“I’m Sad Now”
Spice Girl sat on the curb that ran along the League of Big Justice Parking Lot of Big Parking. She leaned back and supported herself with her palms. She was surprisingly upbeat for having just been kicked out of the Sidekicks. She watched Exact Change Kid shuffle over from the rest of the group and sit down next to her.
“Hey,” Exact Change Kid mumbled, and plopped on the curb.
“Hey.”
“They kicked me out of the Sidekicks, too.” Exact Change Kid let out a long sigh and scratched his head. He flipped open his pocket notebook and reviewed his scribbled writings. Rule #1: Never, never, never tell anyone your real name. Rule #2: Always do what a superhero asks you to do. Exact Change Kid dropped his head into his hands. His notebook fell to the asphalt. “Where did I go wrong?”
“I think when you landed on Park Place,” Spice Girl suggested.
“All I’ve ever wanted was to be a sidekick... to use my uncanny powers of exact change to battle the forces of evil.” Exact Change Kid reached into his utility belt and pulled out a fistful of coins. He opened his hand and stared at the little heads. “Abe. George. Thomas. And good ol’ FDR. I’ve let you down. I’ve let all of you down.”
“Don’t worry so much,” Spice Girl assured him. “The last time Peter Pumpkin kicked me out of the Sidekicks, I just went home and watched TV. When I came back the next day, he didn’t even remember my name. He called me ‘Stinky.’ ”
“Really?” Exact Change Kid brightened. “You mean there’s still a chance I can be a sidekick?”
“No. Probably not this time. I’m just telling you what happened before.”
Exact Change Kid deflated like a balloon that was just kicked out of the balloon version of the Sidekicks.
He looked at Spice Girl. An idea drifted into his head. “But...I guess on the bright side . . . you and I can spend some time together. Maybe go watch some TV . . .” Exact Change Kid smiled and nudged himself ever so slightly nearer to Spice Girl.
“I’m sad now,” she said.