And then, more Brandon...

CHAPTER THREE

Mz. Bella

Brandon followed his mom up the hallway and to Room 12. A sign was attached to the hospital green door which read: “Mz. Bella’s Fourth Grade Class: An environment where socialization is thwarted for the enrichment of the mind.”

“What is that suppose to mean?” Brandon wondered to himself. It sure wasn’t anything like Mr. Davenport’s sign.

Brandon looked at his mother who winced slightly at the sign on the door. But in true adult fashion she said, “This looks like an interesting classroom.”

Adults have tons of words to disguise their feelings about things. When Brandon’s Great Aunt Gertrude comes over Brandon’s mom always tells Gertrude how “festive” her cockerspanol’s Christmas sweaters are, when she really meant it is completely ridiculous to put a dog in a sweater. Or when his mom saw Gertrude’s new haircut which looked something like a beehive, mom simply replied, “That’s new.” When really she meant is that looks like a giant plop of poop.

But Brandon supposed that was the good thing about adults, especially his mom. While she may feel one way she never made someone feel bad about what they like or not. But in this case, in this case, Brandon wasn’t sure he wanted his mom to hide her feelings.

Brandon and his mother walked into a room that smelled like a doctor’s office. Every desk in the room was completely cleared of all papers and there were no signs of African masks or maps of South America. There were three small bulletin boards on the walls. Each with a separate title: Math, Writing and Science. Brandon looked around at the room; there were no signs of kids anywhere in this room. At the front of the room, he saw an old black board. Above which the rules were posted:

Ms. Bella’s Fourth Grade Class:

1. Don’t talk.

2. Don’t get out of your seat.

3. Don’t slouch.

4. Don’t put your elbows on your desk.

5. Don’t raise your hand.

6. Don’t chew gum.

7. Don’t use the restroom.

8. Don’t draw pictures during class.

9. The teacher is always right.

Under this sign was a second sign that read:

You will earn a detention if you are reading this sign during class.

Detention is after school from 3:00-4:00.

You will get a detention when:

1.You are talking.

2.You get out of your seat.

3.You slouch.

4.You put your elbows on the table.

5.You raise your hand.

6.You bother, disturb, or disrupt the teacher.

7.You touch Wilfred.

Clearly this room was a place where kids got in trouble, a lot. But who or what is Wilfred? Brandon wondered. But he only wondered for a moment, for behind Ms. Bella’s desk was a large terrarium with a sign that read “Wilfred”. Though Brandon didn’t know it yet, Brandon’s interest in Wilfred would lead him into great trouble.

Brandon absentmindedly left his mother’s side get a better look at what Wilfred was. Upon taking a few steps away from his mother he was confronted by a woman who was completely severe looking. Her face was long and pale with a crooked nose that looked twice the size of a regular person’s nose. Her hair was black with flecks of gray, and was tied up in a braid and knotted into a bun. Her thin fingers rest at her hips tapping her long black dress as if she were waiting for a late bus.

“May I help you, young man?” The woman droned in a slightly squeaky voice sending shivers down Brandon’s spine.

“I was--” Brandon started in but was cut off.

“Hello, I’m Mrs. Boxer, Brandon’s mom.” His mother’s voice had never sounded sweeter than chocolate milk.

“Oh I see. I thought this boy was on his own.” The woman continued now ignoring Brandon’s gaze.

“I understand,” his mother replied. Though Brandon could tell she didn’t really understand this woman at all. “And you are?”

“Ms Bella obviously.”