All is Not Fair in the 3rd Grade

Aloise loved recess! Her favorites were the swings, the jungle gym and the big- leaf maple tree at the far end of the playground. She loved to trace its deeply ridged bark with her finger and read her favorite books under its majestic leaves doing their job by giving her a nice, cool spot to read. Aloise was in the third grade at the Bulls Bridge Center School. She had deep brown eyes and long wavy, white-blonde hair that hung down around her shoulders like a shiny princess cape. 

“All right, boys and girls, you can put your papers in your folder and line up for recess. Aloise already had her folder in her desk. She anticipated recess every day because her grandmother, Marsie, had taught her how to read the big analog clock which hung on the wall behind her teacher's desk. 

She quickly scuttled to the side door, being careful not to run, or she would be sent back to her seat. That was a rule. No running inside the building. Aloise knew if she didn’t hurry, Annabelle would be first in line and run to the swings first, and if she did, she would save one for Gracie and one for Abbey. Gracie was Aloise’s best friend at school but she would always do whatever Annabelle wanted.  All the third graders practically always did everything Anabelle picked. But not Aloise. Aloise liked to let her friends choose. Every week on Friday afternoon in school, Aloise got the “good citizen” sticker. Annabelle did not like that! She wanted the sticker and knew she could be the teacher’s pet when she needed to be.

As Aloise made it to the door first, Annabelle ran right up next to her, giving Aloise a little shove behind her. 

“Annabelle, I was here first!”

“Yeah, but you ran, so I get to be first.”

“I did not run, you ran and pushed me, too!”

“Girls!” Miss Milano said as she approached the door. 

“She cut in line!” said Aloise with her hands still on Anabelle as she tried to move her back in line.

“I did not. Aloise ran!”

“You ran, Annabelle, it’s not nice to tell lies.”

“Okay girls, let’s just turn around and settle down” Miss Milana told them. “We all need to get along.”

Naturally, Annabelle was first in line, and also naturally saved the swings for the other girls.”

“That’s not fair” Aloise griped to Annabelle. “You’re mean.” Then she turned to Gracie and said, “Gracie, do you want to climb the jungle gym with me?”

“Gracie is swinging, can’t you see that Aloise?” snapped Annabelle. The three girls giggled.

Aloise forgot to bring her book out so she slowly climbed up the jungle gym, occasionally looking back to the girls on the swings. She sat at the top for a while and decided to try the swings again. Miss Milano was standing next to the swings looking out at the playground. 

“Gracie,” Aloise started. “Do you think I could have a turn now?” 

Miss Milano looked over and Annabelle immediately said, “Oh Aloise, here. You can have my swing.”

“Oh, how nice of you, Annabelle” remarked her teacher.

Aloise looked away and rolled her eyes. “Thank you Annabelle”, she said as animatedly as she could.

“You’re welcome” she answered with a big smile across her face and looking not at Aloise, but straight at Miss Milano, who smiled in return.

“Come on you guys” Annabelle yelled out to the girls.

The girls got off the swings to follow Annabelle and so Aloise, who wanted to play, too, hopped off the swing and walked just behind them.

“Thought you wanted to swing, Aloise”, Annabelle said snidely.

“Well now I want to play with you guys.”

“Fine.” But I choose what we play.”

The next day was Wednesday. That afternoon the third graders had Art class, Aloise’s favorite. She had made lots of pictures that the Art teacher hung up in the display case. Today when they went to Art, Aloise noticed that Annabelle’s artwork from last week was on display. Annabelle leaned over and spoke into Aloise’s ear. “Mrs. Barton said that my picture is the best one she has ever had by a third grader, Aloise. Guess you’re not the best artist in the class anymore!” 

“It’s nice” said Aloise.

“But it’s better than yours.”

“So?”

“So now I’m the best at soccer, reading, the play and art!” Annabelle said as she counted each item on her fingers. “What are you the best at, Aloise?”

“Just stop, Annabelle”.

“Why? You’re just jealous!” 

“I just want you to leave me alone.” 

“Gracie and Abbey are coming to my house for a sleepover on Friday.”

Aloise didn’t say anything. She looked straight ahead.

“I guess I’m the most popular, too.”

“Just get back in the line,” said Aloise.

When they arrived at the Art room, Mrs. Barton had a large piece of colored construction paper laid out for each child and a black pastel crayon. There was music playing. Aloise passed out smocks which she volunteered to do so often it just became automatic.

“Today boys and girls, I’m going to have you listen to music for 5 or 10 minutes, and I want you to take your crayon and just let your hands flow wherever they will as you listen” said Mrs.Barton. “Okay? Does anyone have any questions?” 

Aloise raised her hand.

“Yes Aloise.” She slipped off her stool and went to Mrs. Barton. “Um…do you think I can move my seat so I’m not next to Annabelle?”

“Oh, I think you’re just fine where you are. Now come on, I’ll walk you to your seat.”

As Aloise listened to the music, she drew some soft wavy lines and some loop-dee-loops all around her page and happened to notice Annabelle watching and copying her movements.

When the music stopped, Mrs. Barton told the children to look down at their drawing and try to find a picture or some objects inside the design they could color. Aloise looked down at her page and began to see a family of ducks swimming across a pond. She got up to get some colored pastel crayons to color them in. 

“What are you making, Aloise?”

“A family of ducks swimming in a pond.” she said as she began to color.

“Well”, started Mrs. Barton. “Does anyone want to share with the class what you see in your design?”

Annabelle raised her hand but didn’t wait to be called on. “I see a family of ducks swimming in a pond,” she said. “But I think Aloise is copying me.”

“Annabelle, I just told you that’s what I was doing. You’re copycatting!”

“Nobody’s copying anybody, girls because your art pieces are just being started and there’s nothing to copy.”

“But she just asked me what I was going to make and that’s what I said” pleaded Aloise.

“Nuh-uh” said Annabelle. “I had my own idea.”

“Girls, you’re both wasting time.”

When the pictures were done, Annabelle following Aloise’s every move, Mrs. Barton thought they were so lovely that she took a photograph of both girls' together holding their art work and put both in the display case side by side with a caption that read, ‘Two creative thinkers think alike!”

“Oh my God” Aloise said when she noticed them the next day. She was mad that Annabelle got away with copying her. ‘But Annabelle always gets whatever she wants’ said Aloise to herself. 

On Friday was the third grade performance of Kamp Kindness. Aloise played the Owl who has been bullied in school, but Annabelle got the part she wanted. Annabelle played the very kind unicorn who was always nice to everyone.  Annabelle and Aloise were in the first scene of the play:

WINKLE / UNICORN: Are you excited for camp Emily? I’m so glad we’re going together.

EMILY / OWL: I guess I’m excited. I just hope there are no bullies at camp.

After that girl Kelly punched me in the stomach this year, it’s been so hard to trust kids.

WINKLE / UNICORN: Well, she lost her scholarship to come to camp. Serves her right! And I’m sure Camp Kindness will be full of nice kids. I got your feathers Emily. We’ll have fun, I promise.

EMILY / OWL: Thanks Winkle. You’re right, it’s gonna be awesome.

All of the parents and children loved the play! During the curtain call, Aloise got loud cheers and clapping, but when Anabelle came out last, Aloise felt like shrinking because of course, Annabelle got a standing ovation as the audience roared and clapped. Backstage, Annabelle saw Aloise and couldn’t wait to show her that she got three flower bouquets.

“Aloise, look! I got three bouquets, how many did you get?”

“One” she answered and walked away.

Just then, Miss Milano walked backstage. “Aloise”, called Annabelle. Making sure her teacher could see both girls, Annabelle offered Aloise one of her bouquets. “Here, now we both have two!”, she said. Aloise did not want one of Annabelle’s bouquets but smiled and thanked her anyway.

Out in the parking lot, after the show, Annabelle said to Aloise’s mother, “I gave Aloise one of my bouquets, Mrs. Roberts!”

“I know, Annabelle, but you didn’t need to do that. Aloise has a very nice bouquet from her own family, so I’m going to ask you to take your bouquet home with you.”

Aloise was envious that Anabelle got three bouquets, but she didn’t want any of hers anyway. She handed the flowers back to Annabelle without saying a word. 

“Thanks”, said Annabelle. “Maybe you’ll get the lead next year and get three like me! But I’ll probably get the lead so…” This was followed by exaggerated laughter. Aloise did not think that was funny at all.

“Annabelle, you always want me to be jealous of everything, but guess what, I’m not! My mom taught me to be a good person and to always think of other people’s feelings. That’s the only reason I’m nice to you!” Aloise climbed into her car, slammed the door and folded her arms across her chest.

“Aloise” her mom said after she buckled herself in.

“What?” she answered through slow rolling tears.

“Nice job!”

“Annabelle was better.”

“I don’t think so, but I’m not talking about the play. I’m talking about how you just stood up to Annabelle and told her the truth,” her mom said with a wink.

Aloise broke out in a smile from ear to ear. Thanks, Mom. I won’t ever be jealous ever again of anyone that is mean and acts fake around the grown-ups. Gross!”

“That’s my girl!”

When they got home, Aloise’s mom put her flowers in a vase on the dining room table.

“Those are beautiful, Mom.”

“Beautiful like you, Aloise, inside and out!”

The  End