Angeline knew, of course, that Mr. Bone would know that she hadn’t been in school. What she couldn’t figure out was how Mr. Bone knew she’d been going to the aquarium. It amazed her.
“I only know what Angeline’s teacher, Mrs. Hardlick, told me about it,” said Melissa, “and to be perfectly honest I don’t believe half the things that Margaret Hardlick says.” She then related to Abel Angeline’s final act as Secretary of Trash and the subsequent note that Angeline was supposed to have signed by her mother.
“Her mother’s been dead for over five years,” said Abel. His tie was driving him crazy. He stretched his neck in all directions. “Excuse me,” he said, “would you mind if I took off my tie?”
“Oh yes, terribly,” she answered.
“Oh, all right then,” said Abel. He kept it on.
Melissa laughed. “I’m kidding,” she told him.
Abel smiled foolishly. He took off his tie and hurled it across the room. He unbuttoned the top button on his shirt and let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. “Much better,” he said.
“I could never figure out why men wear those things in the first place,” said Melissa. “And they say that women are such slaves of fashion.”
Maybe that was why she called herself “Mr. Bone,” thought Abel. It was some kind of women’s liberation. He returned to the topic of conversation. “I never saw the note,” he said.
“I know,” said Melissa. “Angeline stuffed it under a bus seat.”
Incredible! thought Angeline from behind the door. Mr. Bone knows everything!
“I told Mrs. Hardlick that I would speak to her mother—to you—in lieu of the note,” said Melissa.
“Well, thank you,” said Abel. “I’ll see that Angeline is punished.”
Melissa and Angeline each winced at that. “Please don’t get me wrong, Abel,” said Melissa, “she’s your daughter. But I didn’t come all the way over here so that Angeline would be punished.”
On the other side of the door, Angeline wiped her forehead. “Way to go, Mr. Bone,” she whispered.
“I’m all ears,” said Abel.
Melissa smiled at that expression. “I guess I just wanted you to be aware of the situation,” she said.
“Well, I’m aware of the situation,” said Abel. “Angeline gets herself into lots of situations. And I blow every one of them.”
“Judging by Angeline,” said Melissa, “you must be doing something right.”
“Really?” said Abel. “You think so? Even though she’s been going to the aquarium?”
Melissa laughed. “If I had Margaret Hardlick for a teacher, I’d go to the aquarium, too.”
Abel smiled. “Really? Okay, so now what do I do?”
“What do you think about switching Angeline to my class?”
Behind the door, Angeline vigorously nodded her head.
“That’s the fifth grade, isn’t it?” asked Abel.
M
elissa said it was.
“I don’t know,” said Abel. “No offense, but I hate to see her move backward. She has so much potential; that’s what really scares me. I don’t want to do anything to blow it. I hate to send her back a grade just because you’re such a pretty, er—” He stumbled over his words. “A pretty nice person, er, I mean teacher.” He smiled.
“Thank you, Abel. I think you’re nice also.”
Angeline beamed.