Chapter 9: Valencia Valley

The knot of people standing to the side included Mr. Gregg and four women. Mr. Gregg was profuse with his admiration of the efforts of both swim clubs.

"Mrs. York, ladies of the girls' swim team, let me introduce you to Principal Fabian of Buchanan High School, the senior athletics instructor Miss Penelope Strathroy, the chair of their Home and School Association, Mrs. Margaret Phelps, and the captain of the volleyball team Miss Leona Sharpe."

Principal Fabian started the ball rolling, once the congratulations had been handed out. "We have several teams which have to face Gymnos, the first being girls' volleyball. We need to know how both your team became the first since the formation of the County Inter-scholastic League to actually win against them."

All the St. Dunstan's team began chattering at once.

"Practice!" "In the nude!" "In front of a practice audience!" "Yeah, also nude..." "They've got some cute boys there!" "Yeah, also nude..." "You'll need cheerleaders." "Yeah, also nude..."

Margaret muffled a snicker. "I'm sensing a theme here."

"Yeah, also nude..." Rachel kidded.

"Seriously, though," said Rebecca, "if we hadn't done what we did, there's no WAY we'd have been able to handle it there."

"OK, everyone, pizza in the lunch room!" Eileen called out to rousing cheers.

The pizza was down to a few crusts, the pop and bottled water largely consumed, the sun was set and many of the kids had long gone home, clutching their souvenirs of their day at Gymnos. Still there were the four from Buchanan High and Diane and Rebecca. Also dragged into the conversation were Eileen, Linda, Debbie and Natalie.

"Mr. Gregg's talking about making St. Dunstan's and Buchanan part of some sort of experiment," Principal Fabian was telling them. "The full details will be revealed tomorrow. They want both principals, representatives from the home and school associations, the heads of the athletic departments and at least a couple of students at a conference they're holding here. I'm not sure, but I think they're going to try to expand your training program to include most if not all publicly funded schools in town. Anyway, after talking it out with Buchanan's staff and the home and school association, they've authorized us to start with the volleyball team."

Leona was sitting quietly, head down. She seemed to be trying to hide behind her long brunette locks. Bringing her head up, she addressed the two Grade 8 students. "You were on the swim team last year, competing against regular schools?" Both girls nodded affirmatively.

"How did those compare to today?"

"Well, we won," ventured Natalie, to a brief laugh from the others. She looked at them in confusion, protesting, "Hey, we didn't do that all the time last year." She paused, thinking. "I guess it was ... well, the crowd was friendlier, for one thing." She held up the bottle of sunscreen lotion and the mini-towel in Gymnos double-green. "Nobody gave out gifts to us at any event we went to last year, and they certainly didn't have any face painting or barbecues."

"They did all that?" Penny, Buchanan's head of Athletics, was impressed. She also noted that not one word involved the lack of attire.

"Yes, they're nice. We had fun there. You will too."

The morning following the meet saw one protest, or as one news editor put it, "All the fruitcakes are out — and it's not even Christmas."

Kevin was walking into school to discover a half-dozen adults marching around with placards. The police were busy keeping them off school grounds. A reporter and cameraman were covering the demonstration, and shoved a mike in his face. "This local church says that your school mascot is a real demon leading you into sin, by having you cavort in the nude. What do you have to say to that?" The preacher came close to hear his response.

Kevin listened to this with eyebrows raised in astonishment. "He thinks our mascot is real?" He turned to the demagogue and responded as if talking to a very young child or complete imbecile. "My mummy told me never to take mind-altering substances. Has your doctor had you pee in a cup recently?"

That line would lead the local news that night. Exposure to ridicule often defangs controversial figures.

Meanwhile at Buchanan, one of the ladies of the volleyball squad was expostulating about the utterly minuscule chances for any boy seeing her in the altogether. "Especially not HIM!" she spat, pointing at one particular lad whom she had long been vexed by. "He's been undressing me with his eyes for years!"

"Hey," he responded happily, "I can use my eyes to move objects? I don't need those silly remote manipulator arms — I have remote manipulator EYES!! Watch this!!" And much to his accuser's embarrassment, he proceeded to pretend to throw off articles of her clothing with jerks of his head, as the rest of the class dissolved in laughter. "Hey, why isn't it working?"

"Aarg! I hope you get whiplash!"

At the same time, at St. Dunstan's pool the teams were once more going through their paces. Although nobody had thought to mention it, all 16 of the support group were still attending, and still nude. In the shallow end of the far lane, still struggling with the art of not drowning, Barbara continued her remedial lessons, now accompanied by two girls and a boy also identified by the Athletics instructors as somewhat less than seaworthy. Although Barbara thought none of the others were quite as close to anchor status as she was, still it was good for her morale to not be the only one in the pool needing a life jacket in a bathtub.

At the end of the morning swim, Rebecca asked about their next competitors, the Junior High division of Valencia Valley Ladies' College. "Will we have to wear swimsuits against them?"

"Oh. Good question," Ginger responded. "We're home, they're visitor..." Her voice trailed off as the implication set in. "I honestly don't know." She looked over at Eileen and the men, and put her hand to her mouth. "We may be about to find out how it's been for Gymnos all these years."