The Old College Try
Everyone who’s ever been to school knows that “ten minutes ‘til 2” feeling you get right before the bell rings. They’re the longest 10 minutes of your life. You just can’t stop watching the clock. As far as Ana, Haylie, Jared, Kenny, and Nicole were concerned, school’s end just couldn’t come fast enough, because when school ended, Kids Incorporated began.
Flip always enjoyed seeing the relieved looks on their faces when they first got out. “Oh, so that was the bell I heard!” he said as they basked in their freedom. “Long day, huh?”
“The longest!” replied Jared. “I thought I’d never see daylight again!”
“Most of the day wasn’t so bad,” Ana said, “but I’ve got math for my last class, and the last thing I want to be thinking about is numbers.”
“You think you have trouble concentrating?” Nicole said to her. “I was in the science lab, and I messed up my experiment. My teacher said I had to start all over again, with only 5 minutes left! I almost didn’t make it.”
“You guys make it sound like the teachers are out to get you.” said Flip.
“They could be.” Haylie said. “All they care about is learning. We didn’t wanna spend all day in school. We’re young. We need to have fun.”
“Hey, we won’t be young forever, guys.’ Kenny said suddenly. “We’ll need that education someday.”
“Someday, not today.” Nicole reminded him. “And Haylie’s right. If it was up to teachers, we’d spend all our time studying.”
“They just want you to get good grades so you can get into college.”
“Well then, they must love you.” said Ana.
“Yeah.” added Jared. “Your A’s are so straight, they make the rest of the alphabet look crooked!”
Kenny laughed. “Okay, okay. So I’m a brain. But right now, my brain tells me it’s time to rock! C’mon!”
“And no more “s “-word for the rest of the day.” said Haylie “Deal?”
“Oh, yeah.” said Jared emphatically. The others agreed.
Everyone felt better after a song and some well deserved refreshments at the counter. Their peace was soon shattered, however, by an unwelcome guest.
“Flip, there’s a fly in here.” Nicole complained, swatting it away.
“A fly? In my P*lace? This is an eating establishment! We can’t have flies!” Flip found an old menu and rolled it up, waving it threateningly. “I don’t see any...Wait! There he is!” He swung and missed by a mile. “Hold still, you little...” He chased the fly all around the front of the P*lace, narrowly missing hitting an old friend of theirs.
“Charlie!” they greeted him.
“Hey, Charlie!”
“Charlie! Hi!”
“Hi, you guys! How’s the band been? You sound great!” said Charlie.
“We’re doing good now.” answered Kenny. “Have you met Jared and Nicole?”
Charlie’s face fell. “Aw, so you had a few spots open? Wish I woulda known. I would have been here.”
“It was kind of on short notice.” Haylie told him. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry, Charlie. We’ll get you someday.” said Ana.
“That’s all right.” he said. “I’m glad you’re still in business, keeping those microphones warm for me!”
“Speaking of staying in business,” Flip said, “If you guys see that fly again, would you whack it for me? I don’t need the Board of Health coming down on me.”
“Take it easy, Flip. It’s just one fly.” Jared soothed. “You’re looking at a champion fly swatter here. I’ve gotten hundreds of them. Why, just hearing my name strikes fear into the hearts of little flies everywhere...ow!” he yelled as Nicole hit him with the menu.
“It was on your head…Champ.” she said.
“All part of my master plan.” Jared assured her, never losing his cool. “See, you just thought I didn’t know it was there.”
“Forget the fly for now.” Flip interrupted him. “It’s closing time. You guys have that “s”-word tomorrow.” They groaned all the way out the door.
Kenny was the last to arrive the next afternoon, and he had that “10 ‘til 2” feeling all throughout rehearsal.
“What’s with you? You act like you don’t wanna be here.” said Haylie.
“Something weird happened in sch - that place we were today.” Kenny explained.
“Weird how?” Ana asked.
“My guidance counselor talked to me today - about early admission.”
“Aren’t you a little young to go to college?” asked Nicole.
“Not really. And my grades are good enough.”
“Kenny, that crack I made the other day,” Jared said, “I didn’t mean it. You’re not a nerd or anything. I’m sure you’re just as dumb as the rest of us.”
“Thanks, Jared,” Kenny glared at him, “but I think I will apply to some colleges. The worst they can say is no. What have I got to lose?”
“How ‘bout us?” Ana protested. “How will you have time for college and a band? I know you’re good in school, Kenny, but even you can’t do it all.” They left. At that moment, Kenny didn’t feel very smart at all.
By the next afternoon, Kenny had gotten the opinions of his parents, all his teachers, his neighbors, even his mailman. Most of them came down on the side of college. But Kenny himself still couldn’t decide. He sought out Flip.
“Hey, Flip, can I ask you a qu-”
“WAIT! Don’t...move.” The fly had finally settled on a napkin dispenser, and Flip crouched over it like a cat, ready to strike. “So. We meet again.” At first, Kenny thought he was talking to him, but realized with a grin that Flip was addressing the fly. “Say your prayers, insect!” He hit the dispenser and napkins flew everywhere. “Did I get him? Did I get him?” he shouted.
“Uhhh...doesn’t look like it.” Kenny told him.
“Man! Did you need something?” He listened as Kenny told him about his counselor’s offer and his friends’ resentment.
“What do you think I should do?” Kenny asked.
“Well, on the one hand, furthering your education is always good.”
“Yeah, so says just about everyone I’ve ever met.”
“But you know, there’s no need to rush into things. You’re a bright guy. You could get into college whenever you wanted.”
“But everyone else seems to think...”
“Don’t worry about what everyone else thinks! What do you want to do?”
“Find a cave to hide in and wait until this all blows over.”
Flip just chuckled and left Kenny to his thoughts. He was slumped in a chair when Charlie came in.
“Hey, buddy.” Charlie said, “You’re looking kinda down. Where is everybody?”
“Well, I can tell you where they won’t be - with me. I really blew it with them. They think I’m gonna desert them to go to college.”
“Well, are you?”
“Not intentionally! Besides, it’s only one year earlier. I did plan on going sometime in the near future. I don’t know what their problem is.”
“All I know is, if I had friends like them, I wouldn’t be in such a hurry to leave.”
“Really?” Kenny said quietly. It was time to put his legendary brain to use.
School had barely ended when Kids Inc. got to the P*lace. “Do you guys know why Kenny wants us all here early?” Jared asked.
“Not to say goodbye, I hope.” said Haylie.
“Maybe he changed his mind and wants to apologize.” suggested Nicole.
“Then why all the secrecy?” Ana wondered. “Where is he, already?”
They were thinking about leaving when Kenny finally showed up. “Sorry, guys. Things didn’t turn out quite the way I planned.”
“You are leaving!” said Haylie.
“Not this year, Haylie.”
“So, you’re staying?” asked Jared.
“Well, not exactly.”
“What else is there?” asked Ana.
“Well, I took my guidance counselor’s advice and applied for early admission. A couple of the colleges were impressed by my grade point average.”
“Then you’re going to college?” Nicole asked him.
“Hold on! I said they liked my grades, but that’s not enough.”
“It’s not?” asked Haylie.
“My counselor said they were looking for well-rounded students. That means they’re really involved in school, you know, clubs, sports, volunteering. Colleges like that sort of thing. And, well, my only extracurricular activity is the band.”
They were confused. “Okay, so if you’re not going to college,” said Ana, “then where are you going?”
“To get involved.” Kenny said. “By this time next year, I’ll have something to put on an application that’ll guarantee me admission to any college. And that’s what I wanted to talk to you guys about. I might be a little short on time once I get going, so you’re gonna need somebody to take my place.” In walked Charlie. “It’s all yours.” Kenny said to him.
Charlie beamed. “Yes! Thanks, man, I’ll never forget this.”
“That was real nice of you, Ken.” said Flip.
“Hey, look!” Nicole said suddenly. Charlie had left one of the doors to shut on its own, and just before it did, the fly buzzed right on out.
“Phew!” Flip breathed a sigh of relief “Looks like my problems are over, too.”
“Too bad we didn’t get to see any of Jared’s champion fly swatter techniques.” Haylie remarked.
“Are you kidding?” said Jared. “Why do you think that fly high-tailed it out of here so fast? He heard ol’ Jared was here, and he couldn’t get away fast enough.”
“Do flies even have tails?” wondered Ana.
Charlie looked bewildered, so Kenny patted him on the shoulder. “Welcome to my life, dude.” he joked. He would stick around just long enough for Charlie’s initiation concert, and then head to school to join whatever he could. It seemed useless to him, though. Everyone knew as well as he did that joining Kids Incorporated was the smartest thing he’d ever done.
