Anyway, RJ, I need help. I can’t lose this competition. It’s just not an option. I’ll do anything for a story idea right now. I tried calling Luke too, but he’s away for a hockey tournament this weekend, so I can’t even talk to him. What am I going to do?
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
• • •
From: Kennedy Laurel ([email protected])
To: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
Sent: March 21, 19:08
Hi, Arthur!
Have you had a chance to read my story yet?? I never heard back from you! Maybe you think it’s terrible, and don’t know how to tell me :(
Do you think it’s OK? Did the ending make sense? I tried to get your attention during lunch today, but you didn’t see me, I guess!
There’s a rehearsal tomorrow at lunch, so maybe you can give me your feedback then! I would really really appreciate it! Normally you’re so good at getting back to me really fast! You’ve got me worried!
Kennedy :)
• • •
From: Kennedy Laurel ([email protected])
To: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
Sent: March 22, 16:23
Hi, Arthur!
Mr. Tan said that you said you had extra work to do in math today, and couldn’t make rehearsal! I missed you! We ended up working on the scene I have with Ben instead! He’s going to be an AWESOME nurse…so funny! I was looking forward to talking to you about my story! You must be pretty busy finishing your story! I haven’t heard from you at all! Maybe we can hang out before rehearsal and you can give me some feedback! I would really like that! Hopefully see you tomorrow!
Kennedy :)
• • •
From: Kennedy Laurel ([email protected])
To: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
Sent: March 22, 23:44
Hi, Arthur!
I’m starting to think you’re avoiding me! PLEASE PLEASE can you send me even a short email saying that my story is OK! I’ve been reading it over and over to see if there’s something I should change, but I don’t know what that would be! Is it full of spelling mistakes? Does it suck?? I’m going CRAZY over here! I just want it to be good enough to not be embarrassing!
Kennedy :)
• • •
Peer Tutoring Program—Progress Report
Session: March 23rd
Worked On: Stuff
Artie read the draft of my author piece and said it was good. he fixed alot of misstakes and showed me where I used anyway alot. he fixed it and now its better.
—Robbie
Robbie’s essay on Chris Van Allsburg was interesting. I didn’t know you could illustrate an essay. I wish more essays were illustrated. I didn’t know anything about the guy at all, and now I learned something. That Chris guy is a pretty good illustrator, and I like that Robbie added some of his pictures into his essay. I never really read any of his stuff, but Robbie was showing me some really cool books that are cool even though they are picture books for kids. I don’t know if they really are for kids.
Robbie’s paragraph about magic in books was interesting too.
—Arthur
• • •
My Favorite Author
By Arthur Bean
Arthur Bean was born in a hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His parents, Ernest and Margaret Bean, were ecstatic and proclaimed his talents early. Moving to Calgary when Arthur was only two years old, Arthur quickly became a fixture in the literary scene. He was reading chapter books before his seventh birthday and decided to be an author quickly thereafter. His first poem, called “Rain,” was published in the school newsletter in fifth grade, setting his career into motion.
After “Rain,” Arthur’s stories took on a more serious tone. The playful nature of his first poem was subtly mocked in his first short story called “Lightning Storms over Disneyland.” He began developing his characters in more realistic ways in his story “Sockland,” a breakthrough story that got highly positive reviews from Mrs. Lewis, a highly regarded sixth-grade teacher.
Arthur’s writing career was put on hiatus after Marg Bean died last year. She was his muse and greatest fan. But he has come back full force with a strong manuscript in the city-wide writing competition. He expects to win $200, his first prize in what promises to be a long writing career. He is also an amateur actor and investigative journalist.
Arthur’s career means a lot to me because it is mine. I think he captures what I am feeling and thinking in what he writes, and he is very clever.
Mr. Bean,
This is an unacceptable interpretation of this assignment. This kind of snide mocking of the assignment is juvenile, unoriginal, and rude. I expect you to take home this letter to your parents and return it with a signature tomorrow.
Mrs. Carrell
• • •
March 24th
Dear RJ,
Mrs. Carrell is ruining my life. How am I supposed to write a story when she is clearly trying to make me lose the competition? She knows that the deadline is a week away, and she still gives us homework. Plus she sucks any fun out of writing too. She keeps yelling at me, and when she’s not yelling, she has this look on her face like she is about to yell at me. She even yells at me when I haven’t done anything! Like today, my pencil broke and I needed to sharpen it, and when I went to empty the pencil sharpener into the garbage, she said that I was disrupting the class! I was just emptying the pencil sharpener, and then she sent me into the hall! What did I ever do to her?
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
• • •
From: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
To: Kennedy Laurel ([email protected])
Sent: March 24, 21:09
Dear Kennedy,
I’m really sorry I didn’t get back to you earlier. I didn’t get a chance to read your story. I was hoping to find time to read it, but I’ve been really busy. I’m sure that your story is awesome! I think you are probably my fiercest competition! And there’s spell-check on the computer to catch any spelling mistakes, so I don’t think you need to worry there.
Anyway, I should get back to writing my own story, but good luck with your final draft! I’m sure it’s perfect!
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
From: Kennedy Laurel ([email protected])
To: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
Sent: March 24, 21:19
Thanks, Arthur!
Of course you didn’t have a chance to read it! You’re like the busiest person in the world! I should’ve thought about that more, especially knowing that you’re in the play and writing for the newspaper AND writing a novel AND writing your own story for the competition! It’s crazy! Can you imagine what it will be like when we’re adults with JOBS LOL! Anyway, I’m so RELIEVED to get your email! And you said such nice things! You are TOO sweet!
Kennedy :)
• • •
March 27th
Dear RJ,
Stories are due soon and I’ve written nothing! Not even a word.
Why did I ever think I could be a writer? I have all these ideas in my head, but I don’t know how to write them down. Or else I tell Nicole or Luke about them, and then when I try to write them down, all my ideas are gone. It’s like someone took them away as soon as I said them out loud. I can’t make my brain work. I can’t even make my fingers type. Or if I get an idea that I don’t talk about, I don’t know where to start. Then I think about the ideas, and they’re stupid. All of them are stupid. I’m stupid. I’m never going to be famous. Ever. Where can I get a story in three days?
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
• • •
Peer Tutoring
Program—Progress Report
Session: March 29th
Worked On: Short Story
Robbie’s story was good, except for the mistakes and stuff.
—Arthur
Artie helpd me with my camp storey, cuz I finnished it erly.
—Robbie
Gentlemen:
I understand that you are working together on a weekly basis, but in my books, this is an unacceptable synopsis of your work. I am certain this would not fly with Ms. Whitehead, and it certainly does not fly with me. In the future, I expect to see something concrete that you have worked on together.
Mrs. Carrell
• • •
From: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
To: Robbie Zack ([email protected])
Sent: March 30, 02:04
Dear Robbie,
I know you don’t owe me any favors at all, but I have a big one to ask of you. I need to use the short story that you showed me the other day. I think it’s really good.
There’s a long explanation, but I don’t have anything to put in for the writing competition. It’s hard to explain. I don’t have a story, and I need one, and you have good ideas and the ghost story you wrote would be perfect. I’ll give you anything you want. I can pay you for it. I just really need it, and I will be grateful if I could have it.
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
From: Robbie Zack ([email protected])
To: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
Sent: March 30, 08:22
I dont get it. why do u need my storey? why should i give it to u anyway? i dont want ur money. tell me why u need it, and ill decide from there.
From: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
To: Robbie Zack ([email protected])
Sent: March 30, 08:43
Dear Robbie,
I need your story because I promised my dad I would win the competition because he’s sad about my mom dying, and my grandma told me that she would die of a heart attack if I didn’t win, and I bet my next-door neighbor Nicole $5 that I would win, and it’s really important to them that I win because otherwise I will be a failure and let down my whole family because I’m supposed to be a famous author and I can’t be a famous author without winning a competition.
Please don’t tell anyone. I need to put a story in tomorrow and I need your help.
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
From: Robbie Zack ([email protected])
To: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
Sent: March 30, 12:08
That’s alot of reasons artie. i also think, u owe me something big. heres the deal: u tell mr. Tan that u r dropping out of the play and i get to be romeo and i will give u my storey
From: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
To: Robbie Zack ([email protected])
Sent: March 30, 12:22
Dear Robbie,
I don’t think that’s a very good trade. I have a lot of money. I can pay you as much as you want, but I really, really want to be in the play.
How about $50?
I can give you $50 for your story.
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
From: Robbie Zack ([email protected])
To: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
Sent: March 30, 15:44
i dont want your $. romeo for storey.
From: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
To: Robbie Zack ([email protected])
Sent: March 30, 16:19
Dear Robbie,
What about $100? I would have to give it to you in two parts though, but I can get the money.
I don’t think you want to be Romeo anyway. There are so many lines to memorize, and Mr. Tan is really strict in rehearsals.
Also, the reflections are a total pain to write, and the rehearsals can be really long and boring. I’m sure you have better stuff to do.
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
From: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
To: Robbie Zack ([email protected])
Sent: March 30, 19:05
Dear Robbie,
Do you want more money? I could give you the prize money! I kind of wanted it to get my dad something, but I can give you that if you want. Please don’t make me give up the part!
Yours truly,
Arthur Bean
From: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
To: Robbie Zack ([email protected])
Sent: March 30, 20:00
Dear Robbie,
Fine. You can be Romeo. Can you send me your story tonight? I think that it’s really good, but I’m going to make it even better, and I’m sure there are spelling mistakes I’ll need to fix.
Arthur
From: Robbie Zack ([email protected])
To: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
Sent: March 30, 20:03
THANKS ARTIE! Heres my storey for you. im really glad to be playing romeo i think i will do a good job. anyway i am taller than kennedy so i think we will look good onstage next to each other more than you guys did. this makes my year. anyway i thought this year would suck!
Attachment included: Ghost Love Storey
APRIL
Arthur Bean
Ms. Whitehead
Class 7A
GHOST LOVE STORY
Before he died, Jack sat behind Kaylee in math class. Instead of learning about fractions, he studied her back. Her brown hair covered her neck. She rarely put her hair in a ponytail. Sometimes the tag of her shirt stuck out. She wore a medium.
Jack was average. He didn’t do very well in math, and he hated English. He was pretty good at gym, and he liked art. He had a few friends, but he could have used more.
When school ended, summer vacation began. The only reason Jack cared about summer vacation was the fact that he wasn’t going to see Kaylee for two months. Seeing Kaylee every day in math class made Jack so happy.
During summer vacation, Jack went to camp. Jack liked camp. It was at a lake and the kids were nice and they drew pictures of nature and did rubbings on rocks and acted out funny skits at night. They got to learn to sail and swim in the lake and play capture the flag. It was like gym and art class put together.
It was Saturday when it started raining at camp. One rainy day is okay because the camp had some movies to watch in the big lodge. But then it rained on Sunday. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. All rain. By Friday everyone was so sick of the lodge that when Jack suggested a rainy swim in the lake, lots of kids agreed. The counselors were tired of coming up with indoor activities, so they agreed too. They played Rock Paper Scissors to see who had to stand watch out in the rain. Brooke lost.
The lake seemed really warm compared to the cold rain. Jack preferred to stay under the water for as long as he could. When he couldn’t hold his breath any longer, he would burst through the surface for a big gasp of air. Jack dove under over and over. He would grab the younger kids by their ankles and listen for them to shriek and kick him away. He did this for hours until he was the only kid left swimming. Brooke was cold and wet and grumpy.
“Jack! Are you going to be in there all day?” she called out.
Jack nodded.
“You okay if I go inside?” she asked.
Jack nodded again. Then he dove under the water into the warmth of the reeds. When he surfaced, he was alone. He smiled and swam out a little farther, then ducked under the water.
He never came back up.
It was a few hours before anyone noticed that Jack hadn’t come in from the lake. They looked
for him, but Jack knew they wouldn’t find him. No one was going to look for him tangled in the reeds at the bottom of the lake. He was just a ghost floating above them now. The counselors called the police. They brought their search-and-rescue boat. Jack was pleased that he was so important, and he hovered over the bow of the boat when they went out into the middle of the lake.
The police were grumpy in the rain. They called him a “stupid kid” for swimming out so far. He tried to punch them in the face, but his fist never hit anything. They found his body in the reeds. The police pretended to be sad when they pulled up to the dock.
When school started again, nobody seemed to miss Jack. This made him sad. He wanted people to wear black arm bands and maybe put a large photo of him in the trophy case, like schools in movies do for students who have died. But no one did anything. He thought maybe his favorite teacher would leave his desk in homeroom empty as a tribute. Instead, everyone moved up a desk to replace him. He thought that maybe there would be a moment of silence for him at the beginning of art class, but his teacher just started teaching pastel techniques.
The worst was Kaylee. Kaylee didn’t notice at all. She didn’t cry or even ask anyone about him. It was like he had never been alive in the first place. It sucked.
Jack sat on the desk behind hers and stared at her back. She still wore a medium. Her hair was longer. She stared at Olivier, the French exchange student, and purred “Bonjour” at him when he looked at her. Jack thought that was really annoying. But other than that, she was still nice.
Still, she didn’t notice he was gone.
So Jack decided to make her notice. He followed her home and watched TV sitting next to her on the couch. He curled up beside her on her bed when she was reading. He went to every volleyball game, every play rehearsal, every swimming lesson.
Then Kaylee started feeling cold at night. She smiled less. She seemed…sad, somehow. She had never seemed sad before.
Jack worried about her. Maybe she’s sad about me, he thought to himself. Maybe she’s realizing that I’m gone.
Jack was getting stronger as a ghost. He found that he could move the curtains, just a whisper. He would rush back and forth through the curtains, and they would flicker. Each time he would blow the curtains in Kaylee’s living room, she would look up. He smiled to himself. She was starting to notice him. So he made a plan to make her notice more.
A Year in the Life of a Complete and Total Genius Page 11