library when Zooey got mad at her. What were they saying about their friend’s hair? What made them cry? It didn’t add up.
There was something bad underneath the surface that everyone knew about but couldn’t say. If failing had a consequence bad enough to make people cry about it, why wouldn’t they tell me what it was? Why make me wait? I needed someone to break down and tell me and I thought that Bing might be the one.
The next morning there was still no appointment with Miss Clarice and I decided to take matters into my own hands. I would sit in the town square and catch Bing as he walked by. I would convince him to tell me everything.
At first I felt a little awkward sitting on a bench alone in the middle of all the activity. I wished that I recognized more of the faces walking by. That vague sensation that people were staring at me never went away, and it was especially strong sitting there alone. I wasn’t one of those independent girls who made up her mind and went all sorts of places alone. I should have thought to bring a book so that I looked busy.
Yet, to my advantage, my awkwardness faded in a few minutes. There was so much to look at. I saw Poppy still walking around with more books on her head. There was a boy trying to get up on a horse but failing time after time. Rafe’s poem recitation was ongoing. I waved at him and he seemed happy to see me. I saw a boy hightailing it away from a cocker spaniel that was anxious to play. Afraid of dogs. That’s too bad.
I sensed someone looking my way. I seemed to have caught the attention of a strong presence, an older man dressed in a blue old-fashioned suit coat and black pants that cut off at the knee. Knickers, yeah, that’s what they were. He wore a red silk cravat twisted at his neck, and his long white hair was tied back in a ponytail. He looked like a walking portrait of George Washington, or a similar relic from a time warp. I thought he had to be lost, still looking for that low door in the wall that would take him back to his people.
He walked with a cane and his black shoes were so highly polished I imagined he could check his teeth in them. His wooden teeth most likely, I laughed. In his hand he held a leash on which he led a small white fox whose ears darted back and forth like a mini-radar system as it ran ahead to sniff the lampposts.
The man stopped on the sidewalk across the street from me and stood completely still, looking my way. He caught my eye and held his gaze, unblinking, as if wanting me to acknowledge him. Then, to my horror, he smiled at me, a slow smile that seemed to take forever to reveal itself. I could feel my skin flush and I quickly fixed my eyes on the ground. Go away, weirdo, I thought, my heart thudding loudly against its chambers.
I kept my eyes safely downcast for a good minute and when I looked up he had moved on, but my heart kept racing and I realized that I didn’t know where to go if I needed to report suspicious behavior. There had been no mention of law enforcement in the training session, and I’d seen no policemen. Who would issue the warning bulletin, I wondered, and then I laughed. That was my problem, wasn’t it? I was always afraid someone was following me. Miss Clarice would tell me that I was only imagining the man was staring at me, and then dismiss me.
Luckily, just then I saw Bing striding merrily down the sidewalk. Relieved, I jumped up to intercept him. I noticed he had a fresh staff sweater on that day, after all. I wondered if Violet had embarrassed him.
“Hello Bing!” I said, walking quickly to keep up with him. Looking over my shoulder, the strange man was nowhere to be seen.
“Macy, what a treat! It’s not our coursework day yet, but it’s coming soon, I promise.”
“Yes, I’m a little nervous about that. I need to talk to you about something else,” I said.
“I’m intrigued. I was on my way to do an errand for Miss Clarice, but I love nothing more than to go astray. You
There was something bad underneath the surface that everyone knew about but couldn’t say. If failing had a consequence bad enough to make people cry about it, why wouldn’t they tell me what it was? Why make me wait? I needed someone to break down and tell me and I thought that Bing might be the one.
The next morning there was still no appointment with Miss Clarice and I decided to take matters into my own hands. I would sit in the town square and catch Bing as he walked by. I would convince him to tell me everything.
At first I felt a little awkward sitting on a bench alone in the middle of all the activity. I wished that I recognized more of the faces walking by. That vague sensation that people were staring at me never went away, and it was especially strong sitting there alone. I wasn’t one of those independent girls who made up her mind and went all sorts of places alone. I should have thought to bring a book so that I looked busy.
Yet, to my advantage, my awkwardness faded in a few minutes. There was so much to look at. I saw Poppy still walking around with more books on her head. There was a boy trying to get up on a horse but failing time after time. Rafe’s poem recitation was ongoing. I waved at him and he seemed happy to see me. I saw a boy hightailing it away from a cocker spaniel that was anxious to play. Afraid of dogs. That’s too bad.
I sensed someone looking my way. I seemed to have caught the attention of a strong presence, an older man dressed in a blue old-fashioned suit coat and black pants that cut off at the knee. Knickers, yeah, that’s what they were. He wore a red silk cravat twisted at his neck, and his long white hair was tied back in a ponytail. He looked like a walking portrait of George Washington, or a similar relic from a time warp. I thought he had to be lost, still looking for that low door in the wall that would take him back to his people.
He walked with a cane and his black shoes were so highly polished I imagined he could check his teeth in them. His wooden teeth most likely, I laughed. In his hand he held a leash on which he led a small white fox whose ears darted back and forth like a mini-radar system as it ran ahead to sniff the lampposts.
The man stopped on the sidewalk across the street from me and stood completely still, looking my way. He caught my eye and held his gaze, unblinking, as if wanting me to acknowledge him. Then, to my horror, he smiled at me, a slow smile that seemed to take forever to reveal itself. I could feel my skin flush and I quickly fixed my eyes on the ground. Go away, weirdo, I thought, my heart thudding loudly against its chambers.
I kept my eyes safely downcast for a good minute and when I looked up he had moved on, but my heart kept racing and I realized that I didn’t know where to go if I needed to report suspicious behavior. There had been no mention of law enforcement in the training session, and I’d seen no policemen. Who would issue the warning bulletin, I wondered, and then I laughed. That was my problem, wasn’t it? I was always afraid someone was following me. Miss Clarice would tell me that I was only imagining the man was staring at me, and then dismiss me.
Luckily, just then I saw Bing striding merrily down the sidewalk. Relieved, I jumped up to intercept him. I noticed he had a fresh staff sweater on that day, after all. I wondered if Violet had embarrassed him.
“Hello Bing!” I said, walking quickly to keep up with him. Looking over my shoulder, the strange man was nowhere to be seen.
“Macy, what a treat! It’s not our coursework day yet, but it’s coming soon, I promise.”
“Yes, I’m a little nervous about that. I need to talk to you about something else,” I said.
“I’m intrigued. I was on my way to do an errand for Miss Clarice, but I love nothing more than to go astray. You
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