by John Grisham
Chapter 7
Friday morning, the last day of the dreadful tests. The ordeal was almost over, and Theo was so excited about the weekend he demolished his Cheerios and left home ten minutes early.
The mood was considerably lighter as the eighth graders gathered in the auditorium. Pete had a smile on his face, the first of the week. April smiled and nodded at Theo from across the room. The teachers passed out the exams, and at precisely nine o’clock they began. Theo attacked the test as never before, as if the clock would move faster if he kicked into high gear. It did not, but for the first time all week he felt comfortable with the material. The morning session was all about history, an easy subject for Theo. He nailed one question after another.
At 12:30, it was over. The proctor called “Time,” thanked the students for their hard work and diligent efforts and on and on, and told them to go have lunch. At 1:30, they were dismissed early, and fifteen minutes later, Theo was at the VFW with the other Scouts, all chatty and excited and ready to go. His father had delivered his backpack and a change of clothes. The Major was barking orders here and there, going through his usual drill sergeant routine, but he, too, was eager to hit the road. He weighed each backpack—Theo’s came in at thirty pounds, two ounces—and growled at Woody and Hardie who were two pounds over. They quickly unpacked, discarded a few items, and made the limit. All in all, the Major was pleased that his boys had packed so carefully. He went through a checklist to make sure each had included the essentials—primarily food and toilet paper—and told them to load up. They piled everything into the Troop 1440 bus, one bought from the school district and painted Army green, and by 2:30 they were leaving Strattenburg with the Major at the wheel and the fifteen Scouts whooping and hollering. They settled down once the town was behind them and most fell asleep.
Two hours later they rolled into the Sassaqua National Park. A ranger directed the Major to a spot to leave the bus, checked the boys into the register, showed them where the new trail began, and suggested a camping spot five miles in. The first stretch was easy and he was certain they could make it before dark. “Good luck,” he said as they slung their backpacks onto their shoulders. As they hurried away, he said, “Watch out for the bears. They’re everywhere.”
The Major took the lead and set a furious pace. He was sixty years old, exercised every day, and could do more push-ups and sit-ups nonstop than any of his Scouts. Within twenty minutes, they were sweating and breathing heavy. But they pressed on as the shadows grew longer. Things were darker in the dense woods. The trail was narrow, in many places less than two feet wide, with gullies and ravines on both sides. They began a gradual incline that seemed to go on for miles, and when they reached the top the Sassaqua River could be seen in the distance. “We need to hurry,” the Major said after a quick rest. The trail curled through the woods and went downhill. A few rays of fading sunlight lit the campsite as they arrived, and they hurriedly unpacked and got organized. The Major laid out a tight circle around a fire pit, built a fire, and began boiling water, barking orders nonstop. The boys quickly assembled their small tents.
Theo selected freeze-dried beef stroganoff for his evening dinner, and when mixed with hot water it was delicious. Dessert was an energy bar, which tasted like rubber, but who really cared? He was deep in the woods, far from home, far away from school, and at that moment had nothing to worry about. The Major, whose backpack was slightly larger than the others and had not gone through the trial of being weighed, produced a bag of marshmallows. They roasted them on sticks and wiped out the entire bag as the Major told horror stories of campers being eaten by huge bears and vicious cougars and wild boar hogs.
He had a lot of stories, the best of which he seemed to save for those moments when he was deep in the woods with a bunch of city boys. Every story ended badly, at least for the campers, but the Scouts had learned over the years that they were all tall tales.
Nevertheless, given where they were, the stories set the tone for the evening. There were jokes, other tales from the Scouts, a few true stories about other camping misadventures, but as the night wore on and grew darker, every sound became ominous. The Scouts began to believe that they were being watched by all manner of hungry beasts, or even runaway criminals. Around nine o’clock, the Major called for lights-out, and they retreated to their tents, zipping the flies tightly.
Theo tucked himself into his sleeping bag, which was warm and comfortable. He wasn’t afraid. He’d camped enough with the Major to know that he would protect them. Instead, he savored the moment, listening to the sounds of the thick woods as his imagination went into overdrive. A bad week was ending in a wonderful way. Tomorrow would be a grand adventure.
He was thirteen and unwilling to grow older. The entire week had been about the future, about testing for placement in high school and the mysteries of the ninth grade. Theo liked where he was in life. He loved scouting and camping. He liked his school and his friends and teachers. He liked being a boy on a bike zipping around the town. If he got into trouble his excuse was always, “Hey, I’m just a kid.” That worked most of the time.
Why couldn’t a kid stay thirteen forever?
The forest grew still as the animals and beasts fell asleep. Theo, too, finally drifted away.
Chapter 8
For the next two weeks, school life was normal as the eighth graders recovered from the ordeal of being tested. In fact, the tests were so unpleasant they were never discussed. But they were not forgotten. The scores would be ready “in about two weeks,” according to Mr. Mount and the other teachers. As the days passed, a soft drumbeat began as the countdown gained momentum. Every student was convinced he or she had bombed the tests and would be sent straight to the “slow track,” a fate that meant utter failure and embarrassment. A few, namely Woody, boasted of deliberately blowing the tests so they could be deemed dummies and practically ignored in high school. Mr. Mount said things didn’t work that way. Those on the Remedial track received a lot of attention, as did those in Honors.
One morning in homeroom, Mr. Mount finally delivered the solemn news. “Hey, everybody, I have the test results.” He was holding a thick file. Everyone stared at it and took a deep breath. He continued, “As I have explained, your scores are lumped into a pool with the eighth-grade scores from Central and East middle schools. Students who score in the top ten percent from the pool qualify for the Honors track next year at Stattenburg High. This year the magic number is ninety-one. If your overall score is ninety-one or better, then congratulations. If your score is sixty-three or below, then you qualify for some more interesting classes. If you’re between sixty-three and ninety-one, you will be on what’s called the Intermediate track. Any questions?”
No one said a word.
As he began passing out envelopes, he said, “I’m going to hand each of you your score in an envelope. This is a private matter, something to discuss with your parents and not to talk about during school. Understand?”
Right, Theo thought. Everyone will know everyone’s score by lunch.
He opened the official-looking envelope with his full name printed on the front. There were a lot of numbers, but the most important one was at the bottom: Overall Score: ninety. He had failed to make Honors by one point.
Ike had told him that in life there’s always someone smarter, faster, stronger, and so on, so don’t expect to be number one in everything. Just try your best and deal with the rest. Theo was not the smartest kid in his class. Chase was a genius, a mad scientist who aced every test with little effort. Joey studied hard and made perfect grades. Aaron was extremely bright and very lazy, but always did well on standardized tests. Theo figured he would land around number four or five if the class was ranked, which it was not. Still, though, it was a disappointment not to make Honors.
The room was silent until Woody said, “Hot dog! Stuck in the middle where I’ll get lost in the crowd.”
“That’s enough, Woody,” Mr. Mount said. “Please do no
t discuss your scores until you’ve talked to your parents.” The bell rang, the boys hustled out of the room, and by the time they arrived at Spanish they knew that Chase, Joey, and Aaron had made Honors, and Theo had not. Darren would begin high school on the “slow track,” which was no surprise to anyone but perhaps Darren himself. He looked devastated and near tears.
Madame Monique taught Spanish and was Theo’s second-favorite teacher. After fifteen minutes, she realized the boys were not paying attention, that their minds were occupied with other matters, so she closed the textbook and gave them an easy written assignment to do in class.
Theo’s father would be disappointed. His mother probably would not. She despised the tests to begin with. Ike would be nonchalant and tell him to study harder, to show the people who ran the schools that he could outwork everybody else. Why was Theo sitting in Spanish and worrying about what the adults would say? This irritated him. So much of his life was geared to pleasing his parents, his teachers, even Ike. Why couldn’t he just do his homework, do his best on all his tests, and let his life run its course without worrying about the adults?
Second-period geometry wasn’t much better. By then the students were openly talking about their scores and who made “it” and who didn’t. Most seemed surprised that Theo had not done better.
At lunch he went to find April, but she was not in the cafeteria. He bumped into Pete, who looked as sad as Darren. He whispered to Theo that he had blown the tests and was headed for a rough start in the ninth grade. He said he might drop out, just like his father had quit in the tenth grade. Theo tried to offer encouragement, but it didn’t work. Pete thanked him, said his dad was doing okay in rehab, and that things had settled down around the house.
As Theo walked across the playground, alone, he wondered how a kid like Pete was supposed to do well on the tests when his home life was in such turmoil. How can a student focus when his father is in and out of jail?
He found April in Ms. Bondurant’s art room, and one look said it all. She was by herself, eating an apple, and when she saw Theo she began crying. He sat beside her and said, “Come on, April, it’s not the end of the world. I didn’t make it either, but we’ll do fine anyway.”
She bit her lip, wiped her cheeks, and said, “You didn’t make it, Theo?”
“No. Almost. Missed it by a point.”
“Me too.” She clenched her jaws in an effort to stop crying. “It’s just that the best art classes are for the Honors kids. That’s all I want, Theo, to study art and to make art.”
“And you will, April. Nothing can stop you from becoming a great artist. There’ll be plenty of courses for you, and for me, and for everyone else. Strattenburg High School is one of the best in the state, for everybody. Let’s get over this.”
“What will your parents say?”
“I don’t care. I swear I don’t. It’s not like they’re sending us off to a reform school. We’re going to do fine in high school.”
“My mom won’t care either. And, of course, my dad is rarely at home. At least your parents care what happens to you.”
“Come on, April. We’re going to be okay.”
“I can’t believe Hallie Kershaw made it. She’s such a brat, and she’s already bragging about it.”
Hallie was the cutest and most popular girl in the eighth grade, and Theo, like most boys, had a secret crush on her. “Is that all you’re eating for lunch?” he asked, nodding at the apple.
“Yes, you want some?”
“No thanks. I really want a taco. That’s what they’re serving today, so let’s go eat a taco, okay?”
“Thanks, but I’ll stay here. I just want to hide.”
“Well, you can’t hide, April. Life goes on.”
They sat in silence for a moment or so. She said, “You know, Theo, I don’t mean this in a bad way, but I feel better knowing that you didn’t make it either. I mean, I wanted you to do well and all, so don’t get me wrong. It’s just that you’re about the only close friend I have around here. I guess this means we’ll have some of the same classes next year.”
“I know, I know. My dad always says, ‘Misery loves company.’ So I understand. Right now we have a lot of company. Let’s go get a taco.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You’re never hungry, but you have to eat.”
“I don’t want to see anyone. It’s easier just to sit here and be miserable.”
“Okay, be miserable then. How about we meet at Guff’s for a frozen yogurt?”
“I don’t have any money, Theo.”
“Okay, then we’ll call it a date and I’ll treat. Four o’clock?”
“I guess.”
“See you then.”
Mrs. Boone looked at Theo’s test summary and said nothing for a few minutes. Theo watched her face as he sat as low as possible in one of the two large leather chairs facing her desk. He tried to look pitiful, though he doubted she would be upset with him. Finally, she said, “One lousy point, and now they’ll keep you away from the best classes in high school. I knew I hated these tests. Now I really understand why.”
“Sorry, Mom,” Theo said, though he really didn’t feel that bad. “I’ll make straight A’s and show them.”
“Attaboy. Now go tell your father.”
Theo and Judge hustled up the stairs and found Mr. Boone at his desk. “Got some bad news, Dad,” he said as he handed over his paperwork. Mr. Boone chewed the stem of his pipe as he frowned at the numbers. “What happened in science?” he asked.
“I don’t know what happened, Dad. I did the best I could. Science has never been my favorite.”
“Then you should work harder there. One lousy point. If you had worked harder, you would have made Honors.”
“I really don’t think it’s the end of the world, Dad. Our high school has good teachers at every level.”
“But, Theo, you should always strive for the best. This is disappointing.”
“Sorry, Dad. I did the best I could. I’ve never done well on standardized tests, you know that.”
“That’s no excuse.”
“Mom is not upset. Why should you be?”
“I’m not upset, just disappointed. And I’m not your mother. She thinks these tests are a waste of time. I happen to think they’re very important. They measure how well the students are doing, and they keep the pressure on the teachers.”
“I can still graduate from high school with high honors, and that’s what I’ll do. I’ll show them.”
“Did Chase make it?”
Chase’s parents were best friends of the Boones. Theo almost blurted, “Why do you care about Chase?”—but bit his tongue. He knew there was competition between the parents, though he didn’t really understand it. He said, “Of course he made it.”
“Well, good for him. We’ll discuss this later. I’m very busy right now.”
Theo and Judge went to his office. He locked the door, fell into his chair, and stared at the wall. He could not remember the last time his father had said he was disappointed with something he’d done. It was a lousy feeling, and the longer he brooded the worse he felt.
Since it was Friday, the Boone family routine called for dinner at Malouf’s, an ancient Lebanese restaurant owned by an old couple who liked to yell at each other. The Boones always ate fish and the meal was usually pleasant. But things would be different tonight. Things would be tense because Mr. Boone would say something about Theo blowing the tests, and Mrs. Boone would rush to his defense. They rarely agreed on issues or events, but they kept their little feuds civilized. Theo decided, as he stared at the wall and rubbed his dog’s head, that he would remain in a foul mood. He would try his best to ruin dinner, and that would inspire his mother to go after his father.
He liked his plan. He and his mother would gang up on his dad and make him feel rotten.
At four, Theo left to meet April at Guff’s.
Chapter 9
As always, Theo slept late on Saturday m
orning, and when he finally ventured downstairs his mother was at the kitchen table, still in her robe, reading the morning newspaper and waiting for him. “How about some scrambled eggs and bacon, Teddy?”
“Sure. Thanks. Where’s Dad?”
“He’s running errands, said he’d be back at nine to pick you up. He’s excited about playing golf for the first time in a month. It’s a gorgeous day, a little on the cool side, but he’s ready to go.”
Dinner at Malouf’s had been the disaster Theo wanted. His father again expressed his disappointment at Theo’s performance on the tests. His mother disagreed sharply, and though they did not argue in public, they were pretty frosty with each other. Theo just pouted. The entire evening was tense, and Theo couldn’t wait to get home and run to his room.
“So Dad’s okay this morning?” Theo asked. His mother was at the stove, cracking eggs.
“Oh, sure, Theo. We’re lawyers, we disagree and argue, but no one carries a grudge. We’ve also been married for twenty-five years and know how to get along.”
“I don’t like it when Dad’s disappointed with me.”
“Theo, your father and I are very proud of you. You do your best in everything—scouting, debate, golf, schoolwork. He is not disappointed.”
“Well, that’s not what he said.”
“He said what he said, but he didn’t say it very well. I think he has some regrets, and he wants to play golf and talk about it.”
“Then I’m not sure I want to play.”
“Be a sport. How many eggs?”
“Two for me, two for the dog.”
“You might want to look at the newspaper and check out the headlines this morning.”
“What’s happened?”
“It’s all about the test scores. The city schools did very well.”
