again. It hurt more and still wouldnât move. âSean, itâs stuck on my head. Do something!â
Sean chewed his lip. âWell, I could sing the Cosmic Boy theme song and you could fly around. I donât remember all of it, though.â
âCut it out!â Jeff yelled, pulling again. âThis is serious!â
But Sean sang what he knew.
No evil ploy,
No scheme or trick,
Can stop the Boy
Known as Cosmic!
Space Ahoy! Cosmic Boy!
âI canât remember the rest,â said Sean.
âThanks a lot.â Jeff gave his friend a nasty look. The gray plastic helmet felt strange on his head. But it was really on tight now. âI canât go to school like this.â
Sean started toward school. âIt looks okay. Sort of. Straighten your antennas, though. Theyâre bent.â
Jeff slumped along behind Sean. âMaybe Iâll be lucky, and no one will say anything.â
âHey, everybody, look at Jeff!â shouted Mike Mazur when Jeff and Sean walked into the main hall of W. Reid Elementary School. âHeâs got a toy space helmet on his head!â
Running up the hall behind Mike were Liz Duffey and Seanâs sister, Holly.
Liz raised her eyebrows when she saw Jeff. âYou must be the new kid. Welcome to Earth!â
Jeff smiled a fake smile under his helmet. âSean jammed it on my head and now I canât take it off without taking off my ears, too. And now my head is itchy.â
âDo you get cable on that thing?â asked Mike.
âNot funny,â said Jeff.
Mike examined the gray plastic blinking helmet closely. âYou know, itâs amazing when you think about it. The brain is this big mushy thing sitting right there behind your forehead.â
Sean nodded. âItâs a lot neater that way. If your brain were on the outside, stuff would get stuck to it all the time.â
âEspecially in all those wrinkles,â said Mike.
âIt would probably hurt to iron them, though,â Jeff said.
âBut at least theyâd look neat,â said Sean.
âSTOP IT!â cried Liz, slapping her hands over her ears. âYou guys are shorting out my brain!â
Brrrrng! The morning bell rang.
âThank you!â said Liz, heading off down the hall.
Jeff followed his friends to his classroom. Zzzz! went his helmet. His forehead blinked. His antennas twirled. He got some strange looks, even from the kindergartners.
âMaybe you could wear a turban or something,â said Mike. âMaybe a chefâs hat.â
âThey donât make hats that big,â said Sean, heading for his classroom. âSee you at tryouts, Cosmic Boy!â He and Mike went into their classroom across the hall.
Jeff shook his head and turned to Holly and Liz. âThis isnât going to work. Everybodyâs going to ask me dumb questions.â
âThatâs because you look super smart, Jeff,â said Holly as they swung into their room. âBy the way, do you know whatâs for lunch today?â
âNo!â Jeff slumped into his seat in front of Holly and next to Liz. The other kids in the class giggled at him. His lights flickered. His head itched.
âPlay tryouts are next period, Jeff,â a boy said.
Jeff tried to smile. âIâm starting early.â
Mrs. Carbonese, their white-haired teacher, looked up from her desk. âWeâre not landing planes here, Jeff. Please stop blinking.â
âYes, Mrs. Carbonese.â Jeff tried to turn off the lights just as the PA system crackled to life.
âAhem!â boomed the voice of Principal Bell. âAs you know, this morning we are holding tryouts for The Wizard of Oz, delightfully updated for our modern times. Mrs. Carbonese will direct and my accordion and I will provide the music!â
Mrs. Carbonese smiled shyly at the class.
âDancing astronauts, musical aliens,â the principal went on. âThere are parts for
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