I've mentioned the route Miss Q likes to take to reach the playground, but you should also know that in order to get to the turtles, you walk past a mini-playground for the smaller set. Today there was a group of younguns crawling on their knees pretending to be puppies. They barked and whined convincingly while the two 'handlers' shouted orders. All were welcome to play, it seemed. It was the kind of scene that left you feeling lighter afterwards. They threw themselves into their roles with humble abandon, content with being part of the group and noticeably not caring which particular puppy they found themselves next to. Even though there were different roles, none all seemed equal.
I'm not sure if Miss Q could throw herself into a silly pretend game the same way this point in her life. The turtles probably could, but even with them there was a difference. I wonder at one point did the turtles grow out of the puppy games and into social ones.
Walking towards the turtles, this time she came upon Nancy Drew and Princesstard on the swings. The conversation that followed seemed natural and unplanned but the question that started it was by design.
"What's your favorite book?"
Nancy Drew is one turtle that Miss Q doesn't talk to as often. But definitely not for lack of things in common. Her eyes lit up.
"A Dog's Life. It's a 4.9"
Miss Q feigned disappointment.
"You know I don't like books with the dog dying."
"True. But this actually makes the book better."
"Really?" wondered Miss Q with calm interest.
"Yes."
Princesstard's favorite author was Percy Jackson. Sort of.
"The author's name is Rick Rogaine, Princesstard." corrected Drew. Because of their friendship, Princesstard was gratefully accustomed to Drew's bluntness. She just really liked the Percy Jackson series in general. Whatever that is.
Miss Q told them about the A.R system, and how it could be mastered by simply reading a Harry Potter Book and gaining at least 25 points from a 10 question test. Nancy Drew happily explained the class owls, which involved reading a book, creating a questions, and making a diorama. Miss Q had seen Nancy present her diorama's before. They are similar types of students. Even in front of a classroom, Miss Q also feels at ease explaining books.
Nancy Drew mentioned that she could retrieve the book for Miss Q but it was still a pleasant surprise when she handed it over during cursive. She was beginning to start conversations with Co-Pilot and Solomon so that's how Miss Q found out she was ahead on her reading work. Hmmm.
When Miss Q suggested The Narnia series, she let out a little 'meh'.
"I heard they were a little cheesy?" (What???)
Somewhere, Lady Finch sneezed.
When the bell rang to line up, Miss Q took a moment to steal away and talk to The Gage.
"I thought about you this morning."
"Why."
"I spent all night working on an assignment for English and then left it at home. I felt really bad after that. But then I remembered what I told you yesterday. Ya know? Try anyway. Because that's what you did."
"Ok." he said, probably wondering why she shared that.
"Organization's not my thing."
"Me neither."
Miss Q wanted hoped that she could get across the idea of trying even without natural ability. What she said, though, was actually only a brief explanation of a ton of different emotions, gains, and failures. Truthfully she had forgotten and remembered only to forget many other things in the same morning. Miss Q: short-sighted, disorganized, whiny, sulky, and procrastinating. It's like someone looking at themselves in a fun-house mirrors. From the inside these weaknesses seem to swamp and overshadow any other qualities she might have. But by that point in the day the answer was obvious. Try anyway.
Lunch was fun. Beancurd tried to move his seat. Beancurd I need you to move back to your seat...Beancurd I need you to back to your seat... Beancurd... "ok ok blahbedyblahweirdladyharrassingmmmeeee". Beancurd always talks. The thing is not to acknowledge every thing he says. Who know how many hours of fun he's had with that already. The broken record method, with an easygoing but firm tone, did the trick this time.
Sitting next to Fruitbat who was sitting next to Beancurd was interesting. Fruitbat regaled me with a series of jokes. "Who's the newest pop singer out there?" "I don't know?" We eye each other in curiosity. "Lady Goo Goo Gaga!"
You have to be careful with Fruitbat. She has a biting wit. If she tells you a gossipy secret, there's always the danger of it actually being funny and that's always inconvenient. But Miss Q was ready today.
Uniqua, noticing me explained her harshness was because she gets cranky with the whether, launched on a story against Nala.
"She got a attitude with me. All I did watch her and she was like 'Whatchu lookin at!'."
"So then I came in and I was like, Sumthin ugly that's for sure."
I'd already mentioned earlier that Uniqua uses all her good all-star qualities against people sometimes. She agreed. As for Fruitbat... not nice.
"But it's the truth." Sigh.
"No. If someone calls you ugly, you can't say it's untrue just because you disagree. That's how they see it. But it's still hurtful."
"True, I guess."
"Don't do it. You wouldn't want someone to call you ugly."
It seemed to make sense then.
" I. get. irritated." Uniqua repeated, though in a decidedly good mood.
"I know." said Idaho. "You show me pink all the time, even though you know it makes me angry."
"You're like my best friend though." Instantly a part of Miss Q's brain went, 'umm, when was this?' but that was when she noticed the fickle quality of the turtles groupings.
For instance, Fate had become 'popular'. She chattered happily beside Skinny Jeanz, whispering in her ear, discussing her past boyfriend, and laughing at Beancurd's antics. She was 'in'. Truthfully, Miss Q didn't know whether to celebrate or not. Nala was apparently on the outskirts. There was also the fact that Solomon no longer flirted so much with Skinny Jeanz. Both of them seemed slightly subdued. Maybe their break apart had cooled their little romance.
On the far side of the table sat Nancy Drew, Princesstard, Mariska, Dexter and The Brit. They were a solid little table with a nice three-seated distance away from ours. Miss Beiber (Miss Q guessed with her eyes closed at Fruitbat's questioning) was missing and in silent lunch. Miss Beiber's finger is now covered in a cast. After Miss Q accused her of ridiculous sneaky dealings, she explained that her brother had shut the cutlery drawer with her finger still inside.
After cursive, the turtles had the opportunity to catch up on some of their work. Miss Q cringed inwardly as she saw the new set of Clique novels on Miss Beibers desk. Because what we really need, ladies and gentlemen, is more Clique novels. Princesstard got her rug in a hurry.
"Miss Q, would you please come over and help my table get along." she said, a bit annoyed.
Miss Q wish she'd stayed. She could use some of her diplomacy.
Fate and The Gage are notorious enemies. They argued quietly and alone at their table. The funny thing, I highly doubt they actually dislike each other. It just made life more interesting.
As Miss Q sat down, they stopped and went back to their work. Yeah. That's what I thought.
But The Gage had the dreaded Morphed Animals worksheet, with it's one finished paragraph. Uh oh.
Suddenly he becamed extremely engaged (note choice of words) with drawing a disfigured puppy head on the back of his cursive. Here it comes.
He scrutinized the eraser of Miss Q's 'special' mechanical pencil. He asked her questions about the pencil. Fate also distracted a bit, discussing the methods to take care of the pencil she would trade Miss Q.
Maybe because he sensed how much Miss Q wanted for him to work, he got a bit of leverage.
"I'll work as soon as I hit the pencil." He tried. He missed. He hit the pencil.
"I don't wanna work."
Miz Boss noticed all this.
"Gage, put the scissors back." she said dangerously.
When it was time to go to art ("Yesss! Art!!"), Miss Q told him what she saw. "You use distractions in order to not do your work."
"Nuh uh! I did do something."
"You didn't write anything."
Miz Boss told him to stay behind. Miss Q wondered how Miz Boss would approach him as she followed the turtles into art.
Besides Beancurd quickly being sent out of the room, art was pleasant. Miss Q discussed art and the meaning of the word regional with Mariska and Princesstard. She glazed her mother's day spoon at a little table with Co-Pilot, Fate, and Dexter. She laughed at Co-Pilot.
"You make me laugh Co-Pilot." Like Zefron, Co-Pilot is extremely hard not to like. He's just a jovial, roundish red-head with a huge grin always plastered on his face.
"Don't worry purple. You'll be used soon enough." Miss Q laughed. Fate was in a good mood. She was trippin.
"Yes, don't worry purple. You're so lucky to be used by the beautiful, amazing Fate." I love Fate's glasses, which she took off for me that day. They made her more Fate-like. And she never did look more like Fate than when saying that.
"Poor purple." Yeah. That was Miss Q. Co-Pilot smirked. A pause.
"Hey!"
"Just kidding. Heh heh." Sheepish.
"Don't worry purple," Fate added. "You won't be used by that awful lady who called me mean."
The Gage came to art sullenly. Later Miz Boss told Miss Q that The Gage had to make a teary call home over his work not being done. Of course they both understood how much The Gage wanted to escape from writing. Miss Q had a good feeling about it but there was still the problem of how The Gage responded to writing assignments ahead of him. In the fourth grade there's a huge writing test. If he can use all that determination (stubbornness) than he'll be in good shape. But Miss Q can't do it for him.
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