HughTube

Chapter 3

I joined the teeming mass of teenaged humanity and headed towards my locker. My HughTube camera was picking up everything, even things that I was missing in real time (which was almost everything).

"Entering the fray," I narrated. "All seems normal. But danger can lurk at every turn." I scanned the crowd as I walked. "A misunderstood comment, a chance encounter, even just a glance in the wrong direction can lead to the middle school equivalent of thermonuclear war."

Just then, Marty Tulk walked by Jonas Werb as he was stuffing all his books into his locker. Marty is like a wiry rat, smaller than all the other rats but somehow able to rip apart rats twice his size. "Nice kicks," Marty chided Jonas with his trademark sneer. He nodded to Jonas's shoes and snickered with his equally nasty (but bigger) buddies as they walked off.

Jonas was left staring at his shoes with confusion and shame. I narrated: "'Nice kicks.' Two simple words have sent a student's mind reeling. Are his shoes too nerdy? Too old? Too new? All he knows is that he must do something about his shoes. The repercussions of this could last for days... weeks... even years."

When I got to my locker, my best friend Simon Louther was there. He's a gawky 14-year-old who always seems quite happy being a gawky 14-year-old. (I wish I could say the same for myself.)

"Hey buddy!" Simon shot at me with a big smile.

"Hi Simon," I said, taking a moment to adjust my glasses and tiny HughTube lens.

Simon comically primped his scraggly hair for 'the camera'. "I'm ready for my close-up now, Mr. Hollenbeck," he said, chuckling.

"Very funny." I shook my head. I'd heard this line before. A lot.

Then Brent Pulasky walked by with some of his jock friends. "Hey camera-guy," he called out to me. "Don't forget to shoot my good side." Then he bent over and stuck his butt up in the air (with his pants on – thank God). A lot of people found that one funny. I guess there's no accounting for taste.

"I wish people would just be normal around me," I told Simon as we grabbed our books and headed to class. "I mean, I've been doing this for a month now."

Suddenly, Principal Townsend jumped in front of me and Simon, stopping us in our tracks with a big Broadway pose. "Gooooood morning, Smoky Ridge Middle School!" Then he did an improvised song-and-dance routine for my HughTube camera. Yes, he really did, all 280 pounds of him.

"It's a great day at Smoky Ridge!

"Lots going on, more than a smidge!

"We've got the food drive and a game with Banville High!

"And don't forget the election is nigh!"

Mr. Townsend laughed at his own antics while students around him rolled their eyes. I think they gave me some dirty looks too, knowing that if it wasn't for my camera, we would all have been spared his 'show'. But HughTube makes Principal Townsend feel like a movie star. He loves HughTube – waaaay too much.

"Hi, Mr. Townsend," I said, forcing a smile. "You know, it's best if people don't acknowledge the camera."

"Oh, I know, but I just can't help myself!"

Simon chimed in, "And you just keep getting better!" I shot Simon a sidelong glance. Don't encourage the man!

"Thanks, Simon!" said Mr. Townsend, apparently unable to detect sarcasm. He turned back to me. "Can't wait to see me back on HughTube!"

Put on the spot, I was forced to fudge a bit: "Yeah, well, I try to really cut everything down, just keep the important stuff, you know. 'Cause it's my class project and all."

"That's okay," he said. "Just put me under the credits or something. Hey, maybe I can write you a theme song! I've got some ideas..." Mr. Townsend pulled some scraps of paper out of his pockets.

No, please God, no.

But then – RRRRING! The school bell went off. Talk about saved by the bell! "Oh, sorry, Mr. Townsend," I said. "Gotta get to class!" Simon and I turned and took off.

But Mr. Townsend still called after us. "Sure. Maybe later! I'll track you down at lunch!"

As we rounded a corner, I turned to Simon. "You know, he's not what I had in mind when I created HughTube."