After school, Mary wheeled herself over to Madison Lake. The sun shone beautifully in the sky. Some clouds could be seen, but those were the white fluffy kind that were great for dreaming. Mary was so excited to have freedom after a boring day at school, that she quite forgot herself and wheeled herself onto the sand. Of course, it was tough going, but with all her exuberance, she hadn't quite noticed. Soon, she was a good 3 feet onto the sand. Mary got off her chair, and started towards the lake. She noticed a boy swimming out there. Looking down at her wheelchair, she realized that it was quite stuck in the sand. Struggling to get it back on the sidewalk, Mary hadn't noticed that the boy was coming towards her.
 
"Hello, may I help you?" David asked sincerely.
"Yes. I, uh, forgot to leave my wheelchair on the sidewalk. Let's just say I was a little too eager to go swimming," Mary said a little embarassed. "Here I am sitting in front of a boy who appears to be really cool and not like the other boys, sand all over me, muddy hands, and now it is beginning to rain! Why me, why now?" Mary thought to herself. "I bet he doesn't believe in kissing before marriage too! Finally a boy who believes like I do, and I am in up to my ears in muck!"
 
"Uh, mind if I bike you home? With the rain and all, I just thought it would be the least I could do. Besides, I'd like to get to know you better. I just know that you are not like the other girls. I mean, not to be forward or anything, but...all the other girls are so busy trying to be 'in' and do all the things the adults do with out thinking what is right or wrong. I just know that you do not believe in kissing before marriage."
 
Mary looked at him in shock! "I...I...just knew were you that like me." Mary rolled her eyes. "I mean, that you are like me in way that. Never mind."
Mary rolled her eyes, and to herself said, "Can I die now?"
 
“Mary! It’s about time you got home! We are supposed to be eating dinner with the Jonseys,” bellowed Mrs. Goldstein.
“I am getting home the same time I always do.”
“Just look at you! You are all wet from head to toe! What did you do? Play in some puddle or something? And just look at that mud!”
“But you never get home before 6! And it is only 5:30!”
“Just never you mind, hurry up and get ready! Now march!”
 
The butler announced the Goldstein's arrival. Everyone's head turned towards them and nodded their welcome. Mary wheeled herself into the room, carefully looking out for Priscilla. She was in no mood for any of Priscilla's sillyness. The dinner bell rang as people moved towards the dining room. Mary wheeled herself all around the table, trying to find her name on a little place card. She wondered if her name was mistakenly forgotten.
 
The butler called out to her, "Mary, you are to sit here." He pointed to the spot directly to the right of the Queen Mum.
 
Mary fought hard not to show her dismay as that would not be polite under any circumstance. She dutifully wheeled herself over to the chair of honor and transferred herself to it. The butler took her wheelchair. Mary thought, "I am supposed to feel honored. Afterall, it is not everyday one gets to be the guest of honor, especially if one is only 10 years old! However, I can't help but think that Mrs. Jonsey, Sr., the Queen Mum, is up to something!
 
Priscilla looked over at Mary and scowled, "Why are you there? You should know better than too switch your place card with someone elses."
 
Mary simply stared at Priscilla in disbelief at such a preposterious idea. This was the correct way to respond to someone who was so foolish as to say such things about someone else to ones face.
 
Priscilla threw her nose up in the air and then turned her attentions once more to the table. She was seated next to Mr. Goldstein on one side, and someone by the name of Markus on the other. Priscilla was not in the room when Markus and his family was announced, so she was unaware that she was going to be seated next to the prince.
 
Priscilla looked up at Mary once more. "Don't you know you are suppose to stay standing until the Queen Mum sits?" She taunted, knowing fair well that Mary did not really have a choice as to whether she stood or not. Her legs did not permit her to stand on them for that long.
 
Mary said nothing, "Priscilla is not worth bothering with. Indeed, she is not even worth her weight in mud as far as I'm concerned."
 
The Queen Mum sat down and then signaled for everyone else to sit.
"As you all know, I have chosen as the Guest of Honor," the Queen Mum nodded towards Mary. "Our very own dear Mary."
Mary wanted to puke, but as that would not be very graceful, she decided against it. Instead, she merely beamed back at the Queen Mum and then graciously nodded towards everyone else. She was not to be undone by Miss Snotsville Priscilla.
The Waiters served the first course of Oysters from the right. Mary took her special Oyster fork that was nestled neatly in her spoon and took the first bite. She hated Oysters and was quite certain they weren't Kosher. However, this was not the time for scenes - especially since she knew Priscilla could not stand Oysters either and it would be all too easy to one up her here and now.
Priscilla, true to form, put her hand to her nose and pinched it while waving her other hand across her nose in disguist at the Oysters that layed neatly before her on a bed of Romaine Lettuce.
Mary pretended not to notice. She wondered who that young man was sitting next to Priscilla. However, she did not have long to wonder as the Queen Mum was eager to start her interogation.
 
The Queen Mum looked towards Mary, "So, tell me about this David of yours? What is he like?"
Mary thought, "My, word certainly gets around quickly! How should I answer?" She answered nonchalantly, "Oh, lots of things, really."
"Such as..." The Queen Mum prodded, not one to give up so easily.
Mary thought to herself, "if I tell the Queen what David's really likes, than Priscilla will find out. If I tell a lie, than that would be, well, lying which is not right either.
Mary carefully said, "Many people think that David's head only turns towards books, but that is so not true. He has his mind preoccupied by many things other than studies. Baseball, for example, he is quite good at."
"Ah, so this David of yours loves sports then?"
 
That was not entirely true and Mary knew it. It would take a miracle to whittle that out of her though. The Queen Mum was so excited about her find, that she kept right on talking and coming up with who David was right on her own with no help from Mary.
 
"I am quite certain that David just adores Football and Soccer. But of course, it must be Polo that he keeps up with himself. Afterall, no gentleman in the making would be complete without playing Polo!" The Queen Mum nodded her head up and down at everyone while assuring them that this was true.
 
Now it was very well known that it is considered vulgar to disagree with the Queen Mum, so Mary politely nodded in agreement, thankful for such foolish customs.
 
"Now I understand that you will be attending The Royale Academy. That should give you and David much time together, then."
 
Mary had not known that she was going to be switching schools.
Mary thought to herself, "I wonder how the Queen Mum knew that? Then again she seems to know alot of things I don't know!"
She looked over at her parents who were not paying any attention to her. They were lost in their own conversations. All Mary could do was raise her eyebrows in surprise. "At least the conversation was turning towards a different topic - the school and how I did not know that I was switching schools. And what about the shopping experience with my mother this year? Was there a clue I missed? After all, it was only this year that mother had insisted on a Bacalaret Jewelry box to be used as a school box - my school box!" Mary drew herself out of her thoughts, "Uh, I'm sorry, I guess I had not been told."
"No matter, I am sure you will do very well!" The Queen Mum said nonchalantly. Satisfied, she turned her head to her left and struck up a conversation with Isannah's father.
 
Isannah and Priscilla were best friends. Mary didn't care for either of them. Priscilla was the Queen Snot and Isannah was the follower without a clue. Mary was glad that the interrogation had ended. The rest of dinner she stayed happilly lost in her own thoughts.
 
"I wonder, did she plan something to make it so that I would have to go to that school? And why? I know that my mother wants me to marry the richest and most eligible bachelor when I am older, but what does that have to do with what school I go to? And what about Priscilla? You would think that the Queen Mum would prefer me to be out of the way at my school, far away from the most eligible bachelors who would not be caught dead at my school, let alone alive! David has something to do with this I am sure. I mean, David is at the center of her plan! I must bring up my suspicions with David the next time I see him. Oy-vey! I didn't even get his number! And I didn't even give him mine! Mothers! It is all her fault!"
 
************
 
Mary plopped down on her bed. "I am so glad to be home! That dinner party was a complete waste of time! It gave me too much to more questions than answers, and but beyond that, nothing interesting came out of it. As if, I'd care who was the most eligible bachelor! I am only 10 years old, and have much more important things to think about. For example, how do I be a good friend to David? After all, he IS the first friend I ever had and refuse to mess it up now! Well, actually, I sort of did mess it up earlier today. Mud everywheres. I even got him muddy! I bet he doesn't have to go to silly parties. I wonder what other kids do on the eve of their first day of school! I bet no one stay up til the crack of dawn going to parties. Well, at least, they do not have to stay up til 9 P.M. wondering if they are going to be able to get to bed by 10 given all the stuff their mothers make them do before school! I still have thousands of tags to remove, my folders to get in line. The party was the last thing I needed tonight!"
 
“Mary,” Mr. Goldstein called out.
“Coming!”
“Mary, I am sorry, but I have to renege on our deal. Mother and I have to go overseas for a couple months. It’s company business.”
 
“That’s okay. Will I be moving back home for Thanksgiving or would it be easier if I stayed there till the end of the school year.”
“Do you mind? There is a chance that we might have to stay longer. It would be less confusing for the school.”
“I don’t mind.” She tried to sound disappointed, but secretly was relieved. David was moving to school because his father arranged it with his mother. She then added, “Besides, David makes a wonderful study partner.”
“David, that guy Queen Mum was quizzing you about," her father asked.
 
“Yes.”
“I was wondering why she was so interested. I did not realize you even were friends with him.”
“So, what’s so special about David?”
Mrs. Goldstein chirped in, “David! Why he’s comes from the most richest family in the community. He is the number one bachelor to snatch. You marry him, and you will make us the most happiest family ever. Our own rankings will move to the top of the ladder. You might even get to become the next Queen Mum!”
 
Mary was certainly not interested in being the next Queen Mum, but wouldn’t mind getting the title just long enough to keep Priscilla from snatching it. And then, giving the title away to someone who would be most likely not to give it to any Jonsey member. Further, she did not think David would even go for such a thing - parties, foolish ways, unintelligent conversations and boredom galore. Mr. Goldstein interrupted her thoughts. “You’ll have to pack immediately. We have to drop you off first thing in the morning.”
Mary dutifully wheeled off to go pack. "So that was what the Queen Mum was up to ! She arranged my parents to be conviently out of the way, while she schemes a way to steal David from me! I should have known that David was THE most elgible bachelor! Well, Queen Mum, you shall have a uphill battle. You and your parties are no match for higher moral values! Besides, David is not your type or Priscilla's, for that mattter!"
 
Mary shoved the Queen Mum and her silly life out of her mind and started thinking about school. “Why do I have to switch schools? So what if the Jonsey’s kids go to the exclusive boarding school. Whoopidee-doo-dah! I liked my old school. It’s not that I’m afraid to meet new people. I already know everyone there. But that’s the problem. At my old school, everyone left me alone. And you can bet that Priscilla will try to get me into trouble every chance she gets. I never got into any trouble for talking during class. With incessant blabber mouth number 1, it will be a miracle if I avoid trouble. Besides, pulling straight A’s was easy! I HAD no competition. Oh well, at least I will be able to see David every day. He will be very stiff competition too, to be sure.

 
************
 
“David! David!” Mary called out, trying to catch him before he entered the school building. “Guess what!”
 
“What?”
 
“I’m moving into the dorms!”
 
“Need help?”
 
“Yes,” said Mary as she waved her hand in the direction of a mountain of suitcases.
 
“16 suitcases!?”
 
“My mother packed me.”
 
“With all due respect, of course, but your mother is nuts!”
 
Mary struck a pose and impersonated her mother. “After all, I just must keep up with the Jonsey’s!”
 
“Doesn’t she usually take 25 suitcases?”
 
“Usually, but mom ran out of suitcases with them going overseas and all.”
 
Her parents had finished parking the car and had joined them.
 
Mrs. Goldstein apologized, “Sorry, but its all the suitcases I could afford on such short notice.”
 
David suppressed the urge to giggle and then using his best upper crust British accent said, “That’s quite alright. I trust all the necessities of the finer things in life are quite in order.”
 
Mary smiled politely trying almost in vain to stifle a giggle. Mr. And Mrs. Goldstein walked inside the school.
 
David looked over at Mary as if asking, “What are they looking for in there?”
 
Mary merely replied, “Probably looking for a porter. They seem to forget that this is a boarding school and not the French Riveria’s ‘La Francias.’ Its this keeping up with the Jonsey’s nonsense.”
 
Mr. Goldstein held the door open while Mrs. Goldstein walked thru.
 
Mrs. Goldstein muttered disappointedly, “I guess we will have to carry them in ourselves. They did not think to have a porter waiting for us.”
 
David grabbed a couple suitcases and balanced them on Mary’s lap. He then started linking all the other suitcases together using the special belts created for that purpose while Mr. & Mrs. Goldstein looked on in disbelief. Having finished, David grabbed the handle of the suitcase nearest Mary and started pulling the train of suitcases.
 
Mrs. Goldstein looked over at her husband. “Well, aren’t you going to help him?”
 
Mr. Goldstein shrugged his shoulders. “I think he has it under control. Don’t you?” Mrs. Goldstein was just flabbergasted!
 
************
 
Monday morning, Mary arrived at her new school. She rolled herself over to the principal’s office, hoping to get in and out quickly. Mary looked up at the high, long countertop. There was no way she was going to be seen at her height, or lack there of. She made an executive decision to wheel herself around the gaudy obstacle and to the nearest desk.
 
“You need to stay on that side of the counter top. I will be with you in a moment,” said the secretary without looking up.
Mary dutifully wheeled herself back around and tried to wait patiently.
“Now where did that student go? How can they expect to get help if they don’t even wait?” She said while shuffling through more papers.
“If you would only stand up and look at who is talking to you maybe you would see that I am in a wheel chair and can’t stand like an idiot at attention! Fool! I’ve never been so insulted in my entire life. I expect better from Adults. Children don’t know any better. Secondly, how do you expect to see me when the counter dwarfs me?”
 
“That’s enough lip! The principal can see you now.” She said agitatedly.
 
Mary wheeled into the principal office. “You need to retrain your secretary. She has no wits when it comes to handling clients in wheelchairs.”
“I’ll see what I can do. You do have a valid point. I heard the entire argument. Don’t mind her though. She is just a little stressed given that it’s a new term and all. But, what can I do for you?”
 
Mary liked how the principal looked her straight in the eye when he talked to her. It showed that he was confident and had no issues. It also showed that he thought of her as normal instead of some freak show.
 
“I was told that I had to stop in at the office first before going to class. This is my first day.”
“Oh, right. Right. You are already registered. You must be Mary.”
“Yes, I am.”
“I understand that you won’t be staying on campus this year.” He said more as a statement than a question.
“Well, uh, that changed yesterday.”
“Oh really?” The principal shuffled through some papers, looking for Mary's folder. "Ah, here it is. I see your parents will be out of town for awhile. So, who will take care of you on your breaks than?"

 

 
Mary was not sure but thought that she should say something so she said the first thing that came to her head. "I will be staying with David and his Mother.”
"Very good. You will be biking home with David then? I suppose you have a special bike with 3 wheels.”
“No. It has a special kick stand that keeps it up when I am getting on and off. It does have a seat with a back on it. I have special pedals for the arms and steps for my feet. I am quite skilled at getting the kick stand down and back up again at lights.”
“And a trailer for your wheelchair?”
“Yes,” Mary dutifully answered, hoping the interrogation was over so she could get to class.
“Very good. I trust that you won’t have any issues finding your way home.” He laughed at his own poor excuse for a joke. Mary politely smiled, not really amused.
“Cough. Cough. Excuse me. Well, now down to business.” He gave an embarrassed look and then handed her the important new student folder. “This is the new student packet. It has all the important to-do’s and what-nots. Is there any questions?”
“May I go to class now? I really do not like to be late.”
“Actually, it is almost time for your second class. Let me show you where your English class is.”
“That’s okay. I am sure I can find it.”
“Very well, you are dismissed. I’ll will clear your attendance with your Religious instructor.”
“Thank you.”
 
************
 
Mary wheeled out the door and down the hall.
“I really wanted to go to all of my classes. Oh well. It probably wasn’t that important being that only 15 minutes was devoted to it. Still, I did want to find out what the class was all about. I never been to a religious class before.”
 
Mary dropped off all her belongings that she didn’t need at her desk in the Computer Learning Center. Her name was on the desk, so it was easy for her to find it. Students didn’t have lockers at this school. Instead, they were given a special office sized desk and single coat closet. This desk had book shelves and a special shelf that pulled out and down to hold your textbook while you typed your report on the computer. Everyday, your study hall was held in the room your desk was in. The desk, bookshelf and coat closet was made of expensive mahogany wood. She looked around the room. The other desks were a hodge-podge of neat nick and messy. No one had Baccarat Jewelry boxes as school boxes.
 
“I knew it. My mother is a nutter!” She looked at the name plate on the desk to her right. “Relief, my desk is next to some boy named David and I have the wall on my left instead of Priscilla and her side-kick dumdum.“ She returned her attention to him. “I wonder what he is like? Studious, I hope.”
 
She was glad to have the room to herself. It allowed her to think and scope out the territory. She busied herself with putting her things away as students started shuffling in. Mary quickly shut her drawer and took off. The hall was buzzing with activity. Students were rushing here and there, trying to get to class amongst plans of ‘sit with you at lunch’, ‘see you at recess’ and ‘wasn’t the Jonsey’s party a smash?’
 
Mary grumbled to herself as she wheeled towards class. “The school was built by the extremely wealthy for their children so that they wouldn’t have to have their children meeting children from the other side of the track. In this case, anyone who wasn’t extremely wealthy. What’s wrong with the other children? I didn’t find anything wrong with them. They say this way means less chance of their children falling in love and marrying beneath their dignity. Whatever that means! Personally, I do think it is a good idea. After all, what would happen if the rich snobbish party behavior rubbed off on the children from the other side of track? They might even die from stupidity! I mean, come on. Everyone knows that drinking and driving does not mix. But what about drinking and swimming? And I, must be protected. Oh brother!” Mary wheeled herself into English class.
 
“Hello, you must be Mary, the new girl.”
Mary hated that term. It always made her feel like being the new girl meant she needed more help.
 
“I am Mrs. Andrews, your English teacher.”
“Duh,“ thought Mary to herself. “No, actually you are my Chem teacher but are here in my English classroom just for kicks.”
“Its nice to have you.”
“Thank you.” Mary said politely wishing she could simply find a desk and claim it.
 
David jerked his head up from the book he was reading. “That voice! It’s her,” He thought to himself.
“You may sit over there,” said Mrs. Andrews, pointing to a desk in the first row.
 
Mary looked at the desk and saw that there was no way she was going to get her wheelchair behind that desk. The chair was permanently connected to the desk. “Oh well, I am use to this by now.” She parked her wheelchair in front of her desk, started unpacking her books and laying them on her desk. She then skillfully transferred herself to the floor. David wondered if she fell or something and was about to get up and help her when he noticed she was walking on her hands. Mary climbed up onto her chair and sat down.
 
“Wow! She’s awesome! I wonder what else she can do,” thought David. “Well, it looks like I’m postponing my plans, perhaps indefinitely. Naw, I’m sure I can convince her of my plans. Not that she’s a pushover, oh no - not at all. She’s confident and has a good head on her shoulders. I know she’s different - like me!”
 
Mrs. Andrews left the room as Priscilla entered with Isannah. They were discussing the Jonsey’s party and what everyone wore, when Priscilla spied Mary.
 
“Well, if it isn’t Miss Goody-goody-two-wheel. You know you’ll never make it to being Queen of High Society in that!”
“I know you find it rather difficult and have not mastered pre-school counting yet, but for your information, the wheelchair has 4 wheels - not two,” said Mary in a very high class English accent. “But there, there now, it’s okay. I am sure Mr. Logan, the math teacher, can help you.”
 
“Humpf,” Priscilla was furious. She stuck her nose up into the air and sat down. David giggled to himself.
“Class! Class! Time to come too order now,” Mrs. Andrews called out.
 
************
 
David ran to catch up with Mary after class. “Care to join me for lunch?”
“Sure, I’d be honored too,” Mary responded eagerly.
David and Mary walked into the classroom.
“Hello, Mary. I am Mr. Logan. I have you seated over there, next to Pamela.”
“Oh great, next to Miss incessant Gabby,” thought Mary as she rolled over to her desk. She moved the chair away from her desk and wheeled into place.
“Here, I’ll remove the chair,” offered Mr. Logan.
“Thank you,” Mary responded politely and then gave Pamela a look that said ‘don’t you dare say one word’. Mary knew her from previous experiences. Pamela just couldn’t keep her mouth shut in libraries, funerals…anywheres where quiet was needed.
 
************
 
Mary and David looked around the room, lunch trays in hand, and found a lovely table with remarkable views over the formal gardens.
 
David asked, “Is this fine?”
“Yes, I love the view. I wonder, how many schools have waterfalls outside their lunchroom?”

 
“You would be surprised. I am sure that the only other schools with such a view would be the make shift ones in the villages or Alaska or something like that. Are you enjoying your classes?” David asked.
 
Mary transferred her tray to the table and then transferred herself from her wheelchair to the table. She didn’t like to sit in her wheelchair any longer than necessary. It was soft, but she preferred sitting like everyone else did. “Yes. Although, I would have to admit that I’d rather be elsewhere.”
 
“Where is that?”
 
“My old school, where no one bothered me, pulling A’s was too easy. On the other hand, if I could go to a real school which recognized my true abilities, that would be even better.”
 
“Oh come on now, you know everyone assumes that a child is only as dumb as there chronological age and that is nothing under the sun that can change that. Why do you think they make us review with 5 pages of the same old problems when we already taught ourselves those problems 5 years earlier?”
 
“That’s too funny! Don’t they get GT?” asked Mary, knowing fair well that no one got GT.
 
“Of course not. Gifted children, or GT children do not exist in there minds. We are all equally ignorant of mind." David laughed heartily. Mary chuckled too.
 
Priscilla and Isannah came over with their trays in hand. Priscilla scoffed, “This is our table! We have first dibs.“
 
David assumed his most princely accent, “My apologies, I did not realize that you have the right to kick people around like snot-grass, barking orders to who ever you will, sitting where ever you want, regardless of when you arrive or where you ordinarily sit. Off with you. And take your snibbling little side-kick with you. Or, I will have off with your head.“
 
“For your information, you know very well, that we always sit here. I even have my name carved right here.” Priscilla then pointed to a spot where QP was carved.
 
Mary had an idea. She quickly raised her hand and waved it back and forth, getting the attention of the teacher who was supervising.
 
“Yes, Mary," asked the lunch supervisor. "What can I do for you?”
 
“Priscilla just admitted to carving QP on the table. What would you like to do about it?”
 
“Priscilla?” The lunch supervisor inquired as she turned her head towards Priscilla.
 
“I did no such thing!”
 
David put his hand on his hip, “Then why did you say that you did, in an attempt to prove that this table was yours?”
 
“I did not. I meant that I always sit at the table with that carving.”
 
“That would mean that you carved it, then wouldn’t it?” David was always good at logic, and proud of it. However, he did know that there was some holes in his logic. But he wasn't worried, as most people would never find it - especially Priscilla.

“What do you mean?” asked Priscilla uncertainly.
 
“You know, as well I do that this school is new enough, that the only person who could have carved that is you. After all, there is only one lunch, and if you are the only one who sits here, than who else would have carved it?”
 
Mary then added some real logic, scientific evidence that proved who was the guilty party. “Your jaw is dropped, and your eyes dilated. That proves that you are guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”
 
Isannah was only half paying attention, and suddenly woke up to the conversation. “Are you talking about the carving of QP? Priscilla did that before the school bell rang on the first day of school this year.”
 
The teacher looked over at Priscilla, “Well, that proves it. Isannah must have seen you.”
 
“I - I - I don’t remember.”
 
“Come on, to the office - with your lunch.”
 
Priscilla, Isannah and the teacher marched out of the lunchroom. David and Mary exchanged a good hardy chuckle.
 
Mary finally found her voice, “I can’t believe that tart! Thinking she is going to get away with that!”
 
“No one said she was sapient.”
 
“Her wise? That’s for sure! I can’t imagine anyone thinking she was wise. So, what does Isannah see in her?”
 
“How should I know. Isannah is one for the record books of picking the most dumbest person to follow.” David and Mary laughed so loud that all the people in the lunchroom looked over at them in curiosity.
 
Mary rolled her eyes and made a mental note, “I must remember to not laugh quite so loudly.”
 
David looked down at his pizza. “You know, one could probably squeeze enough oil out of this, to feed the poor for a week!”
 
Mary bursted out laughing, accidentally spitting out her food in the process. David eagerly watched Mary, to see if there would be anymore surprises about what she could do.
 
Mary decided to change the subject. “So, what do you think about Priscilla and her side kick dum-dum?”
 
“You mean besides Priscilla’s inofficious actions?”
 
Mary thought to herself, “So, he believes like I do, that her actions don’t reflect what she really ought to be doing if she is going to be a good example to her peers.” She swallowed the bite of peas and then answered, “Yes, I do mean that.”
 
“Well, she is discommoded.”
 
“Disturbed about what?” Mary inquired, quite surprised. She couldn't imagine Priscilla being disturbed about anything.
 
“Life in general as far as I can tell. She really lacks probity.”
 
“Well, if today is any indicator, I already know that she lacks honorable qualities. Could that be because of her paucity of brain cells?”
 
“Yes, she does have a scarcity of brain cells. Probably because her brain is so infinitesimal.” David said with a laugh.
 
“Well, you just look at it, and you can see it is small - inordinately small.” Mary said between bites.
 
“Ha, ha, ha! I love that one - excessively small!” David took another bite of his pizza then looked around the room. People kept stealing glances their way.
 
Mary picked up her pizza and took a bite. A couple of students at the other tables were whispering amongst themselves.
 

 
“What are those two talking about?”
“How should I know? I don’t speak like that!”
“They must memorize the entire dictionary!”
“They do. It must be how they get to sleep at night.”
“Must be rough having to go to such extremes just to fall asleep.”
 

 
Mary looked up at David and asked, “Is she impecunious?”
 
David looked over his shoulder, and then looked Mary straight in the eye. “She is poor - poor of mind. I excoriate the things she said to you. I mean, I denounce it. It was wrong, but I loved how you handled it.”
 
“Thanks! And I do know excoriate means that you don‘t agree with her actions.”
 
One student whispered to the other during Mary‘s talking, “I don’t know what either word means! Explain please?”
 
“Well, if you would stop talking, maybe we could have found out! Mary said something, but I couldn’t hear over you!”
 
Dora walked over to the student and said, “Eavesdropping will get you no where.” And then, she flipped her head up high and walked off, with her nose in the air.
 
Mary leaned over to David, “Who is she?”
 
“I don’t know. She is new here. Has a friend that she hangs out with. Both of them are new. I think they go by Dora and Ella. And about Isannah, the one you call dum-dum. Your nick for her says it all. She is a follower. I swear she hasn’t a brain to stand on. Does whatever ingratiating or unctuous, uh… agreeable to her, plan the irascible one comes up with.”
 
“I didn’t know the Queen Prissy was easily angered.”
 
“If her teasing doesn’t go how she plans, then she is angered. Really silly, really. I mean, what does she expect?”
 
“By the way, you don’t have to try to use other words in order for me to understand you. I do know those words.”
 
“Sorry, I keep forgetting. I am so used to having to explain myself to my friends. I am, however, going to try to not use uncommon words. I am sure that someone just might overhear us. Besides,” David then leaned really close to Mary’s ear and whispered, “I have a plan that I don’t want anything getting in the way off.”
 
Mary raised her eyebrows to show that she was interested in knowing what plan. However, the explanation was not forth coming. Mary looked outside at the gardens and saw Priscilla and Isannah walking the paths, and chattering away. Looking back at David, she asked, “Well?”
 
“Later. By hook or by crook the unmentionable one will stop at nothing to find out about me.” David then glanced over at the two eavesdroppers. “Besides, the walls have ears.”
 
David looked back at Mary, drank the last bit of his soymilk, and put the glass down. “Shall we?” David nodded his head towards the exit.
“Yes, we shall.”
 
************