“Why?” asked Allison. “What’s Miss Zarves going to do to us—keep us after school?”
“I don’t know,” said Mark. “Teachers can always find new ways to punish you. They’re experts at it.”
“Your two minutes are up, boys and girls,” announced Miss Zarves. “Everyone back to work.”
Allison returned to her seat. She tried to figure it all out, but she had so much busy work to do, she didn’t have time to think.
That’s her plan! Allison suddenly realized. She shivered as it all came together for her. Miss Zarves assigns us lots of busy work so we don’t have time to think. She makes us memorize stupid things so that we don’t think about the important things. And then she gives us good grades to keep us happy.
Miss Zarves walked around the room. “Very good, Virginia,” she said. “You are doing so well. Excellent, Ray! Good job, Nick.” She stopped when she got to Allison. “Allison, why aren’t you working?”
Allison looked at her. She knew Mark was right. Teachers are experts at finding ways to punish you. And if Miss Zarves was the devil, who knew what she might have up her sleeve? Still, Allison had to take a chance. If she wanted to get back to Mrs. Jewls’s class, she had to act as if she were in Mrs. Jewls’s class.
She took off her shoes and socks, sat on the floor, and sucked her toes.
“Allison, what are you doing?” asked Miss Zarves.
Allison took her toe out of her mouth. “Get off my case, Buzzard Face,” she said.
Miss Zarves was furious. “Return to your desk, young lady!” she ordered.
Allison returned to her desk. But instead of sitting at it, she climbed on top of it and sang a song.
g
“I got one sock!
Lookin’ for the other.
One sock!
Lookin’ for its brother.
When I find that sock!
I’ll tell you what I’ll do.
I’ll put it on my foot,
and I’ll stick it in my shoe!”
g
Mark Miller smiled at her and silently clapped his hands. Everyone else looked at her like she was crazy.
“Your socks are on the floor, next to your shoes,” Miss Zarves said coldly. “I’ll give you ten seconds to put them on your feet. Ten … nine … eight … seven …”
Allison climbed down from her desk. She picked up her socks and put them on her ears. “How’s this?” she asked.
“Six … five … four …”
g
g
“Albert Einstein didn’t wear socks,” said Allison. “Why should I?”
“Three … two …”