Chapter 24: A Change of Mind

When Janine Carlyle heard what the teacher had just said her posture stiffened up visibly again. She had already heard all about Johnny’s great grandfather’s war medals before ... many times! Janine recognized the fact that these medals were very admirable in themselves but the thought of hearing this boy go on and on and on about them again suddenly filled her heart with a certain dread. That dread was borne of the fact that Janine, as well as the rest of the class, were now faced with the tedium of the next fifteen to twenty minutes. That fifteen to twenty minutes would, in this circumstance, take on the appearance of several hours and that thought had a galvanizing effect on Janine Carlyle and her own particular predicament.

Just as young Johnny, with his great grandfather’s war medals, was standing up from his desk to make his way to the front of the classroom a hand shot up on the other side of the room. All eyes in that room swung away from Johnny’s movements to that upraised arm stretching up from Janine Carlyle’s little, pink clad body.

The teacher raised her hand towards Johnny which halted his movements immediately as she inquired, “Yes, Janine. What is it?”

“Excuse me Miss Benson, but I have changed my mind. I am ready now to do my Show and Tell as my mother had hoped I would do, if that is OK?”

There was a noticeable sigh of relief exhaled by every other student in that room. Evidently they too were a bit upset at the prospect of hearing about Johnny’s great grandfather’s medals again. They were all thus only too relieved to know that they had been given another option even though they had no idea as to what that option was.

“Oh, that’s splendid.” said Miss Benson. “That is very good news and very brave of you too, Janine. Come up here immediately so you can begin. Sorry, Johnny. I would love to hear about those medals again but another day maybe. How about Friday afternoon, just before home time?”

Johhny looked a little disappointed at this intrusion and sudden change in plans but no one in the class was going to let him continue if there was another option. They all gave full support and voice to the Friday afternoon option when they knew they would all be half asleep and ready for the weekend. A long boring talk on war medals would be just perfect for that part of the week. You could talk your head off on any subject in the world and nobody would pay the slightest bit of attention as they all waited for that final release bell that would sound out around the school - followed by all the cheering as everyone charged out of the place like a pack of wild bulls. Right now, however it was still Monday morning and everyone waited with quiet anticipation as this girl in pink got up from her desk and made her way to the front of the room.

Once Janine got to the front of the room she cleared her throat then looked at Miss Benson waiting for her queue to begin. Miss Benson nodded quietly at the pretty girl in pink standing at the front of the class so the pretty girl in pink at the front of the class began.

“Today ... today ... today...” she began nervously, “ ... today ... no ... this morning I am going to Show and Tell something that I don’t think has ever been done in a grade school class before. But I might be wrong on that. I’m not sure. Anyway, it’s never been done here before. I am totally certain of that!”

Janine Carlyle paused then looked across at her teacher again looking for support. Her teacher smiled broadly again at this brave young girl which was all the young girl needed to spur her on.

“This morning,” she continued, “I am going to Show and Tell my body. Not my body with this pink blouse and skirt on but my body with no clothes on at all. I am going to Show and Tell my naked body - my naked body with no blouse, skirt, singlet or underwear. I am going to Show and Tell my whole body and completely in the nude!”