Chapter 13

It's a funny thing about high school, right or wrong doesn't make a lick of difference. It's your placement by the 'upper crust' that decides how you're treated.

He reads, farts in class and can't see beyond the end of his nose ... Nerd! (Nerds are often collected as tutors by the upper crust, because Nerds are Smart imbeciles. The upper crust maintains solid 'B's)

He or she just cracked the DOD mainframe, speaks and is spoken to by computer, has pocket protectors, and loves programing is a Geek. Female Geeks have Purse Protectors. (Geeks are often collected when the upper cruster can't understand the tutor and needs a grade changed in the transcripts.)

The weight lifting, physically coordinated, testosterone driven son of the towns' shade tree mechanic is a Jock. Jocks are often ruggedly handsome.

The beautiful airhead whose only ability is total recall of cheerleading routines is a 'Sosh' regardless of the fact that her mother "uses a lot of ice ... when she's awake."

Students sit in the cafeteria where the 'sosh', Social Society (We called then Frats.), decrees they sit and the seating determines status.

In the way of things, cafeteria tables limit the size of The Group. Some tables seat 12 ... six to a side. Therefore, The Group is limited to 12. In other schools, the table seats eight, The Group is only eight.

Woe betide the Twelve if the school replaces 12 seat tables with eight seat tables ... four someones have to go.

There have been notable moments in high school history where the Twelve finds it must resort to TWO tables: "A" List and "B" List.

The 'head' table is seldom coherent.

The Jock table is loud and messy.

The Nerd table smells.

The Geek table is laughter and sly remarks about the ease of hacking the transcripts computer.

The Cheer table is very near the Jock table and they often mix.

The Social table is whispers, glares and reputation destruction.

There are subsets.

A Venn diagram of a highschool would be a large circle drawn around smaller circles which overlap each other. The middle of the conglomeration of the circles would be the Social Society. Some geeks may actually have the social skills to fit in the Social Society. A few jocks are smooth enough to gather Social Society girlfriends.

The Grease Monkey, a subset of jock, nerd and geek may have 'the car.'

Few teenagers are shallow enough to fit in ONE circle.

At this moment in time ... Bill and Mina are in a circle of two. But Mina recognizes girls from Samhain and that draws a circle around them and Mina. A few of the Grease Monkeys recognize Bill as the builder of BILLY BUILT and that includes them in Bill's circle ... two of them lusted after Mina in the yard office. A circle connects them with Bill and Mina ... get the idea?

Bill and Mina sit together ... sitting with them conveys an air of daring. Bill and Mina receive a great many looks. New kids in town ... but not. Mina is known to be 'unconventional.' Worse, or Better, Mina is reported to be Pagan ... and Majick. Mina is a 'Yankee.' Three strikes ... she'll never sit with the powers of the school.

Bill is TALL, Bill is BIG, Bill carries his own magic in his pants. Megan, one of the "A" list has chosen to relinquish her appointed place in the scheme of things, her place in the sun, to sit across from Bill. They spend the entire lunch period looking into each others eyes. Megan has chosen to go commando today to see if Bill has roving eyes. She Wants him to look ... he doesn't. Bill is nearly bored ... until Mina whispers, 'Harem' in his ear.

No one has a class with the Sutherland pair. Megan is grilled intensely upon her return after dumping her tray.

Confronted, the conversation went like this:

"So Who are they?" (Implied by a look, 'and what were YOU doing sitting with them?')

"Bill, William, and Mina, Wilhelmina, Sutherland. They're Twins." (Implied... 'I sit where I want. My position in this peer group is secure.')

"Twins? They don't look alike, he's so mature, she must be younger." (Implied. 'She's a child.')

"She is older." (Implied. 'You're a lousy judge'.)

"Imagine that. What do they do?" (Implied. 'I've never seen them, they must be field hands or migrants.')

"They both worked at the AirForce Salvage yard for six months." (Implied. 'Excellent Summer job but dirty.')

"Only six months, must not have done a good job." (Implied. 'Trash can't keep a job.')

"Got a huge bonus." (Implied razzberry!)

"And how do you know that?" (Implied. 'Oh, sure. Like you'd know.')