Read Online Don't Care High by Gordon Korman - Free Book Online Page A

observed, not without some trepidation. Mike Otis was terrific. Mike Otis was wonderful. Everything good that happened was entirely the work of Mike Otis, regardless of reality.
    The part that really worried Paul was that Sheldon didn’t seem to be joking anymore. He had apparently convinced himself that Mike was some kind of superman. It was getting to the point where talking with Sheldon on the subject of the new student body president was downright impossible.
    â€œYou know, Shel,” Paul would say, “don’t you think you’re overdoing this whole Mike Otis thing a little? I mean, he’s just a creepy little guy —”
    â€œHe’s not creepy, he’s just avant-garde, that’s all. He’s, let’s say, the symbol for the nineties, so how can we, as eighties people, expect to judge him?”
    â€œIf weird is the way of the nineties, then I agree with you. I mean, I’ve got nothing against the guy, but he’s strange. I’ve told you about how he doesn’t exist.”
    â€œOh, that,” scoffed Sheldon. “A few mixed-up records. Mistakes like that happen every day. The guy is just too cool.”
    Paul shivered. He knew, for this week anyway,
everyone
at Don’t Care High was too cool. In response to last week’s heat wave, the janitors had managed to get the fans circulating cool air, just in time for the cold spell. So all the students wore thick sweaters and coats to class. All except the student body president, who continued to move about the school shrouded in his voluminous raincoat.
    Sheldon took this to be one of Mike’s many endearing qualities. “Look at the guy!” he crowed gleefully. “Nothing can make him change his habits! Not even the elements!”
    May I have your attention, please. Here are the day’s announcements.
    Due to the cold inside the school, the cafeteria staff requests me to tell you that there will be no fruit juice offered for sale today. There will, however, be snow cones available at the same price.
    Paul nudged Sheldon. “That guy’s crazy! You can never tell whether you should believe him or not!”
    â€œHe was meant for the stage, not the desk,” Sheldon whispered back.
    On a somewhat less credible note, there is a program of restoration and repair planned for the school over the next couple of weeks. Consequently, there will be a number of workmen employed both in and around the building. We suggest that you steer clear of these people and let them get on with the job. That’s all. Have a good day.
    Paul could tell from the wide smile of pleasure on Sheldon’s face that his friend had big plans. He could see the wheels turning as Sheldon anticipated heaping credit on Mike Otis for each and every improvement made in the school during the weeks to come.
    * * *
    â€œI didn’t know the student body president could do that kind of stuff,” said Phil Gonzalez after listening to Sheldon explain how Mike Otis had single-handedly arranged for the renovations to the school building.
    â€œOf course he can,” Sheldon assured him, “if you’re lucky enough to get a guy like Mike Otis in office.”
    Wayne-o was impressed by Mike’s reparations to the toilet facilities. “Good,” he commented. “You see, I spend a lot of time in the can — not using it, but, you know, killing time between classes.”
    Rosalie Gladstone also took a particular interest in the washrooms. “Those new mirrors — you can see yourself in them!” She snapped her gum loudly. “I like to brush my hair a lot because I’ve got such great-looking hair when it’s brushed right. The old mirrors are, like, foggy. I thought it was me.”
    â€œWell, you thank Mike Otis the next time you see him,” Sheldon advised.
    â€œWho?”
    â€œThe guy I just said got you the mirrors!”
    â€œOh, yeah. I guess so. I