12
Peter
Get up on stage in front of everybody? He was going to embarrass Christie and his uncle. He was going to embarrass Christie’s parents. He couldn’t do that. He just couldn’t.
George Greeley suddenly stood and turned to face the crowd. Peter looked up at him, and he seemed larger than he really was. He held up his hands for silence. When he started to speak his voice was louder than Peter has ever heard it.
“For those of you who don’t know me, I’m George Greeley. I own the general store on Main Street, and Peter Reynolds is my nephew. He’s also my partner.”
There was a lot of whispering. George held up his hand for silence.
“All Peter’s life everyone in this town has treated him like he was dumb, that he couldn’t learn. I’m as guilty as the rest of you. Then one day a young lady met Peter, and that all changed. She believed in him and caused him to start believing in himself.” He looked down at Peter and took his hand. “Go on up there, Peter. You can do it. Show these people what you know.”
Christie had come onto the stage and stood next to the mayor. Peter looked up at her. She smiled and held out her hand to him.
Peter hesitantly stood and walked to the steps at the right side of the stage. He was thinking, I don’t want to do this. I can’t do this.
The auditorium became quiet once more as the other students came on stage and took their positions. Christie had walked off the stage after taking Peter’s hand and kissing him on the cheek. She made the sign for good luck.
Christie, standing next to Ruth Baker, watched from the side as Peter was given the first word.
“Jujitsu.” The County Commissioner said.
Peter immediately balled the fist of his left hand, held out his little finger and drew a “J” sign in the air, followed by two fingers up, another “J” sign, and “I” sign, a “T” sign, a closed fist for a “S” and two fingers up for a “U.”
“That’s correct, Peter,” the Commissioner said, and to the girl beside Peter he said, “The next word is Pantheon.”
The spelling continued for an hour, the words becoming progressively more challenging. There were eighteen students when it began. By ten o’clock, there were only two. Sarah Billingsly, a girl from Sutherland had just misspelled obsequious.
“Scaloppine,” The Commissioner said to Peter.
Peter thought for a moment before beginning. The audience took it to be a sign that he didn’t know the word.
Peter began by making the “S” sign. He went quickly through each letter until the last one. He stopped for a moment and thought. Making up his mind, he made the sign of an “I”.
“I’m sorry, Peter. That’s wrong.”
One of the school board members tapped the Commissioner on the shoulder.
“Just a minute please,” he told the audience.
The two men and one woman talked among themselves. The crowd began to whisper.
