Stick Figuring

Dewey couldn’t believe what he observed during his research Monday. Kids coming out of Mr. Snow’s science class afraid to drink from the water fountain, some even afraid to use their water bottles!

“They’re going to get dehydrated,” Dewey reported to Clara. “I don’t know where to start.”

“I imagine you’ll begin with why he’s so obsessed with sharks,” suggested Clara, handing Dewey a chocolate cookie.

“Right,” replied Dewey. He fixed himself to hypothesize on the shark issue when he hit the center of the cookie. “Whoa! Peppermint Patty?!” he exclaimed, astonished.

“Yup. Snuck them right in there. Good idea, no?”

“No. I mean, yes! Why do people say no when they mean yes?”

“Why, indeed?” twinkled Clara as she sat down across from him and began to sketch out a picture.

“Here you’ve got your teacher,” she drew a stick figure. “And your class of students,” she continued with some Xs and Os with curly hair, straight hair, or hats. “Now,” she paused. “Sharks.” She drew little fish with big sharp teeth all over the page and tapped her pencil tip as she appeared to contemplate.

Then she turned the page over. “Before this scene,” she continued, “there must have been another,” and she drew another stick figure teacher, a toothy fish, and a big question mark inside the round head of the stick figure teacher. “Because,” she said, offering Dewey another chocolate cookie, “sometimes the inside of a cookie just might surprise you.”