Allergies Suck
Chapter 7 - Parts 11 - 12

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(Author’s Note: If you have forgotten this series, please refresh your memory by skim reading through the chapters. You will find references to Australia in this chapter, but, this story does not take place in Australia. It takes place in the fictional recesses of the author’s mind. Thank you, Barbara.)
 
 
Part XI - Billie and Marian talk about the dance and other things.

“Well, Billie, how did you like the dance?”

“It was fun, mom, but I couldn’t get Dennis to stop his stuttering and stammering, every time he wanted to ask me a question. He did well when he answered a question or talked about his friends and family.”

“Be patient with him, sweetie, he is only twelve years old. Maybe when he gets to be fifteen or sixteen, that shyness will have worn off.”

“I hope so, mom. But, I will keep at him, until he feels comfortable to actually talk about things without stuttering and stammering.”

“Well, Billie,” Marian was telling her daughter. “Remember that there are some men that do that very thing with grow women. They seem to trip over the words, trying to get them out a understandable words. But, Dennis is just shy. I think you are the first girl he has ever taken out on a real date.

“But, other than that; how did you like the dance?”

“I loved it. Especially when they played Paul Anka’s ‘Put Your Head On My Shoulder’. That was a very good song.”

“That is a slow dance song, for sweethearts who wish to dance close to their intended. It looked like you two were in heaven.”

“I don’t know what that means, exactly, but if it means that we were on cloud 9, then yes, mom, we were in heaven.”

“That’s what it means,” Marian told her daughter.

“What say we get ready for bed?”

“That sounds like a good idea, mom. I’m bushed.”

Since tomorrow was Sunday, there was no school, so Billie could sleep late. Of course, with all of the physical activity she had at the dance, she would want to sleep late anyway. They say that you dream in the moments of sleep, but it seems like it was all night.

That night Billie had a dream about her and Dennis at the movies that he was taking her next weekend. In her dream, Dennis over came his shyness and kissed her on the lips. Then he started to say that he loved her, and started to … That was when she woke up.

It was ten o’clock when she woke up, and got out of bed. She took a nice bubble bath, and then washed her entire body. When she was done, she rinsed off the suds with the shower head. She went in her room to get dressed, and looked in her closet for the right dress, and the right shoes. She selected her teal dress with the scoop neckline, and flared skirt. She took out her teal half slip, teal shoes with one inch heels. She went to her dresser and got out a pair of teal panties with a lace waistband and lace around the leg openings. She also selected a pair of tan, stay up thigh high nylon stockings.

She started with the panties, then the stockings and stepped in to her teal pumps. Then she put on the teal half slip, sliding it over her shoes, before standing up. She pulled it up to her waist, then slipped the dress over her head. She began zipping it up with her fingers, until it reached mid back. She then took a clothes hanger and slipped the hook part of the hanger through the opening in the zipper catch, and pulled the zipper the rest of the way up. Her mother showed her how to do that.*

Now she was ready for church. She went down to the kitchen, and poured herself a bowl of Cheerios**, a glass of orange juice, and a glass of milk. She didn’t want any toast, because she didn’t want to get crumbs all over her dress. As she sat there and ate, her mother came in.

“Here, dear, put this necklace on. I see you need earrings, too. How about after church, we go and get your ears pierced? I think it’s time.”

“I would love to have my ears pierced. There is a piercing pagoda at the Footscray Mall.”***

“Yes, we haven’t been there in a while. Alright, Billie, right after church, we will take a ride over to Nicholson Street.

Billie cleaned her breakfast dishes, and put them in the dish rack. Then mother and daughter went out to the car, and drove off to church. The sermon today was about tolerance and acceptance. The pastor admonished the congregation to let things they don’t like, understand, or are even afraid of. He said this especially true when it comes to people. He said more and more adults are allowing their baser instincts to surface, when it comes to people living in a way that they may disapprove of. He told them that judgment is not man’s realm, but is the sole duty of our Lord Jesus, who will come and give the final judgment.

When the services were over, the congrgation said a last prayer together, and then began leaving the church, greeting the pastor on the way out. When it was our turn to greet the pastor, we had a small talk.

“Well, Billie, you look marvelously beautiful today. Like a butterfly. Marion how have you been this past week?”

“Just fine, pastor. We are going to the Footscray Mall. Billie is going to get her ears pierced. Then we will stop and get a little lunch and do some shopping, while we are there.”

“Well, you two have a full afternoon ahead of you. Are you going to look in all the stores?”

“Pastor, it would take a full day just to through the first floor, and Footscray has three floors. No, Pastor, we are going let Billie get her ears pierced, have a little lunch and talk about what we want to look at after that. We will see, Pastor.”

“Alright, Marian, Billie, you both have a blessed day.”

With that, Marian and Billie James left to go to the mall. They had a ways to go, because the mall was on Nicholson Street, not that far from Princes Highway. As Marian drove toward the mall, she and Billie talked for a bit, mostly about nothing.

“Billie, where would you like to go to eat?”

“I was thinking that we could stop at a restaurant in the mall and have a Devonshire Tea.”****

“That sounds good, Billie, we will stop at that restaurant across the street, then,” Marian James told her daughter, Billie.

They got to the mall forty five minutes later. Marian parked in the parking structure and they went in the mall. They went straight to piercing pagoda, but, they had to wait, because there was a long queue. Apparently, others had the same idea that Marian and Billie had.

When it was their turn, Marian and Billie stepped up to the counter.

“Hello, My name is Deborah. How may I help you, today?”

“My daughter wants to her ears pierced,” Marian told Deborah.

“All right, please sit in this chair here. What is your name, Miss?”

“Wilhelmina, but everybody just calls me Billie.”

“What are you going to do after you are done in the mall?”

“I was thinking of having a Devonshire Tea, then do a little shopping in the mall.”

“What do you call a ‘little’ shopping?”

“Anything I can lay my hands on.”

Deborah smiled, because she knew girls and women just didn’t do a ‘little’ shopping.

“Alright, Miss Billie, we are finished. I like those rose studs. I see your mother bought a couple pairs of hoops for when your ears heal. Now, Miss Billie, make sure you turn these studs frequently each day, so that the skin, as it heals, doesn’t close the skin around the stud posts. Here is a couple of bottles of earring cleaning solution. I will show you in the mirror and you watch what I do.”

Billie watched her as she took a square of gauze, poured a little solution on it, and cleaned the post of each stud. Billie watched intently, so she knew how to do it at home. With her ears pierced, she and her mother went to a nice little restaurant across the street from the mall. At least they didn’t have to cross Princes Highway.

“Hello, my name is Kathy, may I please take your order?”

“Yes, we will have the Devonshire Tea, please.”

“Very good, Miss, your order will be right here.”

It doesn’t take long to serve a Devonshire Tea. Before they could finish saying what they were talking about, Kathy brought them their Tea.

Marian and Billie took their time eating. They talked about what tjey were going to do at the mall.

“Billie, I think you need a couple more pairs of shoes. Let’s stop and get you a few pairs.”

“Alright, mom, a girl can never have too many pairs of shoes.”

“Also, Billie, a girl can’t have too many dresses and skirt sets, either. Billie, girls and women are clothesaholics. We can never pass up an item of clothing that we see and like.”

“I know, mom, I know.” They both giggled.

They finished the pot of tea that was is always served with the
Devonshire Tea. Marian paid the bill and they went back to the mall. Once they got back to the mall, they headed for Woolworths*****.

“Mom, do you think we need to stop at Coles,****** too?”

“It couldn’t hurt. Maybe I can find something that I can cook in less time than it takes to thaw out the ground beef. You know something, Billie, we could even get a DiGiorno pizza.”

“That sounds good, mom, then we could have pizza while we watch a movie. I haven’t looked to see if there is anything good on tonight. But, being Sunday, there may be a few good movies on.”

“Well, we will worry about that right after dinner. Alright, are we ready to put a dent in the mall stores supply items?”

“Yes, we are.” Then they started singing their version of the Wizard of Oz. “We’re off to visit the mall, the wonderful mall of sales.”

They stopped at a store that sold bric-a-brac, toys for children five years old to ten years old. They sold costume jewelry, and as with most costume jewelry, you had to be careful and make sure the posts were hypoallergenic. They had french post earrings in the shape of different styled butterflies, some even sparkled. They had all different kinds of flowers, animals, fruit, even inprints of different outdoor activities.

Gallaghers was not all that big, but it had a lot of nice things. Billie picked out a pair of earrings shaped like a Monarch butterfly, one of a tiger, a pair that had the likeness of a kitty. Marian bought all of these for Billie. Now Billie had fashionable earrings. These she could actually wear to school. Of course, her ear lobes had to heal first, which didn’t take long at all.

From Gallaghers, they went to South Bend. South Bend sold every thing from zirconia necklaces, gem rings and earrings for less. The selection at South Bend was mind boggling. The entire store was filled with jewelry, clothing, shoes, and they even had furniture, dvd’s, cd’s, and a lot of other things, too numerous to put here.

We searched the store for sales, and found a few bric-a-brac for our coffee table, window sills, and dressers. We found a Christamas angel whose wings alternated in different colors. We were going to put this away, and use for the Christmas tree top.

We kept looking for bargains, and we even bought a few things that weren’t on sale. South Bend was a store you could lose yourself in, and it was a lot better than other stores selling the same things. The problem was, South Bend was not a national chain. It was a local store, and got its name from the owner who, I was told, was from South Bend, Indiana.

As we looked through the store we saw different types of this and that, and we even saw clothing items. There was a rack that had Japanese kimonos with different imprints on them. We saw skirts, blouses, leather pants and skirts, leather shirts, and leather jackets.

“Mom,” Billie asked her mother. “Do you think that maybe I could wear leather clothes, instead of dsresses and skirts?”

“Well, I don’t know, sweetie. Don’t tou think you would be awfully sweaty in leather?”

“Can I at least try a pair on?”

“Alright, dear, you may try a pair on. Tell me, after you have them on, if they are uncomfortable.”

“Yes, mom.”

Billie took a pair of leather pants off of the rack, and went in the changing booth. Billie took off the dress, with her mother’s help. Billie then put on the leather pants. The pants had a side zipper, but that didn’t bother Billie. She just wanted something different.

However, the pants that were in here size, fit kind of tight. She stepped out of the changing booth for her mother’s inspection.

“No, Billie, I don’t think those are appropriate. They are way too tight to begin with and it looks like you are walking almost like a robot. No, sweetie, not those.”

Billie changed back in to her dress, and had her mother help zip it up. Billie wasn’t disappointed that the pants seemed too tight, she just wanted to see if they fit right. So, as far as Billie was concerned, she was allergic to cotton and wool, but, not to leather. But, the pants she tried on, were too tight. Marian James decided it was time to go home. But, first she wanted to pick up a macaroni salad, corn on the cob, a package of four bratwurst, and a family pack of ground beef.

Marian and Billie James had spent most of the day in the mall, shopping in other stores not in the mall, and now Marian was beat. They took their groceries home and Marian put on a four quart pan filled with water. She put the pan on the stove and turned the burner on. When the water was at a rolling boil, she will put the corn on the cob in. The bratwurst she would cook on the George Foreman grill. When the corn and the bratwurst were done, Marian would serve a helping of macaroni salad.

The ground beef was going to be used tomorrow to make meat loaf.

“Billie, please get out the bread and the butter when it’s time. It looks like the water is boiling, so I am going to put the corn in. Would you cook the brats on Foreman grill?”

“Sure, mother.”

While Marian was putting the corn in the boiling water, Billie was placing the brats on the George Foreman grill. Billie punctured fork holes in the bratwurst so that more of the fat would be cooked out.
When light on top turned green, the Billie knew that the brats were done. They should all be done by the time the corn is.

When the food was ready to serve, mother and daughter sat down and actually had a feast. It isn’t often they have a meal like this, but there are times when Marian will splurge, or break down and have something delicious. Not, that her meals weren’t delicious, but this one was especially so.

Billie had a half of a bratwurst, a couple of spoons of macaroni salad, and one corn on the cob. After she drank her milk, Billie declared herself full.

“Thank you, mom, that was delicious. I am stuffed to the gills.”

“Well, dear, I thought that as long as we were in the store, I might as well get something that I really didn’t have to cook. You have never eaten like any of the boys, even before you began living like you are. You always took small bites, dabbing your mouth now and then while you ate.”

“I know, mom. But, you taught me to have sensible table manners. When you have those table manners at home, you would have them elsewhere.”

“Are you sure you’re only twelve years old

“Oh, mother.” Both ladies giggled.

When you read a lot, and you are quick to learn, you pick up things. Then if you retain everything you read and hear of importance, then you can be twelve years old going on thirty. That is what Billie does. She reads as often as she can. She still finds time to be with her friends, but she reads a lot. The reason she reads a lot, is because she is hungry for knowledge. She wants to know about things. Plus, with her computer, she can see the actual images of what she wants to learn about. But, she doesn’t use the computer to find these things out, she reads.

Marian James knows how to use a computer, too. She has one in her study. That is a really funny word. Men call it their den or their office. Women call it either their office or their study. But, whatever it is called, it is where a man or a woman does his or her work, or studying. So, as Billie was busy thinki’ng about things, Marian James was doing the same.

“Billie, I was just thinking. How about after dinner, and we have rested our tummies, that we do a little baking.”

“That sounds good, mom. What are we going to bake?”

“How about apple/cinnamon turnovers?”

“Yum,” Billie said, making circular motions by her tummy.

“Would like them made fresh or from store bought items?”

“Fresh, mom, they taste better that way.”

After they cleaned up the kitchen, they went in the living room to watch a little television. They surfed through the channel guide and found a movie thet both liked. The movie was the original Walt Disney’s The Shaggy Dog.******* It is funny, isn’t it, that movies that came out fifty or sixty years ago, are still being shown today. Like the Thin Man movies starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. Those movies were made in the 1930’s. But tonight, the James women were going to watch The Shaggy Dog. If you have never seen it, rent the dvd. It is a very funny movie.

Billie curled up on the sofa, and put her head on her mother’s shoulder. Before the movie was half over, Billie James was fast asleep. Marian James, sat there watching the movie, trying to think; “should I wake her?” She decided to let Billie sleep until the movie was over. Billie had had a very busy and tiring day. When the movie was over, Marian delicately let Billie’s head rest on one of the couch pillows.

The next morning, Billie woke up in her bed. The last thing she knew, she was watching The Shaggy Dog. Oh, well, no use trying to figure it out. Billie went to get her bath in and then get dressed. She washed herself and then stepped out of the tub. She patted herself dry, and then went in to her room to get dressed.

Today, she selected a pair of tan dress slacks, a tan shirt, tan socks, and her tan pumps with the one inch heel. Her lingerie was just simple white. After she was dressed, Billie looked at herself in the mirror. She brushed her hair and put it in to a simple pony tail. Then she got her books she had homework for, and went downstairs to breakfast.

She had a repast of oatmeal, milk, orange juice, and warm, buttered toast. She put a napkin around her, so she wouldn’t get food on her clothes. It took her twenty minutes to eat this simple breakfast, because she took her time; even on a school day.

When she finished eating, she made sure she had all of her books, notebooks, and bus pass. She hugged her mother and kissed her on the cheek.

“Bye, mom, I will see you after school. I love you.”

“Have a nice day, dear, and I love you, too.”

Billie left the house and went to the bus stop. Most students have a school bus pass, but Marian felt that Billie should have a regular pass. This way if she stayed for extracurricular activities, she would be able to get on the bus. School bus passes had a time limit of five thirty.
 
 
Part XII - At school.

When the first bell rang, the students all filed in to the school. Billie went to her locker to put away the books she didn’t need. She took out the books for her morning classes. Her first classes were with Mrs. Nettles, so she took out her geography, history, and civics books. Then she went to Mrs. Nettles classroom. When all of the students were seated, Mrs. Nettles took roll call. Then she started right away with today’s lesson.

“Today class, we are going to learn about a man, who did his part during the Revolutionary War to help cripple the British defenses. Now, I know that none of you would know about this man, but back in the 1950’s, Leslie Nielsen played him in a series called the Swamp Fox. Now, he organized a group of farmers. His name was … Yes, Billie?”

“His name was Francis Marion and he was a brigadier general. He was born on his parents plantation in South Carolina in 1732. He formed a militia of farmers to raid British encampments, ammo depots, and troop movements, providing the troops they were attacking wasn’t too large. He was 63 years old when he died of naural causes. There is a memorial written on Brigadier General Francis Marion’s grave. It states like this:

“Sacred To The Memory Of Genl Francis Marion who departed this life on the 27th February 1795 in the sixy-third year of his age deeply regretted by all his fellow citizens. History will record his worth and rising generations embalm his memory as one of the most distinguished PATRIOTS AND HEROES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION which elevated his native country to honor and independence and secured to her the blessings of liberty and peace. This tribute of veneration and gratitude is erected in commemoration of the noble and disinterested virtues of the citizen and the gallant exploits of the soldier who lived without fear and died without reproach.

“This I memorized because the words are so respectful and respected of Brigadier General Francis ‘The Swamp Fox’ Marion. There was a date on the memorial but he was buried at the Belle Isle Plantation. In 1773, he was elected to the South Carolina Provincial Congress and also established his palntation, Pond’s Bluff. He served the state where he was born. There is a lot to read about Brigadier General Francis ‘the Swamp Fox’ Marion. Go to the library and look hin up in the Encyclopaedia Britannica. He was a man who took charge and was successful in every campaign in the American Revolution.”

“Billie, are you sure you are only twelve years old?”

“Yes, Mrs. Nettles.”

“Right, twelve going on thirty. I have never seen such intelligence in a young person your age. I am glad that you are in my class, Biliie.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Nettles.”

“Class, the last time we were here, I told you that you can only learn by doing. Billie learns, because she does. She reads, and she digests what she reads. Which means, Billie learns because she reads.” I raised my hand. “Yes, Billie.”

“Mrs. Nettles, I not only learn by reading. I can also learn by doing things, and listening. I am very grateful to have this gift.”

“This is exactly what I am talking about, class. Billie not only can learn by reading, but also by listening and doing. Now, class, there is a difference between hearing what someone says and listening to what someone says. When I give my lessons, and my students don’t listen to what I say, those students will either get a very low grade, or fail my classes entirely. Does anyone else in this class like to read?”

Except for Billie, nobody raised their hand. The bell ending the first class, rang. The students put away their histiory books, and took out their geography books.

“Class, I think we will xontinue with historu, since geograohy, history and civics go together. Can someone, other than Billie, tell me where South Carolina is?” A shy girl in the back raised her hand. “Yes, Jeannie.”

“South Carolina is between North Carolina and Alabama. It is actually north east of Alabama. Thank you, ma’am.”

Jeannette (Jeannie) Marie Adams was twelve years old, going on thirteen. Her infectious smile made you like her instantly. Even though she was shy, she made friends where ever she went. She was one of Billie James’ friends.

“Thank you, Jeannie. Is there anybody else can tell what the largest city in South Catolina is?” Nobody raised their hand. “Billie can you tell us what the largest city in South Carolina is?”

“Yes, Mrs. Nettles. The largest city in South Carolina is Columbia. It is the capitol of South Carolina and also is the county seat of Richland County and part of Columbia is in Lexington County. The population is 133,803 as of the 2015 census.”

“Why, thank you, Billie. You are absolutely correct. Can anybody else, besides Billie, tell me anything else about South Carolina? Alright, class, I am going to have to tell you again. You can only by doing. That means learning your lessons, by paying attention. That is where the listening part comes in. Don’t just hear me, listrn to what I am saying. You can also learn by reading, like Billie does. You also learn by listening. Billie can do all three. How many others here can do the same?” The bell ending geography rang. “Alright class take out your civics books, and today we are going to follow up on our study of South Carolina, by studying its government. We will study the the state capitol, the South Carolina state legislature, and the South Carolina attorney general.

“Let’s talk about the Governor of South Carolina. Does anybody know who the current governor of South Carolina is?” I raised my hand. “Yes, Billie.”

The current governor of South Carolina is Nikki Haley. She is the 116th governor since 2011.She was born January 20, 1972, in Bamberg, South Carolina to Sikh immigrants from Punjab, India. She can only serve two consecutive terms as governor and then must step aside and wait one term before she can run again. To win two terms in a row, she has become a popular governor. Thank you.”

“Billie, you do continue to astound me. I said we were going to study the government of South Carolina on purpose. But, I should have known that my one and only Bille James would have the answer. Billie, you are correct. But I had to Google this information. You are a very good student. Did you think of enrolling in college next term?”

“Mrs. Nettles, I am only twelve years old. I don’t want to grow up, just yet. I want to be a tween, then a teenager, then, I might go to college. But not right now. I want to graduate from high school first.”

“Those are good plans, Billie. These coming years will serve you well.”

Just then, the bell ending the first block, rang. The students all filed out of the classroom and went directly to their lockers. They put their books away from the first block, and took their books for the second block. In this block the students will learn English, Comprehensive writing, and debate. Mr. Daniels was a good teacher, but he didn’t put up with any shenanigans in his classroom. When the students were seated, Mr. Daniels took the roll. Then he started the English lesson.

“Good morning class. Today, I thought we would write a simple letter, like we were writing to a friend. I just want to see where your Emglish skills are. You may begin. When you are finished, bring them up to my desk.”

The students finished their letters, and set them on Mr. Daniels desk. He would look them over tonight and grade them; mistake by mistake. It has been a long summer, and Mr. Daniels wanted to know exactly if his students had learned anything. Of course, this semester he had a brand new class, including Billie James. Mr. Daniels devoted one entire class period to English and comprehensive writing. He used the other two class periods in the block for debate.

“Alright, class, now we are going to study the parts of specch that makes us talk and write the way we do. Understand this, though, that improper spelling will reflect on your grade level. I think that everybody knows what a noun is. Am I right?”

Everybody said “yes, Mr. Daniels”, in unison.

“Then class, let us give an example of a noun, a pronoun, an adjective, and a verb in a sentence. You will write this out on paper, and as I call your name, you will read the sentence, describing the parts of speech I just stated. You may begin.”

Billie James wrote in her sentence; “Yesterday, I went to the church of the Apostles.”

“Alright, you should have had more than enough time. Billie James, will please read your sentence and describe the parts of speech in that sentence?”

“Yes, Mr. Daniels. I wrote, ‘yesterday, I went to the Church of the Apostles. Yesterday is the adjective, went is the verb, because it describes action. Church and Apostles are nouns, and I is the pronoun. This is the sentence I wrote. Thank you.”

As Mr. Daniels called on other students, he found that Billie James was the only one out of the entire class, that got the parts of speech right.

“It appears class, that I have my work cut out for me. While there were some who got the noun and verb right, there are still many of you, mainly boys, who didn’t even get the noun right. A noun, class, is a person, place or thing. Like in Billie’s sentence, the nouns were church and Apostles. The verb is went and yesterday is the adjective. Is there a reason, John Johnson, that you couldn’t get the noun and verb right?”

“Man, I ain’t got no time for this sissy crap. My dad says that studying is for girls and sissies. He says a real man makes do with what he has.”

“Well, John, you get a failing grade for this period. You keep up this attitude, and you will find yourself in prison when you get older. Now days, prosecutors are trying sixteen year olds as adults for serious felonies. James Deacon, please give us your sentence and the parts of speech.”

“Yes, Mr. Daniels. ‘I ran up the hill’. I is the pronoun, ran is the verb, up is the adverb, and the is the definite article and hill is the noun. I tried to write it with an adjective, but what I just read, is how it came out. It has a definite article instead of an adjective.”

“Thank you, James. I will give you a passing grade on that, because you identified the parts of speech in your sentence, correctly. Denise Cummings, will you please give us your sentence?”

“Yes, Mr. Daniels. ‘I walked to Mary’s house.’ I is the pronoun, walked is verb, to is the preposition, Mary is the noun and house, even though it is a noun, it is the adjective in this sentence. The reason it is the adjective is because it denotes whose house it is. In my sentence it denotes that it is Mary’s house. Thank you.”

“That is absolutely correct, Denise. Thank you.”

Denise Cummings lived on the other side of town. She was able to attend Audubon Middle School because of the classes they provided. See, Billie James wasn’t the only smart person in this class. Denise Cummings was equally smart, and in this class, they were very good friends. In fact, both girls made friends easily. Even though both girls were smarter than some of their classmates, they were not stuck up about it.

The bell ending the first period of the second block, rang. Mr. Daniels said the class was now going to have debate for the next two periods.

“Class, have any of you watched the presidential debates on television?”

Nobody raised their hand. Billie didn’t watch them either. Of course, what twelve year old watches politics? The first team to have their debate was between Billie James and Richard Winston.

“Billie, Richard, your subject to debate is whether or not they should have physical education brought back in to the schools. There is no script to follow. This will all be done by what is called ad libbing. That means you say whatever comes in to your mind. Alright, you have the subject matter. I will be the narrator, and I will ask you questions, and you give me the answer by whatever comes to mind. Let’s begin.”

“Ms. James, do you feel that we should have physical education in our schools?”

“Yes, and no. Yes, I think that we should have physical education brought back, but only for those who sign up for certain parts.”

“What certain parts of physical education would those be, Ms. James?”

“Sports. For instance, say someone wanted to be on the school’s tennis, volleyball, badminton, football, basketball or softball leagues. Then I would say that the students should be allowed to play in those leagues, whoever signs up for them.”

“Now, Ms. James, you said yes and no. What is the no part?”

“I don’t believe that every student should be required to take physical education. We children get enough physical education outside of school by doing chores at home, walking to and from our favorite hang out places. No, Mr. Daniels, I do not think every student should be forced to take physical education.”

“Mr. Winston, what are your views on school physical education? Do you think students should be required to take physical education?”

“Yes, I certainly do. But, I think that physical education should be taught by a person trained as a gymnast, for calisthenics, running, and other non sports like physical training.”

“Okay, Mr. Winston, what about sports physical education?”

“I would say that football should be taught by a football coach, basketball, by a basketball coach, and other sports by a coach experienced in the sport the students are taking.”

“I see. So, am I to understand, Ms. James, that you are against students being required to take physical education in our schools?”

“Yes, I am, Mr. Daniels.”

“But, you are for students being required to take phsyical education in our schools, Mr. Winston?”

“Yes, Mr. Daniels I am.”

“Billie, Richard, that was a good debate. Class, this is how debates for President, senator, congressman and state legislators, as well as governor are conducted. Without debates between politicians, the public will never know where each candidate truly stands.”

The bell ending the morning’s first two blocks, rang. It was now lunch time. Billie sat with her usual group, when on the of the fout troglodytes came up to the table.
 

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* This is how I finished zipping up my dresses that had a back zipper.

**General Mills, Inc., P.O.Box 9452, Minneapolis, MN 55440 - - 1-800-248-7310 - - Fax 1-763-764-8330

***Footscray Mall, 100 Nicholson Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3011 Australia +61 3 9689 1844

****A Devonshire Tea is a light lunch that consists of scones, butter, jam and a pot of tea. I will not go into the brand of tea most places in Australia use for the Devonshire Tea, but, suffice it to say, it is the most popular brand sold.

*****Woolworths in Australia is the equivalent of our Walmart.

******Coles is a grocery supermarket.

*******Walt Disney’s The Shaggy Dog released in the United States March 19, 1959, starring Fred MacMurray, Annette Funicello, Tommy Kirk and an all star cast.