Kate watched as a group of weary boys trudged into the wreck room unusually
late. Pendanski followed. With a smirk she approached the counselor, "So,
have working hours increased since I was last here?" She got no reply. "No,
that's not is it, Mom? She's found something, hasn't she?"
"I wouldn't go peeking into the Warden's business, Kate. No matter who you are. You want to know something, ask the boys. One of them might just let you in on something."
"Yeah, right. Don't you know Pendanski? No one around Green Lake cares about me. You, Sir, Lou, you all hate me. You don't like it because I know what you're up to, even if I can't do anything about it. And the boys, they all think I've got the Warden's favor. To them I'm a spoiled snob." With that she walked away leaving Pendanski a little angry. He really didn't like her.
~~~
Stanley listened to Pendanski's conversation with Katherine. Apparently there was something more than character building going on here. Sighing he leaned against the wall. Armpit joined him, watching an ongoing game of pool.
"Hey, Armpit, what do you know about the Warden?"
The other boy gave him a funny look. "Man, the same as everyone else." He lowered his voice. "She's a snake on legs."
It took Stanley a minute to catch on. Then he remembered what they had told him about microphones. In a harsh whisper he asked, "Yeah, but why is she making us dig holes? There's got to be something to it."
Armpit laughed, "There's nothing to it, it's like Mom said: We're building character."
Once again Stanley sighed, giving up the whole idea of getting anything out of the boys. The only one who talked around here was Katherine, and she seemed just as hard as the others.
~~~
The next day came and rolled into the evening, once again the D-tent boys came in later than the rest. As they all gathered in the wreck room again Stanley sat at one of the few tables to write his parents a return letter. He didn't get far, however, before Squid was bothering him about it.
"Give it up, Caveman, they don't care."
"You ever think that maybe not everyone's parents are like yours, Squid," Stanley nearly yelled. He was hot and tired and wasn't going to put up with this tonight.
The other boy didn't respond. Stanley had never stood up to him before. Maybe digging holes was doing something to him after all. Just then, Katherine let out a laugh. She had been sitting nearby and heard it all.
"Come on, Squid, you're not used to that are you? Not from Caveman. It looks like he's learning from you boys. Now, leave him alone and let him write his letter."
Squid turned his anger on her "Who are you, huh? What gives you the right to butt in?"
"It's a free country, right? Besides, those who can't understand others have no right to speak on their matters."
Squid chewed a little harder on his toothpick, "What?"
Letting out another laugh Kate turned to leave. "Don't worry about it." Then she mockingly blew him a kiss and left the room.
"I wouldn't go peeking into the Warden's business, Kate. No matter who you are. You want to know something, ask the boys. One of them might just let you in on something."
"Yeah, right. Don't you know Pendanski? No one around Green Lake cares about me. You, Sir, Lou, you all hate me. You don't like it because I know what you're up to, even if I can't do anything about it. And the boys, they all think I've got the Warden's favor. To them I'm a spoiled snob." With that she walked away leaving Pendanski a little angry. He really didn't like her.
~~~
Stanley listened to Pendanski's conversation with Katherine. Apparently there was something more than character building going on here. Sighing he leaned against the wall. Armpit joined him, watching an ongoing game of pool.
"Hey, Armpit, what do you know about the Warden?"
The other boy gave him a funny look. "Man, the same as everyone else." He lowered his voice. "She's a snake on legs."
It took Stanley a minute to catch on. Then he remembered what they had told him about microphones. In a harsh whisper he asked, "Yeah, but why is she making us dig holes? There's got to be something to it."
Armpit laughed, "There's nothing to it, it's like Mom said: We're building character."
Once again Stanley sighed, giving up the whole idea of getting anything out of the boys. The only one who talked around here was Katherine, and she seemed just as hard as the others.
~~~
The next day came and rolled into the evening, once again the D-tent boys came in later than the rest. As they all gathered in the wreck room again Stanley sat at one of the few tables to write his parents a return letter. He didn't get far, however, before Squid was bothering him about it.
"Give it up, Caveman, they don't care."
"You ever think that maybe not everyone's parents are like yours, Squid," Stanley nearly yelled. He was hot and tired and wasn't going to put up with this tonight.
The other boy didn't respond. Stanley had never stood up to him before. Maybe digging holes was doing something to him after all. Just then, Katherine let out a laugh. She had been sitting nearby and heard it all.
"Come on, Squid, you're not used to that are you? Not from Caveman. It looks like he's learning from you boys. Now, leave him alone and let him write his letter."
Squid turned his anger on her "Who are you, huh? What gives you the right to butt in?"
"It's a free country, right? Besides, those who can't understand others have no right to speak on their matters."
Squid chewed a little harder on his toothpick, "What?"
Letting out another laugh Kate turned to leave. "Don't worry about it." Then she mockingly blew him a kiss and left the room.