the room from She thought they must have been; sitting on the other side of her because she’d never noticed them until now. scotch A rather tall thin girl looked at Nancy. “Come on and play hop | with us.” red-head All the girls started saying, “Ya, come on.” One pretty as if she begrabbed Nancy’s hand. She smiled to herself and felt finally doorway into longed there. They surrounded her as they moved through the the hall. Children in one direction—towards of all sizes swarmed the glass doors moment. The at the end of the hall — and Nancy could hardly see for a Nancy was crowd moved slower than the small group of girls, however, so pushed through to the front. pony tail She looked down the hall and saw a short pixie cut and a her group As doors. glass the through shone that sunlight the in swinging it with moved on, one said, “Here come the Two Muskateers.” She said her voice. sarcasm and dislike; and Nancy also detected a little fright in and She knew then that there was something different about this Marsha cae Gloria. Nancy kept on walking with the group, then stopped when they stopthe tall ped. The two girls stood in front of them. The blonde addressed I need thin girl that had been the spokesman for the group. “Marsha and hold another girl for jump rope. We’re taking Nancy to recess.” She took nothing of Nancy’s arm and pulled on her a little. The tall thin girl said and neither did any of the others in the group. Nancy walked down the hall between Marsha and Gloria towards the glass doors and felt a strange sense of pride. I WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO SKOOTERS | wonder what happened to skooters? lt used to be so fun to race gown with Billy and splash Suncrest in coshy puddles. | wonder what happened to skooters! M ine. was daddy s when he was a boy. lt was chippy red and rattled When | rode along the gravel with Billy. Me and Billy always fel| on Smiths just-watered lawn And old run mie blaeted bide Wed whoop up and pun man Smith'd out and say home to mamma A RAT and Pinkish red-bead eyes stare at me but seem to see through. Four bony feet rise catapillar-like on muscular legs using my arms for highways. milk and chocolate chip cookies. Kris Deters The rat stops. Pink kleenix ears listen to my breath as it stands on rear legs, stretching out his LOOKING BACK minute hands with manicured nails to touch me. Then turns and runs jumps and lands, slipping under cover. The animal curls into a white fur ball which leaves only its coil tail to call A\long Lae the out| sidewalk crawls PYon +t step .. attention to anyone close. a crack. » Your moter Betty Saunders Janice Perkins 31 back.