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+Episode 3.21, The Mirror Ball
+-----------------------------
+
+At Home
+
+Joan wonders, ‘Why did I ever buy this? This is just not who I am’.
+She continues the “what-to-wear boogie” while rummaging through her
+closet. She wants to look nice for Adam today, but she really doesn’t
+feel like dressing up. She holds up another skirt and blouse to
+herself, looks in the mirror, frowns, and tosses them onto the pile
+of clothing already on her window bench seat. She glances outside for
+a moment and smiles. No pervert today! She holds another outfit up to
+herself and looks again in the mirror, “Yeah, this looks nice.”
+
+Her image puts her hand on her hip and with a crooked smile says,
+“So, you like what you see?”
+
+Joan is stunned for a moment, but then she realizes to whom she is
+speaking, “I think Adam will like it.”
+
+God – “What do you think the mirror sees?”
+
+Joan puts her hand on her hip, imitating her image in the mirror, “I
+don’t know; you’re the one who’s in there.”
+
+God smiles, “It’s all about light, Joan. There are two ways of
+spreading light. You can be the candle or the mirror that reflects
+it. Which one are you?”
+
+Joan – “I try to be both.”
+
+God presses her nose against the inside of the mirror and scans the
+room with her eyes, “Mirrors would serve you better if they first
+reflected before sending back an image. This mirror is flat, but
+there are others.”
+
+Joan – “Hah, you mean like those in a fun house? I like the ones that
+make you look both really fat and really skinny.”
+
+God – “Focus, Joan, you are building a mystery. Learn to see from
+both sides now.”
+
+Helen calls upstairs, “Joan, telephone.”
+
+Joan glances away for an instant. When she returns her eyes to the
+mirror, her reflection is as it was before. Frustrated, she yells at
+the mirror, “But I don’t know what you mean!” She walks to the door,
+peeks out her head, and calls downstairs, “What’d you say?”
+
+Helen – “Emily’s on the phone.”
+
+Joan picks up the telephone, “Hi Emily, how is my favorite cousin?”
+
+Emily – “I am great! I’m better than great! I’m soooooooooooo
+excited! Guess what?”
+
+Joan – “I don’t know, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
+
+Emily laughs, “You’re always so funny. But really, I get to sing at
+the Inner Harbor on Christmas Eve… my first public performance. Isn’t
+that awesome?”
+
+Joan – “Yeah, I’m really happy for you. I’m sure you’ll do well.”
+
+Emily – “I want you to come. I know it’s Christmas, but I really want
+you to see and hear me. Pleee-heee-heeez!”
+
+Joan is hesitant, “I don’t know. I really enjoy spending Christmas at
+home with my family and friends.”
+
+Emily – “We’re also going to be in the ‘Parade of Lights’. We
+decorate our boats, and then we circle through the Inner Harbor. Two
+years ago, we won the ‘Blinking Jesus Award’. Last year there were
+more than fifty boats. It’s really a lot of fun.”
+
+Joan – “It sounds really neat. Blinking Jesus Award?”
+
+Emily – “Oh, that’s just what my mom calls it. It’s a prize for
+having the best decorated boat.”
+
+Joan – “Let me talk to my parents, and then I’ll let you know.”
+
+Emily is disheartened, but happy that it is still a possibility,
+“Oooh-kay.”
+
+Joan continues, “How is everything else?”
+
+Emily – “Oh, my friends Lauren and Kizzie are going to…”
+
+After Joan finishes talking with Emily, she walks downstairs, “Mom,
+Emily wants me to visit during Christmas.”
+
+Helen – “I know, Trenna and I talked before she put Emily on the
+phone. Emily being able to sing at the Inner Harbor is a Christmas
+present that Trenna arranged for her. Emily doesn’t know.”
+
+Joan – “So this isn’t real?”
+
+Helen – “It is for Emily. The only thing that Trenna arranged was the
+opportunity. Emily still had to audition, and the band agreed that
+she was good enough. She will only be singing the last song.”
+
+Joan – “I would like to see her sing, but I also like spending
+Christmas at home. What do you think I should do?”
+
+Lilly has been sitting quietly, feeling this is more of a
+mother-daughter talk, but she can no longer resist inserting her
+opinion. “No one really knows when Jesus was born. The celebration of
+his birth on December 25th is just a tradition. There is really no
+reason why we couldn’t celebrate Christmas when you return.”
+
+Helen – “Christmas is also about giving. Emily adores you and it will
+mean so much to her to have you there. I think you should go.”
+
+Joan had already decided that she would go for the very reason that
+her mother cited. She also wonders about the meaning of God’s message
+relative to Emily’s call. Was it a coincidence? Lilly’s observation
+shows her she doesn’t have to choose between the two. “Yeah, you’re
+right. I’ll tell Adam when he picks me up for the movie, and I’ll
+e-mail Emily from work.”
+
+At School
+
+When Grace arrives, Joan and Adam are amusing themselves by bantering
+the dialog of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver.
+
+Joan – “You’ve been sneaking second helpings, haven’t you?”
+
+Adam – “Well, you never know if your next meal’s going to be your
+last… especially with your cooking.”
+
+Grace – “What are you doing?”
+Joan smiles, “We’re packing food. You’ll thank me later. Adam gets
+cranky when he’s hungry.”
+
+Adam – “I’m cranky now!”
+
+Grace – “You two are nuts! Where’s Luke?”
+
+Joan – “He should be here somewhere; he left before I did. How’s your
+mom?”
+
+Grace – “She’s fine. You haven’t told him about Saturday, have you?”
+
+Joan – “No, that’s our secret.”
+
+Adam – “What’s your secret?”
+
+Grace deflects, “\ \ `The Secret of Roan
+Inish <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Roan_Inish>`__\ .”
+
+Adam – “Is this about Tima, because I was being nice to her? She is
+your friend, right?”
+
+Joan smiles, “Adam, it’s okay.”
+
+Adam – “I don’t have a roaming eye, at least not anymore. I swear!”
+
+Grace – “Speaking of roaming, look who’s coming.”
+
+Joan – “Don’t worry about it, Adam. I believe you.” She smiles and
+gives him a kiss, “My lips are selkied.”
+
+Grace – “Thanks, I want to tell him myself.”
+
+Adam – “Okay, just so you know.” He returns the smile, “Yeah, they
+are like silk.”
+
+Luke, Glynis, and Friedman join them. Grace says to Luke, “We need to
+talk, biology closet, three o’clock. Don’t be late.”
+
+Luke – “I don’t think you’re going to make it.”
+
+Grace – “Sure I will, that is if you let me read your biology notes
+from Friday. When I take the test with everyone else today, I’ll be
+caught up. No detention.”
+
+Joan chortles, “Ha, ha, I used his notes to study at work last
+night.”
+
+Luke – “Okay, we’ll go over biology during lunch. How’s your mother?”
+
+Grace – “She’s fine. We’ll talk later.”
+
+Grace begins to leave, but Friedman says, “Wait, Glynis and I have
+something to tell all of you.” Grace remains and Friedman continues,
+“Glynis and I aren’t dating each other.”
+
+Joan – “You mean you broke up? I’m so sorry.”
+
+Glynis– “No, we’ve never been dating. It’s all been a ruse.”
+
+Grace – “Well, you guys are certainly not inept at subterfuge.”
+
+Friedman – “Though this be madness, yet there is method in it.”
+
+Adam – “And the purpose of this deception is?”
+
+Friedman – “Our parents would never approve of who we’re really
+dating, so we’ve been pretending to date each other. After I pick up
+Glynis, we pick up Sean and Mel, and we make it a foursome. We’ve
+been doing it for months.”
+
+Joan – “Sean, from Judith’s party?”
+
+Glynis– “Yep.”
+
+Luke – “Mel? Um, are you telling us that you’re an elk?”
+
+Friedman – “No, her name is Jamel. Mel is her nickname.”
+
+Adam – “So why are you telling us this now?”
+
+Glynis– “Because you’ll find out on Saturday, anyway. We’re all
+coming to the dance.”
+
+Grace quips, “We’ll continue with part two of ‘\ As the Mirror Ball
+Turns\ ’ in just a moment.”
+
+At the Police Station
+
+Lt. Daghlian – “Peter Fyles will be released from the hospital at
+noon. Your daughter sure did a number on him… gives ‘Bic Stic’ a
+whole new meaning.”
+
+Will – “She was just defending herself.”
+
+Lt. Daghlian – “That’s not his story. He says she attacked him for no
+reason.”
+
+Will – “He’s either delusional or a liar. We have two witnesses to
+back up Joan’s story.”
+
+Lt. Daghlian – “Well, in any case, he’ll think twice about carrying a
+pen again. How is she doing?”
+
+Will – “She’s fine; she just had a few scrapes and bruises. Were you
+able to contact the other girls?”
+
+Lt. Daghlian – “Their parents have agreed to let them view a line-up.
+I’ve set it up for four-thirty this afternoon.”
+
+Will – “Anything new on Armond Washington?”
+
+Lt. Daghlian – “No, just a few crank calls. Do you think Mayor
+Doherty would consider shaving his beard?”
+
+Will smiles, “I’ll ask him when we have lunch today.” Lt. Daghlian is
+surprised for a moment, then he realizes that Will is joking. Will
+continues, “Just keep looking.”
+
+At The Herald
+
+Rebecca – “It’s too bad there wasn’t much to your Muslim story, but
+it’s good that you were there for the attempted kidnapping. I wish we
+could have interviewed the girls involved. It would make for a great
+story.”
+
+Kevin – “I did interview them, but they are minors. Their parents
+want their identities to remain confidential.”
+
+Rebecca – “But you know who they are, don’t you?”
+
+Kevin – “Yes, I know.”
+
+Rebecca gives Kevin a mischievous smile, “Some reporters would
+publish that information anyway, feeling that it’s the public’s right
+to know.”
+
+Kevin – “Well, we’re not The New York Times. We have ethics, don’t
+we?”
+
+Rebecca, still smiling – “You could write the testimonies for them
+and put their signatures on it.”
+
+Kevin – “Oh yes, creative journalism.” Using a good imitation of
+Walter Cronkite, Kevin continues, “And finally, Dan Rather stands by
+his story that Bush is a Martian. And that’s the way it is, Monday,
+December 12, 2005.”
+
+Rebecca, also imitating Walter Cronkite, “And that’s the way the Dan
+cookie Rather crumbles.”
+
+Kevin, now switching to imitating Arnold Horshack of ‘Welcome Back,
+Kotter’, “Ooh-ooh-ooooh!And that’s the way, uh-huh, uh-huh, I like
+it, uh-huh, uh-huh.”
+
+Both laugh. Rebecca asks, “So, what do you have in mind for your next
+story?”
+
+Kevin – “Actually, I’m writing an editorial. I’ve been thinking of
+using the title, ‘Illusions in Journalism’.”
+
+Rebecca – “Allusions, sounds interesting. What’s it about?”
+
+Kevin decides not to correct her error, “Well, it’s a sensitive
+subject, some would even say taboo, but I feel it should be
+discussed. It’s not finished yet, but I would like to hear what you
+think about it.”
+
+Rebecca – “You’ve piqued my interest. Send it to me.”
+
+At School
+
+Luke – “Okay, you have to tell me about Mel. Where did you meet?”
+
+Friedman – “We met at the Southgate Mall. She had a Mount Rushmore
+T-shirt on, and those guys never looked so good… especially
+Washington and Lincoln. Kind of bloated, but happy, if you know what
+I mean.”
+
+Luke – “Yeah, I get it, she has idyllic mammary.”
+
+Friedman – “The skirt she was wearing was so tight I could read the
+embroidery on her underwear. It said, ‘Wash in lukewarm water and
+spin lightly’. Such was great advice.”
+
+Luke – “This sounds like another Brittany story. Is that all she is
+to you, a great body?”
+
+Friedman – “No, she’s also really smart. We talk about everything.
+She’s a sophomore at Southside High School, and she’s on the varsity
+diving team. I bought her a ‘Slippery When Wet’ T-shirt, and she
+loved it. Oh, and guess what?”
+
+Luke – “What?”
+
+Friedman – “She likes Hamlet.”
+
+Luke – “She sounds perfect for you. What is it about her that your
+parents wouldn’t like?”
+
+Friedman – “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
+
+Luke – “Come on, there must be more to it than that!”
+
+Friedman – “This above all: to thine own self be true, for there is
+nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”
+
+Luke – “Now that’s just wrong. Just because Shakespeare is famous
+doesn’t mean that he knows what he’s talking about. Good and bad,
+right and wrong, they all have demonstrable certainties.”
+
+Friedman – “Okay, but within those boundaries, there are shades of
+gray. That’s what I mean.”
+
+Luke mimics Friedman, “So what doth thou feel is gray about the
+lady?”
+
+Friedman laughs, “If she were gray, methinks my parents would not be
+as concerned. You’ll find out at the dance.”
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Joan – “So, tell us about Sean.”
+
+Grace – “Whoa, girl talk, I’m out of here.”
+
+Joan matter-of-factly states to Grace, “You are a girl.” Grace
+begrudgingly remains, while Joan continues to query Glynis, “Come on,
+tell us about him.”
+
+Glynis– “Well, he’s very handsome. You saw him at the party. Don’t
+you think so?”
+
+Joan – “I saw him briefly between the lip-locks, but then again, I
+was pretty drunk.”
+
+Glynissmirks at her remark, “Well, he is handsome, and he’s a great
+kisser. He’s also really smart. I told you about his research at
+Stanford. Last summer he got to work at Johns Hopkins doing AIDS
+research. He’s majoring in biology at Dawson State. He’s…”
+
+Joan interrupts, “Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sean goes to Dawson State?
+How old is he?”
+
+Glynis– “Well, that’s the problem. He’s two years older than me.
+That’s why I can’t tell my parents. They would never approve.”
+
+Grace – “And now you want us to become part of this adolescent
+conspiracy?”
+
+Glynis– “No, you won’t have to do anything. Just don’t tell my
+parents about it. That shouldn’t be too hard, since you don’t even
+know them.”
+
+Joan – “What about me? I met your mother at parent-teacher night.”
+
+Glynis– “She thought you were nuts even before I told her about crazy
+camp.”
+
+Joan – “Thanks a lot.”
+
+At Millie’s Restaurant
+
+Millie’s is a family-owned diner within walking distance of the
+mayor’s office. It has become an Arcadia institution, having first
+opened shortly after Arcadia became the county seat in 1856. Legend
+states that both General Lee and General Grant have eaten there.
+Although best known for its tenderloin sandwiches, Will’s favorite is
+the barbeque pork, so that is what he orders.
+
+Mayor Doherty – “So what is it that you wanted to talk about?”
+
+Will – “I recently had a meeting with Brother Jimi’s committee, and
+he brought up an interesting proposal. What is the status of the
+warehouse at 1213 West Gilmore Street? You know, the one confiscated
+during the drug raid last October.”
+
+Mayor Doherty – “It’s in limbo. We’ve been trying to find a buyer,
+but no luck yet. Why are you interested?”
+
+Will – “Brother Jimi thought that it could be sold or leased to a
+company with the condition that they hire employees locally. It would
+help the unemployment situation in that part of town. Perhaps the
+sale price could be discounted, the lease reduced, or the property
+taxes lowered as an incentive. A manufacturing or a distribution
+center would be ideal. If they were to offer a training package that
+targets unskilled labor, it would have the best effect.”
+
+Mayor Doherty – “That’s a good idea; the black coalition will love
+it. But so far, there has been little interest.”
+
+Will – “What does the black coalition have to do with this? Why can’t
+we just provide everyone with an equal opportunity and leave race out
+of it?”
+
+Mayor Doherty – “That’s not how the system works.”
+
+Will – “When will the system work that way or will it always be just
+a dream?”
+
+Mayor Doherty frowns, “We need to insure that there is no
+discrimination based on race.”
+
+Will – “The best way to prevent discrimination based on race is not
+to discriminate based on race.”
+
+This time the mayor ignores him completely. Will moves on, “What
+about Wallmans? I remember reading that they were looking to put a
+distribution center in the area.”
+
+Mayor Doherty – “That idea was killed by the Maryland legislature.
+They’re putting it in southern Pennsylvania instead.”
+
+Will – “Well, I really think that it is a good idea. Can you put
+people to work on it?”
+
+Mayor Doherty – “I’ll see if they can put an incentive package
+together similar to what you have proposed.”
+
+Will – “Thanks Max.”
+
+At School
+
+Joan – “I never know whether to pick up a Sloppy Joe or eat it with a
+fork.”
+
+Glynismakes a joke, “Whenever I come to a fork in the road, I always
+take it.” Everyone moans.
+
+Friedman – “Maybe they should call it Sloppy Joan.”
+
+Joan – “Thank you Friedman, a fork it is.”
+
+Alice and Tima arrive and ask to join them. After they are seated,
+Tima asks Adam, “Mrs. Girardi has given us a really cool assignment.
+Would you like for me to tell you about it or would you rather wait?”
+
+Adam – “If I say that I would rather wait, will you be able to stand
+the strain?”
+
+Timasmiles at Adam’s joke, “Probably not.”
+
+Adam – “Okay, then tell me.”
+
+Tima– “She wants us to make something that displays an abstraction.
+What’s really cool is that we can choose any medium, any subject,
+pretty much whatever we want. She’s really going to let us express
+ourselves. There is something I’ve been thinking about doing for a
+long time, and this assignment is perfect!”
+
+Adam – “Something that displays an abstraction… I’ll have to think
+about it.” After a few moments, Adam smiles, “Yeah, I know what I’ll
+do. Thanks for the heads up.”
+
+Tima– “You’re welcome.” She notices their absence, “Where are Grace
+and Luke?”
+
+Joan – “There off somewhere studying biology. How are the
+preparations for the dance coming along?”
+
+Alice decides to answer, “Everything is nearly finished. Thank all of
+you for helping. Can some of you help us put the decorations up on
+Saturday morning? It shouldn’t take too long.”
+
+All agree to lend a hand. Glynis asks Tima, “Will you be coming to
+the dance?”
+
+Tima– “No, I’m not allowed to dance with boys.”
+
+Joan – “You mean you did all of this work, and you’re not even going
+to be able to enjoy it?”
+
+Tima– “I enjoy helping. I just want you to have fun.”
+
+Glynis– “That really doesn’t seem fair. Being a Muslim must be hard.
+Do you ever wonder how your life might have been had your parents
+chosen to raise you differently?”
+
+Timareflects for a moment before answering, “It is hard sometimes,
+and I have wondered how my life might have been different. I ask
+Allah for guidance almost every day.” She continues while looking at
+each one seated at the table, “My beliefs are very important to me.
+They define who I am and who I am not. This is how I choose to live
+my life. Please don’t feel sorry for me.” She looks at her watch, “I
+have to go; I have an appointment.”
+
+Joan – “Please say hello for me.”
+
+Timagives Joan a long stare of disbelief, much like the one that Joan
+gave to God when he reminded her of her promise. She wonders how Joan
+knows about her noon time excursions to the roof, but is pleased that
+she has chosen to be cryptic, “Yes, of course. I’ll see you later.”
+
+After Tima leaves, Joan addresses her friends. “Hey, I have an idea…”
+
+At The Herald
+
+Kevin can see Rebecca working at her desk. When a frown furrows
+across her brow, he knows that she has finished reading his
+editorial. She briefly glares at him with\ `angry
+eyes <http://dc35.4shared.com/download/18067188/7be86998/Loggins__Messina_-_Angry_Eyes.mp3>`__\ ,
+but quickly returns to viewing her computer. He decides to send her
+an e-mail.
+
+*I can see that you’re upset, but this issue is important. We can’t
+just sweep it under the rug. Let me show you what I’ve found. Can we
+talk privately later?*
+
+*Kevin*
+
+After a few moments, Kevin receives her reply.
+
+*I can’t believe you wrote this! This racist is not talking to you,
+fact-boy.*
+
+At the Police Station
+
+Sergeant Williams – “How was your lunch with the mayor?”
+
+Will – “The food was great, but I have mixed feelings about our
+conversation. Has anything happened here?”
+
+Sergeant Williams – “We have Peter Fyles in lockup. He wants to see
+you.”
+
+Will – “That’s not going to happen. I’m not going to allow him to
+concoct some conflict of interest charge. Lt. Daghlian has complete
+control of this investigation.”
+
+Sergeant Williams – “A Mike Trimble called. He said that it’s
+important that he talks to you right away.” She hands him a post-it
+note, “Here’s his number.”
+
+Will – “Thanks, just what I need.”
+
+Sergeant Williams – “Bad news?”
+
+Will – “Yeah, most likely. Is there anything else I need to know?”
+
+Sergeant Williams – “No, that’s all I have.”
+
+Will – “Thanks.”
+
+Toni leaves and Will calls Mike Trimble. He reviews paperwork while
+he waits on hold.
+
+Mike Trimble – “Will, I just want to let you know that the ACLU has
+filed suit in the federal court. A process server is looking for you.
+I have to be in court tomorrow. Can we meet Wednesday morning?”
+
+Will – “I would like Mimi Rogers to be in on this. I’ll have to check
+with her, but that should be fine.”
+
+After he hangs up, he calls Mimi and confirms their appointment. He
+then calls Toni back to his office, “I’m going to take the rest of
+the afternoon off. I’ll be at home if you need me but if anyone asks,
+you don’t know where I am.”
+
+Sergeant Williams – “There’s a guy at the front desk asking to see
+you.”
+
+Will smiles, “Give me about ten minutes and then let him know that
+I’m not here.”
+
+At School
+
+Grace quivers, “Eeeuw, I still hate this place. I’m just waiting for
+all of these formaldehyde darlings to pop their lids and slime us to
+death. A day of the living dead! A mind is a terrible thing to taste,
+but I only regret that I have but one brain to lose for my country.
+Slither out you closet denizens, for…”
+
+Luke interrupts, “You’ve been hanging around Friedman too much. Are
+you finally going to talk to me now?”
+
+Grace stops avoiding the issue, “Yeah, that’s why we’re here.” They
+sit on the floor and Grace begins, “It’s just that when I lost the
+baby, my life went to hell. I know at first, I was scared, and I
+didn’t know what to do, but then I decided that I really wanted to
+have it.” She thinks of Joan, “I mean, I wanted to have the baby.
+Losing it… losing the baby really broke my heart.”
+
+Luke – “And your method for mending a broken heart is to cut yourself
+off from those who love you? You should have let me in. It was my
+baby, too.”
+
+Grace – “I’m sorry, but there’s more to it. I got mad at God and I…
+well, let’s just say that I didn’t use any euphemisms. I thought that
+He was punishing me and that’s why I lost the baby. Then when I
+looked up the HCG hormone for class, I found out that I might have
+cancer. I didn’t want…”
+
+Luke interrupts, “You have cancer?”
+
+Grace – “No, it turns out that I didn’t. In fact, the doctor doesn’t
+think that I was ever pregnant, but I know I did those tests right,
+and they were all positive. Life sucks, dude.”
+
+Luke pulls her in close and hugs her, “Yeah, but you didn’t die.”
+
+Grace – “So what do we do now, brain-boy?”
+
+Luke – “Just be here with me.”
+
+Grace – “I can’t stay long. I’m still grounded.”
+
+Luke – “I’ll take what I can get.”
+
+At Home
+
+Joan comes through the door singing along with her iPod, “Home, where
+my thought’s escaping, home, where my music’s playing, home, where my
+dad lies waiting, silently for me.” She removes her earphones, “Why
+are you here?”
+
+Will – “Because I live here? Where’s Luke?”
+
+Joan – “He’s in the pet cemetery with Grace. Why are you really
+here?”
+
+Will – “I took the afternoon off.” Will considers asking about the
+pet cemetery but decides that he really doesn’t want to know, “I’ve
+made cornetti. Hungry?”
+
+Joan agrees and sits at the kitchen table while her father prepares
+her snack. Will asks, “How was school today?”
+
+Joan – “Good, I think I passed my biology test. I definitely wasn’t
+looking forward to sitting in detention… the breakfast club it’s
+not.” She pauses until he brings her snack and sits at the table with
+her, “Dad, you don’t just take the afternoon off. Is something wrong
+at work?”
+
+Will really doesn’t want to talk about it, but he decides that she’ll
+find out soon enough anyway, “It looks like the white hat is going to
+become Darth Vader… at least that’s how the ACLU will portray me.
+It’s frustrating. You try to do what you think is best and no matter
+what, someone complains. Do you like the cornetti?”
+
+Joan – “Don’t change the subject. Tell me what’s going on.”
+
+Will provides her with a synopsis of his case and what he expects the
+ACLU will claim. “No matter what happens, there will be a lot of
+publicity about this case.”
+
+Joan – “So this is kind of like a two-way mirror. You see yourself
+one way, but the ACLU sees you another way, and you have to show
+which one is real.”
+
+Will – “That’s a good analogy. Our court system is supposed to give
+us truth, justice, and the American way, but you’re lucky if you get
+all three.”
+
+Joan – “Yeah, all that stuff can drive you crazy. Just ask Grace.”
+She stands up, puts her arms around his neck, and gives him a kiss on
+the cheek, “Well, I know you still wear a white hat.” She takes
+another cornetto, “I have to catch the bus for class. I’ll see you
+later.”
+
+With Ole Pen
+
+Tuesday, December 13, 2005
+
+Well, I am officially a computer geek! Luke has shown me a lot of
+neat things that I can do with this computer, but the neatest thing
+is that now I use it for writing my diary. It’s a lot easier to hide
+a CD than a journal, and it’s even password protected!
+
+Dad and Kevin both took the day off. They said they just didn’t feel
+like going to work. I know Dad’s reason, but I’m not sure what’s up
+with Kevin. He seemed kind of moody today.
+
+They worked on the boat this morning. When I got home from school,
+they showed me what they had done. It’s a Mary Kay boat! I was glad
+when they told me that pink was just the color of the primer. We’re
+going to have a family meeting to decide the final color for the
+boat. I already know what color I want, and I also have a name. Now
+all I have to do is convince everyone else.
+
+Mom asked me how I felt about driving to Baltimore. I told her the
+truth. I’m not thrilled about it, but I’ll do it. She didn’t say
+anything more, but I could tell that she was thinking, “Hmm.” I worry
+when she does that.
+
+I’m still trying to figure out what mirror me meant the other day. At
+work, I leafed through every book I could find that talked about
+mirrors. Nothing seems to fit. I know it’s a metaphor, but when
+monumentous interruptous actually tells me something, it usually
+means more than or something different than what I think it does.
+Will I forever be plagued with a failure of imagination? I’m going to
+ask Mom. I sure hope she gives me more than just ‘Hmm’.
+
+I have a calculus quiz tomorrow. Does anyone ever need to know this
+stuff after high school? Who cares if the angle of the dangle is
+proportional to the dingle of the dongle? I have Luke to figure stuff
+like that out for me.
+
+Dad and I played a game of chess before I came to bed. I really don’t
+care about winning, but I don’t think I should let him win too often.
+I beat him in twelve moves. I love the time with him and hug he gives
+me, win or lose. That’s the best part.
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+At the Police Station
+
+Will – “No one called, so I assume everything has been quiet.”
+
+Sergeant Williams – “Well, not quiet, but mostly routine.Three of the
+four girls picked Peter Fyles out of the lineup. The DA thinks we
+have a good case to put him away. When he was arraigned yesterday,
+the judge denied bail. He’ll be our guest until the trial.”
+
+Will – “We’re really not set up for long-term stays. I’ll see if
+Sheriff Bristol can take him off our hands.”
+
+Sergeant Williams – “We received a tip that Armond Washington was
+seen near ‘The Liquor Emporium’. We think he may have been casing it
+out. Carlisle will be there when they open at 11 and I’ll take the
+evening shift.”
+
+Will – “I’m glad we finally have something on Washington. Let me know
+if anything happens. Oh, if that process server shows up again, let
+me know. I’ll let him do his thing today.”
+
+Sergeant Williams – “I’ll let Sergeant Drake know.”
+
+Mike Trimble raps on the open door as Toni is leaving, “Good morning,
+Will. I’m a little early. Can we start?”
+
+Will – “Sure, let me call Mimi…”
+
+At School
+
+Helen walks into the office, “Hi, Marlene. I need a red marker. Is it
+all right if I take one?”
+
+Marlene – “Sure, help yourself. You know where they are.”
+
+Helen – “I miss working here. We never seem to have time to talk
+anymore. Would you like to have lunch today?”
+
+Marlene – “Oh, I can’t. I have some errands to run. How about
+tomorrow?”
+
+Helen – “That would be nice. How are the kids?”
+
+Marlene - “Oh, it’s a soap opera. To tell you the truth, my son has
+married a real tramp! She doesn’t get out of bed until eleven. She’s
+out all day spending his money on heaven knows what, and when he gets
+home, exhausted, does she have a nice hot dinner for him? Hah! She
+makes him take her out to dinner at an expensive restaurant.”
+
+Helen - “Oh, that’s a shame. I’m sorry to hear that. How is your
+daughter?”
+
+Marlene – “Ah, now that’s a lucky girl. She has married a saint. He
+brings her breakfast in bed, he provides her enough money to buy
+whatever she needs, and in the evening he always takes her out to
+dinner at a nice restaurant.”
+
+Helen gives her a confuzzled look. Marlene slowly cracks a smile. She
+points at Helen and says, “Gotcha!”
+
+As Helen leaves the office, the bell rings. The halls fill with a
+mass of moving students. Joan sees her and approaches, “Mom, are you
+going anywhere for lunch today?”
+
+Helen – “Well, I tried to, but no luck.”
+
+Joan decides not to ask what that means and gets to her point, “I
+really need to talk to you about something. Can we meet in your
+classroom?”
+
+Helen – “Sure, but let’s go for a walk instead.”
+
+Joan – “Mom, are you nuts! It’s twenty degrees outside.”
+
+Helen – “It was nineteen degrees last year… I checked. It’s global
+warming, you know.”
+
+Joan – “Who cares about one degree? It’s winter. Mom. Yes or no?”
+
+Helen is slightly frustrated with Joan’s response, because she wanted
+to be able to say, ‘Gotcha’. Instead, she smiles and answers, “Yes,
+I’ll be there.”
+
+At The Herald
+
+Kevin has decided not to bring up his editorial today. Instead, he
+has been quietly doing his work. He does not plan to drop the issue,
+but has decided that a breather for a day or two will be best.
+
+Rebecca feels awkward as she approaches his desk. She asks, “How are
+you feeling today?”
+
+Kevin, realizing that Rebecca is trying to break the ice, responds
+with, “I’m doing fine, and you?”
+
+Rebecca – “I’m okay. I was just wondering since you called in sick
+yesterday.”
+
+Kevin – “I just wasn’t feeling well, but a moderate dose of pink
+xylene cleared my head.”
+
+Rebecca – “I’m glad that you’re feeling better. I can’t use that
+heavy-duty stuff. Sudafed works for me, and it doesn’t knock me out.”
+She hands him a few papers, “Here are some stories I would like you
+to check. I’ll have more later.”
+
+At the Police Station
+
+Mike Trimble – “So, that’s basically the ACLU’s case. I would like to
+talk to all members of the committee. I expect the prosecution will
+call some or all of them as witnesses. Can you arrange a meeting?”
+
+Will – “I’ll give Brother Jimi a call and let you know when we can
+meet. Do you think we can win this?”
+
+Mike Trimble – “It really depends upon the judge. If he rules
+according to what the Constitution actually states, we’ll win. If he
+rules according to what he thinks it says, it could go either way.”
+
+At School
+
+Joan enters the classroom and closes the door behind her. She scoots
+a stool up to the front of her mother’s desk and then places her
+lunch tray upon it. Helen inquires, “What’s for lunch?”
+
+Joan – “Mystery meat.I suppose that’s appropriate for today. Would
+you like some?”
+
+Helen – “No, I brought a sandwich. So what is it that you want to
+talk about?”
+
+Joan – “God and his divine law against being direct.” Helen smiles
+without comment, so Joan continues, “Last Sunday, just before Emily
+called, God paid me a visit. We had this conversation, but his
+responses were even more cryptic than usual. I really don’t know what
+he means, and I need your help.”
+
+Helen – “Well, I’ll help if I can. What did he say?”
+
+Joan – “Actually, it was a she this time. In fact, it was me, which
+made it all the more confusing. I wrote everything down after I
+talked to Emily.” She hands Helen a sheet of paper, “Read it for
+yourself.”
+
+After Helen reads what Joan has written, she looks up at Joan, “Well,
+she seems to be trying to tell you something about yourself,
+something she wants you to do better. Is there something new that she
+has been asking you to do?”
+
+Joan hasn’t told her mother about her latest gift, because she’s
+still pondering whether it is real. Has she interpreted the hints
+correctly, or is she suffering from a failure of too much
+imagination? Perception certainly isn’t her forte. Everything that
+has happened has an alternate, more rational explanation. She
+remembers, ‘Some things have to be believed to be seen.’ Is that it?
+Is faith the key? She decides to cautiously confide in her mother,
+“Well, there is something, but I need to understand it better.”
+
+Helen – “Well, I think God wants you to understand it better, too.
+‘Focus, Joan. You are building a mystery. Learn to see from both
+sides now.’ That has to mean something. If you are the candle, then
+you are the source. I think the candle could be your behavior,
+because your behavior will always display your true image.”
+
+Joan – “I had the same thoughts about the candle, but it’s the mirror
+part that I’m wondering about.”
+
+Helen – “If you are the mirror, then you are not the source. If you
+reflect upon the light before sending it back, then you are affecting
+it in some way. Are you a flat, concaved, or convex mirror? Each
+would affect the light differently, with concaved being the most
+interesting. What exactly does God mean by light? That’s what you
+need to figure out.”
+
+Joan – “That’s what I can’t figure out.”
+
+Helen wonders quietly for a few minutes, “What if I show this to
+Lilly? I’ll bet she would have some ideas. We’ll be studying
+catechism after work tonight. Why don’t I ask her then?”
+
+Joan – “Okay, but wait until I get home. I want to hear what she
+says, and I’d rather she not know that we’re talking about me.”
+
+Helen – “I can do that. I’ll say it was a dream that I had. That
+should work. What you tell me will always be our secret, until you
+tell me otherwise.”
+
+Joan – “Good.” She smiles, thinking to herself, ‘Her lips are
+selkied.’ She continues eating her lunch, “Would you like some of my
+apple crisp?”
+
+Helen takes a spoon and begins to help herself, “They do make good
+apple crisp.”
+
+At St. Mary’s Convent
+
+Joan is thrilled that Grace has finally come with her, and Grace is
+wondering why she finally agreed to come. Both actually know the
+reason. Sometimes you do things you don’t really want to do because
+you are friends.
+
+Sister Sarah tallies the student head count and it is even this
+evening. Normally, she just sits out when this happens, but tonight
+she calls Sister Margaret. Sister Margaret has taught the class on a
+few occasions when Sister Sarah was ill and when she was teaching
+Joan separately. Sister Sarah announces the reason for the change,
+“We’re going to start tonight’s lesson with the jitterbug. All of you
+know it well, so we’ll be removing it from future classes. Let’s have
+one last dance.”
+
+She starts a CD and the music begins to play. All commence dancing
+with their partners. Joan and Grace dance like a matched set, each
+predicting the other’s moves. While they dance, Joan glances over at
+Sister Sarah and Sister Margaret. She remembers her dream, but
+suddenly realizes her mistake. She was not laughing at them dancing;
+she was laughing with them. For fun, Joan begins to mix the Lindy Hop
+into their dance. Grace follows suit and together, they dance and
+have a grand time!
+At The Liquor Emporium
+
+Dan – “What kind of wine would you like?”
+
+Rebecca – “Red would be nice.”
+
+Dan was hoping for a more specific answer. He knows nothing about
+wine and was hoping that Rebecca would make the choice. He decides to
+admit his ignorance, “The only brand that I have tried is Boone’s
+Farm. Thursday was a good year.”
+
+Rebecca smiles as his joke, “Well, we’re not in college anymore.”
+
+Toni Williams overhears their conversation. She asks Rebecca, “What
+kind of wine do you like?”
+
+Rebecca – “I don’t like dry wines. That’s all I know.”
+
+Toni selects a bottle of Woodhall Party Garnet from the shelf, “I’ve
+had this one before. It’s made here in Maryland. If you like a sweet
+wine, this is a good choice.”
+
+Dan – “Okay, let’s party.”
+
+They begin to walk toward the register, but they are startled when a
+man pulls a gun. He demands money from the clerk. They retreat back
+down the aisle unseen.
+
+Toni recognizes the gunman as Armond Washington and observes him from
+the end of the aisle. The clerk gives him the money from the
+register, but Washington becomes belligerent about the sum. He
+threatens to shoot the clerk if he doesn’t open the safe. Toni had
+hoped to be able to wait to confront him until after he left the
+store, but she feels that is no longer an option. She draws her
+weapon and calls out, “Police, drop your weapon.”
+
+Washington turns and points his gun at Sergeant Williams. Shots ring
+out.
+
+At Home
+
+The older Girardis are having a little party of their own. Lilly
+brought snacks, and all have been enjoying talking and playing
+Euchre. Will’s cell phone rings.
+
+Will – “Girardi… uh-hah… yeah, I know them… how bad… what hospital…
+okay, I’m on my way.”
+
+Will hangs up and observes the puzzled expressions coming from his
+family. They obviously could not help listening, “Sergeant Williams
+has been involved in a shooting. I have to go debrief her.”
+
+Helen – “What was that about a hospital?”
+
+Will – “Toni shot a robber and the robber shot a customer… Dan
+Thompson.”
+
+Kevin – “Dr. Dan Thompson?”
+
+Will – “Yeah. Why don’t you go to the hospital and call me when you
+find out how he is. He’s at UMC.”
+
+Lilly – “I’m going with you. Has anyone called Rebecca?”
+
+Will – “She was with him when it happened.”
+
+Will leaves for ‘The Liquor Emporium’, as Kevin and Lilly leave for
+the hospital. When Joan arrives home, she is in high spirits. It was
+a fun night with Grace, and she is especially delighted to have
+learned that her initial interpretation of her dream was wrong. She
+is looking forward to learning if Lilly can make sense of what Mirror
+God has told her. She asks her mother, “Where’s Lilly?”
+
+Helen – “She’s had to leave. Are you hungry?”
+
+Joan – “Yes, but did you talk to her?”
+
+Helen removes Joan’s dinner from the microwave and sits with her,
+“Not really. She had to leave in a hurry. I just handed her your
+paper and told her it was a dream that I had. I asked her to read it
+when she got a chance. She read it quickly and initially rattled off
+some possibilities, but then she stopped. Something else appeared to
+come to mind. Then Kevin pressed once again for them to leave. She
+said that she would have to think about it for awhile.”
+
+Joan – “So, when will she let us know?”
+
+Helen – “I’m not sure. I expect her to respond as soon as she’s had
+time to collect her thoughts. Helen pauses as she changes the
+subject, “I do have some bad news to tell you. Do you remember Dr.
+Dan from UMC?”
+Joan – “Yeah, what about him?”
+
+Helen – “He was shot tonight. That’s why Lilly and Kevin had to
+leave.”
+
+Joan – “Will he be all right?”
+
+Helen – “I don’t know. I sure hope so. Your father, Kevin, and Lilly
+have all mentioned that he’s a really nice man.”
+
+Joan – “Can you take me to the hospital?”
+
+Helen – “We won’t be able to see him; Kevin and Lilly are already
+doing what they can for Rebecca. There’s really nothing for us to
+do.”
+
+Joan – “I guess you’re right.”
+
+Helen sees that Joan is upset. She hugs her then takes her hands, “We
+can say a prayer.”
+
+At Home
+
+Kevin stays with Lilly and Rebecca until Dan gets out of surgery.
+After debriefing Toni, Will goes to UMC to find out about Dan and to
+interview Rebecca. Will has decided to sleep in a few extra hours,
+but Kevin has gotten up with the others, “It looks like Dan will be
+okay. The bullet ricocheted off the wall before it hit him in the
+shoulder. It only went in about an inch.”
+
+Joan – “Oh, I’m glad to hear that. Well, I mean, I’m glad it wasn’t
+worse. When will he be getting out?”
+
+Kevin – “Rebecca was the only one allowed in to see him. He’s
+scheduled for some tests today. I guess the bullet nicked his
+axillary artery. The doctors want to make sure that an aneurysm
+doesn’t develop before they let him go home.”
+
+Helen – “You look terrible. Why don’t you go back to bed?”
+
+Kevin – “Oh, I’d love to, but Rebecca asked me to make sure
+everything keeps running at the paper, so I’m the editor for today.
+It’s actually a great opportunity, but I wish the circumstances were
+different.”
+
+Joan – “Do you think it would be okay if I visit Dr. Dan after
+school?”
+
+Kevin – “I suppose, but you should call the hospital first to make
+sure that he’s still there and allowed visitors.”
+
+At School
+
+Adam – “You don’t look very happy today. What’s wrong?”
+
+Joan – “Oh, a friend got hurt last night and I’m just worried about
+him.”
+
+Adam – “Do I know him?”
+
+Joan – “Yeah, well, you’ve met him. He was with Kevin when we went to
+the Unurban the last time. Dr. Dan.”
+
+Grace – “The knee guy?”
+
+Adam – “Oh, Ms. Askew’s boyfriend.”
+
+Joan – “Yeah, that’s him. He got shot.”
+
+Both Grace and Adam ask a flurry of questions, too many for Joan to
+address. She motions for them to stop, “All I know is that he was at
+a liquor store when he got shot. I’m going to try to visit him at the
+hospital after school.”
+
+Adam – “Would you like me to come with you?” Grace immediately offers
+the same.
+
+Joan – “No, I’ll just go by myself. Rebecca and Lilly will probably
+already be there.”
+
+They arrive at Joan’s calculus classroom where they will part ways.
+Joan says jokingly, “Is the angle of the dangle really proportional
+to the dingle of the dongle?”
+
+Both Adam and Grace smile. Adam responds, “I think you overheard a
+joke, but that’s not how it goes.”
+
+Joan – “Great, just what I need, another quiztastrophe. My grade
+average in calculus is already a joke.”
+
+Grace – “I can help you with your calculus in study hall. It won’t
+help you now, but maybe you’ll pass the test.”
+
+Joan – “And what would you like me to do for you? Do you have your
+dress yet?”
+
+Grace looks around quickly, “Shh, don’t broadcast it! I’m covered. My
+mom took me shopping.”
+
+At The Herald
+
+Kevin enjoys writing his second front-page story. Full control of the
+content of his story and that of the other writers is something that
+he has wanted for a long time. He is requiring rewrites and demanding
+that some ‘facts’ be sourced or removed. He’s not making many
+friends.
+
+While at the hospital, he had the opportunity to interview Rebecca.
+As expected, his father wouldn’t share what Sergeant Williams told
+him, but he has the facts from one point of view. He plans to use
+Washington’s mug shot in the article, something he feels should have
+been published long ago.
+
+Kevin watches the news as he works. He sees his father arriving at
+the police station. A slew of reporters begin to ask questions.
+
+Reporter # 1 – “Chief Girardi, can you tell us the identity of the
+customer who was shot during the robbery last night?”
+
+Will – “Yes, his name is Daniel Thompson. He is a doctor at UMC.”
+
+Reporter # 2 – “And what is his condition?”
+
+Will – “The last I heard he was in fair condition.”
+
+Reporter # 3 – “What is the status of the investigation into this
+shooting?”
+
+Will – “Excluding Dr. Thompson, all the witnesses have been
+interviewed. Today we will review the store’s security camera tape,
+and we hope to be able to interview Dr. Thompson. Then we file
+reports. The evidence will be turned over to Internal Affairs for
+their review.”
+
+Reporter # 1 – “We have received an unconfirmed report that Sergeant
+Williams fired first at Armond Washington. Can you comment?”
+
+Will – “I will note the key word in your statement, ‘unconfirmed’.”
+
+Reporter # 3 – “Mrs. Washington states that the killing of her son is
+just another example of how the Arcadia Police Department routinely
+victimizes the black community.Do you have a response?”
+
+Will – “I understand Mrs. Washington’s grief, but Mr. Washington was
+shot during the commission of a robbery. Armond Washington is a
+victim of his own criminal behavior. The only true victims are Dr.
+Thompson and the others present during Mr. Washington’s unlawful
+activities. I have no further comments.”
+
+Reporter # 2 – “Chief Girardi, just one more question. What is the
+status of Sergeant Williams?”
+
+Will – “As is standard police policy, Sergeant Williams has been
+suspended with pay until Internal Affairs completes their
+investigation. Good day.”
+
+Kevin quickly edits his story to include some of the comments from
+this interview.
+
+At the University Medical Center
+
+Rebecca and Lilly stay at the hospital until Dan’s parents and sister
+arrive from Scranton, Pennsylvania. It wasn’t until then that Rebecca
+realized that she had left her purse in Dan’s car. With no way to get
+into her apartment, she accepts Lilly’s offer to sleep on Kevin’s
+couch. When they return, Dan’s family graciously allows Rebecca and
+Lilly to spend time with him.
+
+Although still in a lot of pain, Dan is in good spirits, cracking
+jokes like, “This is why I didn’t try out for javelin catcher in
+college.”
+
+A sonographer pulls the curtain aside and plugs in an ultrasound
+machine, “I have to perform an exam. Would you mind waiting outside?”
+
+Rebecca – “Actually, I’d like to stay if it’s okay.”
+
+The sonographer considers her request and says, “Sure, but please be
+quiet during the examination.” She addresses Dan, “Normally, this
+exam doesn’t hurt, but I will be scanning near your wound. I will try
+to be as gentle as possible, but I expect it may hurt while I do it.”
+
+Dan nods and prepares himself. When she places the transducer on his
+shoulder, the shock of the cold gel startles him. He jerks, causing a
+rush of pain in his shoulder.
+
+Sonographer – “I apologize, doctor. We warm the gel, but it always
+seems to be a shock at first contact.” She moves the transducer
+across his shoulder, looking for the axillary artery. Dan grits his
+teeth but says nothing. Rebecca and Lilly can see the artery come
+into focus on the monitor. The sonographer pushes a button and the
+artery fills with color. It is completely red, except for a turbulent
+area of yellow and blue. This, Rebecca surmises, is the nick that she
+was told about earlier. When the exam is finished, the sonographer
+cleans the gel from Dan’s shoulder and says, “I hope that wasn’t too
+painful.”
+
+Her comment is more obligatory than meaningful, because it is obvious
+that Dan is in a great deal of pain. He manages to give her a
+Cheshire cat smile, “I’ll be okay, but could you ask the nurse to add
+some joy juice to my drip.”
+
+Sonographer – “I’ll let her know.” She leaves, pushing the machine
+down the hallway. Rebecca follows her. After they are a distance
+away, Rebecca asks, “That turbulence isn’t good, is it?”
+
+Sonographer – “I am not allowed to discuss the results of the exam
+with anyone, except for Dr. Thompson’s doctors.”
+
+Rebecca – “I’m no expert, but Susan Jordan has shown me enough to
+know what I’m looking at. How serious is it?”
+
+Sonographer – “Oh, you know Susan?” She doesn’t wait for an answer,
+“Well, the doctors will decide what needs to be done. Please, I can’t
+say any more.”
+
+At School
+
+Ms. Lischak – “Let’s have a little review. Ms. Polk, please tell me
+the definition of an enzyme.”
+
+Grace – “Enzymes are things invented by biologists that explain
+things which otherwise require harder thinking.”
+
+Ms. Lischak – “That’s interesting, Ms. Polk. Do I need to explain why
+your response will cause negative activation energy to be applied to
+your grade for this class?”
+
+Grace reconsiders, “Actually, enzymes function as organic catalysts.”
+
+Ms. Lischak – “Better, Ms. Polk.LukeyG., define a catalyst.”
+
+Luke – “A catalyst is a chemical involved in, but not changed by a
+chemical reaction. Enzymes function by lowering the activation energy
+of reactions.”
+
+Ms. Lischak – “Mr. Friedman, what are the possible mechanisms for an
+‘over the barrier’ catalyst?”
+
+Friedman doesn’t answer. To the class, he appears not to know the
+answer. They begin to chant, “Brain freeze, brain freeze, brain
+freeze…”
+
+Friedman interrupts, “No, no, I know the answer. It’s just that I
+have been wondering why we never talked about the ‘through the
+barrier’ mechanism.”
+
+Ms. Lischak – “Time constraints. We did mention it briefly during
+physics, but quantum tunneling is too complex a subject to cover,
+even in these advanced placement courses. If you choose to take
+quantum mechanics in college, I’m sure you will have the opportunity
+to investigate this matter further.”
+
+Friedman – “Well, I have already done some reading on my own. I was
+just wondering what you thought about it.”
+
+Ms. Lischak – “Quantum tunneling requires negative energy, which is
+theoretically impossible. Yet experiments have shown that photons can
+just appear on the other side of an energy barrier. Either negative
+energy is possible or some as yet unknown force is at work.”
+
+Joan – “Whoa, whoa, whoa. It took me a long time to understand this
+activation energy stuff. Are you now saying that a catalyst can cause
+a change involving no energy at all?”
+
+Ms. Lischak – “Negative energy, Ms. Girardi, which is a physical
+impossibility, yet there is evidence to suggest that it exists… a
+conundrum at our present level of science. That is why I decided not
+to attempt to delve into the subject during this class.”
+
+Joan sits with a bewildered expression painted across her face. After
+a few moments, she raises her hand again, “So, in layman’s terms,
+we’re talking about magic.”
+
+Ms. Lischak – “Magic is simply alternative physics. As I stated
+previously, I expect that one day, it will be found that some unknown
+force is at work.”
+
+Joan whispers to herself, “God!”
+
+Ms. Lischak – “What did you say, Ms. Girardi?”
+
+Joan – “Never mind. Thank you.”
+
+At the Police Station
+
+Will says jokingly, “We’ve been spending a lot of time together.
+Maybe we should start ‘\ Seeing Other People\ ’.”
+
+Mimi smiles, “Hah, hah, I’ve heard that one before, but I’d rather be
+‘\ Dancing in Twilight\ ’.”
+
+Will smiles, “Oh, I haven’t seen that one.”Getting back to business,
+Will asks, “So, what do you think? It looks pretty clear cut to me.”
+
+Mimi – “I agree, but let’s not make a public statement just yet. I
+would still like to read what Dr. Thompson has to say. Any word on
+when we can get his statement?”
+
+Will – “I had hoped to get it today, but his doctors have asked that
+we wait. I’m told he is still in a lot of pain. I don’t expect him to
+provide any information that we don’t know already.”
+
+Mimi – “I agree, but let’s get all the facts, then we’ll make our
+conclusions.”
+
+Will – “Fair enough.”
+
+At The Herald
+
+Kevin has just sent tomorrow’s edition to print when Rebecca walks
+in. He asks, “What are you doing here?”
+
+Rebecca – “I’m not staying. I just wanted to check how everything
+went today.”
+
+Kevin – “Fine. I haven’t made a lot of friends, but it’s a good
+edition.”
+
+Rebecca – “Okay, you’re in charge again tomorrow. I’ll be back on
+Monday.”
+
+Kevin – “How is Dan?”
+
+Rebecca was already looking emotionally drained, but Kevin’s question
+obviously disturbed her even further, “I don’t know. I think the
+problem with his artery is more serious than we’ve been led to
+believe. I’m really worried.”
+
+Kevin – “I’m really sorry to hear that. I’ll stop by after work.”
+
+Rebecca – “No, just go home. I’ll call you if anything changes.”
+
+Kevin – “Joan plans to visit after school. Can you arrange for her to
+see him? She would really like to.”
+
+Rebecca – “Sure, I can make it happen.” She pauses then continues,
+“About your editorial. Can you prove your accusations?”
+
+Kevin – “Yes, I have everything documented and cataloged. I can also
+document a similar pattern for WGF-TV’s news program.”
+
+Rebecca – “Okay, I’ll be back sometime tomorrow. If you can provide
+the proof, I’ll consider letting you run your story.”
+
+At the University Medical Center
+
+When Joan arrives, Lilly is the only one in the Intensive Care
+waiting area. She motions for Joan to have a seat, “Rebecca called to
+let us know you were coming. Dan’s parents are with him now, but you
+can go in when they are finished.”
+
+Joan – “Thanks. How is he doing?”
+
+Lilly – “I’m not really sure. Rebecca is concerned about his artery.
+I only know what she tells me.”
+
+Joan – “Tell me what you know.”
+
+Lilly provides Joan with the information she has been given. When she
+is finished, Joan surmises, “So, the bullet wound isn’t that bad,
+it’s just the nick in his axillary artery that has everyone
+concerned.”
+
+Lilly – “That’s what I gather. Maybe Dan’s parents will have more
+information when they come out.” Joan nods without speaking.
+
+Lilly reaches into her purse and pulls out the paper that Helen had
+given her. She skims over it again, “This is your dream, isn’t it?”
+
+Joan hesitates, not sure what to say. She is surprised that Lilly
+figured it out, but is glad that she believes it was a dream. She
+answers, “Yeah, how did you know?”
+
+Lilly – “The dialog just wasn’t your mother. How long have you been
+having dreams like this?”
+
+Joan – “Off and on all my life, but they just started to be regular
+last summer.”
+
+Lilly – “Are all of your dreams like this?”
+
+Joan – “No, I dream about a lot of things. I don’t always understand
+them, but this one seems important. That’s why I decided to ask Mom
+about it.”
+
+Lilly smiles, “And so she asked me.” She gazes at Joan for a moment
+before she continues, “I’ve always known that there was something
+special about you. Like mother, like daughter.” She looks at the
+paper and then back to Joan, “Do you know what a charism is?”
+
+Joan – “No, is it anything like grace?”
+
+Lilly – “Well, you do need grace to understand it, but no, it is
+different. They are gifts from the Holy Spirit. There are several:
+The word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, the grace of
+healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the discerning of
+spirits, diverse kinds of tongues, and interpretation of speeches to
+name a few. These dreams may be words of wisdom or knowledge.”
+
+Joan smiles, “Me discerning knowledge? You haven’t seen my calculus
+grades.”
+
+Lilly – “There are many kinds of knowledge. Intellectual knowledge is
+just one kind.” She briefly looks back at the paper, “This image of
+you in the mirror is trying to tell you something, something you
+should learn to do better. I don’t know what that is, perhaps you do,
+but you need to learn more about it. ‘Focus, Joan. You are building a
+mystery. Learn to see from both sides now.’ Does that mean something
+to you?”
+
+Joan ponders it once again, but this time, its meaning becomes clear.
+She had been ignoring the obvious. She responds to Lilly, “Yes, now
+it does. Thank you for your help.”
+
+Rebecca returns slightly before Dan’s family come out from their
+visit. Dan’s mother asks, “Are you Joan?”
+
+Joan – “Yes ma’am. How is he doing?”
+
+Mrs. Thompson – “Okay I guess, considering. I’m sorry you won’t be
+able to talk to him. He’s fallen asleep, but he was looking forward
+to your visit.”
+
+Joan says “Oh,” dishearteningly. “Can I sit with him for awhile?”
+
+Mrs. Thompson replies, “I don’t see why not. Go ahead.”
+
+Joan enters the room and sits beside the gurney. She glances around
+at all the instruments displaying various waveforms and numbers. She
+closes her eyes and prays, ‘God, please help me to do this right.’
+She opens her eyes briefly, finds Dr. Dan’s hand, and closes them
+again. She visualizes his artery, the nick, and the turbulence, just
+as Lilly described it to her. She concentrates on that spot. Then she
+prays, ‘God, please heal Dr. Dan’s artery.’
+
+After a few minutes, she returns to the waiting area. The Thompson’s
+have gone to find a restaurant, and only Rebecca and Lilly remain.
+Lilly says, “Come on; let me give you a ride home.”
+
+At Home
+
+When Joan opens her eyes, she is puzzled because she is unable to
+sense her body. She realizes that she had forgotten to put on sports
+cream before going to bed. She also remembers that she has gym class
+today and bemoans having to exercise with bruises.
+
+Her body begins to tingle as it awakens. She sits up, expecting pain,
+but there is none. She examines her arms and legs, nothing. She
+stands in front of the mirror, examining her face and backside, still
+nothing. No bruises! She smiles as she realizes what has happened.
+Happy feet take control as she dances around the room singing, “I’m a
+catalyst, whoaoo, a beautiful chemical reaction, yeah that’s me…”
+After a few minutes, she darts out the door to be the first one in
+the bathroom.
+
+At School
+
+As the students enter the classroom, Helen gets her first peek at
+some of their projects. She observes Tima’s project and feels
+disheartened. Tima seems to be a promising student; Helen is not
+looking forward to having to scold her for not following
+instructions.
+
+After they have all settled, Helen comments, “I’m glad to see that
+all of you completed your projects. I’ll have each of you explain
+your projects one at a time.” She looks at Tima, “That’s a pretty
+picture, but the assignment was to make something that displays an
+abstraction. Please explain your project.”
+
+Timastands up and holds
+her\ `project <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/EulersRelation.jpg>`__\ in
+front of her, “Shakespeare used the sonnet to capture the very
+essence of love. In his painting, ‘\ \ `The Creation of
+Adam <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/TheCreationofAdam.jpg>`__\ ,’
+Michelangelo brings out the beauty of the human form that is far more
+than just skin deep. Euler’s equation reaches down into the very
+depths of existence. It brings together mental abstractions with
+origins in very different aspects of our lives, reminding us once
+again that things that connect and bind together are ultimately more
+important, more valuable, and more beautiful than things that
+separate.”
+
+Helen is both surprised and pleased. Although her artwork isn’t
+abstract, it does display an abstraction, so technically, Tima
+followed her instructions. “That’s very insightful. Please write down
+what you just told us and tape it to the back.”
+
+Tima– “Yes, Mrs. Girardi, it’s already there.”
+
+Helen – “Thank you. Lindsey, please explain your project…”
+
+At The Herald
+
+Kevin and Rebecca meet in the conference room. Kevin asks, “How’s
+Dan?”
+
+Rebecca – “He’s doing really well. He had another test this morning
+and his artery is healing. There’s no more turbulence near the nick.”
+
+Kevin – “That’s great news. When will they let him go home?”
+
+Rebecca – “They’ll do one more test in the morning, and if he passes
+again, they’ll let him go home tomorrow.”
+
+Kevin – “Well, if I can help in any way, just let me know.”
+
+Rebecca – “I’m not sure how next week will pan out yet. I may take
+you up on your offer.”
+
+Kevin turns his attention to the task at hand. Rebecca’s mood also
+changes with the transition. Kevin says, “This will go a lot easier
+if you have an open mind.”
+
+Rebecca – “I don’t like being called a racist!”
+
+Kevin – “I never said that, but my research does indicate that our
+stories have a racial bias. I think that rather than it being a
+conscious effort, it may be that our reporters have just become
+conditioned to report stories that way.”
+
+Rebecca – “Can you prove this?”
+
+Kevin rolls back from the computer and motions for Rebecca to take
+his place, “I’ve compiled links to all the stories reporting on
+violent crime in Arcadia.”
+
+Rebecca – “What are the red links?”
+
+Kevin – “They are all violent crimes, but the red links are murders.
+Click on any link you want and you’ll see what I mean.”
+
+Rebecca complies and reads from the story, ‘Mrs. Harrell was a black
+single mother of three… Charles Stevenson has been arrested and
+charged with her murder…’ “Okay, so what’s your point? Mrs. Harrell
+is identified as being black.”
+
+Kevin – “Yeah, but Charles Stevenson isn’t. That’s part of the
+pattern. If the victim is black, their race is usually provided.
+However, if the criminal is black, their race is seldom mentioned.
+It’s a lie of omission.”
+
+Rebecca – “Okay, maybe it happens once in a while, but I can’t
+believe that it is as consistent as you say.”
+
+Kevin – “Click on another link.”
+
+Rebecca clicks on several more links and finds similar patterns. She
+gets defensive once again, “Okay, so maybe you’re right. What harm
+does it do if we don’t provide someone’s race in a story?”
+
+Kevin – “If race is relevant to a story in the first place, then it
+should be equally relevant for everyone in the story. The harm is
+that by being selective, we have created an illusion that there is no
+black crime in Arcadia. The reality is that blacks were responsible
+for 49% of all murders in Arcadia last year. Considering that blacks
+make up only about 12% of the population, that is quite a statistic
+being ignored.”
+
+Rebecca – “So, in that first story, you feel we should have provided
+Mr. Stevenson’s race.”
+
+Kevin – “Or not have provided Mrs. Harrell’s. Would her death have
+been less tragic had she been white, married, or not had children?”
+
+Rebecca – “No, of course not!”
+
+Kevin – “Then her race is irrelevant, unless there is another motive
+for providing it.”
+
+Rebecca – “And that motive would be?”
+
+Kevin – “You know very well the motive. It’s the same reason that
+Charles Stevenson’s race was not mentioned. Listen, all I’m saying is
+that we should provide our readers with the facts, all of the
+relevant facts, and let them decide what to do with them.”
+
+Rebecca – “Will that change anything?”
+
+Kevin – “Maybe, maybe not. The light of the truth can be harsh to
+those who have been in the dark, but it will also set them free.”
+
+Rebecca – “Well, that’s very Platonic of you, but that doesn’t answer
+my question. What good can come from this?”
+
+Kevin – “Okay, how about that the first step toward finding a
+solution to a problem is to acknowledge that it exists.”
+
+Rebecca ponders their discussion for a few moments, and then she
+responds, “Okay, I’ll think about it over the weekend and let you
+know on Monday.”
+
+At the Police Station
+
+Carlisle – “I got Dr. Thompson’s statement. It agrees with the other
+statements of those who were there. I’ll have it typed up in a few
+minutes.”
+
+Will – “Good, send a copy to Mimi when you have it finished.”
+
+Carlisle – “Will do, boss.”
+
+Will – “Oh, are you still working as security for the dance tomorrow
+night?”
+
+Carlisle – “No, Principal Chadwick decided that he didn’t want armed
+security guards. The school is a gun free-zone, yuh know.”
+
+Will – “What if someone gets a weapon past the security?”
+
+Carlisle – “Then we’ll have shock and awe at Arcadia High.”
+
+Will – “That’s not a comforting thought!”
+
+Carlisle – “Those are the rules.”
+
+At School
+
+Students once again bring their projects into the classroom. Most
+place them on their desks or against the wall. Adam brought an easel
+with his and places
+his\ `painting <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/MirrorBallAmbigram.jpg>`__\ prominently
+near Helen’s desk.
+
+After allowing a few other students to show their projects, Helen
+calls on Adam, “Adam, tell us about your project.”
+
+Adam – “Well, as you might have guessed, I made this for the dance
+tonight. I have used an ambigram character set to write along each
+side of the painting. An ambigram is an abstract letterform that
+still produces a recognizable letter for each character. Each side
+reads ‘Adam and Joan’ or ‘Joan and Adam’, depending upon how you look
+at it.”
+
+The students begin to cock their heads from side to side, trying to
+read the writing. Expressions like, awesome, that’s really cool,
+radical, way to go space cadet, and even one nifty permeate the
+classroom.”
+
+Helen – “Good work, Adam. I’ll let you take it with you, but I’ll
+need it back to grade it.”
+
+Adam – “It’s no problem Mrs. G. I plan to let Joan take it home after
+the dance.”
+
+At School
+
+The gymnasium is bustling with activity. More volunteers than just
+the sub-defectives have arrived to help prepare it for the dance. The
+gender is predominately female, some being old friends, others not so
+much friends, and still others with faces only familiar from the
+halls of Arcadia High. Some notables are Cheryl, Heidi, and Tracy,
+three cheerleaders that Joan actually likes; skater girl, without her
+skates; and Iris with her Eagle camera. Ms. Lischak is also present
+to supervise.
+
+Several of the boys are working to hoist the mirror ball up to the
+ceiling. Adam is assisting Clay Fisher who is integrating a CD player
+into the gyms PA system. Clay will be the DJ for tonight’s dance. The
+equipment is on ‘loan’ from Arcadia’s Mix-FM.
+The girls are taking turns hanging decorations. They only have three
+ladders and one is being used to install the mirror ball. All is
+going well, so Ms. Lischak decides to visit the girl’s room. When she
+returns, she finds that the cheerleader’s have begun using a human
+pyramid to hang decorations. Ms. Lischak credits them for their
+ingenuity, but she has also seen several of their performances during
+this year’s football season. She offers this advice, “Please remember
+that intelligent falling is no substitute for the law of selective
+gravity: An object will always fall so as to do the maximum damage.”
+She assigns two boys as spotters.
+
+Joan and Elizabeth set up a table with ice, a variety of soft drinks,
+and sweet iced tea. Grace provides two sheets of carrot cake, both
+iced with white frosting. Elizabeth is cutting them into portions for
+the party afterward.
+
+After the mirror ball and lights are tested, the third ladder becomes
+available. This speeds up the placement of the remaining decorations.
+When finished, all stand to marvel at their creation.
+
+Joan approaches Tima, “We have one last thing to do. Come with me.”
+
+Joan leads Tima into the girl’s locker room. There they find Tima’s
+mother waiting for them.
+
+Mrs. Fakiri has a large bag on her lap, “Here, put these on.”
+
+Tima– “Umm, why are you here?”
+
+Mrs. Fakiri – “Because Joan invited me. Just be quiet and put these
+on.”
+
+Time – “Yes Umm.”
+
+The dress is similar in style to the ones she normally wears, but
+this one is yellow, decorated with large beautiful white flowers. She
+has also provided matching shoes. After Tima dons the new dress, Joan
+brushes and places a matching silk flower in her hair. When finished,
+Joan takes her hand and says, “Close your eyes and come with me.”
+
+Joan, Tima, and Mrs. Fakiri return to the gymnasium. When they
+arrive, Joan says to Tima, “Open your eyes.”
+
+With the lights dimmed, the mirror ball rotates, reflecting
+intermittent beams of light that are being flashed upon it. Tima
+asks, “What’s going on?”
+
+Joan – “You said you couldn’t dance with boys, right?”
+
+Tima– “Yes, that is true. I’m not allowed.”
+
+Joan presents her arm to the room, inviting Tima to look around, “Do
+you see any boys here?”
+
+All the boys have gone. A song begins to play over the PA. Tima looks
+at her mother. Her mother answers her silent query, “Go have fun.”
+
+For the next two hours, Tima enjoys dancing and talking with her new
+friends.
+
+At Home
+
+Helen – “Is everything ready for the dance tonight?”
+
+Joan – “Everything but me.Did you pick up my dress from the
+cleaners?”
+
+Helen – “It’s in your room. Would you like some lunch?”
+
+Joan – “No, I had too much carrot cake. I’m just going to take a nap
+so that I’ll be ready to dance the night away.”
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Joan once again makes a staircase entrance, but this time, it’s
+anything but glamorous. Judith pops in at the last minute to suggest
+that she make some changes. Judith suggests that she wear a pair of
+two-tiered
+droplet\ `earrings <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/Multi-coloreddropletearrings.jpg>`__\ that
+Joan purchased on a whim several months ago. They were a thrift store
+special that she had stuffed, bag and all, into her dresser drawer,
+where they lay forgotten until now. Leave it to Judith to note that
+the outer two stones perfectly match the color of her dress. Judith
+also suggests changing the color of her eye shadow and lipstick. When
+Joan looks at herself one last time in the mirror, she agrees with
+Judith’s assessment, “That’s Joanith shining through.”
+
+Joan hurries down the stairs, “I know; I’m sorry I’m late. I had to
+accommodate the spiritual realm before I could come down.” This just
+adds wonder to the awe of her appearance. Their expressions prompt an
+explanation. Joan laughs, “Judith paid me a visit.”
+
+Adam is mesmerized. Although it is a different color, the style of
+her dress is nearly the same as the one she wore when she offered him
+a gift. She has never looked more beautiful, but for Adam, that is a
+daily occurrence. Ma and Pa Girardi are both clutching handkerchiefs,
+each wondering which one will need to use them first. Kevin wonders
+how he failed to notice when his little sister became a woman. Luke
+is just a basket case, knowing that his turn is next.
+
+Adam offers Joan a wrist corsage. Both are pleased to see that one of
+its wildflowers matches perfectly with her dress. Joan offers in
+return a kiss, a thank you, and a boutonniere.
+
+Luke – “Come on, we’re late. Grace likes late, but only if it’s her.
+Let’s go.”
+
+Just then, Joan’s cell phone rings. Grace queries, “Where are you,
+Girardi?”
+
+Joan – “We’re on our way.”
+
+Grace – “Ripley’s been calling, wanting to get a picture of me in
+this dress. Get your butt over here!”
+
+Joan – “We’ll be there soon. I’m sure you look beautiful.”
+
+Helen – “Go have fun. Be home by eleven.”
+
+Joan – “Mom, we might want to get something to eat afterward.”
+
+Will – “Okay, call us when you leave the dance.”
+
+Joan can see that Luke is a nervous wreck. She grabs the keys from
+his hand, “Adam’s driving.” Luke surrenders without protest and they
+scurry out to the car.
+
+At the Polonsky’s, they all walk up to the door together. Joan knows
+that the parents will want to see all of them, not just Luke. She
+also expects that he may need moral support. She remembers her
+butterflies when she and Adam went on their first real date. She will
+be there for him if he needs help.
+
+To Joan’s surprise, Luke does rather well. Grace is the only one who
+appears nervous. She is self-conscious, but she and her mother have
+done a wonderful job. There isn’t anything anti about her. Her skirt
+is made of a pleated teal blue silk that flows down to about
+mid-calf. The top of her gown has white silk crisscrossing her bosom
+and puffy teal blue short sleeves. All of her accessories match, and
+her hair and makeup are perfect. In Luke’s eyes, she is a goddess of
+imaginary light. After they exchange flowers, all leave for the
+dance.
+
+At the Mirror Ball
+
+As in years past, Mr. Price waits at the entrance, ready to pounce on
+anyone that he feels deserves it. Fortunately, all are able to pass
+without losing any miraculous things.
+
+Inside, the mirror ball reflects light like rain; its color slowly
+changing from red, to green, then to blue, with all the colors in
+between. Joan watches the array of stars float around the room,
+giving a stillness that contrasts with the dancing teens. Friedman
+approaches with a girl on his arm. Her green soul window eyes sparkle
+as she smiles at him. She is about 4’ 9” tall and probably weighs
+less than 100 pounds wet. She has a beautiful figure, with just the
+right combination of muscle tone and curves. Imagine an ebony\ `Mary
+Lou
+Retton <http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/mshaffer2/MaryLouRetton.jpg>`__\ .
+Friedman shouts, “Hi, this is Mel. Mel, these are my friends.”
+
+All greet her and provide their names, but shouting at each other
+precludes a real conversation. Joan suggests that they get some
+punch, sit, and talk, “Adam, would you go ask Clay to turn the volume
+down a little?”
+
+Grace – “Hey, I’ll go with you. I’m anti-claymation.”
+
+Grace and Adam leave, and within a few minutes, the volume of the
+music becomes tolerable.
+
+Joan – “Wow, that’s better. Now we can talk. I love your dress and
+those earrings are amazing.”
+
+Mel – “Thank you. My mother brought them back as a gift from her last
+trip to Jamaica. I love things that are handmade.”
+
+Joan – “Are you from there? I’ve only met one person from Jamaica. He
+was a terrible singer.”
+
+Mel – “Me, no, I was born here… well, in Montgomery County. We moved
+to Arcadia when I was five. My dad and uncle work for the community
+center.”
+
+A slow melody begins to play. Joan feels a tap on her shoulder,
+“Would you like to dance?” Joan is overwhelmed with a rush of déjà vu
+as the dream she had discounted begins to play out. Adam, the room,
+the music, everything is as she remembers. They walk out onto the
+dance floor and begin a waltz. Elizabeth was right, but she totally
+understated Adam’s ability. Time stands still as they float around
+the room, much like the figurines on her music box, escaping into a
+world of their own.
+
+After several numbers, the group gathers once again to rest. Ms.
+Lischak walks over, “Greetings kinesiology specimens. I’m glad to see
+that everyone is enjoying themselves.”
+
+Glynis– “Oh, we are, although Sean and I aren’t the best dancers.”
+
+Joan – “Sister Sarah has actually talked about that. When I’m
+learning a new dance, I find it helpful, but if I think about it
+while I’m doing it, I usually mess up. I just try to do what feels
+right.”
+
+Ms. Lischak – “Whether it is cognizant or subliminal, all of you
+participate.” She briefly looks out into the room and then back to
+the group, “The ocular presentation that you have fashioned is quite
+impressive. God’s eldest daughter rippling through space,
+quaquaversally reflecting, refracting, focusing, and dispersing, all
+in tune with the angular momentum of the sphere. The visual
+consequence of the medium-energy gauge boson chains raining upon the
+mirror ball is magnificent. Well done, photons.”
+
+Grace whispers to Luke, “There she goes again with her dirty talk.
+Why can’t she just say that it’s pretty?” Luke smiles without
+comment.
+
+Joan asks, “Um, Ms. Lischak, is your second best friend here?”
+
+Ms. Lischak smiles at her comment, “Yes, he’s here. He would actually
+like to talk to you. Let us have a dance and then you two can talk.”
+
+Ms. Lischak walks to the other side of the gymnasium, and then onto
+the dance floor with her significant other. Joan squints to see in
+the dim light, ‘Yes, it is him!’
+
+Joan feels another tap on her shoulder. Sean asks, “Would you like to
+dance?” Mel then asks Adam, Glynis asks Luke, and so on. They all
+return to the dance floor. It’s a fast song, so Joan begins to
+integrate some of the square dance moves that Cee-Cee taught her.
+Soon, they are dancing as a group, exchanging partners every few
+seconds.
+
+The next song is a slow one for Joan’s dance with Mr. Tuchman.
+Although there is not enough time for him to tell her everything that
+has happened, she does learn that he has gone back to college. He is
+about to complete another bachelor’s degree, this time in history. “I
+will be Arcadia High’s history teacher beginning in the fall.”
+
+Joan – “Really, that’s great!” Joan considers what he has told her,
+“Wait, what about Mr. Dreisbach?”
+
+Mr. Tuchman apologizes, “Oh, I’m sorry; I wasn’t supposed to let
+anyone know. He won’t publicly announce his retirement until the end
+of the year. When he told me of his plans, he did mention something
+about starting a jazz band.”
+
+Joan smiles, “So he can play the saxophone. Good for him.”
+
+When the song ends, Joan returns to be with her friends. She takes
+this opportunity to have another conversation with Mel. They seem to
+be opposites in many of their likes and dislikes. Mel loves to dive
+and Joan still fears it. Mel loves Koala bears and hats, and you know
+Joan’s thoughts on that subject. However, Mel has a darling
+personality and is a pleasure to talk with. With the experiences
+Friedman has had with girls, Joan is pleased that he has found such a
+jewel.
+
+The mirror ball seems to abate its rotation with the waning of the
+evening. Joan wonders what song to choose for the last dance. A
+melody begins to play in her head, one that she has heard on one of
+her father’s records. Its lyrics resonate, not only for this evening,
+but also for the events of this past week. After arranging it with
+Clay, she pulls Adam once again out onto the dance floor. She sings
+along as she and Adam dance to the music.
+
+*Do you believe in magic
+In a young girl’s heart
+How the music can free her
+Whenever it starts
+And it’s magic…*