The final bell had rung, and the kids were exiting their classrooms. The
students in Mr. Baker's class surrounded Alan as he walked down the hall.
"Hey, Brain, can you help me with this math problem?" Patricia asked him.
"Brain, you are the coolest," Maxwell complimented him.
"You're the smartest boy I've ever met," Toru said to him, "and I'm from Japan."
As his new friends praised his intelligence, Alan's head seemed to grow larger and larger.
In the meantime, Fern caught up with Van in front of the school entrance as he sat in his wheelchair, waiting for his sister Quinn to come and pick him up.
"Hi, Van," she said. "Hey, I've been thinking of something."
"You're always thinking of something," Van replied.
Fern lowered her voice, and looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "Have you ever thought of meeting with Muffy in secret?"
Van gazed into space and thought for a moment. "Yeah, I've thought of that," he finally said, "but I don't get out much as it is, so it would be really hard for me to meet her in a secret place."
"I know a place that's not far from where you live," Fern continued. "It's near the creek. Nobody ever goes there. I was planning to meet a new friend there, but it didn't quite work out."
"I don't know, Fern," said Van thoughtfully. "It could be risky. Why are you so interested in me and Muffy, anyway?"
"This whole thing between your dad and Mr. Crosswire makes me sick," Fern replied. "If you and Muffy like each other, then you should be allowed to see each other. So what if your dad is suing her dad? Besides, I like the change that's come over Muffy since she met you."
"You mean she's not an obnoxious snob anymore."
"Yeah. I like that."
Van lowered his head for a moment. "Well, I suppose I could tell my mom and dad that I'm tired of being cooped up in the house, so I just want to go down to the creek and have a little time to myself. They'd probably believe me."
"Great," said Fern. "I'll call Muffy and see what she thinks of the idea."
At that moment, Quinn Cooper pulled her Buick up to the curb. Odette jumped out and opened the door in preparation for helping Van into the car.
"Well, I'll see you, Van," said Fern as she started to walk away.
"See you later, Pandarus," Van called to her. Fern turned her head, smiled understandingly, and kept walking.
----
Francine and Beat postponed their usual soccer practice and headed directly to Francine's apartment building. The girls noted that Muffy's limo was parked by the curb in front of the building.
"Good, she's here," said Francine. "Now she can tell us all about Uppity Downs and Mr. Pryce-Jones."
"What I wouldn't give to be Muffy right now," said Beat dreamily.
As they entered the apartment, they were immediately greeted by Muffy and Catherine.
"Hey, Muffy," said Francine. "How was your first day of private school?"
"It was horrible," Muffy lamented as she sat down with the girls on the living room couch. "Only now do I realize how easy I had it with Mr. Ratburn. The other kids in my class are geniuses. All they talk about during the class breaks is Einstein and Michelangelo and Mahler."
"You're covering Einstein?" Catherine marveled. "I'm in my last year of high school, and I still haven't learned anything about him."
"My parents and I love Mahler," said Beat. "We have CDs with all his symphonies."
"I know about Michelangelo," said Francine. "He made that statue of the lady with no arms."
Muffy sighed. "Mr. Pryce_Jones gave me an assignment in music class. He says I have to listen to Mahler's ninth something-or-other over and over again until I understand it."
"I'll let you borrow my CD," Beat offered. "The Ninth is such a beautiful work. He wrote it when he was dying of a heart condition, and his wife was having an affair with..."
"Shut up, Beat," said Muffy sharply. "How am I supposed to know all of that stuff? I'm only nine years old."
"What you need is a little extra help," Francine observed.
"But who can help me?" Muffy moaned. "Mr. Ratburn's only a third-grade teacher, and Mr. Wald is nowhere near as tough as Pryce-Jones."
"What about our old teacher, Mrs. Stiles?" Beat suggested.
Muffy grimaced slightly. "Not her. Didn't you read about the things she did in Hollywood? I don't want to be associated with someone like that."
"I'm sorry, Muffy," said Francine, throwing up her hands. "I'm out of ideas."
"I have an idea that would benefit both you and me," Beat said to Muffy. "Unfortunately, the technology doesn't exist yet."
"Technology?" said Muffy, surprised.
Beat fantasized that she and Muffy were sitting in a scientist's laboratory. Electrodes were attached to their heads, connected to wires that led into a complicated-looking electronic device. In front of them stood a young man in a white scientist's smock.
"Now, you may experience a little dizziness or nausea after the transfer is complete," said the scientist.
"Just get on with it, Dr. Crankenstern," Beat urged him.
"Very well." Dr. Crankenstern reached up and grasped a large electrical switch attached to the wall. Slowly and carefully, he pulled the switch to the down position.
Muffy glanced around the laboratory. "Nothing happened," she said, surprised.
"Oh, I was just turning on the air conditioning," said the scientist. "It's hot in here."
Dr. Crankenstern walked over to the electronic device to which Muffy and Beat were connected. He pushed a small red button. The machine started to hum, and waves of electricity shot through the wires into the girls' heads. For several seconds their bodies writhed and jiggled...then the humming stopped, and Beat and Muffy sat perfectly still with dazed expressions on their faces.
Muffy looked down at her body. "It worked!" she exclaimed. Although she was still speaking with her own voice, she now had an English accent.
"It's fantastic, Doctor!" Beat now spoke like a native-born American. She pulled down her rabbit ears and examined them with wonder.
"Excellent," Dr. Crankenstern exulted. "That'll be fifty thousand dollars."
Beat stretched out her hand in Muffy's direction. "I believe you have my wallet," she said in Muffy's haughty tone of voice.
"Oh, right," said Muffy, reaching into her pocket. "How silly of me."
Later that day, Muffy returned to the Crosswire mansion after an enjoyable day at Uppity Downs, and was greeted by her parents. "How was your day at school?" her mother asked.
"Simply lovely, Mum," Muffy replied. "Today I learned about the code of Hammurabi, and the use of modes in Renaissance music, and how to calculate square roots in my head."
"Why are you speaking with a British accent?" asked Mr. Crosswire.
"Oh, that's another thing I learned," said Muffy, smiling.
Meanwhile, Beat arrived at her apartment, where her mother was writing a novel on the computer and her father was reading the newspaper.
"How was school today?" asked Mr. Simon, lowering the paper.
"Pretty good," said Beat. "Mr. Wald told some good jokes, and I think I'm finally starting to understand fractions. But soccer was tough. For some reason I'm not playing as well as I used to."
"I see you've learned to speak with an American accent," Mrs. Simon noted.
"Mom, can you give me a ride to the mall?" Beat asked. "I need to buy a new wardrobe. My clothes are soooo last year."
Beat's fantasy came to an end as Muffy looked at her with disgust. "Eww! I'd have to go through life with vomitrocious rabbit ears."
"You'd hear better," said Beat.
After another moment's thought, Muffy turned to Beat hopefully. "Are you sure the technology doesn't exist? Have you checked the latest issue of Popular Science?"
Beat rolled her eyes. "It doesn't exist, Muffy."
Francine looked at her mother, who was in the kitchen loading soiled plates into the dishwasher. "Mom, I think Beat has something to ask you," she called.
Mrs. Frensky looked up from her dishes. "What is it?"
"Oh, right," said Beat. "Mrs. Frensky, I was wondering if there's anything I can do or say that would convince you to let Francine go with me and my parents to England."
Muffy and Catherine rose from the couch and started to leave the room when they realized in what direction the conversation was heading.
"Change the date," said Mrs. Frensky firmly. "Thanksgiving is out of the question."
"It's not that simple," said Beat, sounding somewhat discouraged. "My dad has to teach. The holidays are the only time we can go."
Mrs. Frensky closed the dishwasher, walked into the living room, and sat down in a chair. "Then Francine isn't going with you," she told Beat. "You may see Thanksgiving as an excuse to go on a pleasure trip, but for us Frenskys, it's much more meaningful."
Francine looked at Beat, as if she expected the brainy girl to think of a mathematical solution to her dilemma. After several seconds of deep thought, Beat looked back at Francine. "Your mother's left me no alternative," she said ominously.
Beat stared piercingly into Mrs. Frensky's eyes. "If Francine doesn't go to England, then I don't go either."
"No, Beat!" cried the alarmed Francine.
"Yes, Beat!" Beat shot back. "It's the only thing I have to bargain with."
"You can do whatever you want," Mrs. Frensky told Beat, "but Francine stays here for Thanksgiving. That's my final answer."
Beat folded her arms. "It's my final answer too."
"You don't have to do this for me," Francine said to her, but she pretended not to hear.
(To be continued...)
"Hey, Brain, can you help me with this math problem?" Patricia asked him.
"Brain, you are the coolest," Maxwell complimented him.
"You're the smartest boy I've ever met," Toru said to him, "and I'm from Japan."
As his new friends praised his intelligence, Alan's head seemed to grow larger and larger.
In the meantime, Fern caught up with Van in front of the school entrance as he sat in his wheelchair, waiting for his sister Quinn to come and pick him up.
"Hi, Van," she said. "Hey, I've been thinking of something."
"You're always thinking of something," Van replied.
Fern lowered her voice, and looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "Have you ever thought of meeting with Muffy in secret?"
Van gazed into space and thought for a moment. "Yeah, I've thought of that," he finally said, "but I don't get out much as it is, so it would be really hard for me to meet her in a secret place."
"I know a place that's not far from where you live," Fern continued. "It's near the creek. Nobody ever goes there. I was planning to meet a new friend there, but it didn't quite work out."
"I don't know, Fern," said Van thoughtfully. "It could be risky. Why are you so interested in me and Muffy, anyway?"
"This whole thing between your dad and Mr. Crosswire makes me sick," Fern replied. "If you and Muffy like each other, then you should be allowed to see each other. So what if your dad is suing her dad? Besides, I like the change that's come over Muffy since she met you."
"You mean she's not an obnoxious snob anymore."
"Yeah. I like that."
Van lowered his head for a moment. "Well, I suppose I could tell my mom and dad that I'm tired of being cooped up in the house, so I just want to go down to the creek and have a little time to myself. They'd probably believe me."
"Great," said Fern. "I'll call Muffy and see what she thinks of the idea."
At that moment, Quinn Cooper pulled her Buick up to the curb. Odette jumped out and opened the door in preparation for helping Van into the car.
"Well, I'll see you, Van," said Fern as she started to walk away.
"See you later, Pandarus," Van called to her. Fern turned her head, smiled understandingly, and kept walking.
----
Francine and Beat postponed their usual soccer practice and headed directly to Francine's apartment building. The girls noted that Muffy's limo was parked by the curb in front of the building.
"Good, she's here," said Francine. "Now she can tell us all about Uppity Downs and Mr. Pryce-Jones."
"What I wouldn't give to be Muffy right now," said Beat dreamily.
As they entered the apartment, they were immediately greeted by Muffy and Catherine.
"Hey, Muffy," said Francine. "How was your first day of private school?"
"It was horrible," Muffy lamented as she sat down with the girls on the living room couch. "Only now do I realize how easy I had it with Mr. Ratburn. The other kids in my class are geniuses. All they talk about during the class breaks is Einstein and Michelangelo and Mahler."
"You're covering Einstein?" Catherine marveled. "I'm in my last year of high school, and I still haven't learned anything about him."
"My parents and I love Mahler," said Beat. "We have CDs with all his symphonies."
"I know about Michelangelo," said Francine. "He made that statue of the lady with no arms."
Muffy sighed. "Mr. Pryce_Jones gave me an assignment in music class. He says I have to listen to Mahler's ninth something-or-other over and over again until I understand it."
"I'll let you borrow my CD," Beat offered. "The Ninth is such a beautiful work. He wrote it when he was dying of a heart condition, and his wife was having an affair with..."
"Shut up, Beat," said Muffy sharply. "How am I supposed to know all of that stuff? I'm only nine years old."
"What you need is a little extra help," Francine observed.
"But who can help me?" Muffy moaned. "Mr. Ratburn's only a third-grade teacher, and Mr. Wald is nowhere near as tough as Pryce-Jones."
"What about our old teacher, Mrs. Stiles?" Beat suggested.
Muffy grimaced slightly. "Not her. Didn't you read about the things she did in Hollywood? I don't want to be associated with someone like that."
"I'm sorry, Muffy," said Francine, throwing up her hands. "I'm out of ideas."
"I have an idea that would benefit both you and me," Beat said to Muffy. "Unfortunately, the technology doesn't exist yet."
"Technology?" said Muffy, surprised.
Beat fantasized that she and Muffy were sitting in a scientist's laboratory. Electrodes were attached to their heads, connected to wires that led into a complicated-looking electronic device. In front of them stood a young man in a white scientist's smock.
"Now, you may experience a little dizziness or nausea after the transfer is complete," said the scientist.
"Just get on with it, Dr. Crankenstern," Beat urged him.
"Very well." Dr. Crankenstern reached up and grasped a large electrical switch attached to the wall. Slowly and carefully, he pulled the switch to the down position.
Muffy glanced around the laboratory. "Nothing happened," she said, surprised.
"Oh, I was just turning on the air conditioning," said the scientist. "It's hot in here."
Dr. Crankenstern walked over to the electronic device to which Muffy and Beat were connected. He pushed a small red button. The machine started to hum, and waves of electricity shot through the wires into the girls' heads. For several seconds their bodies writhed and jiggled...then the humming stopped, and Beat and Muffy sat perfectly still with dazed expressions on their faces.
Muffy looked down at her body. "It worked!" she exclaimed. Although she was still speaking with her own voice, she now had an English accent.
"It's fantastic, Doctor!" Beat now spoke like a native-born American. She pulled down her rabbit ears and examined them with wonder.
"Excellent," Dr. Crankenstern exulted. "That'll be fifty thousand dollars."
Beat stretched out her hand in Muffy's direction. "I believe you have my wallet," she said in Muffy's haughty tone of voice.
"Oh, right," said Muffy, reaching into her pocket. "How silly of me."
Later that day, Muffy returned to the Crosswire mansion after an enjoyable day at Uppity Downs, and was greeted by her parents. "How was your day at school?" her mother asked.
"Simply lovely, Mum," Muffy replied. "Today I learned about the code of Hammurabi, and the use of modes in Renaissance music, and how to calculate square roots in my head."
"Why are you speaking with a British accent?" asked Mr. Crosswire.
"Oh, that's another thing I learned," said Muffy, smiling.
Meanwhile, Beat arrived at her apartment, where her mother was writing a novel on the computer and her father was reading the newspaper.
"How was school today?" asked Mr. Simon, lowering the paper.
"Pretty good," said Beat. "Mr. Wald told some good jokes, and I think I'm finally starting to understand fractions. But soccer was tough. For some reason I'm not playing as well as I used to."
"I see you've learned to speak with an American accent," Mrs. Simon noted.
"Mom, can you give me a ride to the mall?" Beat asked. "I need to buy a new wardrobe. My clothes are soooo last year."
Beat's fantasy came to an end as Muffy looked at her with disgust. "Eww! I'd have to go through life with vomitrocious rabbit ears."
"You'd hear better," said Beat.
After another moment's thought, Muffy turned to Beat hopefully. "Are you sure the technology doesn't exist? Have you checked the latest issue of Popular Science?"
Beat rolled her eyes. "It doesn't exist, Muffy."
Francine looked at her mother, who was in the kitchen loading soiled plates into the dishwasher. "Mom, I think Beat has something to ask you," she called.
Mrs. Frensky looked up from her dishes. "What is it?"
"Oh, right," said Beat. "Mrs. Frensky, I was wondering if there's anything I can do or say that would convince you to let Francine go with me and my parents to England."
Muffy and Catherine rose from the couch and started to leave the room when they realized in what direction the conversation was heading.
"Change the date," said Mrs. Frensky firmly. "Thanksgiving is out of the question."
"It's not that simple," said Beat, sounding somewhat discouraged. "My dad has to teach. The holidays are the only time we can go."
Mrs. Frensky closed the dishwasher, walked into the living room, and sat down in a chair. "Then Francine isn't going with you," she told Beat. "You may see Thanksgiving as an excuse to go on a pleasure trip, but for us Frenskys, it's much more meaningful."
Francine looked at Beat, as if she expected the brainy girl to think of a mathematical solution to her dilemma. After several seconds of deep thought, Beat looked back at Francine. "Your mother's left me no alternative," she said ominously.
Beat stared piercingly into Mrs. Frensky's eyes. "If Francine doesn't go to England, then I don't go either."
"No, Beat!" cried the alarmed Francine.
"Yes, Beat!" Beat shot back. "It's the only thing I have to bargain with."
"You can do whatever you want," Mrs. Frensky told Beat, "but Francine stays here for Thanksgiving. That's my final answer."
Beat folded her arms. "It's my final answer too."
"You don't have to do this for me," Francine said to her, but she pretended not to hear.
(To be continued...)
