CHAPTER 29

Maybe I only saw Zoe McKelty, but there was another person who saw me. Someone I hadn’t counted on. Someone who showed up by surprise. And that someone was Stanley Zipzer. I don’t know how long he had been standing in the doorway, but when I finished my presentation, he motioned for me to come to the door to speak with him.

“Dad,” I said. “What are you doing here?”

He took my arm and guided me out into the hall.

“I ran into Frankie’s mom in the elevator, and she said she got a call from someone at school that Tae Kwon Do was canceled,” he said. “So I volunteered to pick all of you up. But you weren’t in that class, were you? From what I just heard, I gather you haven’t been there for some time.”

“I’m so sorry, Dad. I wanted to tell you that I had switched to the Reading Gym. But I know it upsets you that I have learning differences and need to be in special classes, and I just couldn’t bring myself to tell you.”

“So you lied,” he said.

I nodded.

“Lying is never the right thing to do. I hope you understand that, Hank. And I hope you’ll never forget that.”

I couldn’t even look at him. I felt like a total jerk.

“That being said, I want you to know that I listened carefully to what you had to say in there. And I was proud of you. I understand how you feel now—how I’ve made you feel about having learning challenges. I’ll try to do better. I promise.”

“And I’ll try not to lie to you, Dad,” I said. “I promise.”

He reached out and gave me a hug. It was a Stanley Zipzer hug, meaning it was quick and kind of embarrassing. But it was a hug, and I’ll take it.

“Now go back inside to that girl with the hat who can’t take her eyes off you,” he said.

And I did. Happily.