During their first grade year at Pineville Elementary School, Darlene and Darren had been in the same classroom. At the end of the year their teacher, a very frazzled teacher, advised most firmly that that sort of placement should not be allowed next year.
So it was that the twins had been in different classrooms since. Clifton, Darren's nemesis, was in the fourth grade classroom with Darlene. This sunny October morning Sadie, whose birthday was yesterday, brought her new yo-yo which her Aunt Min had given her. Sadie had already mastered Walking the Dog and putting her toy to "sleep." On the playground this morning she had even allowed some of her girlfriends to give it a try. How pretty it was, shiny blue with silver sparklies that fairly danced in the sunlight as it spun up and down its string!
Back in the classroom, Darlene noticed that Sadie had placed her new treasure on the pencil tray of her desk. Then it was time for math drill. The five children in Sadie's row were sent to the chalkboard. The teacher recited the "problems" and monitored the progress of the kiddos. As it happened, Clifton was at the board, Sadie was at the board, and the yo-yo sparkled in the sunlight, lying there on the desk.
And you know what Darlene did.
That group finished their drill and returned to their desks. Before Mrs. Lawton could call another group to the front there was heard a piercing shriek in the room. Sadie had discovered that her yo-yo was missing.
"Yes, Mrs. Lawton, it was right there." She points to the pencil tray. "Someone stole my yo-yo!"
[Insert sobs for effect; oh, yes, those were real.]
The investigation is launched. Emptying of pockets, dumping of desk contents and so on. Darlene was "clean," of course, but when teacher got to Clifton, Clifton who in all innocence had no cause for alarm, reached into his desk to pull out the rat's nest he kept there and What's this? The yo-yo was in the first handful of rubble he pulled out.
Mrs. Lawton palmed the toy. "Clifton, you and I will spend our lunch time together. Now class, let us get back to work."
"But, Ma'am! I --"
"But me no buts, Young Man!"
©2017 David W. Lacy
4 comments:
Darlene the Devious strikes again.
Chuck, trustworthy-- trust her to get someone in trouble.
When I was growing up, a young boy in our church pinched the other kids and pretended he didn't, stole and blamed others, and cried when he as accused or didn't get his way. Not the PK, BTW. My dad once said that if that young man didn't t turn his life around he would be in prison some day (and he was). Darlene definitely needs Jesus.
Vee, yes, that is the answer for Darlene. And for us all.
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