A story about being different and finding friendship<\/p>\n\n
Mary Vaster would rather drop dead than go to Gym class but on Monday morning at 10:30 a.m., she poured into the locker room with the other fifth grade girls. They changed at their lockers as Mary made her way through the noise. Please don\u2019t follow me\u2026Please don\u2019t follow me<\/em>, she whispered to herself as she passed by them. She had almost reached the toilet stall when Susan McCallister called out, \u201cA whole turkey for Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n Pushing her one-hundred seventy-seven-pound body into the stall, she locked the door and then sat on the toilet. While she undressed Mary listened to the girls laughing as if they were watching their favorite cartoon. She wanted to laugh with them, to have them talk to her, but they never did.\u00a0<\/p>\n Susan crawled into Mary\u2019s stall. Yelling to the others she said, \u201cMary has a bra on. What big tits she has.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGet out before I step on your face.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhale lady wants to squash my face,\u201d Susan laughed.<\/p>\n Mary lifted her leg as if she were going to stomp on Susan\u2019s pretty little face. After Susan scrambled away into the adjacent stall, Mary squeezed into her Fort Ridge Academy gym shirt. The synthetic material rubbed against her arms, and she bumped her elbow on the stall wall causing pain to shoot up to her shoulder. Putting on her shorts meant it was time to leave the stall.<\/p>\n Ever so slowly, Mary placed her school clothes into a locker. It was August, only the second week of school and already she wanted to change schools. I look like an elephant <\/em>she told herself as she slunk into the gym wearing her yellow shirt and blue shorts. Knowing her dad wasn\u2019t going to let her change schools for the third time in two years just because people teased her, she charitably hoped to become invisible for him.<\/p>\n Susan, with her blonde ponytail bouncing from side to side, ran up to Mary showing her teeth in what could only be a deceitful smile. \u201cGet away from me. I mean it.\u201d Mary walked onto the basketball court.<\/p>\n \u201cI just want to be your friend,\u201d Susan said, getting on her tip toes to put an arm around Mary\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n \u201cNo you don\u2019t,\u201d Mary jerked away.<\/p>\n The other girls leaped into the air chanting, \u201cFat Mary needs to burn that fat.\u201d They trapped her in a circle of yellow shirts and blue shorts. She expected the girls to end their chant when Mr. Green stepped into the gym, but he seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease tell them to stop,\u201d she called out as Mr. Green walked pass them.<\/p>\n \u201cFat Mary needs to burn that fat.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShut up,\u201d Mary said even louder. \u00a0Kicking and punching but not really aiming for anyone, she caught only air and heat flooded her face. \u201cJust leave me alone.\u201d Mary reached out, this time grabbing Susan\u2019s dangling ponytail. She tugged hard, causing Susan to screech.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, alright that\u2019s enough,\u201d Mr. Green called out. He squeezed Mary\u2019s wrist until she released Susan\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n \u201cI asked you to make them stop.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you ok?\u201d he asked Susan.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but Fat Mary tried to kill me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cNo I didn\u2019t\u2013you liar!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCalm down everyone and lineup, we\u2019re playing volleyball today,\u201d Mr. Green stretched his arms and pointed, \u201cYou, you, you and you team captains. Four teams, six girls per team.\u201d He swiped his hand into the middle of the girls, \u201cYou ten here and you ten there.\u201d He pointed to the far court and then pointed at one of the team captains saying, \u201cHeads or tails.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHeads.\u201d she answered.<\/p>\n Mr. Green threw the coin into the air and then caught it. \u201cHeads it is. You pick first.\u201d<\/p>\n After the ninth-pick Mary looked down at the floor. She was the last pick which put her on Susan\u2019s team. \u201cOk fat Mary, I\u2019m stuck with you. You can serve first.\u201d Mary loved one thing about volleyball. She pounded the ball over the net. If only the school had co-ed gym classes, then she could see how she measured up against the boys. Susan positioned the other girls, and then said, \u201cOk serve now!\u201d<\/p>\n Mary\u2019s first serve was an ace, but no one cheered. After her next serve the ball came right back at Mary, her shoes squeaked on the floor as she positioned to hit the ball. She passed it to another girl who spiked it over the net. With sweat pouring down her face, feeling a little short of breath, she scored another point. It was seven to Zero.<\/p>\n \u201cLook at fat Mary move that fat,\u201d someone yelled out.<\/p>\n \u201cShut up and leave me alone.\u201d Her serve flew over the net. When the ball came to her again, she whacked it out of bounds causing a side-out.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst name Mary, last name Fat,\u201d the girls chanted as they rotated positions.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s play,\u201d someone shouted.<\/p>\n The server hit the ball over the net resuming the game. The other team aimed the ball at Mary, forcing her to chase around the court, going back and forth three, four and then five times they targeted her until they scored a point. A few side-outs later, Mary found herself at the net. Her heart pounded. For several serves, they spiked the ball right at her, showing their wicked glee every time they scored. Even the girls on her own team laughed at her. No one had to say it, when her team lost, she knew it was her fault.<\/p>\n The girls switched sides, readying themselves for another game. Mary walked over to Mr. Green, \u201cMay I get some water, please?\u201d<\/p>\n He stood up, looking past her, he said, \u201cOk girls, let\u2019s take a break. You got five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone ran to the water fountains at the back of the gym, wanting to be first, the girls pushed and shoved working to get a drink. Feeling cold, dizzy and drenched in her own sweat, Mary headed to the water fountains. Mary twitched, jerked her head and then opened her eyes. She focused on the white pellet Mr. Green held near her nose.<\/p>\n \u201cNurse needed at the gym,\u201d he said into his phone as she started to come around. \u201cStay here. Don\u2019t get up. The nurse is coming.\u201d When Mary started crying, Mr. Green looked down at her. \u201cMary,\u201d he said, with such gentleness, it surprised her. \u201cYou\u2019re okay. The nurse will check you over when she gets here. In the meantime, take some deep breaths.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she said crying.<\/p>\n Mr. Green changed positions and squatted beside her. He took both her hands, placing them over her chest, he said, \u201cPay attention to your breathing and relax yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone is looking at me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, all the girls are waiting in the hall. Please, stay calm and just wait for the nurse.\u201d<\/p>\n Moments after the gym door opened, Mary saw white shoes near her head. The nurse knelt beside her, \u201cListen sweetie,\u201d she said with the softest voice. \u201cI\u2019m Nurse Walters.\u201d She touched Mary\u2019s forehead. Mary looked up, relaxing in response to the nurse\u2019s soft copper eyes and the smile on her face. \u201cDo you feel any pain?\u201d Nurse Walters asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. Can I get up now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but do it slowly. First, roll onto your side and then sit yourself up.\u201d The nurse was a stocky woman, with large firm arms that easily reached around Mary to help her stand. \u201cLet\u2019s get you back to the nurse’s station.\u201d<\/p>\n In the nurse\u2019s office Mary drank juice, ate some crackers and felt the cool cloth on the back of her neck.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you eat breakfast, today?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I woke up late.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to eat and especially drink water too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t need to eat. Everyone already teases me,\u201d Mary played with the empty juice container.<\/p>\n Nurse Walters wrinkled her nose. \u201cDid your parents talk to your teachers about the other kids,\u201d the nurse asked pulling over a stool.<\/p>\n \u201cMy mom died three years ago, and my dad works all the time.\u201d Mary told the nurse all about how the girls picked on her every time she went to gym class.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright then, maybe we\u2019ll see about you coming to my office instead of going to your regular gym class?\u201d<\/p>\n Mary bounced down from the exam table. \u201cNo gym shorts?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNot at first. We\u2019ll work up to it.\u201d<\/p>\n On Wednesday morning, there was only a little old man in the nurse\u2019s office. He scribbled in a notebook. His hands moved across the page in short bursts as if he were working on something important. When Mary interrupted him, he looked over his glasses. \u201cYes, what do you need,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m here for Mrs. Walters,\u201d she handed him a hall pass.<\/p>\n \u201cHave a seat. \u00a0She will be back soon.\u201d He returned the pass and then wrote something in his notebook.<\/p>\n Mary waited several minutes, the whole time believing the nurse had forgotten about her. I bet this is what I\u2019ll do every day<\/em>, she thought, just sit here bored<\/em>. Although she didn\u2019t want to sit there bored to death looking at the old man write in his notebook, she did think it was way better than going to gym class.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry you had to wait.\u201d Nurse Walters said when she came into the room. She wore sneakers and a Fort Ridge gym uniform. She looked like a coach, not a nurse. Mary noticed how her leg muscles bulged like that page in her anatomy book, except with skin on them.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought you forgot.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope, here I am. I\u2019ll be back in an hour,\u201d she told the writing man.<\/p>\n Feeling like a duckling, Mary followed the nurse through the school and out of the building. They walked until they reached the Fort Ridge high school campus. Nurse Walters opened the gate with the key that hung around her neck. Mary stared at the black track, wondering if she had to run around it.<\/p>\n \u201cReady to start?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo I have to run?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, we\u2019re going to walk. Our goal is one mile. That\u2019s four times around.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to just die.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou won\u2019t die. See the benches around the track?<\/p>\n \u201cYes Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe can stop anytime you need a break.\u201d<\/p>\n They stepped on to the track. Mary walked slow, but nurse Walters didn\u2019t seem to notice. The hot sun burned into her back as she moved around the track. They were only halfway around but Mary\u2019s heart pounded in her ears and her breathing got louder too.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s take a rest.\u201d The nurse gave Mary a bottle of water. \u201cHow is the school year so far?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI love my classes. Especially biology, math and anatomy. And the teachers don\u2019t allow teasing in class.\u201d Mary told her all about dissecting a frog. She liked the way the nurse\u2019s eyes grew wide when she talked about taking out the heart. Nurse Walters even laughed when Mary said, \u201cThe boys were scared, but not me.\u201d<\/p>\n The nurse stood. \u201cOk, lets walk a bit more,\u201d she said. The next time Mary got winded, the nurse told her to take a sip of water. \u201cDo you know about walking games?\u201d<\/p>\n Mary shook her head and then put the cap back on her water.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s start with the alphabet game.\u201d<\/p>\n Mary liked the game because it took her mind off walking. As they completed their first lap around the track, Mary called out Appendix, Bread, Crabs and she added Doughnuts. They played the game all the way to S but stopped while Nurse Walters silenced her phone alarm saying, \u201cTime to head back.\u201d They cut across the grass at the center of the track and then walked out of the gate playing the alphabet game. Mary jumped around when the nurse forgot Tyrannosaurus because it meant she had won.<\/p>\n Three days a week, Mary met the nurse instead of going to gym class. After the first week, she went to the nurse\u2019s office for breakfast and lunch too. In there, she ate the special meals the nurse suggested to her father. Every few days, she\u2019d get a whole new box and her father never complained about paying for them. He said, \u201cNow, I don\u2019t have to worry about seeing after your eating.\u201d At home, she made her special dinner every day at 5:30, making sure to follow all of the instructions.<\/p>\n By October, she wore her gym clothes for their walks, but she got to change in the nurse\u2019s station. On the first Wednesday in October, Mary met Andy Johnson, a fragile looking boy with an exceptionally pale face. He was sitting in her chair when she came to the nurse\u2019s station.<\/p>\n \u201cGood Morning, Mary,\u201d Nurse Walters greeted her. \u201cThis is Andy. I asked him to walk with us. How does that sound?\u201d<\/p>\n It sounded awful. Mary didn\u2019t know what to say, having Mrs. Walters all to herself was fantastic. Working hard not to disappoint the nurse, she said, \u201cIt\u2019s okay, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n That day, nurse Walters walked with Andy. She instructed Mary to go around four-times. They were working up to six times around, so Mary knew the nurse was being nice on account of inviting Andy along. On her third lap Mary slowed to walk next to Andy. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with you?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI have arthritis,\u201d Andy answered walking like an old man.<\/p>\n \u201cMy grandma has that. I thought only old people got it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe has juvenile arthritis,\u201d nurse Walters answered. \u201cGo ahead with your laps. I know, you have at least one more to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Mary remembered how she liked it when Nurse Walters stayed with her. \u201cDo you know the alphabet game?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, never heard of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can teach you. First, what grade are you in?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m in sixth grade.\u201d<\/p>\n Mary explained the game and then called out \u201cApple\u201d starting with the easiest word of all. Andy added hard to remember words like biometrics, haggis and nauseated. After the second round, Nurse Walters said, \u201cYou two play fast. I\u2019m sitting this one out.\u201d The game got faster and the words harder but Mary loved it. When Andy got tired, Nurse Walters told Mary to keep walking while she and Andy rested. For the first time, Mary found herself wanting to speed around the track. The way she figured, the faster she got around the sooner she could talk to Andy.<\/p>\n For several weeks, they met in the nurse\u2019s station wearing their Fort Ridge gym clothes. Both Mary and Andy had advanced math and science classes. Their games expanded to multiplication and then to calling out the elements. Mary learned to get her laps done quick so that she could finish up with Andy.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, the last day before the Thanksgiving holiday, Andy found Mary at her locker. \u201cWant to come over for Thanksgiving,\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t your father going to be out of town?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but my aunt is coming to stay with me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFine, okay.\u201d Andy reached into his book bag. \u201cWant to come to my birthday party?\u201d<\/p>\n Mary lowered her head. She had lost more than thirty pounds, but people still teased her.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just going to be my parents, my two sisters and my brother. Oh, and my best friend James. You know him. He likes you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet me think about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s Saturday\u2026 next Saturday, so be there,\u201d he said and then headed off to class.<\/p>\n That night, she ate dinner and then went into her dad\u2019s office. \u201cCan I get some new clothes,\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n Her dad smiled, \u201cI\u2019ve been wondering when you were going to do that. All your clothes are so big on you now.\u201d<\/p>\n Mary hugged her dad. \u201cBut you\u2019re leaving for a whole month. I want to go to Andy\u2019s party wearing my new clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour Aunt Susan will be here. She can take you.\u201d<\/p>\n Having a woman to help pick out clothes sounded even better than having her dad go along. When she crawled into bed that night all she could think about was going to Andy\u2019s party. She was going to look so pretty in her new clothes.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t <\/div>\n\t \t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n\t \n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Walking Games. A short story about being different and finding friendship.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":975,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,23,24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growing-up-girl","category-short-stories","category-on-people","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"builder_content":" Mary Vaster would rather drop dead than go to Gym class but on Monday morning at 10:30 a.m., she poured into the locker room with the other fifth grade girls. They changed at their lockers as Mary made her way through the noise. Please don\u2019t follow me\u2026Please don\u2019t follow me<\/em>, she whispered to herself as she passed by them. She had almost reached the toilet stall when Susan McCallister called out, \u201cA whole turkey for Mary.\u201d<\/p> Pushing her one-hundred seventy-seven-pound body into the stall, she locked the door and then sat on the toilet. While she undressed Mary listened to the girls laughing as if they were watching their favorite cartoon. She wanted to laugh with them, to have them talk to her, but they never did.\u00a0<\/p> Susan crawled into Mary\u2019s stall. Yelling to the others she said, \u201cMary has a bra on. What big tits she has.\u201d<\/p> \u201cGet out before I step on your face.\u201d<\/p> \u201cWhale lady wants to squash my face,\u201d Susan laughed.<\/p> Mary lifted her leg as if she were going to stomp on Susan\u2019s pretty little face. After Susan scrambled away into the adjacent stall, Mary squeezed into her Fort Ridge Academy gym shirt. The synthetic material rubbed against her arms, and she bumped her elbow on the stall wall causing pain to shoot up to her shoulder. Putting on her shorts meant it was time to leave the stall.<\/p> Ever so slowly, Mary placed her school clothes into a locker. It was August, only the second week of school and already she wanted to change schools. I look like an elephant <\/em>she told herself as she slunk into the gym wearing her yellow shirt and blue shorts. Knowing her dad wasn\u2019t going to let her change schools for the third time in two years just because people teased her, she charitably hoped to become invisible for him.<\/p> Susan, with her blonde ponytail bouncing from side to side, ran up to Mary showing her teeth in what could only be a deceitful smile. \u201cGet away from me. I mean it.\u201d Mary walked onto the basketball court.<\/p> \u201cI just want to be your friend,\u201d Susan said, getting on her tip toes to put an arm around Mary\u2019s shoulders.<\/p> \u201cNo you don\u2019t,\u201d Mary jerked away.<\/p> The other girls leaped into the air chanting, \u201cFat Mary needs to burn that fat.\u201d They trapped her in a circle of yellow shirts and blue shorts. She expected the girls to end their chant when Mr. Green stepped into the gym, but he seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts.<\/p> \u201cPlease tell them to stop,\u201d she called out as Mr. Green walked pass them.<\/p> \u201cFat Mary needs to burn that fat.\u201d<\/p> \u201cShut up,\u201d Mary said even louder. \u00a0Kicking and punching but not really aiming for anyone, she caught only air and heat flooded her face. \u201cJust leave me alone.\u201d Mary reached out, this time grabbing Susan\u2019s dangling ponytail. She tugged hard, causing Susan to screech.<\/p> \u201cAlright, alright that\u2019s enough,\u201d Mr. Green called out. He squeezed Mary\u2019s wrist until she released Susan\u2019s hair.<\/p> \u201cI asked you to make them stop.\u201d<\/p> \u201cAre you ok?\u201d he asked Susan.<\/p> \u201cYes, but Fat Mary tried to kill me.\u201d<\/p> \u00a0\u201cNo I didn\u2019t\u2013you liar!\u201d<\/p> \u201cCalm down everyone and lineup, we\u2019re playing volleyball today,\u201d Mr. Green stretched his arms and pointed, \u201cYou, you, you and you team captains. Four teams, six girls per team.\u201d He swiped his hand into the middle of the girls, \u201cYou ten here and you ten there.\u201d He pointed to the far court and then pointed at one of the team captains saying, \u201cHeads or tails.\u201d<\/p> \u201cHeads.\u201d she answered.<\/p> Mr. Green threw the coin into the air and then caught it. \u201cHeads it is. You pick first.\u201d<\/p> After the ninth-pick Mary looked down at the floor. She was the last pick which put her on Susan\u2019s team. \u201cOk fat Mary, I\u2019m stuck with you. You can serve first.\u201d Mary loved one thing about volleyball. She pounded the ball over the net. If only the school had co-ed gym classes, then she could see how she measured up against the boys. Susan positioned the other girls, and then said, \u201cOk serve now!\u201d<\/p> Mary\u2019s first serve was an ace, but no one cheered. After her next serve the ball came right back at Mary, her shoes squeaked on the floor as she positioned to hit the ball. She passed it to another girl who spiked it over the net. With sweat pouring down her face, feeling a little short of breath, she scored another point. It was seven to Zero.<\/p> \u201cLook at fat Mary move that fat,\u201d someone yelled out.<\/p> \u201cShut up and leave me alone.\u201d Her serve flew over the net. When the ball came to her again, she whacked it out of bounds causing a side-out.<\/p> \u201cFirst name Mary, last name Fat,\u201d the girls chanted as they rotated positions.<\/p> \u201cLet\u2019s play,\u201d someone shouted.<\/p> The server hit the ball over the net resuming the game. The other team aimed the ball at Mary, forcing her to chase around the court, going back and forth three, four and then five times they targeted her until they scored a point. A few side-outs later, Mary found herself at the net. Her heart pounded. For several serves, they spiked the ball right at her, showing their wicked glee every time they scored. Even the girls on her own team laughed at her. No one had to say it, when her team lost, she knew it was her fault.<\/p> The girls switched sides, readying themselves for another game. Mary walked over to Mr. Green, \u201cMay I get some water, please?\u201d<\/p> He stood up, looking past her, he said, \u201cOk girls, let\u2019s take a break. You got five minutes.\u201d<\/p> Everyone ran to the water fountains at the back of the gym, wanting to be first, the girls pushed and shoved working to get a drink. Feeling cold, dizzy and drenched in her own sweat, Mary headed to the water fountains. Mary twitched, jerked her head and then opened her eyes. She focused on the white pellet Mr. Green held near her nose.<\/p> \u201cNurse needed at the gym,\u201d he said into his phone as she started to come around. \u201cStay here. Don\u2019t get up. The nurse is coming.\u201d When Mary started crying, Mr. Green looked down at her. \u201cMary,\u201d he said, with such gentleness, it surprised her. \u201cYou\u2019re okay. The nurse will check you over when she gets here. In the meantime, take some deep breaths.\u201d<\/p> \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she said crying.<\/p> Mr. Green changed positions and squatted beside her. He took both her hands, placing them over her chest, he said, \u201cPay attention to your breathing and relax yourself.\u201d<\/p> \u201cEveryone is looking at me.\u201d<\/p> \u201cNo, all the girls are waiting in the hall. Please, stay calm and just wait for the nurse.\u201d<\/p> Moments after the gym door opened, Mary saw white shoes near her head. The nurse knelt beside her, \u201cListen sweetie,\u201d she said with the softest voice. \u201cI\u2019m Nurse Walters.\u201d She touched Mary\u2019s forehead. Mary looked up, relaxing in response to the nurse\u2019s soft copper eyes and the smile on her face. \u201cDo you feel any pain?\u201d Nurse Walters asked.<\/p> \u201cNo. Can I get up now?\u201d<\/p> \u201cYes, but do it slowly. First, roll onto your side and then sit yourself up.\u201d The nurse was a stocky woman, with large firm arms that easily reached around Mary to help her stand. \u201cLet\u2019s get you back to the nurse's station.\u201d<\/p> In the nurse\u2019s office Mary drank juice, ate some crackers and felt the cool cloth on the back of her neck.<\/p> \u201cDid you eat breakfast, today?\u201d<\/p> \u201cNo, I woke up late.\u201d<\/p> \u201cYou need to eat and especially drink water too.\u201d<\/p> \u201cI don\u2019t need to eat. Everyone already teases me,\u201d Mary played with the empty juice container.<\/p> Nurse Walters wrinkled her nose. \u201cDid your parents talk to your teachers about the other kids,\u201d the nurse asked pulling over a stool.<\/p> \u201cMy mom died three years ago, and my dad works all the time.\u201d Mary told the nurse all about how the girls picked on her every time she went to gym class.<\/p> \u201cAlright then, maybe we\u2019ll see about you coming to my office instead of going to your regular gym class?\u201d<\/p> Mary bounced down from the exam table. \u201cNo gym shorts?\u201d she asked.<\/p> \u201cNot at first. We\u2019ll work up to it.\u201d<\/p> On Wednesday morning, there was only a little old man in the nurse\u2019s office. He scribbled in a notebook. His hands moved across the page in short bursts as if he were working on something important. When Mary interrupted him, he looked over his glasses. \u201cYes, what do you need,\u201d he said.<\/p> \u201cI\u2019m here for Mrs. Walters,\u201d she handed him a hall pass.<\/p> \u201cHave a seat. \u00a0She will be back soon.\u201d He returned the pass and then wrote something in his notebook.<\/p> Mary waited several minutes, the whole time believing the nurse had forgotten about her. I bet this is what I\u2019ll do every day<\/em>, she thought, just sit here bored<\/em>. Although she didn\u2019t want to sit there bored to death looking at the old man write in his notebook, she did think it was way better than going to gym class.<\/p> \u201cSorry you had to wait.\u201d Nurse Walters said when she came into the room. She wore sneakers and a Fort Ridge gym uniform. She looked like a coach, not a nurse. Mary noticed how her leg muscles bulged like that page in her anatomy book, except with skin on them.<\/p> \u201cI thought you forgot.\u201d<\/p> \u201cNope, here I am. I\u2019ll be back in an hour,\u201d she told the writing man.<\/p> Feeling like a duckling, Mary followed the nurse through the school and out of the building. They walked until they reached the Fort Ridge high school campus. Nurse Walters opened the gate with the key that hung around her neck. Mary stared at the black track, wondering if she had to run around it.<\/p> \u201cReady to start?\u201d<\/p> \u201cDo I have to run?\u201d<\/p> \u201cNo, we\u2019re going to walk. Our goal is one mile. That\u2019s four times around.\u201d<\/p> \u201cI\u2019m going to just die.\u201d<\/p> \u201cYou won\u2019t die. See the benches around the track?<\/p> \u201cYes Ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p> \u201cWe can stop anytime you need a break.\u201d<\/p> They stepped on to the track. Mary walked slow, but nurse Walters didn\u2019t seem to notice. The hot sun burned into her back as she moved around the track. They were only halfway around but Mary\u2019s heart pounded in her ears and her breathing got louder too.<\/p> \u201cLet\u2019s take a rest.\u201d The nurse gave Mary a bottle of water. \u201cHow is the school year so far?\u201d<\/p> \u201cI love my classes. Especially biology, math and anatomy. And the teachers don\u2019t allow teasing in class.\u201d Mary told her all about dissecting a frog. She liked the way the nurse\u2019s eyes grew wide when she talked about taking out the heart. Nurse Walters even laughed when Mary said, \u201cThe boys were scared, but not me.\u201d<\/p> The nurse stood. \u201cOk, lets walk a bit more,\u201d she said. The next time Mary got winded, the nurse told her to take a sip of water. \u201cDo you know about walking games?\u201d<\/p> Mary shook her head and then put the cap back on her water.<\/p> \u201cLet\u2019s start with the alphabet game.\u201d<\/p> Mary liked the game because it took her mind off walking. As they completed their first lap around the track, Mary called out Appendix, Bread, Crabs and she added Doughnuts. They played the game all the way to S but stopped while Nurse Walters silenced her phone alarm saying, \u201cTime to head back.\u201d They cut across the grass at the center of the track and then walked out of the gate playing the alphabet game. Mary jumped around when the nurse forgot Tyrannosaurus because it meant she had won.<\/p> Three days a week, Mary met the nurse instead of going to gym class. After the first week, she went to the nurse\u2019s office for breakfast and lunch too. In there, she ate the special meals the nurse suggested to her father. Every few days, she\u2019d get a whole new box and her father never complained about paying for them. He said, \u201cNow, I don\u2019t have to worry about seeing after your eating.\u201d At home, she made her special dinner every day at 5:30, making sure to follow all of the instructions.<\/p> By October, she wore her gym clothes for their walks, but she got to change in the nurse\u2019s station. On the first Wednesday in October, Mary met Andy Johnson, a fragile looking boy with an exceptionally pale face. He was sitting in her chair when she came to the nurse\u2019s station.<\/p> \u201cGood Morning, Mary,\u201d Nurse Walters greeted her. \u201cThis is Andy. I asked him to walk with us. How does that sound?\u201d<\/p> It sounded awful. Mary didn\u2019t know what to say, having Mrs. Walters all to herself was fantastic. Working hard not to disappoint the nurse, she said, \u201cIt\u2019s okay, I guess.\u201d<\/p> That day, nurse Walters walked with Andy. She instructed Mary to go around four-times. They were working up to six times around, so Mary knew the nurse was being nice on account of inviting Andy along. On her third lap Mary slowed to walk next to Andy. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with you?\u201d she asked.<\/p> \u201cI have arthritis,\u201d Andy answered walking like an old man.<\/p> \u201cMy grandma has that. I thought only old people got it.\u201d<\/p> \u201cHe has juvenile arthritis,\u201d nurse Walters answered. \u201cGo ahead with your laps. I know, you have at least one more to do.\u201d<\/p> Mary remembered how she liked it when Nurse Walters stayed with her. \u201cDo you know the alphabet game?\u201d she asked.<\/p> \u201cNo, never heard of it.\u201d<\/p> \u201cI can teach you. First, what grade are you in?\u201d<\/p> \u201cI\u2019m in sixth grade.\u201d<\/p> Mary explained the game and then called out \u201cApple\u201d starting with the easiest word of all. Andy added hard to remember words like biometrics, haggis and nauseated. After the second round, Nurse Walters said, \u201cYou two play fast. I\u2019m sitting this one out.\u201d The game got faster and the words harder but Mary loved it. When Andy got tired, Nurse Walters told Mary to keep walking while she and Andy rested. For the first time, Mary found herself wanting to speed around the track. The way she figured, the faster she got around the sooner she could talk to Andy.<\/p> For several weeks, they met in the nurse\u2019s station wearing their Fort Ridge gym clothes. Both Mary and Andy had advanced math and science classes. Their games expanded to multiplication and then to calling out the elements. Mary learned to get her laps done quick so that she could finish up with Andy.<\/p> On Tuesday, the last day before the Thanksgiving holiday, Andy found Mary at her locker. \u201cWant to come over for Thanksgiving,\u201d he asked.<\/p> \u201cI\u2019m not sure that\u2014\u201d<\/p> \u201cIsn\u2019t your father going to be out of town?\u201d<\/p> \u201cYes, but my aunt is coming to stay with me.\u201d<\/p> \u201cFine, okay.\u201d Andy reached into his book bag. \u201cWant to come to my birthday party?\u201d<\/p> Mary lowered her head. She had lost more than thirty pounds, but people still teased her.<\/p> \u201cIt\u2019s just going to be my parents, my two sisters and my brother. Oh, and my best friend James. You know him. He likes you.\u201d<\/p> \u201cLet me think about it.\u201d<\/p> \u201cIt\u2019s Saturday\u2026 next Saturday, so be there,\u201d he said and then headed off to class.<\/p> That night, she ate dinner and then went into her dad\u2019s office. \u201cCan I get some new clothes,\u201d she asked.<\/p> Her dad smiled, \u201cI\u2019ve been wondering when you were going to do that. All your clothes are so big on you now.\u201d<\/p> Mary hugged her dad. \u201cBut you\u2019re leaving for a whole month. I want to go to Andy\u2019s party wearing my new clothes.\u201d<\/p> \u201cYour Aunt Susan will be here. She can take you.\u201d<\/p> Having a woman to help pick out clothes sounded even better than having her dad go along. When she crawled into bed that night all she could think about was going to Andy\u2019s party. She was going to look so pretty in her new clothes.<\/p>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/973"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=973"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/973\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1189,"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/973\/revisions\/1189"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mhmundy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Walking Games