Page 5 of Mountain Void
“My dad says it’s ten seconds!”
She cut them off gently but firmly. “This is a different thirty-second rule, taught by a very smart lady. It has zero to do with germs and everything to do with your busy, awesome brains.”
The kids perked up.
“Is she a teacher, like you?”
Charlie grinned. “Yes, she is.”
She crossed to her desk and picked up a tiny kitchen timer shaped like a duck wearing sunglasses and a rucksack. The class adored that duck. At the start of the year, they’d named him Mr. Quackston.
“Let’s say Mr. Quackston just ate corn on the cob for lunch and now he’s got some stuck in his beak.” She squinted at the duck figurine. “Happens to the best of us.”
A ripple of giggles.
“Is it helpful or unhelpful to tell him?”
“Helpful!”
“Why?”
“Because he looks silly!”
“Because he can fix it!”
“Exactly.” Charlie nodded. “If something looks silly and can be fixed quickly—like corn in your teeth, an untied shoelace, or toilet paper stuck to your shoe…”
Several children pulled horrified faces. The rest laughed.
“…then that person, or duck, will probably be very thankful you spoke up.”
She set Mr. Quackston down in the middle of the circle.
“But what about things that can’t be fixed in thirty seconds?” she asked. “Like the shape of someone’s body. The color of their skin. Their hair color. Their voice. The way they look.”
The room was suddenly quiet.
“See how those things might be different from the corn problem?”
“Yes!” The kids all seemed to be in agreement.
“Those are per-so-nal,” Nicollete said, stretching out the syllables.
“Those things don’t need fixing,” Théo said quietly, pushing his dark hair out of his eyes. Something tightened inside her. It was the first time the boy had spoken today, which was unusual for him. He was one of her more insightful—and usually more vocal—students.
“Exactly. So, back to the rule. If it can’t be fixed in thirty seconds… then we don’t say anything.” Charlie leaned closer, conspiratorial. “Okay, practice time. Give me examples of things we can tell someone.”
“Something in your teeth!”
“You’re wearing two different shoes!”
“Your T-shirt’s inside out!”
“Excellent!” She clapped her hands once. “How about things we do not comment on?”
“How tall someone is,” muttered Logan, the tallest boy in the class.
“How small they are,” countered Ellie, fierce despite her size.
