Wooing Phoebe
It was recess and everyone was playing and having fun. Rhonda climbed onto
a bench and shouted to everyone's attention.
"Hello, everyone! In one week my birthday will be here, and I'm going to
have a party. All fourth-graders who want to come see me later for details.
Thank you for your attention, you may go back to playing games."
"Another party?" Arnold asked Gerald. "Didn't she just have one a couple
weeks ago?"
"Man, Arnold, you should know by now that Rhonda has parties all the time.
She throws them for no reason and every reason. She once threw a party to
celebrate that she was throwing a party, remember? I don't think this one
will be any different. I don't think I'll go unless there's nothing else to
do."
"Yeah, you're right. I don't think I'll go either."
"Of course I'm right, man! I'm always right!"
"Whatever you say Gerald."
"What does that mean?"
"Come on, let's go play kickball."
"That's not what it means! What does it mean?!..."
*****
"A party, Helga! Do you think Gerald will go?"
"Why would I know? And more importantly, Phoebes, why do you care?" Phoebe
looked at her feet to hide her light blush.
"Oh, no reason."
"Who cares anyway, I'm not going to that party. Rhonda throws too many and
they're all the same."
"It might be fun."
"Come on, Phoebe, it'll be one of the most boring ways you could spend your
weekend if you went.
"There could be worse ways to spend your weekend."
"Maybe, I guess." The bell rang for class.
"Welcome back class!" said Mr. Simmons happily. "I have a very special announcement
to make!"
"All his announcements are very special," Gerald whispered to Arnold.
"What was that Gerald?" asked Mr. Simmons.
"Uh, nothing," said Gerald.
"Anyway, this weekend I have arranged something very special for us to do. Whoever
wants to come can spend a fun-filled weekend in a beautiful flower garden that I have
discovered about five hours away! We will walk through the beautiful garden, while
having every flower named and its origin told about by a trained botanist! Then, at the
end of the day we will pick our own special bouquets to take home to our families and
spend the night in a fabulous bed and breakfast. Then the next morning we will eat a
scrumptious breakfast and then take the five hour bus ride back home!"
"But, this weekend is my party," said Rhonda, a little miffed.
�Party, Rhonda?� said Mr. Simmons, confused.
�Yes, party. I�m having a birthday party this weekend! I was going to have
it at nighttime in the park. It was going to be great! But now there�s
this stupid flower garden and Bed & Breakfast thing!�
�I--I�m sorry, Rhonda, but I�ve been trying for weeks to get Principal Wartz
to approve this! He finally agreed and if I move this, it could take
forever to get his permission again. I hate to say this, but you�re going
to have to reschedule your party.�
�What?!?!�
�I�m afraid so. Either that or don�t go. And prepare not to have anyone at
your party because I was going to give 200 extra credit points to whoever
wants to come!� Of course everyone signed on after that.
It was Saturday morning. Everyone was packed and ready to go, waiting for
the bus. Rhonda was still a little disappointed about her party, but she
had those great 200 extra credit points as a consolation prize, and wasn�t
feeling too bad. Arnold and Gerald were talking while waiting for the bus.
�Man, remind me again why I signed up for this.�
�I know Gerald, two hundred extra credit points don�t really seem worth it,
do they?�
�No, they don�t. Well, at least I�ll be free of Jamie-O and Timberly for
the weekend.�
�<sigh> Oh well, there�s no turning back now, though. I will be soo bored
this weekend. At least you�re with me Gerald.� Arnold and Gerald did the
thumb thing.
�Criminey! I can�t believe I traded my weekend just to be away from Bob
and Mirriam!�
�I don�t really mind. It might be an interesting trip. Though my dad
promised to teach me a new trick in fencing, but it can wait.�
�Hmph, oh well. And Bob has been especially unbearable since he got that
huge order for a thousand beepers and Olga won that contest up at school.�
The bus came and everyone got on. All the seats were full except for the
four-person seat in the back. Arnold and Gerald sat on the left and phoebe
and Helga sat on the right. Arnold glanced at Helga. She was shooting
spitballs.
�I don�t want to sit next to her for five hours! But I can always talk to
Gerald.� He turned to Gerald to start a conversation and found him asleep.
He was stuck talking to Helga.
�Hey!!!�
�Hahahahahaha, gotcha, Pink Boy!�
�I�m gonna die,� thought Arnold.