Mr. Gorf (book chapter)

Illustrated by Tim Heitz

"**Mr. Gorf**" is the tenth chapter of *Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger*.

## Synopsis

The students in Mrs. Jewls's class try to behave well, fearing their new substitute could be related to Mrs. Gorf.

## Plot

This chapter begins as the students walk down to recess, Joy, Maurecia, and Leslie express their fears of their new substitute teacher, Mr. Gorf. The narrator gives a brief mention of their harsh former teacher, the infamous Mrs. Gorf. Eric Bacon notes that just because he has the same last name as Mrs. Gorf, he might not as bad as Mrs. Gorf was, and Eric Ovens and Eric Fry agree with this sentiment. Dameon remarks there could be ten pages of Gorfs in the phone book, but Joy and Maurecia are adamant that they won't show up to school the next day either way. However, their parents make them, and the next day, every student shows up to Mrs. Jewls's class on their best behavior. When Mr. Gorf doesn't show up after a while, they worry that he might be hiding in the coat closet, but they decide to remain on their best behavior so they won't get into any trouble once he arrives.

When Mr. Kidswatter's voice comes over the P.A., everyone pays close attention and actually responds to the principal when he says good morning to them this time. Then they do arithmetic, social studies, reading, and spelling. They neatly walk down the stairs to the playground, where Louis asks how their substitute is. Bebe and Calvin remark that he is tough, but Myron notes he is still fair, just in case he's hiding in the bushes. After recess, they go to class and work more, before going to the cafeteria for lunch. They eat all the food Miss Mush serves them with perfect manners, out of fear that Mr. Gorf was hiding under the table. Afterwards, they head back upstairs and practice their handwriting.

Myron, however, starts to crack under the pressure and suddenly gets the terrible urge to make weird noises in class. Everyone tries to quiet him, but he explains that everyone has been doing work for nothing, because there is no teacher. Using the freedom he obtained in the last book, he hops between Allison, Deedee, Ron, and Maurecia's desks, before landing on the teacher's desk at the front of the row. He offers Tootsie Roll Pops to the class, and takes one for himself while sitting at the desk with his feet up. Jenny begs him to stop as she is afraid he could be hiding in the closet, Myron dismisses this as ridiculous. Allison suggests Mr. Gorf might be the husband of Mrs. Gorf, but Myron asks who would want to marry her. Rondi notes that someone had to, if she was a Mrs.

Allison worries that Mr. Gorf may have loved Mrs. Gorf very much, and only knew that she taught on the thirtieth story of Wayside School, and that he's hiding in the closet to find out if they are the ones who got rid of her and get revenge on them for killing his wife. Jason remarks that if he was Mr. Gorf, he'd be glad Mrs. Gorf never came home, and that he should thank them. Jenny believes that because Jason's remark meant that if Mr. Gorf was hiding in the closet, he'd now know that they got rid of Mrs. Gorf, but Jason rebukes that if he didn't then *her* remark just did. Myron tells the class that it doesn't matter because he assures them all that Mr. Gorf *isn't* hiding in the closet, and then opens the door to prove it. But then a man, who claims he accidentally locked himself in the closet that morning, steps right out. Myron is so surprised that he swallows his Tootsie Roll Pop, stick and all.

## Characters

* Mr. Gorf
* Joy
* Maurecia
* Leslie
* Mrs. Jewls (mentioned)
* Mrs. Gorf (mentioned)
* Myron
* Eric Bacon
* Eric Ovens
* Eric Fry
* Dameon
* Maurecia's parents (mentioned, debut)
* Joy's parents (mentioned, final appearance)
* Deedee
* Calvin
* Calvin's mother (mentioned, final appearance)
* Calvin's father (mentioned, final appearance)
* Bebe Gunn
* Mr. Kidswatter
* Louis
* Jenny
* Miss Mush
* Allison
* Ron
* Rondi
* Jason

## Trivia

* This marks the first physical appearance of Mr. Gorf.

## Gallery

Joel Schick illustrationAdam McCauley illustration
### Foreign editions

Peter Allen illustration (UK)Peter Allen second illustration (UK)Hillar Mets illustration (Estonia)