“Marvin!” screamed Patsy.
But as his head hit the sand, he kissed himself on the elbow.
“Marvin, are you okay?” asked Mrs. North.
“Are you all right, Marvin?” asked Patsy.
“Should we call an ambulance?” asked Stuart.
“Hey! Are you dead?” asked Clarence.
Marvin opened his eyes.
“I saw,” said Casey.
12
Normal
Monday morning Marvin walked to school with Nick and Stuart. He tossed his football up in the air.
He never could remember the secret difference between girls and boys.
That was silly anyway, he realized. I just had weird thoughts because I was so tired.
Boys don’t turn into girls!
All he had needed was a good night’s sleep. And then he was back to normal.
Except he really did have a cold. Which was why his voice sounded so strange.
Girls are just stupid and weird. That’s the secret difference between boys and girls!
He entered his classroom. Clarence was sharpening his pencil.
Marvin suddenly remembered all the things he had said to Clarence at Lake Park.
I must have been out of my mind! I could have been killed!
He decided to apologize, just to be safe.
Clarence backed up when he saw Marvin. “What do you want?” he asked. He sounded nervous.
“Just, uh, sorry about Friday. I didn’t get much sleep and I didn’t know what I was saying.” Marvin held out his hand. “Okay?”
Clarence smiled. He no longer seemed nervous. “Yeah, well, you’re lucky I didn’t knock your teeth out,” he said. He shook Marvin’s hand.
As Marvin walked to his desk, Clarence shoved him in the back.
“I saw you!” said Casey. “When you fell from the spiderweb. You kissed your elbow!”
“And I’m still a boy,” said Marvin. “So that just proves you’re weird!”
Casey sang very softly so only Marvin could hear:
“Marvin’s rude.
Marvin’s crude.