Kalico 2: Hypnotized & Naked in Hope Springs

Wallflower: Kalico Arrives in Spades

Wallflower: With Yolanda Tuesday afternoon

"What do you suppose that was about?" Yolanda asked when we were out of earshot of the school office – referring to our meeting with our Academic Committee.

Yolanda and I were taking a shortcut through the hallways to the gymnasium. We had planned to walk around the main school building to enter the gym from an outside door, but that was before Mr. Watson called us to the big meeting in the office.

"I guess they want to keep an eye on us so we graduate," I said. "And the journals are so they can tell what's going on. You know, like get an idea of what we're thinking. You know, like spying on us."

"All right, but I'm not putting everything in it," Yo said. "And I don't care if they know that, either. Furthermore, I'm not going to review this morning for them. If they wanted this morning in my action log, they should have told me before this morning.

"A lawyer? A lawyer! Why didn't I think of it? I should have had a lawyer when I got this leg strap. I wonder how much it costs to hire a lawyer."

"Yeah, why didn't you think of it? You're supposed to be smart. Mr. Watson said so right there in front of the others," I reminded her.

Then I laughed. "Maybe that was part of his line of Bull. He was giving us some Bull in that little meeting, you know. For sure it was Bull about me being a student leader. I didn't get my Wallflower designation for being out in front of everyone showing them the way. Maybe you're not really as smart as Mr. Watson claims you are."

Yolanda stopped in her tracks, mouth open. Then she took a playful swing at me when she realized I was teasing her.

"Seriously, Yo, he shouldn't have called me a student leader. I can live with being a wallflower, but when he calls me a leader, it means there's a line of Bull in this business. And if he's telling me Bull about my leadership qualities, then there's some Bull in the rest of it – this whole Academic Committee and Mentorship Program, smells fishy. Something else is going on," I said.

Sorry about that, Mr. Watson, Mrs. Jackson, and committee. As long as you're going to be reading our stuff, you might as well get used to the idea that I might think differently than you want me to think about basic issues.

When we entered the girls' gymnasium we discovered a photographer setting up his equipment. Apparently tomorrow morning's yearbook picture session was moved forward to this afternoon. Such is life.

Coach Ainsworth and Amy Thompson were sorting out new uniforms on tables at the opposite end of the gym from the photographer. "Leave all the balls in their storage racks," Coach called. "No bouncing any balls in here today because of the camera equipment," he commanded.

That made sense to me, so Yolanda and I waited to see what would happen next. We arrived earlier than the others, but more team members began walking in soon, and Mr. Watson and Mr. Coltwright entered the gym together a few minutes after that. They had a short conference with Coach Ainsworth which I couldn't hear, then moved away from the table with the uniforms while Coach and Amy continued their sorting.

At almost the exactly last minute before the 4 p.m. bell rang, Kalico came bursting though the door in a maximum hurry, the last of the volleyball team . She ran 10 steps into the gym and stopped, as if she suddenly became aware that all eyes were on her. Then she tried unsuccessfully to appear nonchalant as if nothing were wrong.

Bless me, God, I laughed at her. She's my first friend in this town. She obviously had experienced some difficulty only moments earlier, and I laughed at her.

I couldn't help it, Kalico's transition was so funny. She arrived, out of breath, running like mad, her hair was a frazzle and she was covered with dried grass, or maybe hay. My friend was totally unkempt, looking like something a cat might have dragged in. And suddenly she was trying to pretend to have great dignity as if nothing were out of the ordinary. Everyone laughed. Especially Coach Ainsworth. He laughed hardest.