Chapter 13: The Class Trip

During the winter Cookie put up an ad, in the two local supermarkets, that she would do babysitting for fifty cents an hour. This, she figured, would give her some spending money which was something she had never had.

Her father didn't seem to object as long as it didn't interfere with his meals or her housework.

By March, Cookie had a tidy sum put away, enough to buy birthday presents for Corey and her father and for her to treat herself to an after-school soda or something once in a while.

She also found that she simply adored small children and babies and loved tending to their needs and playing with them and getting them ready for bed and reading them stories. She had done this for her young cousins Tommy and Janice and Little Bryce and Alice since she was nine. She also found that little children repaid her kindnesses with returned kindness and made her feel good to be around.

Spring finally came and (with it) lots of studies and end of year exams.

Mr. Gilley announced that, because they had all been so good all year, the seventh grade class would be taking a school-sponsored trip to Cedar Pointe amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. The trip would take place the last week of May and that would leave two weeks before the students were to bring back their signed permission slips and their twelve dollars to cover park admission and lunch.

Cookie was very excited by this. She had never been to an amusement park or on a class trip and she so wanted to go. She had the money but, she wondered, would her father allow it?

She made him his favorite dinner that evening and even set the table with the good china and stemware for him and her brother.

It was when she brought out the strawberry éclairs that she mentioned the class trip to him and showed him her permission slip.

Her heart pounded in her chest as he looked at the slip and then up at her with a scowl.

"Get me a pen," he said and Cookie ran into the kitchen and came back with one for him, her hand shaking as she handed it to him, trying to keep the smile from crossing her excited face.

"Don't expect me to pay for this," he told her as he signed his name at the bottom of the paper.

"Oh no, Poppa", she gushed excitedly. "I have babysitting money enough for this and I'm looking after the Bradley twins this weekend."

"Just make damn sure this house is taken care of and my meals are on the table."

"Yes, Poppa."

Cookie brought in her permission slip and her twelve dollars to school the next day. It was all the money she had but, she knew, more was coming.

When the big day arrived, Cookie could hardly contain her happiness and excitement. She was going on a bus trip, during a school day, to a place that (she'd heard) was full of excitement and fun.

Cookie had never had any fun in her whole life and now she was going to let herself be happy, at least for a day.

She dressed in her yellow shorts and an open white shirt over a t-shirt to try and hide the breasts that were rapidly becoming easily noticeable in anything she wore. On this special day, she was even allowed to wear white canvas shoes over her ankle socks.

The students all reported to their classroom and then Mr. Gilley and Mr. Sharp, both wearing shorts and sport shirts, led the class out to the waiting, yellow bus that said BEDFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS on its side.

The students piled in with Cookie taking a seat at the back of the bus next to Mr. Sharp.

It was a two hour drive and, all the way there, Mr. Gilley led the students in singing "Ninety-Nine Bottles Of Beer" and "She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain" until everyone got sick of it, just after they passed the Ohio border.

"I know what we can do," Nancy Martin said from her seat.

"What?" Mr. Gilley asked.

"We can do class superlatives!"

"What's that?" Stan Worchel asked her.

"It's where we select who is the smartest in our class or who is the cutest or the best dressed..."

And everyone seemed to love the idea.

"Edward Bradley is the smartest," Shelly Christopher called out and everyone seemed to agree with that.

"Nancy is the cutest," was called out by someone and that was agreed upon too.

"Ken Parlicki is the most handsome," Nancy called but because (everyone knew) she had the 'hots' for him.

"What about class geek?" Eric Coleman shouted out and laughed.

"That would be Cookie Mullins," Nancy yelled and everyone laughed at that and quickly agreed with her.

"And class dunce?"

"That would be Cookie too."

And everyone laughed again.

As Cookie sat there and listened, she was voted most ugly, stupidest, worst hair, worst dressed and the person you most love to hate.

She tried very hard to smile along good naturedly, at everyone's laughter and merriment, but she just couldn't help but turn her face to quickly wipe a few tears away. She just couldn't let them spoil this wonderful day for her ... this once in a lifetime day.