Bulletin Board

Puzzled, I took it. It was -a blank sheet, nothing but creases and thumbtack holes. "Somebody is playing jokes on you," I said.

"Not on me."

I turned it over. The address read: "Miss Gabrielle Lamont."

It finally soaked in that the address should have been "Georgia Lammers." Or should have been for Georgia to touch it. I said, "This note isn't yours. You have no right to it~"

"What note?" "This note."

"I don't see any note. I see a blank sheet of paper."

"But -- Look, you thought it was a note to Gabrielle. And you took it down anyway."

Her smile got nastier. "No, I knew it wasn't a note. That's the point."

"Huh?"

She explained and I wanted to scratch her. Poor little Gabrielle had been sending notes to herself, just to get mail when everybody else did-and Georgia had caught on. Both girls had campus jobs which kept them late; Georgia had seen Gabrielle come in late a week earlier, look around, and pin up a note. Being a sneak, she had ducked out to find out to whom Gabrielle was writing -- only to find that it was addressed to Gabrielle herself.

Poor Gabby! No wondçr I had never seen her with anyone. There wasn't anyone.

Georgia licked her lips. "Isn't it a scream? That snip trying to make us think she's popular? I should write a real note on this-let her know that -her public isn't fooled."

"Don't you dare!"

"Oh, don't be dull!" She pinned it up, putting the tack back in-the same holes. "I'll let the joke ride until I think of something good."

I grabbed her arm~ "Don't you touch her notes again or I'll -- "

She shook me off. "You'll what? Tell her that yOu know her notes are phony? I can just see you!"

"I'll tell the Dean, that's what! I'll tell the Dean you've been opening Gabrielle's notes."

"Oh, yes? You looked at it, too."

"But you handed it to me!"

"Did I? My word against yours, sweetie pie."

"B~it -- "

"And if you talk, the whole campus will know about Gabrielle's fake notes. Think it over." She marched off.

I was so quiet on the way -home that Daddy said, "Smatter, Puddin'? Flunk a quiz?"

I assured him -that my academic status was satisfactory. "Then why the mourning?"

Before Daddy let me register he had warned me that the First Law of the Jungle for a professor's child was not to be a pipeline to the faculty. "But, Daddy, you're a professor."

"Student stuff, eh? Better sweat it out alone. Good. luck."

I did not tell Mother either, because with MOther free speech is not just a theory. I did nothing but worry. Poor Gabrielle! She took her "note" down next morning, looking pleased-and I wanted to cry. Then I saw the smirk on Georgia Lammers' face and I felt like murder and mayhem. There was another "note" Friday and I wanted to shout to her not to touch it. I didn't dare. It was like a time bomb, watching Gabrielle's pitiful makebelieve and knowing that Georgia meant to wreck it as soon as she thought up something nasty enough.

I was in the Registrar's office Monday, not to see Georgia, though I couldn't avoid her, but because I am a freshman reporter for the Campus Crier. One of my chores is -- getting up the "Happy Birthday" column. I thumbed through the files, noting dates from the coming Friday through the following Thursday. Gabrielle's name turned up for Friday and I decided to send her a birthday card, via the bulletin board, so for once she would have real mail. Next I listed Bun Peterson's name; her birthday was the same as Gabrielle's. Bun is president of the Student Council and head cheerleader and honorary football captain; it seemed a shame she had to have Gabrielle's birthday as well. I decided ~to get Gabrielle a really nice card, with a hanky.

As I finished Georgia picked up my list and said, "Who's getting senile?~

I said, "You are," and took it back.

She said, "Don't get too big for your beanie, freshman." She went on, "Going to the party for Bun Peterson?" -- then added, "Oh, I forgot-it's upper classmen only."

- I looked her in the eye. "A double choc malt against a used candy bar you aren't either!"

She didn't answer and I swaggered out.

It was a busy week. Junior sprained his arm, Mother was away two days and I kept house, the cat had to be wormed, and I typed a term paper for Cliff. I didn't think about Gabrielle until late Friday when I stopped by the board on the chance that there might be a note from Cliff. There wasn't, but there was another of Gabnelle's notes, in an envelope with her name typed. I realized with a shock that I had forgotten her birthday card.

I was wondering whether to get one and let her find it Monday, when I heard a pssst! It was Georgia Lammers, motioning me to come to the office. Curiosity got me; I went. She pulled me inside; there was no one else in the outer office. "Keep back," -- she whispered. "If she sees anyone, she may not stop. She's due now-it's after five."

I shook her off. "Who?"

"Gabrielle, of course. Shut up!"

"Huh?" I said. "She's already been there. Her 'note' for Monday is up."

"A lot you know! Hush!" She crowded me into the corner, then peeked out. --