After class, it was time for the class to go outside. While the other two classes scurried out of the class, Mr. Ratburn's students are forced to walk out in an even file line.
Minutes later, they went outside, located in the backyard of the school building. It wasn't like the old playgrounds from 20 years ago, they were brand new playgrounds since Arthur and his gang were in high school. Moments later, Frieda asks her friends what do they want to play.
"So, guys," said Frieda. "Do you bring anything to play?"
"I got cards," said Joanie.
"I got a Frisbee," said Polly.
"Better yet," said Daisy. "I got a bag full of marbles!"
"I think I'll go with the marbles," said Frieda.
"Good choice," said Daisy. "Let's begin."
The other kids join Frieda. Randy drew a circle, and Daisy puts some marbles in the circle. She hands Frieda one of the marbles. Frieda retreats a step, and flicked her marble into a circle knocking out some marbles.
"That was very good," said Daisy. "The ones you knocked out of a circle are yours."
Frieda picked up a marble that was out of a circle.
Meanwhile, Joanie was playing a card game called War with Crystal and Finn.
"Ha ha," said Joanie while drawing a card. "I got a Queen."
"I got a 10," said Crystal.
"I got a Jack," said Finn. "Let's go again!"
Frieda sees Polly playing Frisbee catch with Casey, Randy, Vera, and Walter.
Meanwhile, a fourth grade rabbit boy walks up to Frieda.
"Hey Frieda," said the boy.
"Oh, hi Nathan," replied Frieda. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh nothing," said Nathan. "I just like nature...and watching you and your friends play some outdoor games..."
"Oh," said Frieda.
"And by the way," said Nathan. "My mom is a cop. See for yourself."
He shows Frieda and her friends a photo of his mother. She looked familiar, has red hair with long bangs that cover her eyes, and still has an attitude the way she had 20 years ago.
"What about your dad?" asked Frieda.
"He works as a financial manager," replied Nathan. "See ya."
Nathan waves at Frieda and her friends then leaves.
"So, guys," said Frieda. "Got anything better to do tomorrow?"
"We can play baseball," said Joanie. "If we can bring our baseball gloves."
"I have one," said Frieda.
"Me too," said Polly.
Everybody was clamoring for an answer, but was soon interrupted by Joanie.
"Technically, I didn't bought a baseball glove," she said. "I have to use my dad's..."
"Oh," said Frieda.
"But don't worry," continued Joanie. "However, I rubbed his name out of the glove. Hopefully, it's going to fit in my hand..."
"And I got a baseball bat," said Polly. "But technically, it was Randy's."
Minutes later, after a few conversations, it was time for lunch. The kids are scrolling down the hallways and to the cafeteria. The cafeteria still looks the same as before. While Frieda was in a line for her lunch, she sees a rabbit lady in her mid to late 30s who was behind the counter. Minutes later, Frieda was next to get her lunch.
"What do you want?" asked Doris, the cafeteria lady, who's been working 8 years back since the previous cafeteria lady moved to an another state, and Mrs. MacGrady, on the other hand, passed away while Arthur was in tenth grade. "We got country fried steak. We got spaghetti..."
"I'll take the steak," replied Frieda.
The cafeteria lady hands Frieda a plate of breaded steak topped with gravy. She takes mashed potatoes and corn as her side dish. She reached the cooler to get a box of orange drink. After she swiped her lunch card, she sits down next to Joanie. They started a conversation.
"Well, my mom is a columnist at Elwood City Times," said Joanie. "While my dad is a comic book artist."
"That's neat," said Frieda. "Does he do action ones, or humor ones?"
"Sometimes he does action comic books like Dark Bunny," said Frieda. "While he sometimes does humor ones."
"Oh," said Frieda.
"What about your parents?" asked Joanie.
"My dad works at the catering service," said Frieda while eating her steak. "and he's an occasional story writer."
"Go on," said Joanie.
"While my mom was unemployed, because she has to take care of my brother because he's 1," continued Frieda. "And besides, she doesn't feel like hiring a babysitter...except my dad's secretary, Mrs. McPike...once my mom gets a job. Otherwise, she'll take my brother to work."
"Wait a minute," said Crystal who was in the same table as Frieda. "You mean my mom works for your dad?"
"Yes," said Frieda.
"To tell you the truth," said Crystal. "My mom can be sometimes pushy. She was some sort of a bully at one point when she was around my age..."
"She was a bully?" asked Frieda.
"Yes," said Crystal. "However, she says that she likes animals. And she became very nice since she was in fifth grade..."
"Yeah," said Frieda.
"However, she repeated fourth grade," said Crystal. "Because of her poor schoolwork performance..."
After lunch, all the kids head back to class.
