Just as she was walking by the theatre, a person with an all too familiar face was storming out of the lobby, and accidentally bumped into her. It was Cliff, and half of his face was covered in blood. His right eye was swollen, and it looked like he was crying as well.
   For about five incredibly long akward seconds the two of them just stopped in their tracks, not knowing what to say or do. Finally, Stacy managed to compose herself, and blurted out, "What the hell happened to you?"
   "Nothing...Move." Cliff shoved her aside and made a beeline towards the elevator. His face looking like it did, the mall patrons wasted no time in getting out of his way while he was running.
   Stacy pursued. "Cliff, wait!"
   The doors opened as Cliff arrived. The elevator was empty and he ran in. Stacy dashed in after him but he pushed her out. The elevator doors closed, and he collapsed down in the corner, hyperventilating. By this time, the blood was starting to drip all over his shirt, and the floor. He hoped that she would just give up and not rush down the stairway or the escalator after him. He'd already had enough humiliation for one afternoon.
   In fact, Stacy did try running down the stairs three steps at a time, but to no avail. The elevator went down into the underground parking lot, which was two levels deep. He managed to lose her. In a panic, Stacy grabbed her cellphone and called Jeff and then Dana, telling them both to meet her at her house in half an hour. She must've broken every land speed record, running home.

4:00 PM

   Dana and Jeff arrived at the house simultaneously, she on foot and he on his bike. Stacy saw them arrive through the window. They were about to knock on the door when it suddenly swung open and Stacy grabbed them both by their arms and practically threw them down on the couch.
   "Something really bizarre just happened at the mall," She couldn't stop pacing back and forth as she spoke.
   "Calm down Stace," Dana had never seen her this agitated. "Start from the beginning."
   "Mr. Maxwell had given me some money to buy a hat for the school play, so I went and got one at that nick-nack shop on the third floor near the multiplex. I left the place and was walking towards the escalator, when I ran into Cliff."
   "Lucky you," Jeff grumbled sarcastically.
   "Jeff, this is serious. He was coming out of the theatre with a big gash on the side of his face that was bleeding profusely. His eye was all swollen, and he was hyperventilating. I asked him what happened, but he just shoved me aside and ran into the elevator." Stacy was now starting to cry. "I tried following him in, but he pushed me out. He looked completely dazed. I tried the stairway, but he lost me in the parking garage..."
   "Slow down," Dana stood up and put her arm around her friend. "So what you're saying is that wound on his face looked fresh enough that it probably happened just before he ran into you."
   "Yes! That's what doesn't make any sense! How could somebody possibly get messed up like that inside a movie theatre!?"
   "Calm down," Dana hugged her tight. "We'll get to the bottom of this. First things first. Do you have a phone book handy?"
   Stacy started to settle down a little. "There's one under the lamp over there."
   Dana scooped up the phone book, and started flipping through the pages. "The first thing we're going to do is call his house and find out if he's there." It was now her turn to be the cool, calm and collected one. "There are three people named Slatery in here. We just have to figure out which one is Cliff's house."
   Jeff, who had been sitting very quietly up until now, spoke in a barely audible monotone. "It's the one with the address on Hobart street."
   "What was that?" asked Dana.
   Jeff spoke louder, but with the same dour inflection in his voice, "I said, it's the one with the Hobart street address. I know where he lives."
   "Do I detect a tone of anger in your voice?" asked Dana.
   "As a matter of fact, yes you do," Jeff was now speaking loud and clear. "Need I remind both of you that for over a year now, this guy has not only used me as a punching bag, but has convinced other guys to help him out...And I have never done a single thing to him." He looked at Stacy. "One day, you see him in a mall with a bloody nose, and all that history is instantly tossed aside? I'm supposed to just suddenly turn on a dime and say 'Poor Cliff'?" He turned and looked off in the other direction. "My guess is that the guy probably just started shootin' his mouth off at someone who wasn't me, and this time, deservedly got his ass kicked." He paused. "So you'll forgive me if I don't quite share the same amount of concern for his...welfare as you two do at the moment."
   Dana remained calm. "Jeff, need I remind you that it only took a single day for you to forgive me for abusing you for over a year."
   Jeff looked over at her once more, "At least your abuse was only verbal. His was also physical. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a part of me that isn't glad that he's finally gotten a taste of what it's like to be Jeff Feingold."
   The corners of Stacy's mouth finally started to turn slightly upwards. "You know, you're sexy when you speak of yourself in the 3rd person."
   Jeff couldn't help but grin back at her, "Will you two get this over with already."
   Dana punched in the number, then held the phone so that both she and Stacy could hear. There was a "Hello" on the other end after two rings. "Hi, is Cliff home?"
   "Who is this?" asked the voice on the phone.
   "Just some friends from school."
   "He's here, but he's not taking any calls right now."
   "Well can you at least tell us if he's alright?"
   The voice on the phone now sounded agitated. "Look, you can talk to him on Monday, when he's back in school, alright? Goodbye" Click.
   Dana turned to Stacy, "Well, at least we know he made it home and isn't wandering around in a daze somewhere."
   Stacy turned and picked up a DVD that was on top of the television. "There's something that's been gnawing at me that I'd like to show you two."
   "Oh no," Dana whimpered, and looked over at Jeff. "Now she's gonna make us sit and watch another crummy old film."
   "No I'm not," Stacy popped it into the DVD player. "Just a couple of minutes of it that I think are pertinent to the situation."
   The TV screen announced "The Bells Of St. Mary's." Stacy grabbed the remote control and switched to chapter six. The scene opened with a boy tripping another boy in a schoolyard, then proceeding to pound the stuffing out of him. Finally, the priest played by Bing Crosby enters the frame, lifts the arm of the boy who started the fight in the air, and proudly declares, "The Winner."
   Stacy picked up the remote once again. "Now watch this" She fast-forwarded to yet another chapter where a nun, played by Ingrid Bergman is teaching the kid who got pulverized how to fight back.
   Dana spoke up, "Stace, this is all very interesting, but what exactly are you getting at?"
   Stacy turned to Jeff, "I think that monologue you did in the classroom a couple of weeks ago was right on the money. Cliff is always beating you up because that's what he was taught to do in that elementary school he went to. And I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he were also getting the crap kicked out of him at home as well. This isn't gonna be culturally sensitive, but I'm gonna say it out loud anyway...Everything you've ever heard about Irish Catholics is true." She was now screaming. "They're all a bunch of drunken louts who encourage their kids to pick fights for no reason!"
   Jeff and Dana sat in silence for a moment, then looked at each other, and back at Stacy. Finally, Dana spoke in a somewhat bemused tone.
   "Well, this is a side of you I've never seen before."
   Jeff countered, "In all fairness Stace, not everyone who has ever picked a fight with me has been Catholic, nor has every Catholic in the school picked a fight with me. The point that I was trying to get across in my presentation a couple of weeks ago, is that all organized religion is useless." He paused. "While there might be something to your claim that Catholics are somewhat quick to resort to fisticuffs, I think it's pretty safe to say that they've hardly got the market cornered."
   Dana concurred, "If I may refresh your memory, our presentation on that day was about how the films of the 30s, 40s and 50s didn't reflect anything remotely resembling reality. Perhaps you should lay off all these old films in your dad's collection for awhile and try viewing some more modern faire."
   Jeff gave Dana a disapproving look, "Please, don't encourage her. If she had this reaction to "The Bells Of St. Mary's," just imagine what her opinion of Irish Catholics would be like after viewing the likes of "Angela's Ashes."
   "Gee, I never thought I'd see the day that you two would be ganging up on me," Stacy was starting to get a little tired of their droll sarcasm. "Listen Dana, I think you should pay him a visit tomorrow afternoon. I know that he has to have a lesson tape brought to him every day like I did when I was stuck at home. Perhaps Principal Lazarus will allow you to deliver it. It'll give you a good excuse."
   "Why me?" Protested Dana. "And what for?"
   "Well, obviously he isn't going to open the door if he looks out the window and sees me or Jeff. I just want to get to the bottom of what happened an hour ago."
   Dana looked over at Jeff. "So what's it like having Florence Nightengale for a girlfriend?"
   Stacy was indignant, "Will you two please quit talking about me as if I weren't standing right in front of you?" She was obviously taking this alot more seriously than her two friends.
   "Sorry Angel," smiled Jeff, who then turned to Dana. "At least he lives relatively close by. If he tries anything, I won't have to recruit my sister for another rescue mission."
   "Dana, I've got an idea. Why don't you take Cindy with you?" Stacy suggested. "There's safety in numbers."
   Jeff started to chuckle.
   "What's so funny?"
   "It just occurred to me that the very last conversation I had with Cliff before he got expelled had something to do with her and Cindy." He turned to Dana. "I've got a sneaking suspicion he's gonna be pretty darn happy when the two of you show up at his doorstep tomorrow."