them?"
Dread spontaneously replaced laughter. I knew for a fact that I did not want to know. I thought it best to leave well enough alone. Maggie, however, came to a different conclusion.
"Well, it's grated raw beets, oats, almonds, vegetable broth, and a bunch of herbs and spices."
"Beets?” was mouthed by and to every person in the room.
"I've got it!” Charles shouted. “Molly should call her new burger: Beets, Your Meat!"
Hysterics regained its rightful place, front and center.
Eventually, the room was clean, and Charles filled his last order. As he said goodbye and headed to the door, I don't think anyone wanted to see him leave. He fit in so well that it amazed me. He joined with everyone, and it really felt as though he belonged. I believe that he received a kiss from everyone. Holly clung to him as if she were losing her new best friend.
"I'll see you all again soon,” he said as he headed out the door. “I promise! Thank you for a wonderful time."
The door closed, and there was a strange sadness in the air. Holly wrapped her arms around Laura and whined,
“I thought you said we could keep him."
Kris eased her way over to them as Holly hung on Laura. She leaned her head so that it was eye-level with the drooping Holly, and she said, “Holly dear,that's objectification."
"Oh, but I want him, Kris” she wailed, exaggerating to the hilt.
Chapter 5
Everybody finally got a peek at Maggie as she rejoined the group. Charles and Susan did a good job of making it subtle—so subtle, in fact, that she did not look that different. Her eyes, however, really stood out, and in a way, it was like seeing her, or maybe seeing into her for the first time. She seemed nervous, and I found myself relieved that everyone remained respectful, honoring her wish not to turn it into a bigger deal. I snuck her a thumbs-up, and she smiled.
Claudia performed the hand-clapping obey-me-or-die routine, and we were ready for our next class.
"This one again encompasses two things,” she explained. “This time we are off to Earth Science. There will be no Styrofoam balls depicting the planets. There will be no vinegar and baking soda to set off a ten-second volcanic eruption. There will be no trip to the museum to see just how big those dinosaurs really were. Why?
Because none of it helped us grow up to be ... What?"
A chorus of “Strong, healthy women!” sang through the house.
"What theyshould have taught us is how we fit into this whole picture, how we were barreling toward our own extinction. We weren't back then, though, or so we thought. We were just using what was ours to use."
"Yes, then Al Gore came along,” Holly yelled. “I love him!"
"I voted for him!” Maggie added.
"Didn't weall!" Laura said, and, of course, we all started laughing.
Claudia again passed the nonexistent mic to me, and I continued, “Kris and Ginny did something kind of cool last time: having us visit all those kids at the cemetery. Amid all the chaos of that day, it felt good to do something for somebody else. So Claudia and I decided to add a do-gooder to our day as well. I hope you all will consider doing the same when your turn comes.” I paused to let that stick in their psyches somewhere, and then I said, “We're not telling you where we're going because we know you enough to predict bitching and moaning. You'll know when we get there and no sooner. So grab what you need from your stuff, take a pee, whatever—and then meet us at the front door."
Alison was quick to ask, “You said this takes in two things. What's the other thing?"
"We'll tell you when we're ready to leave,” Claudia informed.
Claudia and I went to the front door to wait as everyone took care of business. It seemed foreign to actually have a moment alone with her. I took advantage of it, wrapping my arms around her, inhaling what was left of the shampoo scent in her hair.
Soon, the foyer filled with bubbling and impatient women.
"The
Dread spontaneously replaced laughter. I knew for a fact that I did not want to know. I thought it best to leave well enough alone. Maggie, however, came to a different conclusion.
"Well, it's grated raw beets, oats, almonds, vegetable broth, and a bunch of herbs and spices."
"Beets?” was mouthed by and to every person in the room.
"I've got it!” Charles shouted. “Molly should call her new burger: Beets, Your Meat!"
Hysterics regained its rightful place, front and center.
Eventually, the room was clean, and Charles filled his last order. As he said goodbye and headed to the door, I don't think anyone wanted to see him leave. He fit in so well that it amazed me. He joined with everyone, and it really felt as though he belonged. I believe that he received a kiss from everyone. Holly clung to him as if she were losing her new best friend.
"I'll see you all again soon,” he said as he headed out the door. “I promise! Thank you for a wonderful time."
The door closed, and there was a strange sadness in the air. Holly wrapped her arms around Laura and whined,
“I thought you said we could keep him."
Kris eased her way over to them as Holly hung on Laura. She leaned her head so that it was eye-level with the drooping Holly, and she said, “Holly dear,that's objectification."
"Oh, but I want him, Kris” she wailed, exaggerating to the hilt.
Chapter 5
Everybody finally got a peek at Maggie as she rejoined the group. Charles and Susan did a good job of making it subtle—so subtle, in fact, that she did not look that different. Her eyes, however, really stood out, and in a way, it was like seeing her, or maybe seeing into her for the first time. She seemed nervous, and I found myself relieved that everyone remained respectful, honoring her wish not to turn it into a bigger deal. I snuck her a thumbs-up, and she smiled.
Claudia performed the hand-clapping obey-me-or-die routine, and we were ready for our next class.
"This one again encompasses two things,” she explained. “This time we are off to Earth Science. There will be no Styrofoam balls depicting the planets. There will be no vinegar and baking soda to set off a ten-second volcanic eruption. There will be no trip to the museum to see just how big those dinosaurs really were. Why?
Because none of it helped us grow up to be ... What?"
A chorus of “Strong, healthy women!” sang through the house.
"What theyshould have taught us is how we fit into this whole picture, how we were barreling toward our own extinction. We weren't back then, though, or so we thought. We were just using what was ours to use."
"Yes, then Al Gore came along,” Holly yelled. “I love him!"
"I voted for him!” Maggie added.
"Didn't weall!" Laura said, and, of course, we all started laughing.
Claudia again passed the nonexistent mic to me, and I continued, “Kris and Ginny did something kind of cool last time: having us visit all those kids at the cemetery. Amid all the chaos of that day, it felt good to do something for somebody else. So Claudia and I decided to add a do-gooder to our day as well. I hope you all will consider doing the same when your turn comes.” I paused to let that stick in their psyches somewhere, and then I said, “We're not telling you where we're going because we know you enough to predict bitching and moaning. You'll know when we get there and no sooner. So grab what you need from your stuff, take a pee, whatever—and then meet us at the front door."
Alison was quick to ask, “You said this takes in two things. What's the other thing?"
"We'll tell you when we're ready to leave,” Claudia informed.
Claudia and I went to the front door to wait as everyone took care of business. It seemed foreign to actually have a moment alone with her. I took advantage of it, wrapping my arms around her, inhaling what was left of the shampoo scent in her hair.
Soon, the foyer filled with bubbling and impatient women.
"The
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