out the oven mitts, I thought about how wrong
Jason and the rest were about Fred, who was trying to teach himself calculus
and reading every book on space physics that he could find.
How normal is being
mean? I wondered. Before I’d come into this family I’d assumed that mean
kids were only in fosterage because of terrible things that had happened to
their families. Until I got to this nice school in this nice neighborhood, and
discovered the Jasons and Ashleys, who had nice parents and nice homes and nice
things. And yet they were still mean.
As Uncle David served hot chocolate and fresh brownies, and
cracked jokes to cheer Fred up, I wondered how normal this behavior was. If it
wasn’t it should be, I thought.
o0o
“So how’d that mysterious report go?” Aunt Pearl asked at
dinner.
“Okay,” Fred said. “My problem was, I didn’t convince anyone.”
He said determinedly, “I’m still tracking my proof, and when I have my info,
I’ll show it to you.”
Aunt Pearl grinned back. “That’s what a good detective does,”
she said, looking pleased. Fred beamed.
He didn’t say anything more though, and at bed time, he just
went into his room like usual.
Pearl went to sleep even earlier than we did, as she had to be
up early the next morning. David shut himself into his study and put on his
headphones, which meant he was out of this world.
Still, I waited until ten-thirty, then got out of bed and went
to Fred’s room without turning on any lights.
The moonlight was clear and strong. Fred sat on his bed in his
PJs, his glasses winking as he adjusted something that had faintly glowing
dials.
“Hi,” I whispered. “All ready?”
“I’m just testing my vid setup,” he said. “Want to see?”
I nodded, and he flicked on his little flashlight and shined
it proudly over the wires and components that he’d rigged to his computer, a really
old radio, and an old cellphone with an electronics kit.
“. . . so I’m testing for radio waves on the
shortwave, EM, and I hope this spy set really does check infrared. It said it
would when I ordered it off the Internet, but it was kinda cheap,” Fred said
doubtfully. “Anyway, they must use some kind of radio waves if they are sending
communications at all,” he was saying. “And they must be, don’t you think? I
mean, why else would one ship just appear like that, and hang around? They have
to be communicating with someone.”
“Makes sense to me,” I said, sitting on the other end of his
bed.
He had his window wide open, and cold air drifted in. Despite
being so skinny, Fred didn’t seem to notice, but I’m sensitive to chilly wind,
and my feet and fingers and ears were cold. I pulled my hair close to my face
to keep my ears from hurting, and tucked my feet under me.
“There,” Fred said, moving to the window. “I know the vidcam
is working.” He pointed to his computer terminal. This time I won’t mess up.”
“What will you do if you capture something?” I asked.
“The first thing is, I’ll show those scumbags at school,” Fred
said fiercely. “And then . . . I don’t know. A TV show? Or maybe call the
college and talk to the astrophysics department. Except who’ll listen to a
kid?” he finished bitterly. “Maybe I’ll just try to communicate with them
myself.”
“That might be fun,” I said. “What would you tell them?”
“What it’s like to be a kid on Earth.” He grinned, flicking
his flashlight off. “I don’t know anything else!”
“You’re learning about space,” I reminded him.
“But they’d already know that stuff, or they wouldn’t be
here,” he said, sounding impatient. He ducked his head. “Sorry, Lisa. I’m
trying to be logical about these things.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I think this is real exciting, and my
mind keeps filling with questions.”
He sat down on the bed, hugging his knees close to his
stomach. “Me, too,” he said. “Like, what if I contact them, and they
Jason and the rest were about Fred, who was trying to teach himself calculus
and reading every book on space physics that he could find.
How normal is being
mean? I wondered. Before I’d come into this family I’d assumed that mean
kids were only in fosterage because of terrible things that had happened to
their families. Until I got to this nice school in this nice neighborhood, and
discovered the Jasons and Ashleys, who had nice parents and nice homes and nice
things. And yet they were still mean.
As Uncle David served hot chocolate and fresh brownies, and
cracked jokes to cheer Fred up, I wondered how normal this behavior was. If it
wasn’t it should be, I thought.
o0o
“So how’d that mysterious report go?” Aunt Pearl asked at
dinner.
“Okay,” Fred said. “My problem was, I didn’t convince anyone.”
He said determinedly, “I’m still tracking my proof, and when I have my info,
I’ll show it to you.”
Aunt Pearl grinned back. “That’s what a good detective does,”
she said, looking pleased. Fred beamed.
He didn’t say anything more though, and at bed time, he just
went into his room like usual.
Pearl went to sleep even earlier than we did, as she had to be
up early the next morning. David shut himself into his study and put on his
headphones, which meant he was out of this world.
Still, I waited until ten-thirty, then got out of bed and went
to Fred’s room without turning on any lights.
The moonlight was clear and strong. Fred sat on his bed in his
PJs, his glasses winking as he adjusted something that had faintly glowing
dials.
“Hi,” I whispered. “All ready?”
“I’m just testing my vid setup,” he said. “Want to see?”
I nodded, and he flicked on his little flashlight and shined
it proudly over the wires and components that he’d rigged to his computer, a really
old radio, and an old cellphone with an electronics kit.
“. . . so I’m testing for radio waves on the
shortwave, EM, and I hope this spy set really does check infrared. It said it
would when I ordered it off the Internet, but it was kinda cheap,” Fred said
doubtfully. “Anyway, they must use some kind of radio waves if they are sending
communications at all,” he was saying. “And they must be, don’t you think? I
mean, why else would one ship just appear like that, and hang around? They have
to be communicating with someone.”
“Makes sense to me,” I said, sitting on the other end of his
bed.
He had his window wide open, and cold air drifted in. Despite
being so skinny, Fred didn’t seem to notice, but I’m sensitive to chilly wind,
and my feet and fingers and ears were cold. I pulled my hair close to my face
to keep my ears from hurting, and tucked my feet under me.
“There,” Fred said, moving to the window. “I know the vidcam
is working.” He pointed to his computer terminal. This time I won’t mess up.”
“What will you do if you capture something?” I asked.
“The first thing is, I’ll show those scumbags at school,” Fred
said fiercely. “And then . . . I don’t know. A TV show? Or maybe call the
college and talk to the astrophysics department. Except who’ll listen to a
kid?” he finished bitterly. “Maybe I’ll just try to communicate with them
myself.”
“That might be fun,” I said. “What would you tell them?”
“What it’s like to be a kid on Earth.” He grinned, flicking
his flashlight off. “I don’t know anything else!”
“You’re learning about space,” I reminded him.
“But they’d already know that stuff, or they wouldn’t be
here,” he said, sounding impatient. He ducked his head. “Sorry, Lisa. I’m
trying to be logical about these things.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I think this is real exciting, and my
mind keeps filling with questions.”
He sat down on the bed, hugging his knees close to his
stomach. “Me, too,” he said. “Like, what if I contact them, and they
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