her shoulders。 He smelled like stale onion bagels and bad coffee。 There were little cigarette burns
all over his sweatpants。
〃You've always been a good kid。〃 He gave Jenny's shoulders a squeeze。 〃Good grades。 Great Artist。
Reads a lot。 Nice to her daddy… most of the time。〃 He shot Mrs。 M an amused look。 〃Are you
going to tell me I've been deluded all these years？〃
Mrs。 M smiled her first genuine smile in weeks。 She liked Rufus Humphrey。 Sure； he was scruffy
and inappropriate； but he was as ingle dad who'd raised two kids himself and done a decent job of
it。 His only trouble was that he lived on the other side of the park and didn't play by the same rules
that the rest of Upper East Side had played by since they started nursery school at Brick Church on
Park Avenue。 He'd never been given a cent to the school's endowment or attended a fundraiser。
He'd never offered to build the school a new library or gym or swimming pool if it could
guarantee Jenny a place at Harvard after graduation。 He was also more protective of his daughter
than most of the parents she was used to； mainly because he'd changed her diapers himself； and
stayed up with her when she couldn't sleep； and punished her when she'd done wrong； and
therefore felt a certain personal responsibility for how she behaved。
Whoa； what a concept。
Jenny seriously hoped that this was one of the weird dreams she often had when she ate too many
Entenmann's chocolate donuts。 Not that she'd eaten any donuts recently。 As far as she could
remember； all she'd eaten for dinner last night were six fine breadsticks imported from Italy via
Federal Express to a particular suite at the Plaza Hotel。
Not to mention the seventh； which she'd wrapped in gold…embroidered Plaza Hotel hand towel as a
memento。
〃Thank you for ing at such short notice； Mr。 Humphrey〃 Mrs。 M began。 〃And I have to admit
I agree。 Jennifer is an intelligent； creative and mostly well…behaved girl。 However； she is building
a reputation； for being。。。 a little wild； and the parents of her peers are beginning to ask questions。〃
Rufus gave his beard a perplexed tug。 As a self…proclaimed anarchist he must have felt supremely
unfortable in Mrs。 M's patriotically decorated office； having to defer to an authority figure
about his daughter's supposed wild behaviour。
〃What do you mean by a 'reputation for being a little wild'？〃
Mrs。 M took off her glasses and folded them carefully in front of her。 〃Mr。 Humphrey； are you
aware that your daughter was not at home last night？〃
Rufus nodded。 〃You got a problem with that？〃
Jenny giggled and then clamped her hand over her mouth。
〃Well； where do you imagine that she was？〃 Mrs。 M persisted； her soft； rag…doll face being
more and more stern by the minute。
Rufus snorted； and Jenny could sense his anarchist blood beginning to boil。 〃I don't have to
imagine where she was。 She told me。 She spent the night at her friend Elise's house。 Right around
here somewhere。〃
〃Elise Wells；〃 Jenny elaborated hoarsely。 〃She's in my class。〃
〃Yes。 Well。 Elise wasn't an hour late to school this morning。 In fact； she arrived at school on time
and alone。 Your daughter； however； only just arrived。 And that is because she had to go home and
change first。 Because； in fact； she spent the night at a hotel； in a suite； with a rather well known
rock music group。〃
Rufus's jaw fell open； revealing his crooked； coffee…stained teeth。 For once； he was pletely
speechless。 Jenny hugged her arms around her chest； keeping her eyes fixed on the royal blue rug。
〃This isn't her first mishap； either；〃 Mrs。 M continued。 〃There was that promising image of her
and a boy that was passed around the internet a few months back。 Afterwards； I sent you a letter
suggesting Jennifer see a therapist a few times a week here at school； to which you never
responded。 And then last month Jennifer appeared in a popular teen magazine in only an exercise
bra； upsetting more than a few of her classmates' parents… mostly those who also have teenage
sons。〃
Rufus swiped his hand over his face。 〃Jesus； Jenny；〃 he breathed。 Even Jenny had to agree that
Mrs。 M made her sound like a first…class slut； but she wasn't even going to try to defend herself。
Besides she'd been mostly good most of her life… it was kind of exciting being the bad girl。
〃So are you suspending her； or what？〃 her dad demanded。
Yes； please。 Jenny thought with silent pleasure。 And send me to boarding school。
Mrs。 M shook her head。 〃Not yet。 This is only a warning。 But if Jennifer continues to behave in
such a publicly flagrant way； or in a way that upsets her schoolmates and their parents； I will have
to take measures to ensure that the reputation of this institution remains intact。〃
The third bell rang； signaling the start of second period。
〃I'm missing Latin；〃 Jenny squeaked。 〃May I go？〃
〃Not so fast； missy；〃 her father bellowed； tightening his grip around her shoulders。 Rufus was a
softy at heart； but he did a mean disciplinarian act when he was pissed off。
〃That's all right。 You are both dismissed；〃 Mrs。 M responded。 She pushed her chair back and
folded her arms across her chest； looking dykier than ever。
Jenny jumped to her feet and hurried out of the office before her father could catch up and have
the last word… and before Mrs。 M could send her home for being so pletely out of uniform。
〃You look tired； Mr。 Humphrey；〃 she heard Mrs。 M say behind her。 〃I've got a wonderful farm in
Woodstock。 You really should visit sometime。〃
〃Woodstock… I love Woodstock！〃 Rufus exclaimed。 〃I camped out there back in 1974。 I was living
in a van with a couple poet pals…〃
Jenny bolted upstairs to Latin； oddly thrilled at how close she'd e to getting expelled from
Constance。 Who cared if her picture was in the gossip columns as an unidentified； short；
curly…haired； 〃publicly flagrant〃 floozy？ Eventually she'd be recognized as the girl who always
hung out with the Raves。 People would constantly ask if she was Damian's girlfriend； and she'd be
a Page Six girl； just like she'd always wanted！
N'S PERSONAL LITTLE CLUSTER *％@#
〃A Pyrrhic victory；〃 Mr。 Knoeder mumbled in his typical impossible…to…follow manner。 〃Archibald。
Are you with me？〃
Nate hadn't done his homework。 He wasn't even sure what day it was。 He'd woken up； taken a
shower； and wandered into school； hoping for some guidance。 Now this asswipe of a teacher
wanted him to answer some idiotic question about the Vietnam War； which everyone knew had
been a total clusterfuck。
〃Pyrrhus was a Greek king or whatever who kicked the shit out of the Romans in some battle； but
there were a ton of causalities；〃 Nate heard himself saying。 No wonder I got into Yale and Brown；
he congratulated himself。 I'm a frigging genius！
〃Actually； it was the Battle of Pyrrhus；〃 Mr。 Knoeder corrected； sticking his pinky in his ear as he
wrote something on the board。 The St。 Jude's boys all called him Mr。 No Dick because he wore his
pants so high and so tight； he couldn't possible have a dick。 〃But your answer was mostly
accurate。〃
N