Ordinary events in the life of an unordinary child who discovers the universe in the usual way, by growing up in it.

Scenes from a Kid's Life
Group 6: Piranha, Pirouette, Party

Copyright ©2007 by Jan S

Before we start I have to say, "Thank You!" to my wonderful friends, Daphne and Kristina, for all their prodding, encouragement, proofreading, and much more.

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Piranha:

"Yea!" Ally yelled, and he jumped into the air. I'm not really sure why he did that, and he wasn't really sure either. It wasn't that he was especially happy right then or anything; it's just that he almost always did do that -- almost everyone else always did that too -- when they went through the school door at three-fifteen; so he had done it today.

Then he remembered T.K. and Jim were getting out early today, and he wouldn't have to spend any time at all in the after-school-care room, and -- better still! -- Jody was coming home with him today. Now he was particularly happy, and he skipped the rest of the way to the waiting wall.

When he reached the group waiting for their rides David laughed, then started jumping up and down, and said, "It's funny when your hair bounces like that."

Ally stopped and looked at David. David had been nice lately, but Ally needed to think about it. He decided that David's mouth looked more like a grin than a smirk, so he started jumping up and down to make his hair fly some more.

David's back pack was hanging from one arm, so he strapped it across his chest, and though neither he nor Ally had ever seen anyone dance the Watusi, they began jumping up and down as high as they could. Alex, Leah and Austin joined in; they and Ally put their backpacks across their chests too. Although he had never seen a mosh pit, Austin started bumping and bashing into the others, who bashed right back. Jody came over, and at first he tried to stop all of them, but Ally pulled on his sleeve and he started jumping and bumping with the rest.

Soon about ten kids were moshing without music, and more were strapping on their packs. Ms Hawkins, who was in charge of the carpool line today, hollered, "OK. Knock it off! That's real funny until someone gets hurt."

David yelled back, "Yeah, then it's hilarious."

Ms Hawkins stared at him, and David tucked his chin onto his chest, turned around and scuffled away; well that was always funny when his teenage brothers said it.

The others slunk along behind David, and Alex pushed her backpack out and whispered to Ally and Leah, "Look, I got giant boobs!" then she sashayed the rest of the way. Ally and Leah laughed (and Leah blushed). Ally pushed his backpack up and walked funny too, but not for very long.

Ryan ended their giggles when he yelled, "Hey David, you dancing with all your new girl friends?"

David yelled back, "Get lost, you jerks!"

Leah might have been even more annoyed than David. She yelled, "Like any girl at all would come close to you two."

Ryan and Michael came towards the others and, in a stage whisper loud enough to be heard by almost everyone in the line, Michael said, "Look, Ryan, Ally's started growing titties. He really Is a girl," then he snickered.

Most of the kids just ignored them; Ally stared at the ground and took his backpack off.

"Jus' go away," Leah said, "Din't ya listen to Ms Chen yesterday at all?"

"Yeah; yada, yada, blah-blah," Ryan said, "We waste an hour on how we gotta be nice to people that act weird. Yeah."

Ally thought Ryan would have thought any lesson was a waste of time but stayed quiet. He wished Leah would shut up as much as he wished Ryan and Michael would disappear.

But Leah didn't. "We all like Ally and like how he acts too. It's OK with us, so why don't you stop making fun of people?"

"'Cuz I don't think creeps should be let do whatever, and regular people can't. That's why."

David jumped into it and said, "You think you're regular? People don't like what you do 'cus it is always bossing around and bugging people. That's what's being a creep, Ryan."

Michael said, "Eww, big talk from little Davina?" and laughed.

Leah said, "Gah - you's are such pains!"

David hands were balled into fists, but he tried to be calm. "Just go bug someone else, would ya'," he said.

Alex said, "Oh - Just Stop It!! Ryan, people really wouldn't mind you if you weren't mean. You can even be funny sometimes." She didn't know if she believed that or not, but it seemed like a good thing to say to stop a fight.

Just then Ms Hawkins, who was busy stuffing kids into cars as fast as she could, called out, "Ally Greyson, Jenny English, come on, your car is here." When she looked at the group around Ally all she added was, "Jody, get back with your class. Hurry, Ally."

Ally called back, "Jody's coming with me."

As Ally walked away Alex said, "Be sure to ask if you can come to my house on Thursday, Al."

Michael hollered, "Are you going to go play dollies, Ally? Awww."

Ally stopped. He took a deep breath and turned around. He said to Alex, "'K, should I bring Angie or not?" But just then Ms Hawkins called again, and he didn't hear the answer.

I know you may be wondering if things escalated to a real fight. So am I, and so is Ally. Ally will find out as soon as he can, but I'm afraid the rest of us aren't so lucky. I have no idea what's going to happen. I guess that isn't part of our story and so it's hidden from me. In a way that's good news though, because it means it didn't affect Ally either.

Ally, Jody and Jenny quickly climbed into the car. Jenny, T.K. and Jim traded hellos, but Ally and Jody stayed quiet. Rather than wait in the line to turn onto the street near the lower school, Jim turned onto a small drive, went across the parking lot behind the big building, and out the back exit. This way probably wasn't any quicker, but it had the advantage that you spent more of the time actually moving.

Both Ally and Jody kept thinking about Ryan and Michael until the car turned onto a curbless road that cut through a park, but then they finally started talking of other things. A few miles later they veered onto the left fork at a Y, and Ally said, "Pull on your ears, Jody! Hurry!"

"And puff your cheeks out, too." Jenny added.

Jody looked around the car. Why were they teasing him like this? But the big kid in the front seat was doing it too; even the guy that could drive had puffed out his cheeks and was pulling on one ear. So he went along.

The driver, Jim, said, "OK, it's safe," and everyone let go of their ears and breathed out.

Ally said, "I hope you did it in time, Jody."

"He doesn't use this road much, so he's probably safe," Jim said.

"Why do we got to do that?" Jody asked.

Jenny asked him, "Didn't you see the sign?"

"Ugh — Nah."

T.K. told him. "It says, 'Road Narrows Ahead', and there's no way to know whose head it's going to narrow."

"So you got to make your head really fat when you go on this road," Ally added.

"That's not what it means!" Jody said.

"Can't be sure," Jim said.

Jenny said, "Yeah, there was a man that used to make deliveries around here, and his head got so thin he could stick it through the mail slots in doors."

"They fired him," Ally said, "'cuz people thought he was peeking into houses. It's too big a chance."

The car pulled up to a stop light, and Ally was about to show Jody that he could blow out red lights when Jenny noticed who was in the car in front of them. "Ew, it's that little jerk, Zack Dawson," she said, "Honk the horn, Jim! Come on, please!"

Ally knew that Hannah and Josh car-pooled with Zack and said, "Yeah, honk."

Jim might have tapped the horn but just then the light changed, and both cars turned left onto a wider road. Jenny and Ally urged Jim to pull next to the other car, but Jim didn't react; he just continued to drive his usual two miles over the speed limit (that is, it's his usual when someone under fifteen or over twenty is in the car), and the gap between the cars widened. Ally and Jenny were getting aggravated, and Jody was getting excited too, but nothing would get Jim to try harder.

"You were in class with them thirty minutes ago," T.K. said.

The three kids in the back seat ignored the non sequitur and began bouncing in their seats. Jim let a car pull out of a parking lot and get between them and the Dawsons. Then Mrs. Dawson changed lanes and got even further ahead. All seemed lost when she came up to the next light just as it turned yellow, but for some reason she did stop. The Dawsons were in the other lane and a car ahead.

The wait seemed to take for ever; then a bus turned into their lane. But when the light changed the car beside them turned left, and Jim was able to change lanes and get around the bus. Both cars went through two lights; other cars got between them but all of them soon turned and the Dawsons were just in front of them again. Mrs. Dawson moved into the right lane; Jim followed. She turned right; Jim followed, but again the Dawsons were pulling ahead.

They came to a stop sign with a long line and they caught up. At the next stop sign Mrs. Dawson pulled behind the cars turning left. Jim got into the line of cars going straight and pulled up beside her!

There were only four feet and two bits of glass between Jenny and her prey; she waved her arms wildly. Carl Dawson, in the front seat, was the first to notice her. When Zack turned his head, she smiled at him and then remembered and shot a visual raspberry at him. He fired back by rolling his stuck out tongue and crossing his eyes. Ally tried to get Josh's and Hannah's attention by putting his thumbs in his ears and wiggling his fingers. Just as Josh's thumb reached his nose they heard it:

BAM!

OK - how many of you thought there was going to be a car chase AND a gun shot anywhere in this story? Come on, raise your hands. -- Ha! Excuse me while I slick back my hair.

Everyone in both cars looked around to see where the shots were coming from rather than taking cover. Then they saw Dr. Mueller and Greg limping through the intersection. Well, actually it was their car that was anthropomorphically limping on a flat tire. But who would be shooting at Greg's tires?? Oh - maybe the bang was just the sound of a blow out; I guess we will have to wait till later for the gun shot.

The cars at the stop sign had to wait while the Muellers got through the intersection, then Jim followed them into a parking lot by the fields where Ally had soccer practice.

T.K. said, "Come on, Jim! Don't stop! I don't want to see him. They'll be all right. Just go!"

"We're going to help, T.K. Just get over it," Jim said as he got out of the car.

Greg told Jim, "I can change a tire. We don't need your help."

That got him an evil look from his mother, but Jim smiled and said, "Well, you've got it whether you need it or not. At least I'm going to help your mother; I'm not dealing with you or T.K.

Jenny, Jody and Ally had followed Jim, but T.K. still sat in the car glaring at a book. Greg opened the trunk and started to take out the spare.

Ally hadn't seen Greg since he had changed how he dressed and T.K. had gotten mad at him. Today Greg had a unicorn with a small diamond for an eye in each ear lobe. He also wore a silver bracelet and a red choker that held a cameo brooch of a white flower.

Ally was staring at Greg, and when Greg was taking the jack to the front of the car he got up the courage to say, "I like you're pin. Can I see it?"

Greg didn't speak, but he bent over and tilted his head so Al could take a close look at the brooch. "It's nice," Ally said, "Can I ask ya' a question?"

Again Greg said nothing, but he looked at Ally while he turned the jack handle.

Ally looked at the others. Jim, Jenny and Jody were all over by the wheel where Jim was starting on the lug nuts. He and Greg were at the front of the car, and Greg's mom was in between the groups. He said in a whisper, "Do you think -- want people to think -- -- are a girl?"

Greg dropped the jack handle. "Shit," he said. (Greg didn't scream, and he didn't seem like he was going to be mean, but he did seem real, real mad to Ally.) After several seconds he said, "I just am me. I want to just be just me. That's all." Then he walked away even though the car wasn't all the way up yet.

Dr. Mueller came over as Ally picked up the jack handle and tried to turn it. He said, "I'm sorry. I didn' mean to be mean."

Greg's mother said, "We know. It's not your fault. He's having a hard time just now, Ally, and he doesn't know if it's a big mistake. Why don't you get T.K. to take you and your friends to the swing sets? OK."

Ally got T.K. out of the car, and when Greg saw him he yelled, "I'm not contagious you know. You don't have to treat me like a piranha, creep."

I'm pretty sure that Greg meant to say 'pariah', but 'piranha' is what he said and, since the spellchecker allows it, that's what I typed. Besides, T.K. probably would have treated a flesh eating fish just like he was treating Greg these days and with better reason.

T.K. did about the meanest thing Ally thought he could have done; he didn't even turn around; he just kept walking.

Ten steps later Ally fell back to walk with T.K. and said, "I don't get it, T.K."

T.K. said, "Neither do I, Al. And neither does anyone else either. Not Jim or Mom or Dad, but they'll just pretend to."

After another ten steps Ally said, "I gotta get something. I'll catch up."

Ally ran to his car and got a ribbon that he had tied to one of his pens. Then he walked over to where Greg was talking to his mom, and he asked Greg to help tie his hair back.

–––  § –––

Pirouette:

Ally walked into the kitchen rubbing one eye and didn't say a word as he climbed up onto the counter top to get a cereal bowl.

Larry turned from the coffee pot, saw Ally's maroon sweatshirt, and yelled, "Field trip!"

Ally moaned and used his non-eye-rubbing hand to swat away his father's enthusiasm. T.K. came in and asked, "Why do the shrimps get a fieldtrip the week before spring break anyway?"

Grace was coming from the cellar with a jug of milk, and she answered him. "Because the weather is getting nice, the daffodils have their first buds, and the teachers aren't crazy enough to try to hold their attention. Good morning, T.K." She put an arm across T.K.'s shoulder and gave him as much of a hug as he would abide; then went over to kiss Ally's forehead and wondered why he had let the shrimp remark go unchallenged

"So why do we have about three tests everyday this week then?" T.K. asked.

Jim had come in and, as he stuck a piece of bread in the toaster, he said, "That's because your teachers are all crazy; teaching freshmen does that to people. Besides, tormenting you guys is the favorite pastime of everyone in the big building."

T.K. groaned to show agreement with that second sentence.

Grace said, "They're doing you a favor, letting you get some grades on the books before you forget it all next week."

T.K. put two splashes of coffee in a mug and filled it with milk. "But Jim doesn't have to do anything anymore." he said.

With a dramatic flare Jim said, "That's because:" then he pulled open his jacket and showed his T-shirt which said, "We're In!" and the last two digits of this year.

Larry said, "But he has less than two months until the APs. Dum-dum-duumm. Guess what he's going to be doing over spring break." Then he asked Ally, "What do you want for breakfast, Huevos Rancheros, Eggs Benedict, or this round oat cereal?"

Well, of course Larry didn't really say "round oat cereal", he just used the name but, since no one has asked me about a product placement (in spite of my plug in the last group), I'm still stuck writing descriptions of brand name products. This would have been a great place to mention any breakfast food, don't you think?

Grace said, "Eggs Benedict sounds great."

"I'll make up for it at the beach next year. I'd like some Huevos, Dad." Jim said.

Ally pointed at the yellow box.

"Don't build your hopes too high, Jim. Your college life is not going to be the stuff reality shows are made of." Grace said.

"I know. Florida will be fine for next year; I don't expect to go to Cancun until I'm a junior. I've decided not to take American History II or Calc BC; just the French, Bio and Psych."

As he poured out Ally's cereal Larry said, "We'll discuss it, Jim. If either of you wants to make one of those, I'll take some too."

"Someday Ally's going to surprise you, and you'll be trying to make Hollandaise until noon," Grace said.

"No, he won't because I'll stop offering the week before he turns twelve."

Jim said, "Where are you guys going today, Al?"

"The planetarium and then a movie 'bout the Great Barrier Reef," Ally said without much enthusiasm.

Larry said, "I really have a hard time seeing the connection there."

"One's way, way up; and one's way down, 'guess."

"The planetarium is in the same building as the giant movie screen," T.K. pointed out, and he thought, ~Duh~, but didn't say it.

"Do you need a lunch?" Larry asked, and Ally nodded.

"Peanut butter? With a banana, honey or jelly?" Larry asked, although he had already taken a banana from the fruit bowl.

Ally just nodded again, and Grace asked if he was feeling OK because he was being so quiet. Ally shrugged in response.

With a mouth full of cereal T.K. said, "I won't be home for dinner. I'm going to the mall with Carl."

Grace glared at T.K., and Larry said, "Aw, they're always so cute when they forget the difference between a request and an announcement. Sliced or smushed?"

"Sli-ushed," Ally said. "Can I take a yogurt drink too?"

"Is it OK if I go to the mall with Carl and eat there tonight?" T.K. asked and grabbed the half banana Ally had turned down from his father's hand.

Grace said, "It won't stay good out of the refrigerator for that long, Dally. You can take some baby cheeses if you like, but they will be very soft by lunch time. It's a school night, T.K. I thought you had tests all this week."

"We'll be back by eight; I gotta go get that computer game I pre-ordered." T.K. said.

Grace shook her head and said, "That's too late. Ally, I'm putting carrot and celery sticks in here, and I want you to eat them, or would you like some green beans instead? They're still snappy. Do you have your school shirt on under that in case it gets too warm?"

Ally first nodded and then shook his head, T.K. moaned and said, "Mom! I have to get that game!"

"Sorry, T.K., but the store will hold it for you until the weekend. And, Ally, change to some long pants too. I think it is still too cool for shorts."

"Mom!" T.K. said.

"Mom!" Ally said.

"Wait!" Larry said. "Jim, if you join in a couple of notes below T.K., I think we will have a major chord."

Jim was the only one to smile.

"Lots of people wear shorts all the time; Sarah never wears anything else," Ally said.

"Mom, it's a massive seller, if I don't get it before then all the good names'll be taken," T.K. pointed out.

Grace, who wouldn't have known what an MMORPG was if you spelled it for her, was unmoved by T.K.'s argument. She said, "Ally, I think it is silly to do that when it's still cold."

Jim said, "I have to be at the school 'til five, I could pick T.K. up on the way home."

Larry said, "That way you could load it before dinner and get on sooner, T.K."

Grace was the one who agreed to the offer. "All right, but only until dinner, and only an hour a day until this weekend if you have that many tests, and none on days you have play rehearsal."

T.K. sighed. When would he learn that all pleas for sympathy would backfire on him? "I only have one more test and two quizzes really."

"Is Greg going with you this afternoon?" Larry asked.

"No."

Grace said, "How long are you going to keep this up with him, T.K? He hasn't done anything to you."

"Why do you act like I'm doing something to him? I just don't want people to think I'm -- something I'm not. OK?!" T.K. said.

"What? You mean like a good friend?" Larry asked.

At the same time, Grace said, "Those aren't the kinds of people whose opinions matters, T.K."

T.K. felt like each of his parents had grabbed a horn from his dilemma, twisted it and used it to attack from opposite directions. "Look, I'm not being mean; I'm just staying away from him is all," he said.

"But," Larry said, "you are staying away just when he is going through a lot, and when he needs you most! Has Carl abandoned him too?"

"Gawah -- It was his decision, and he told Carl he isn't really gay anyway. Don't ya' see? He is just doing it because if he acts that way people leave him alone more."

"You mean people don't call you 'fag' if you say you are one? Maybe not out loud at our school," Jim said, "but Greg's smart enough to know the feelings of the worst people get worse, and he goes out in the bigger world too, you know."

Larry shot a Keep-Out-Of-It look at Jim and said, "He is exploring, T.K. But that doesn't mean he doesn't need his friends any more."

T.K. said, "So you think I should tell everyone I'm gay just to be nice to him?"

"No," Grace said, "we think you should just be nice to him just to tell everyone it doesn't matter to you. And it shouldn't."

Larry said "Look T.K., I think fifteen is very early for someone to make that kind of life decision, but it is Greg's choice. . . ."

"It's not a choice; people just know!"

"Oh, T.K.," Grace said, "It isn't so easy as that. Some say they always knew, and it is probably true in a way, but there is a huge difference between knowing and realizing or admitting."

Larry added in a softer voice, "And not every adolescent that worries or is unsure whether they are a homosexual or not is one, Tommy. My guess is that only five or ten percent of them are."

Grace said, "Hurry, Ally, and get changed, and you can't wear shoes with wheels to the museum. You know that; it was in Mr. McGee's note."

Jim laughed and said, "Looks like it's time for a makeover, Ally. Uhh, why does Ally have to change pants because it's cold and shirt because it's hot?" That got him a displeased stare from Grace.

"I was wondering about that too, Grace," Larry said.

"Because I'm a mother, not a weatherman, that's why. Hurry, Dally, it's getting late. And all of you just stop acting like I'm being bossy."

Ally slid off the counter and headed upstairs.

As the door closed behind him Grace said, "Do you think he feels all right?"

T.K. said, "Yeah, you'd think it would be nice to not have his constant chatter for one morning, but it just feels strange."

Jim said, "I don't think Ally likes going on group trips, remember that day camp. . ."

That was all Ally heard as he shuffled upstairs. He put on his maroon knit school shirt then replaced the sweatshirt, and he changed into his hiking pants with the removable legs. He planned to unzip the pants legs unless it was real cold when they got on the bus. They wouldn't be as short as the shorts he had been wearing but were still a lot shorter than what real boys usually wore.

He thought about why he wasn't excited about the trip too. He had been to the planetarium before, but it was still real neat, and the movie on the giant screen sounded OK too; some of the sharks were supposed to be gigantic and look like they were swimming right at you. He knew Josh was probably going to scream real loud, just because he could get away with it.

But still he felt weird about class trips.

Later that day, as they are waiting for the door to after-school-care to open, Jody will ask Ally who he sat next to on the bus. Ally will say, "Lisa" and ask if Jody had sat next to a girl too. Today is going to be the first time that they don't have boy and girl lines or sides of the bus while on a fieldtrip. The innovation will lead to lots of conversation and more than a few complaints, but by the trip back to school most of the students will have adjusted.

Ally is going to enjoy most of this trip much more than he usually did, but he won't really be aware of the reason. Also, the worst part will remain just as bad as ever, and although he won't see the connection, this afternoon he will ask Jody, "Don't you hate when we have to go to the bathroom all together right after lunch?"

"Yeah but I guess it's just so people won't leave the movie," Jody will answer.

"But we got to stand around by the door forever and everybody could see us. BL-yuck."

"You dummy. Everybody's got to go sometimes," Jody is going to say, "so it's no big deal, Ally. At least there's people, I don't like going into 'em when no ones around, 'cuz of weirdoes. And it's not like school where it's a good place for fights, 'cuz so many kids are there."

Ally will shrug his shoulders at that. This isn't one of his favorite topics and, though he won't be sure what the point is, he will know that Jody missed it completely. Ally isn't frightened by those rooms, and he likes it better when they're empty. If he has to use them, he gets in and out as fast as possible. He always uses the stalls too (except at school, where for some dumb reason, people get teased for that.) so he won't be seen as much, but it isn't because of what he is doing. Waiting in the line in the museum was like being seen inside that place by strangers for that whole time he was by the door, and he just didn't like it; it just never feels right somehow.

Ally will then change the topic back to riding with girls on buses, but that conversation won't take place for almost eight hours, and it is awkward telling a story in the future tense, so let's get back to the past.

As soon as Ally walked into the kitchen Grace said, "OK, hurry and get outside before Jenny's pounding at the door. Al, you forgot to take your hair down, come here."

"I'm gonna start wearing it in a ponytail to school," Ally said.

Graced sighed. "We can talk about that, but not for the first time on a fieldtrip day though, Dal."

"Why have you decided to do that, pud?" Larry asked. He wasn't contradicting Grace, just impatiently curious.

"I wanna see what happens; see if it fits in the box."

"What, Ally?" Larry said.

"Long time ago you said I was good at figuring out how big boxes were; I want to see."

Larry turned around and pretended to rinse a knife; he said, so only Grace could hear, "Sometimes I hate it when they remember what I say."

"Why are ponytails so important though, Dally?" Grace said. She got the community brush that lived with the stacks of mail on the never used breakfast table and started on Ally's hair.

Ally shrugged. Jim said, "They're a banner, when that works other. . ." He was cut off by two icy stares.

T.K. drew the same stares by saying, "There are guys that wear pony tails sometimes in my class. It's no big deal any. . ."

Ally said, "Both of the Singhs have really long hair. You know they're not brothers?"

"Which is why they wear turbans," Larry said (He was talking about the long hair part, not the brothers part. You probably got that.) We're not changing religion so you can let your hair grow, pud. Now stop avoiding the question."

"I just like it is all, and I'm tired of it mattering all the time. Just forget about it, I guess."

Jenny walked in without pounding on the door and said, "Hey Greysons, you forget we got school today?"

Jim and T.K. went outside; Grace held on to Ally's hair and quickly pulled it into a ponytail before she kissed the top of his head and pushed him towards the door. Ally tried to push the pony tail higher and make it stick out a little as he walked to the car. It was only made with a plain elastic band, but at least it was a start.

Grace called from the door, "Bye, and Dally, leave the legs to those pants in Jim's car so you won't lose them, honey."

Ally did a pirouette and waved to Grace.

–––  § –––

Party:

Ally got to Alex's house late because his recorder choir practices after school on Thursdays. (Oh -- I haven't told you yet that he is going to start flute lessons next month, have I? Well he is. He already has the flute and everything. He has to use a flute with a curved end until his arms get longer, and he doesn't like that, but the teacher showed him how to blow across the hole already, and he has been practicing that real hard.)

When Ally arrived Alex and Leah were sitting on the den floor, already busy. They weren't here to play. This was a meeting.

Alex's birthday was the next week, during the vacation, and her party was going to be two weeks later. However, because she was having to wait, Alex had finagled a deal with her mother. Usually she would have been able to have a regular party with ten people (one for each year of her life), or a sleep over with half that number, but now she was going to have both! A sleep over for five, and five more people could come but have to leave early.

Before Ally even had his jacket off Alex said, "OK, Ally, what do you think of this stuff we have for the boys goody bags: rubber band airplanes, these stickers of sports stuff, the little men with parachutes, and either the plastic spring things that go down stairs or these balls." She showed him a catalogue picture of a super bouncy ball that looked like an eye ball with veins and blood and stuff.

"Eeww, yuck," Ally said, "but I guess they'd like those eye balls."

"See, told ya,'" Alex said to Leah.

"What are the girls getting," Ally asked, and Alex showed him he finished list: a tiny, funny looking doll with spiky hair to brush; a set of Chinese jacks; some barrettes; and a pack of five colors of glittery nail polish.

Alex barely gave him time to read the list before she said, "And here's what we got figured out to do. There's not much for the first part 'cuz we were waiting for you."

She showed him a piece of paper that had been marked off in fifteen minute increments. There was a thick line at nine o'clock, and below that was almost full with things like "make popcorn", "watch movie ??" (The question marks meant they hadn't decided on which movie yet.), "bake cookies", "ghost stories", and "pillow fight". It went all the way to one AM and still didn't have "go to sleep" written in.

The only things filled in so far in the top part were one fifteen minute period that said, "eat dinner"; another single period said, "cake and ice cream"; and the last two periods were marked, "open presents".

"So what do you think we should do when people are coming?" Alex said.

"The dancing video game," Ally answered, that seemed like a no-brainer to him because it was fun to watch too. "You want to borrow our pads, so more people can do it at once?"

"Oh, yeah. I'll ask my Daddy if he can set it up like that. Then how about a limbo contest? Would the boys like that?"

"Ya' think we could do real dancing too, or would the boys all freak, Ally?" Leah asked.

"They'd do limbo, maybe; and some might actually dance, 'guess. Who's all coming."

"Oh, so far we got us, my cousin, and Hannah, Josh, and Sara. . ."

"Better have Matt if Hannah's coming," Ally said.

"Yeah, him, but they broke up, you know."

"Nah," Leah said, "they got back together last Tuesday."

"Matt played soccer today, so they might 'a broke up again," Ally said

"Then we couldn't 'cide for the last two," Alex said.

"What about Jody?" Ally asked.

"He's to bossy, Ally," Leah said.

"Nah-uh, not really," Ally said. "He's just scared of stuff and worries all the time, but he's getting lots better. Really." Ally knew things about Jody that he couldn't tell the others, and he didn't think he could push very hard for his friend when it was Alex's party either, but he hoped she would ask Jody.

"David's been being real nice," Alex said, "and Leah thinks Brandon is cute."

"Not!!" Leah said, but her blush belied the word.

They continued like this for quite awhile, going back and forth among the sections of Alex's charts and lists. It was already dark outside when Ally said, "Are you going to have the movie about the high school guys who put on a musical?"

Alex said, "Ugh, people are tired of it!"

"Oh," Ally said, "but you can just forward to the dancing parts to dance with 'em, that's what my friend, Rocky, and I do, and skip all the dumb parts."

Leah wasn't as tired of the movie as Alex was, and said, "Know what, if we started that right after the presents the guys that had to leave would be happy to get out of here."

Everyone laughed, and Alex wrote that down on the schedule.

Just then Mrs. Adams (Alex's mom) yelled, "Your daddy and sister are finally here, Alex. You three need to get your things picked up and come eat."

In the kitchen Mrs. Adams handed Alex a bunch of forks and spoons to put on the table and asked if they had everything worked out, but before anyone could answer Alex's sister, Megan, came through the back door and dropped her backpack on the floor with a loud thud. The first words she said were, "Are they all going to be here for dinner?"

"Yes, they are, Megan," Mrs. Adams said as she placed the food on the table.

Megan rolled her eyes up to the ceiling but then said, "Hi, Leah. Hello, Ally. Ally is T.K. going to the spring dance tomorrow?"

Ally shrugged his shoulders and said, "Don no."

Mr. Adams came through the door and pushed Megan's pack out of his way with his foot.

Megan said, "Is he meeting someone there?"

"Don no," Ally said again.

"He's not meeting up with Alison, is he?" Megan asked.

Ally shrugged again, and Mrs. Adams said, "Megan, if he doesn't know if he's going or not, how could he know about his plans? Pick your books up and wash up. We're all ready."

Mr. Adams finally got his turn and said, "Hello, everyone. Hi, kitten. Have you three been playing hard today?"

"Daddy!" Alex said. (She couldn't believe he had said that. It was just such a little kid question, and he had called her "kitten" in front of her friends too!) "We've been working."

Mrs. Adams took over and said, "They have everything planned out for Alex's party. We will have to look over it later and see if we will be able to afford the house payment this month."

"We didn't spend lots," Alex said, "Daddy, can you hook up a second dance pad to the video game machine?"

"I think I can. I'll have to look at it. Is that what you're going to do all night," Mr. Adams asked.

"Nah," Alex said, "that's just while people are coming in."

Ally said, "We gotta have something to get the boys attention right away, so they don't all start playing their mini video game things all night."

Mr. Adams said, "If you haven't thought of a menu yet, Alex, what do you think of putting my special pizza stones in the oven and making a really giant pizza, and then we could let each kid make an individual pizza too?"

"Ummm," Alex said. She wasn't real sure that the others would appreciate her father's weird hobby, and building the pizzas seemed a bit like the crafts projects they had always done at little kid parties, but Ally and Leah both thought that was a great idea.

Alex was still a bit worried and asked, "Do you really think the boys would like that, Ally?"

"Sure," Ally said, "It would be neat." Not even Alex thought about how this messed up the intricate schedule they had made.

Megan had just come back and, as she took a seat at the table, she said, "I can't believe you're letting her have a boy-girl party. You still won't let me have one."

"Oh, Meg," Mrs. Adams said, "It's not like that. They aren't having boy friends just yet."

Her sisters complaint had made Alex feel very mature. She said, "Some of my friends go steady all the time."

"Oh? Who?" Mr. Adams asked.

"Matt and Hannah do sometimes," Alex said, and Leah and Ally nodded in agreement.

"And," Mr. Adams asked, "what do fourth graders do when they go steady?"

"They talk during recess and stuff," Alex said.

Mrs. Adams said, "It's just practice dating, honey."

"Matt went over to Hannah's house last week," Leah pointed out.

"Tommie said she went to a movie with Austin," Ally said.

Mr. Adams looked at his wife and said, "You said it was practice dating when Megan met up with boys at dances."

"This is practice practice-dating then," Mrs. Adams said grinning, "I think we called it being friends."

Mr. Adams flashed his eyebrows and then asked the three younger children, "Are any of you going steady with anyone."

"No!" all three answered with a barely contained sense of shock.

"Welll. . ." Alex began, but Leah quickly jumped in -- she was afraid Alex was about to mention Brandon -- and said, "Ally is going steady with Jody."

"Oh, Beee Quiet!!" Ally said, and all three giggled.

Mrs. Adams said, "I don't think that would really count. Leah, are you going out of town for the spring vacation?"

Leah just shook her head because her mouth was full. Ally said, "I'm going to visit my Grama and my blood sister, Rocky. Then we get to fly back all alone."

After Ally explained what a blood sister was and why he had one the rest of the dinner conversation centered on everyone's vacation plans and the spring soccer season.

After dinner Ally and Leah helped Alex clear off the dinner table. While they were doing that Mrs. Adams said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, your cousin has another party to go to that night and won't be able to come to yours, Alex."

"Ohhh, shoot." Alex said.

"Don't be like that. You two will be together for the family party and will spend lots of time together while you're out of school. Besides, now you can add another friend."

"Yeah, I guess," Alex said. "'K, who else should I invite, guys?"

"There's sure lots of parties that day. Jenny's having one and Kevin too."

"Probably everyone born in March has to have it that weekend, because of the vacation and all the holydays," Mrs. Adams said. "Who do you have so far?"

Alex started counting the names off on her fingers. "Ally and Leah," she said and paused for the giggle, "Hannah and Sara, Josh, Matt. . ."

"Then we decide on Brandon and Jody," Leah said.

"One more - Umm," Alex said, "Oh yeah, ME. That's nine. Who else?"

"David'd be good. Or Austin."

Alex and Leah laughed. "I don't think my Mom would let them spend the night, Al."

Leah said, "I hope not! We already have you and Jody and Josh, Matt and Brandon for the first part remember, Ally."

"Oh yeah," Ally said and pretended to laugh at himself. He began to suggest Cynthia but decided it wasn't his business since he wasn't spending the night.

"I guess I'll ask Amanda," Alex said.

Just then the doorbell rang, and Mr. Adams yelled, "Leah, your dad's here."

Ally said, "I should go too. Bye."

Mrs. Adams chuckled at Ally's abruptness, but said, "OK. Are you walking, Ally?"

"Yes," Ally said and then remembered and added, "Thanks for dinner. It was good."

After the rest of the goodbyes Ally started on his three block trek home. He walked slowly down the dark streets, but he knew these streets well and the people in many of the houses too.

All the crocuses were completely gone, only their skinny, spiky leaves remaining. After he turned the corner he began counting the daffodil buds along the way.

He stopped in front of Mrs. Polanski's house, as he always did, and petted The Last Elm. He knew it was a plague survivor and he was lucky to know an old elm, but now it was very old even for a tree. He looked up to see if its leaf buds were doing OK, but the branches were too high, and it was too dark

He saw a real big, yellow daffodil that was already open and reached out to pick it but stopped. That would have been a very mean thing to do to a flower just for being in a hurry.

By the time he had reached his front door he had counted forty-two daffodil buds, eight in his yard, and that was only the ones near the sidewalk.

He went into the kitchen to give his report to his mother. She kept the debriefing very short tonight though, and only asked what he had eaten, if he had a good time, and if he had finished his homework before recorder practice. Then he watched the last half of a cops and robbers show with his daddy before he was sent to take a bath.

After his bath his mom came upstairs, and they read a chapter of The Phantom Tollbooth. Usually they alternated, each reading two pages at a time; tonight Grace didn't pass him the book except for one turn. Ally didn't laugh during the story, he only grinned, even though Milo was making unwarranted assumptions so he could jump to the Island of Conclusions.

When Grace had kissed him and turned off the light Ally rolled over, hugged Bucephalus, closed his eyes, and softly cried.

Ally slept.

Ally dreamed.