When I get home, Sherry is much better. She’s wearing clothes and is actively playing her video game. She’s not up to asking about my day. That is just as well. I would have to tell her it sucked.
After our gourmet meal of salad and grilled cheese sandwiches, I get Sherry to promise she’ll go back to work tomorrow. Then I get to work. This is the letter I write to go with the quiz:
Dear Student,
Enclosed is a quiz. You are receiving this optional work to provide you with an opportunity to earn extra marks. Return your completed quiz, sealed in this envelope, to Mrs. Peebles, the office secretary.
Do not write your name on your quiz. Due to the nature of the questions, your identity is protected. Each quiz is numbered. Your number has been recorded. If your quiz is returned, the number on it will be matched to your name for credit, but answers will be kept anonymous.
Good luck.
The Career and Personal Planning Team
I couldn’t bring myself to forge Ms. Kalkat’s name. But I’m okay with saying I’m part of “The Career and Personal Planning Team.” Kiara might be my only student, but I am helping her with personal planning.
Next, I type up the quiz questions. I make nice blank lines for the answers. It looks good. Professional. Too easy? Hmm. I toy with the idea of adding more questions. If the school was getting us to answer an anonymous questionnaire, it wouldn’t be like this one. It would have questions about drugs, alcohol, home life and sex. We’re asked to do those sometimes, so they know how many of us are “at risk.”
But the offer of extra marks should be enough to motivate the guys. I’m pretty sure they need all the help they can get. I have to give Kiara credit for that idea. Then I print out three copies of the quiz. I carefully pencil a random number on the upper right-hand corner of each: 17, 22, 5. I print three copies of the letter and put one and a quiz into each envelope.
I double-check the rotating class schedule. Career and Personal Planning is first period tomorrow. I take a shower, do my homework, then go to check on Sherry.
“I’ll get up early with you tomorrow,” I tell her.
“You don’t have to,” she says. “I’ll be fine.”
“I need to get to school early anyway.”
“Suit yourself.” She yawns. Then she looks at me. “But thanks, Jane.”
She can be all right sometimes.
The last thing I do before bed is check my phone. I kept it off all evening. There are ten missed calls, all from Kiara. And about ten more text messages. I send a reply. Hey. No worries. The quiz is ready. I’m going to bed early. Have to make sure Sherry gets up for work. See you at school!
Then I turn my phone off again. And I leave it off the next morning. As promised, I make sure Sherry gets up and out the door for work. Then I gather up the envelopes and my books and head for school.
Mrs. Peebles is pleased to see me. “Jane, dear. You’re here early. Is everything okay?”
“Just fine, Mrs. P. I came to ask a favor.”
“If I can do it,” she says, beaming, “I will.”
I feel terrible about lying to her. I choose my words carefully so they’re not totally dishonest. I show her one of the envelopes. “I’m going to be handing these out to some students. It’s for an extracurricular project. But it’s anonymous. So I’m hoping the students will return them to you. And then I’ll stop by later to pick them up.”
“Ah.” She nods. “I’ll bet you’re too shy to let them see how smart you are. Tsk-tsk. I hope you get past that one day, Jane. Do you remember what Dolly Parton said?”
“Um…no.” I’ve heard the name Dolly Parton, but I have no idea who this is.
“She said, Find out who you are and do it on purpose. Isn’t that great advice?”
“Yes.” I nod earnestly. “That’s really good.” It actually is. I’d like to think I’m following it right now. “So.” I waggle the envelope. “Is this okay with you?”
“Absolutely, dear.”
“Thanks, Mrs. P. See you later.”
She waves me off, and I head for Career and Personal Planning. As I hoped, no one else is there yet. I set my pack on my desk and prepare to distribute the envelopes.
Then Ms. Kalkat walks in. “Jane. You’re here early.”
Does everyone have to state the obvious? “Yes.”
“Is everything all right?”
And everyone has to ask me that? “All good,” I reply.
“Excellent. Then I wonder if I might ask you a favor?” She’s holding a stack of paper. “Would you mind putting these out on everyone’s desk for me?”
My grin feels huge. “No problem, Ms. Kalkat. I’d be happy to.”
“Thank you. I forgot something in the staff room. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.” I take the stack of paper, our assignment for today. I work fast, laying one on each desk. When I reach Omar’s and Liam’s desks, it’s easy to slide their envelopes under the assignment. But who should get the third quiz? I haven’t decided, but it doesn’t really matter. Javier? Why not? I don’t bother to check which number they get. That won’t matter either.