"What's Wrong with Blair?"
Tootie is at the table closet to the doorway to the lounge doing her english homework. Jo is at the
table closets to the baywindows working on an carboater.
Jo signs softly "Low Rider ...."
Tootie sighs a little.
In walks Natalie and she is very excited. "I can't believe it. I just can't believe it."
Tootie looks up with a frusted humph. "What Nat?"
Natalie is still to excited to realize that Tootie was rude to her. "I can't belive. I just can't
belive it."
"Natalie What is it that you can not belive?" shouts Tootie.
"Tootie!" Jo says in an warning voice.
Tootie looks over at Jo. "What! I am just trying tofisten my english homework and I keep getting
interriupted. First with you signing "Low Rider..."and now with Natalie coming in shouting "I can't
believe it, I just can't believe it" well I can'tbelieve this!" so saying Tootie gahters up her
english book and her binders and humhs out of the room.
Natalie looks at Jo with a surprised look on her face.
Jo says "So Natalie what is it that you can't believe."
Natalie taps her head "I can't remember. With Tootie shouting I compeletly forgot what it was."
Jo suddenly laughs.
"What?" Natalie laughs.
"Sorry Nat. I just find it so funny that you of all people would forget what you just couldn't believe."
Jo said as she was wiping fake tears out of her eyes.
Natalie smiles "Yea," she shruggs. "Go Figger. But poor Tootie ..." "Poor Tootie?" Blair asks as
she waltzs into the dining room. "Yea Tootie just blew up at us for interrtiupting her from her
studies." Natalie explained. Blair strugged. She has a very preocciuped look on her face. "So
where is Mrs. Garrett?" "In the kicten." Jo said. Blair walks to the kitchen's door. "I wonder
what's up with Blair?" Natalie said.
Jo shrugged "Knowing Blair probabely couldn't get the right hair dye."
"Jo!" Natalie said. She shrugges her shoulders. "Well I'm going to get a candy bar." She walks into
the lounge.
Jo goes back to work on her carbourter.Natalie just fistened getting an "PayDay" out of the candy
machine. She walks over to the couch and plumbs down onto it. "I wonder whats up with Blair. I
knows up with Tootie. Poor Toot. I will apolize for my thoughtfulness when she is done with her
english homework. But what is wrong with Blair? I know it has more to do than her hair
color. She has one of those "What do I do now" look in her eyes." She turns her face to the kicten
door. "I sure do hope Mrs. G. can help her out." The Phone rings. Blair stops just inside the
kitchen. She allows the kitchen door to swing shut behind her.
Mrs. Garegtt countain to stir the stew that she is making for dinner because she didn't hear Blair
come in.
Blair stands in the kicten doorway just watching Mrs. G. work. She personally didn't want to dis
intruirrept Mrs. G. She was just content watching her. She has a sad wishful look in her eyes.
Mrs. G. suddenly looks up "Blair, you started me. I didn't expect to see anyone standing there."
Blair didn't answer; matter of fact she didn't move a musual.
"Blair?" walking over to Blair; Mrs. G. waves her right hand in Blairs face. "Blair? Blair?"
When that didn't work. Mrs. G. got very concerned and grabbed Blair by the shoulders and
shook her. "Blair! Blair! Blair!"
"Hmm... Hmm... Oh Mrs. G." Blair said as she was shook back from wherever she was.
Mrs. G. stopped shaking Blair but kept her hands on Blair's shoulders. "Oh Blair you had me so
worried. Where were you just than?" Mrs. G. said in a concern voice.
Blair just looked at Mrs. G.
"Blair?" Mrs. G. said as she started shaking her again.
"It's all right Mrs. G. I just can't answer your question." Blair said as Mrs. G. stopped shaking her again.
"What do you mean; you can not answer my question." Mrs. G. asked still holding on to Blair's shoulders.
Blair shrugged. "I can't answer the question because I don't remember."
Mrs. G. moved to part her right arm around Blairs' shoulder and started to walk over to the island
to sit down with Blair to talk.
As they sat down on the two stools facing the staircase Mrs. G. asked "So what's wrong Blair?"
"Oh Mrs. G...." Blair began with a small sob.
"Mrs. Gargett! Mrs. Gargett!" Tootie yelled as she came down the kitchen staircase.
Blair hurridely wiped away her tears and grabbed a glass and went over to sink to get a drink of water.
"Yes Tootie what is it?" Mrs. Garrett asked as Tootie stopped in front of her.
"Oh Mrs. G. I despartly need your help." Tootie said out of
breath.
"What about dear?" Mrs. Garrett looked concerned.
"My english homework." Tootie said.
"Oh?" Mrs. Garrett began to look bemused. She looked at Blair who was still at the kitchen sink
getting some water. "Can it wait a little bit?"
"No Mrs. G. I need your help now!" Tootie said as she grabbed Mrs. Garretts arm and begans to
pull her to the stair case.
"Well talk later Blair. Right dear?" Mrs. Garrett said with an apolizet voice.
Blair just nodded.
"Now here is the problem ...." Tootie said as she and Mrs. Garrett started climbing the staircase.
"...what is a franctial sentence?" Tootie finally asked at the end of her long speech.
Mrs. Gargett holds up her hands and says "Hold on now Tootie. All you need to do is write an
one page english paper right?"
"Yes! I said that all ready." Tootie said.
"May I read it?" Mrs. Gargett asks.
"Sure" Tootie went over to her top bunk and grabbed her paper. She handed it to Mrs. Gargett.
After Mrs. Gargett finished reading it she put it down on the desk. She turned to face Tootie.
"Why Tootie this paper is incenllent. I don't know why you have freaked out...." "Mrs. Garrgett if
I don't pass english my parents won't let me be in the school play." Mrs. Garrgett nodded. "But
Tootie you are getting an A- in English. You are doing fine. You don't have nothing to worry
about." "That's not good enough for my parents. They expect an A!" Tootie moaned.
Blair is still at the kicten sink holding her empty glass over the spout. She had never feeled it in
first place when Mrs. Garrgett and Tootie left the kicten. She is staring off into space.
The door opens suddenly and in pops Natalie.
"Blair the phones for you!" Natalie said.
Blair contiuned to look into space.
"Blair! the phones for you." Natalie said again.
Blair suddenly turned her back to Natalie and started walking the the back door.
"BLAIR!" Natalie screamed.
Blair opened the door and left without closing the door."What's is up with that girl?" Natalie said
in a shocked voice.
Jo came through the kicten door and almost ran into Natalie.
"Umm Nat. Move." Jo said.
Natalie pulled aside and said "Oh Jo. I am sorry. But Blair was just in here and she acted all
strange. She didn't even ackowned me."
Jo shrugged. "So what else is new?"
"Jo I am seriouse. She even left the door opened when she left." Natalie pointed at the open door.
"So lets close it." Jo goes to close the door. "I'm hungry."
Jo goes to the refester and pull out an apple, and than leaves the kicten.
Natalie shruggs and follows Jo out."All right now Blair... I am all yours" Mrs. Garrett said as she
was coming down the staircase from fistening talking with Tootie.
"Blair? Where are you?" Mrs. G. said as she looked around the kicten and saw that indeed Blair
was not in there.
Mrs. Garrett left the kicten in search of Blair. Jo goes back to her car borater.
"Low rider..." she hums.
"Jo I am concerned about Blair." Natalie said as she begins to sit down across from Jo.
Jo shrugged "why worry. You know Blair. What ever is bugging her and I still say it is because of
her hair; she'll get over it." She goes back to her car borater. "low rider...."
Natalie shakes her head and goes back to the lounge.Natalie goes to get a book off the bookshelf.
"Hmmm "Pride & Predicince" sounds like a good book. Ok Jane Austen take my worries away
from me." She plumbs down on the counch.
From the corner of her eye she sees the phone off the hook. "Oh my goodness the phone. Blair.
Yeech!" she pulls herself off of the couch and rushes to the phone. "hello are you still there.... I
sorry but Blair is not here right this minute. Can I take a messege. No? Ok. good-bye." she hangs
up the phone.
"Jo have you seen Blair?" Mrs. Garrett asked as she saw Jo working on her carboarter. "Not for a while." Jo shrugged. "You should ask Natalie; she saw Blair last." Mrs. Garrett nooded and asked "Where's Nat?" "In the lounge. Low Rider...." Jo went back to work on the carboater.
Mrs. Garrett walked into the lounge and saw Natalie lying on the courch reading "Pride and
Pushmient." "Good book?" Mrs. G asked. "Hmm... Yea!" Natalie said without looking up. "Hey
Nat? Have you seen Blair?" Mrs. Garrett asked. Natalie suddenly sat up and let the book drop.
"Why yes I did. I saw her last in the kicten when I went in to let her know she had a phone call."
"Where is she now?" Mrs. Garrett asked. Natalie had a very concern look on her face. "I don't
know Mrs. G. I just don't know. Mrs. G.?" "Yes Nat?" "What's wrong with Blair?" "What do you
mean Natalie?" "I mean when I went to let Blair know that she had a phone call she didn't answer
me. Matter of fact she didn't ackonned me at all. She just left by the back door and she left the
door wide open." Natalie said worridely. Mrs. Garrett replied flipping "Oh it is nothing. You
know how Blair is sometimes. It is nothing to worry about. Well I better go see how Tootie is.
See you later Natalie." "By Mrs. Garrett." Natalie said as she went back to her book. As Mrs.
Garrett is leaving the lounge you see a very concern look on her face. But she instiantly removes
it as she walks into the dinning room on her way to Tootie. She doesn't want any of the girls to
know that she is very concern over Blair. Until she knows what is the matter with Blair that is.
"Tootie how are you feeling now?" Mrs. Garrett asked as she opened the girl's dorm room door.
"Much better now. Thank you for the talk Mrs. G." Tootie replied as she fistened closing her
english notebook.
"It was notting dear. Do you need to talk to me anymore?" Mrs. Garrett asked.
Tootie shook her head. "Nope. I am fine."
"Ok. I am going out in for a bit. If I am not back in an hour please have you, Natalie and Jo start
getting lunch ready." Mrs. Garrett told Tootie.
Tootie looked puzzled. "What about Blair?"
"Blair is going to be with me. Don't fret." Mrs. Garrett said to Tootie.
Tootie shrugged and went on with her work. "See you later Mrs. Garrett."
Mrs. Garrett closed the door and left her hand on the doorknob. "No all I have to do is find
Blair." She let go of the door knob and went toward the staircase.Once stepping outside from the
kitchen door on which Blair herself left Mrs. Garrett quietly shut the door. She let go of the door
handle and walked quickly down the walkway and into the woods. "Hmm if I were Blair and I had
an problem where would I go" Mrs. Garrett asked herslef. "To Bloomdales... but I know; I just
know this is not just any problem that could be solved with spending tons of money on.
I saw Blair's face. I saw what kind of pain she was in. She would do the unsule like go into the
woods. Even through she doesn't like them all that much. So I am heading into the woods and
going to find that girl." Blair is sitting with her back against a tall oak tree with her face
between her knees. She has tears steaming down her cheeks unheeded. "Blair! Blair! I know you
are out here somewhere; Blair!"
Blair hears Mrs. Garrett call out a few feet from her. Blair let out an strangled cry.
Mrs. Garrett rushed over to the sound of one of her girls' cries. When she saw Blair she stopped in shocked. *What is wrong with Blair. She just has to tell me.* "Oh Blair. Darling what is the matter?" Mrs. Garrett asked as she rushed over to Blair. She knelt down and pulled Blair toward her chest to hold her while she wept.
Blair wept into Mrs. Garrett's chest.
"Blair darling what is wrong? Please tell me so maybe I can help you." Mrs. Garrett said as she
soothed Blair's hair.
Blair contiuned to weep into Mrs. Garretts chest.
"I will just hold you till you calm down." Mrs. Garrett said softly as she storked her hand down
Blair's hair and back.
Mrs. Garrett held Blair like that for ten more minutes than Blair got her tears undercontrol and
just stayed at Mrs. Garrett's chest quivling.
"Thank you Mrs. Garret." Blair said as she pulled herself finally out of the safety of Mrs. Garrett's embrace.
"That's all right. Now Blair will you please tell me what is going on?" Mrs. Garrett asked.
Blair brused her hair out of her face with her right hand. She smiled an soft sad smile. "Not today
Mrs. Garrett. Maybe another day. But thank you for being their for me. I really apperiacte it."\
Blair got up and helped Mrs. Garrett to her feet.
"Ok Blair have it your way but you know that I am here for you always right?" Mrs. Garrett said.
Blair nodded. "I know Mrs. Garrett." She looked down at her watch. "It's time to eat. Lets go
back to school."
Mrs. Garrett and Blair started to walk back to school.
Tootie comes down the staircase with an thoughtful look on her face. "Mrs. Garrett said for me;
Natalie and Jo to make lunch. That she should be back in an hour. But what I want to know is
why isn't Blair included in making lunch with us?" Tootie started slamming an big pot onto the
strove. "JO! NATALIE! GET IN HERE!"
Jo and Natalie coming running through the kicten swinging door almost breaking it.
They both spoke at the same time:
Natalie "Where's the Fire?"
Jo: "What's wrong?"
Tootie looked an little started. "Noting is the matter and there is no fire; Natalie" she put her
hands onto her hips and smirked. "Mrs. Garrett wants us three to make lunch that she'll be
back in an hour. That Blair doesn't have to be included in the lunch perpartion."
Jo said with an sigh "Is that it Tootie. Is that why you were screaming bloody murder?"
"Yeah Tootie you had us both scared out of our skins with that scream." Natalie said in an angry voice.
"I'm sorry you two. I didn't mean make you think anything was wrong. I was just so upset that
Blair doesn't have to help us that is all." Tootie said very apolizet.
"Aww that's all right Toot. I know how you feel." Jo said as she pulled out the stuff to perpare the
salad with out of the refister.
"Blair is not here anyway." Natalie said as she helped Tootie get
the beef stew ready.
"Well... where she go Nat?" Tootie asked.
Natalie shrugged her plump shoulder and said worridenly "I don't know but she acted very strange
before she left."
"Aww Blair is just being melodramatic." Jo said as she chopped the carrots.
Tootie let out a deep sigh. "Lunch is all made. Time to set up the dinning area for the other girls."
Jo went to the cubbord and pulled down the dishes. "You two get the glasses and silver wear and
meet me in the dining room."
"Ok." Natalie replied.
Jo leaves the kicten.
"I wonder where Mrs. Garrett and Blair are. It's been over an hour. They should be back by now."
Tootie said.
Natalie looked worridly at the kicten door hoping agaisnt hope that Mrs. Garrett and Blair would
walk in. That nothing serious was really going on. But she knew better. She did see Blair's face.
Natalie and Tootie left the kicten to help Jo in the dinning room.
TOO BE CONTIUNED .....
