THE GREAT MOVIE CAPER
Not long after that, came yet another distraction. Like the incidents before, it had little to do with football, but had ramifications on the practice field. And for the first time, Kim found herself in Mickey Mouse's doghouse. It began when Cinderella saw advertisements for a romantic comedy film that was going to play in Orlando for one night only, on a Wednesday night. Cinderella loved romantic movies, and was star struck by the male lead in this movie. She just had to go see it. She got Snow White to go, and then they asked Kim if she wanted to go as well. Kim had seen the commercials as well, and loved to go, but there was just one problem, Mr. Barkin's study table.
"Oh, come on Kim," Snow White said. "You're a straight-A student. "You can afford to skip studying for one night, can't you?"
"Yeah, you're right," Kim replied. "It's not like I'm flunking or anything. My tutor, he'll scream and yell for a little bit, but he'll get over it. Hey, can Ron come with us as well?"
"Sure, why not?" Cinderella said. "I think he'll enjoy it, too." And so, the four left at 6:20 p.m. and went to see the movie Cinderella was raving about. Meanwhile, Mr. Barkin was already on his way to Kim's place to conduct study table. Uh-oh!
Since Ron joined the team, Kim and Ron alternated hosting study table. Ron had the sessions on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings, while the study sessions were held at Kim's apartment on Monday and Wednesday evenings. At the stroke of 6:30, Barkin arrived at Kim's place and began pounding on her door. No answer. After about three minutes of this pounding, Barkin now fuming mad, went next door to Snow White's unit and began pounding on her door. Again, no answer. Next, he went to Cinderella's apartment, which was directly across the hall from Kim's and pounded on her door. Same result. Finally, he went to Pocahontas' unit and pounded on that door. This time, Pocahontas answered.
"Who are you?" Pocahontas asked the burly man standing in her doorway. "Oh, you must be Kim's tutor," she added.
"You've got that right," Mr. Barkin said in his surly tone of his. "Where's Possible? Don't she know she has study table right now?"
"She went to see a movie with Cinderella and Snow White," Pocahontas answered. "Kim tried to tell them that she had to study, but she also wanted to see that movie real bad, and I guess they talked her into going with them." The three asked Pocahontas if she wanted to go as well; she declined, since there was a program on Native Americans on PBS she wanted to watch.
"What?" Barkin exclaimed. "So Possible thinks that going to a stupid movie is more important than her education. Not only that, but we have accomplices in truancy to boot. And I'll bet anything Stoppable went with them." He paused for a beat, then continued, "If you see Possible tonight, I want you to tell her that I'm going to lower the boom on both her and Stoppable. And while you're at it, you can tell those "princess" friends of hers that they're about to get de-throned!" With that, Barkin turned and stomped off, mumbling something about kids today. Pocahontas never gave Barkin's warning to Kim, as she retired for the night right after the PBS show ended.
The four were still talking about the movie the next morning when they reported to the locker room to dress for practice. But once they arrived at the facility, they were told that Mickey wanted to see them in his office immediately. When they arrived at Mickey's office, they found the Mouse standing in front of his desk, frowning, arms crossed in front of him. Steve Barkin was there as well. Mickey told the four to have a seat. While Mickey didn't raise his voice, they could tell that he was furious with them.
"Mr. Barkin here tells me that you two cut study table last night," Mickey began. He then glanced at Cinderella and Snow White and continued, "And he goes on to tell me that Cinderella and Snow White talked you in to doing this. Is this true, Kim?"
"Y-yes, sir, it's true," Kim said, ashamed. "There was indeed this movie that we wanted to see so bad, this 'chick flick'…"
"WHAT!" Barkin bellowed. "My God, Mouse, it's worse than I thought! Are you telling us you ditched study table just to go see a dirty movie?"
Kim had to laugh at Mr. Barkin's wild accusation. "Oh, it wasn't a dirty movie," she replied. "So not the nudity. I assure you, nobody took their clothes off in that film. You see, 'chick flick' means a movie that appeals to women."
"What movie did you go see?" Mickey asked. Kim then noticed yesterday's newspaper on Mickey's desk, and asked if she could see the movie listings. Mickey nodded his approval, and Kim found the listing of the film in question and showed it to him.
"Hmmm," Mickey pondered. "Minnie would have liked to go see that movie, but she was so tired after yesterdays' practice, and I had to work on today's practice plan. But that's neither here nor there. The fact remains that you two went to that film when you should have been studying." He then paused, then looked at both Cinderella and Snow White and asked, "Is it true that you two talked Kim into cutting study table so she could accompany you to this movie?"
"Yes, sir," Cinderella said, herself ashamed.
"I see," Mickey answered. "You know, what you do outside of practice is your business. Still, you shouldn't have talked Kim and Ron into going to that movie with you when you knew they had to study. Look, it's about time for practice. You four go get dressed now. We'll deal with this after practice." The four left Mickey's office dreading what was to come.
When practice ended that morning, Mickey dismissed everyone by yelling, "Okay, that's it! Everybody hit the showers! Except Kim, Ron, Cinderella, and Snow White, you four come see me." When the four reported to the Mouse, he said simply, "Follow me," and marched them to the other end of the field where Mr. Barkin was waiting for them. Once there, he said, "Okay, Steve, they're all yours," then turned on his heel and left.
"Well, well, well, if it ain't the 'Truancy Club,'" Barkin began sarcastically. He then glared at Cinderella and Snow White. "Since you two broads are apparently the 'ringleaders' of this conspiracy against education, you can drop and give me fifty pushups."
"Hey, we're not…" Snow White protested.
"SILENCE!" Barkin yelled. "Just for talking back, you two broads can now drop and give me a hundred pushups! Get going!"
"Yes, sir," Cinderella said sourly, as both princesses dropped to the ground to do their pushups. It was indeed a sight to behold. Here were two of the majestic, world famous Disney Princesses, role model to young girls everywhere, not only being called common broads, but also treated like raw recruits at a Marine Corps boot camp. Kim Possible stood there flabbergasted, watching this unbelievable sight. She couldn't believe that Mr. Barkin could treat such royalty that way. But then again, this was Steve Barkin. And within seconds, he turned his wrath upon both her and Ron.
"As for you two truants," Mr. Barkin barked, "you can give me five laps around the perimeter of this field." Kim and Ron stood there for a few seconds, still watching the princesses doing their pushups.
"What are you waiting for, an act of Congress? Let's GO!" Barkin commanded loudly.
"Yes, sir," Kim said bitterly as they began their five lap run. Barkin stood near the two princesses and made sure they completed their pushups. Every now and then he glanced at Kim and Ron doing their laps. Once, when he noticed both had slowed to a trot, he exploded at them: "Hey! I want to see some speed out of you two! My ninety-five year old grandmother can run faster than that! Move it! Move it! Move it! Let's go!" Finally the princesses finished their pushups. Barkin dismissed them by saying simply, "Get out of here, and go take a shower." Moments later, Kim and Ron completed their run, their tongues literally hanging out from exhaustion. Barkin dismissed them by saying, "Maybe this will teach you to put a stupid movie ahead of your studies. Now get out of here and go take a shower." But even that wasn't the end of it.
In the shower, Cinderella tried to apologize to Kim for what had happened. "Hey, don't worry about it. It was all my fault for not simply saying no. I should be apologizing to you." Kim and the princesses then agreed to drop the subject and put the incident behind them. Even so, Kim still couldn't believe the way Barkin had treated them.
That night, Barkin showed up at Ron's apartment for the study session. The first thing he told the two was: "I hope you two don't have anything you want to watch on TV tonight because we're going straight through to 9:30. We have a lot of make up work to do." And thus began a marathon study table that went to 9:30 just as Barkin had promised. He did allow a ten-minute break at around eight o'clock so Kim and Ron could get up and stretch their legs. About an hour later, while Barkin was lecturing the kids on the Gladsen Purchase, he noticed that Kim had nodded off. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," he said, and brought his fist down on Ron's dining table. BAM!
"Whatis?" Kim yawned. Then Barkin noticed Wade staring at the sight through Kim's laptop monitor. "What're you looking at pipsqueak?" Barkin demanded.
"Uh, nothing," Wade replied, and then excused himself to go get a soda. Turning back to Kim, Barkin said, "You fell asleep, that's what."
"What'd you expect?" Kim shot back. "We had two grueling practices today, and on top of that, we had to run those stupid laps of yours!" It felt good for Kim to argue back at Barkin for a change. Still she feared that he might get really angry. Instead, she was surprised when Barkin responded not with anger, but with more sarcasm.
"Well, you should have thought of that before you ditched study table last night to go to that movie," he told her. "Now please try to stay awake. We still need to talk about the Gladsen Purchase, if you can manage to stay awake for another half-hour."
The next morning after practice, Kim went to Mickey's office for another meeting. She told him, that while her and Ron deserved what they got, she felt that Mr. Barkin was a little harsh on Cinderella and Snow White.
"I'm sorry that Barkin was a little rough on those two," Mickey told her, "but they did talk you into doing something you shouldn't have done. We here at Disney take education very seriously. In fact the Disney Company awards prizes every year to America's top teachers. I remind you that when we signed you to this team I promised your parents that you continue to receive an education. That was also in the contract you signed. I made the same promise to Ron Stoppable's parents, and that was in the contract he signed with us. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes, sir," Kim answered.
"I understand you and Ron are going to graduate from high school this year," Mickey continued. "I also understand you're even a candidate for valedictorian of your class. Nothing would make me happier than to have you walk upon that stage in cap and gown to receive your diploma. We'll happily let you miss practice that week, even miss a game if necessary, just so you can participate in commencement exercises with your graduating class. I really don't want you to miss this chance, Kim, and that's why Mr. Barkin and me were so rough on you four. And let me give you a friendly warning here; if something like this ever happens again, I will, without hesitation, cut you from this team and send you home. Do you understand me, Kim?"
"Yes, sir," Kim said again.
"Good," Mickey replied. "Like the old TV commercial goes, 'A mind is a terrible thing to waste.' And I don't want to see you waste yours." Kim
