ME, LAST YEAR; 42nd Installment

“I guess Miss Blount really was sick with the flu, huh, Jennifer?”

“Well, sure. What did you think?” she said.

“I kind of thought she was broken-hearted and stayed at home.”

“You mean because of Mr. Farraday?”

“Uh-huh, kind of.”

“I don’t know what everyone sees in him, anyway. He’s not so great.”

“Oh, he’s all right. It’s just that he’s so good looking, I guess, and he likes to fool around with the girls.”

“Looks aren’t everything. There’s other teachers who’re a lot nicer.”

“That’s true, even though he’s nice too. But can you imagine any of the kids getting a crush on Mr. Bryant? Or Mr. Henderson?”

“Oh yeah, they’re kind of old.”

“That's it! Mr. Farraday is young and good-looking, and fun and so no wonder all the girls run after him.”

“Well, I sure don’t. You don’t. Who’s all the girls?”

“You know - we always see a bunch of girls around him. Jane says half the girls in her class are in love with him.”

“Okay, I know what you mean. But you know what I think?”

“What?"

“I think he knows all that. Like, he knows he’s young and good-looking. And he knows half the girls in the school have a crush on him. That’s why he’s always running around in his shorts and gym outfit through the school. Like, he wants to see the girls running after him. I think he’s a juvenile, myself. He’s just too stuck on himself.”

“Maybe you’re right. Anyway, who cares?”

“I guess. You just wouldn’t ever see me running after anybody who loves himself that much.”

And I guess she’s right, in a way. It does seem like Mr. Farraday is very fond of himself. And he’s always fooling around with the girls. Like I know it’s harmless and stuff, because Mom says it is. She says it’s just because he’s a nice young man. But I guess Jennifer’s right too. He is kind of stuck on himself. Poor Miss Blount.

But he is a good teacher. I know, because Brian thinks he’s the greatest, and he even has Brian so enthusiastic that he does exercises in the recreation room every night. To keep in shape, he says. That got a big laugh out of dad, who suggested taking out the garbage, instead.