Chapter 16

In homeroom while waiting for the bell I was able to find out the dance is a week from Friday. A suit and tie for guys, dresses and high heels for the girls. As a twist since June had asked me she had to provide the transportation and purchase the tickets. She would pick me up and return me home. She would buy me a boutonniere. I could get used to this!

That reminded me I would have to work out transportation to the 6^th OVI Christmas party in Dayton on a week from Saturday. I wasn’t certain how I would work that out.

Then it dawned on me I was going there to buy a uniform not to attend a party. I needed to find out what time the sutler would be there ready for business.

The bell rang to start classes. The day went on as school days do. Lunch was interesting. I saw June sitting at her usual table. While June was known as The Mouse there was a whole group of girls known as The Mice. Not individually just when they sat together. Well, The Mice were excited today and The Mouse was the center of attention.

Tom saw me looking and said, “The Mouse has belled the cat.”

“That’s the only thing I could think of to describe it. She got up the nerve to ask you out. That is the same as belling the cat to the other mice.”

“You know we won’t be able to call her The Mouse anymore,”

“Yes we can, she will be, The Mouse that Roared,” Tom came back with.

“Oh good one, you got it.”

As we finished lunch I decided to add a little fuel to the fire. I stopped over to the Mice table, Mouse table, Mice’s table? Anyway, I stopped by June’s table.

“What time do you plan to pick me up,” I asked.

The silence became deafening at that table. You would have thought it was the most important question ever asked.

June rose to the occasion. “The dance starts at seven, so I will pick you up at seven so we can be fashionably late.”

“What color of tie should I wear with my grey suit? I should match your dress.”

“Royal blue if you have it.”

“I will.”

Another thing to add to, my to-do list, buy a royal blue tie.

In study hall, I started researching a world history question at the back of the chapter that we would be covered in two weeks. It matched the story I was reading.

Why was there a struggle between Russia and England for control of Afghanistan? Afghanistan had nothing to recommend it, a rough mountainous country, with no known natural wealth.

I believed the answer was the Khyber Pass. The countries only value was that it was a gateway to India and control of Asia Minor. Control the Khyber Pass and you controlled land access between Asia Minor and Europe. England had control of the sea lanes.

Russia needed access through the land route. So it was a war of denial by the British and conquest by the Russians. It would also give Russia access to warm water ports. While they had ports on the north side of Russia they were frozen in for a good part of the year making regular trade impossible.

So the British Empire was trying to consolidate its hold on India, the Russian Empire was trying to expand to India. The only people who were profiting were the Afghans. The tribal warlords would fight for whoever was paying them the most while settling old feuds.

They were getting paid for attacking their enemies. Because of the terrain no one could take and hold the country. I think what Kipling had to say about being wounded on Afghans plains was correct.

Now all I had to do was find the citations and evidence to back up my thesis. This essay was promising to be the most in-depth one I had done to date. It was rich in material. I had been thinking to learn how to type. This pushed me over the edge.

It was too late in the school year to get into typing class and I think it may have been limited to girls only. At least I had never seen a guy in that classroom. I would have to learn by myself. I would ask Miss Wolcott the typing teacher for advice.

After school, my first stop was the typing room. I caught Miss Wolcott as she was getting ready to leave but she was kind enough to take a few minutes with me. If I could afford it she recommended that I buy an electric typewriter from IBM.