Stephanie peeked into the classroom to see 6 large tables scattered around the room.  Brightly decorated walls, buckets of toys and shelves full of books were taken in with wide blue eyes. 

“Good morning!” greeted a young blonde woman.  “My name is Miss Garvey and I’m going to be your Kindergarten teacher.

Stephanie looked up to see a real-live Barbie.  She was tall, blonde hair pulled back by a lavender headband and dressed in a purple turtleneck sweater, short plaid skirt and black knee-high boots.  Stephanie smiled. She had one just like her at home.  Barbie was the best!  Maybe this Kindergarten thing wouldn’t be too bad. 

She looked around Miss Garvey at the other kids in the class. She recognized Carl Costanza, and made a face when he picked his nose and then licked his finger clean.  At Carl’s table was her friend Eddie, whose mom was best friends with her mom.  She gave him a little wave.  At the next table was Antonia Morelli, she was OK but her brothers were trouble.  Especially Joey.  Mom told her every day to stay far away from Joey.  Joey was a very bad boy.

“Go ahead, Stephanie,” Ellen Plum said, giving her small daughter a little push.  “Go make friends.”  She gave her mother a worried look but Ellen shooed her into the room with a big smile. 

She stepped farther into the room and looked around.  Two boys sat at a table in the back of the room.  They were thumb wrestling and arguing over who would win in a fight, the Romulans or the Klingons.  One was kinda skinny with brownish blond hair.  He gave her a goofy grin.  “Whoa.  Nice lunchbox!”  She smiled as she set her Wonder Woman lunchbox in her cubby. 

“Hi, I’m Stephanie.”

“Yeah, uh, I’m Walter and this is Dougie.  Dougie don’t say very much but he can get you anything you want, baseball cards, yo-yos, pet rocks.  Dougie gets stuff.”  She waved at Dougie and he waved back. 

Stephanie turned when she heard a voice.  “Pssst.  Over here.”  She was being waved over by a dark-haired girl in a white turtleneck shirt and blue jumper with black Mary Janes.  “You don’t want to sit with those two.  Boys have cooties.”

“What are cooties?”

“I dunno.  But they’re bad.  My friend’s sister’s cousin’s mother said that if a boy touches you he gives you cooties and you could DIE!” 

Stephanie’s eyes grew wide.  “Really?”

“Yep.  You should sit here with me. This is a no-boy table so you’ll be safe here.”  What a relief!  Stephanie sat down next to the girl. 

 “My name’s Stephanie.”

 “Hi.  I’m MaryLou.”