But I don’t like clams.
What’s that got to do with the price of fish!
What? Why is he talking about fish?
Oh for the love of — Why do they give me all the autistic kids?
Some people laugh. I’m not sure who all the autistic kids are. I thought William H. was the only one.
Some girls are whispering next to me. I brace myself because when a bunch of girls is whispering that usually means someone will squeal or scream so I need to be prepared. Emma is one of the girls and she’s pretty loud most of the time.
This time is no different. She tells Mr. Mason, Some of us need to go see Mrs. Brook.
Why? Mr. Mason asks.
I wonder too. I never knew she went to see Mrs. Brook.
The other girls are also looking at her. Finally she answers. It’s a girl thing.
Mr. Mason’s face goes red and he nods.
I will have to remember that remark.
Emma looks at me then at Mr. Mason then back to me. I think you should come with us.
I follow Emma and two other girls down the hall to Mrs. Brook’s room. Emma is complaining loudly about Mr. Mason, saying, That was SO inappropriate, even though there’s No Talking In The Hall. I try to remind her but Emma’s voice takes up all the room. When she grows up she should be one of those TV interviewers on Fox Five News who doesn’t let anyone else talk even if they try.
When we get to Mrs. Brook’s room she’s on the phone but it doesn’t stop Emma from blurting out something so fast I can’t even follow it.
Mrs. Brook tells the phone person she’ll have to call back and she hangs up.
What happened? Mrs. Brook asks.
No one says anything.
What exactly did Mr. Mason say?
Still no one says anything.
Then they all look at me.
This means they want me to tell Mrs. Brook what happened.
So I do. Mr. Mason wants to know why they give him all the autistic kids.
Mrs. Brook’s neck does its turtle jerk. She looks at the girls. I see.
I look at Emma and the other two girls also. I don’t think they’re autistic. I don’t know who he’s talking about.
Emma looks at me with a sad face. He was talking about you.
But I’M NOT —
I know, she says quickly. He shouldn’t have said that.
He knows that too, Mrs. Brook says. We’re all still… very stressed.
One of the other girls says, William H. doesn’t have his assistant so Mr. Mason is going a little nuts.
Oh dear! Mrs. Brook stands up. Someone should have told me!
Her shoes squeak down the hall to the gym very fast and we follow. She speaks with Mr. Mason and takes William H. from Bruce and Shane.
Mr. Mason comes over to me.
I think he’s going to make me wear the pinnie so I start to talk but he interrupts me.
I’m really sorry Caitlin. I shouldn’t have said that remark about autistic kids.
I’m surprised to hear him speak without shouting. That’s okay. I think William H. is the only autistic kid they give you though.
You’re right Caitlin. He sighs. I learned a good lesson today.
Do I have to wear the pinnie?
He smiles. You know what? Today I think I have to wear the pinnie. He goes to the box and puts on a yellow pinnie but it only fits around his neck instead of his whole body and it looks like a scarf. People laugh at him but he laughs too. He also winks at me. And even though he looks funny I think he has learned a little finesse today.
CHAPTER 32
DAD-OH
WHAT IS A DAD-OH? I ASK DAD.
DAY-doe, he says, and it’s a groove in a piece of wood. But his lip curls up on one side.
He is starting to smile. I know what that means. Closure must be coming!
So I Work At It. I like DAD-OH better.
His lips curl up again on the left side.
I say Dad-oh four more times.
Here is the screwdriver Dad-oh.
Would you like a glass of water Dad-oh?
What do we do next Dad-oh?
Can I help you Dad-oh?
And his lips curl up on the left side every time.
And when I say it one more time, Good night Dad-oh, both sides of his lips curl up. So do mine. Because Closure is a very good thing to see.
After Dad-oh goes to bed and I’m sure he’s asleep I sneak into Devon’s room and borrow his Boy Scout knife and camping flashlight and go to the living room. Then I slide my head under the chest and turn on the flashlight so it lights up just the bottom of the chest. That way the room stays dark and Dad won’t know what I’m doing. I look for the perfect spot on the underside of the chest and I carve in big letters on his chest just like Devon did for me: SCOUT.
CHAPTER 33
GROUP PROJECT INCLUDING OTHER PEOPLE
MRS. JOHNSON ANNOUNCES ANOTHER group project. I raise my hand. She closes her eyes for a moment and sighs. Yes Caitlin. I know you don’t want to be in a group but —
I do want to be in a group. This is going to be my first group project in a group. I add, In school, because I remember that the chest is kind of a group project with Dad-oh.
Oh. Okay. That’s great. She claps twice. Class! We’re going to the computer lab so you can do your research. We have to share the computers with the other fifth-grade class so some of you will need to sit at the tables.
Some people groan. I don’t. I just think one thing. Josh.
We’re lucky to have a computer lab at all in such a small school, Mrs. Johnson reminds us like she does every time we go to the computer lab. I’m going to bring some supplies with us and when we get there we’ll break into groups and I’ll tell you what the project is.
We all get up and I see Mrs. Johnson pick up two bins of markers which is a very good sign. It means there is drawing involved.
At the computer lab Mrs. Johnson says, Our project is on the state of Virginia. It’s a project that involves research and a lot of drawing because you’ll need the flag, the state flower, the state bird, et cetera.
I’m so happy! I love drawing!
Emma invites me to join her group with Brianna and Shane. Okay, I say, and I tell them how lucky they are. I’m probably the best artist in the state of Virginia.
Shane and Brianna look at each other and laugh. I wonder if they’re happy.
Emma chews her lip. You don’t have to be the best. You can do all the drawing though if you want.
Yay! I smile at my group until my cheeks start hurting and I have to stop.
Mrs. Johnson puts markers and paper and some books about Virginia on the tables. Shane wants to sit at the computer so I sit next to Emma and Brianna at one of the tables in the back of the room with a bunch of kids from the other fifth grade. Josh is at the table in front of ours. I don’t look at him. I start drawing right away.