Cathy's Creative Corner: 'Meep! Meep!'
Collette glanced at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She had to look nice since all three grade levels would be in the middle school gym at the same time. It was Wednesday and there’d be a pep rally during fifth period for today’s homecoming game. Being seventh graders, it was their responsibility to inspire the impressionable sixth graders while hoping to attract the attention of the eighth graders. Collette’s hip-hugger bell-bottom jeans, white turtleneck and jean jacket should accomplish both feats.
“I had the craziest dream last night,” blurted Harriet as she entered the house. Collette and Harriet walked to school together every morning come rain or shine. “Aliens were trying to take me away. At first they were cool looking dudes but the more we talked, the more their voices started to change. When I asked them about their high-pitched voices, they turned green, shrunk and started chasing me around! Girl, it seemed so real.”
“I’ve told you about watching ‘The X-Files’ and ‘UFO’ knowing you’re scared of your own shadow,” laughed Collette. About that time, she let out a high-pitched, lightning-fast “meep meep” sound.
Harriet almost jumped out of her skin. “Did you hear that? What was it?” she questioned.
“Help me! Help me! I’m shrinking! I’m turning green!” Collette started walking robotically towards Harriet.
“You are not funny,” Harriet scolded as she grabbed her bookbag and ran out the door. “I’m going to meet the other girls!”
Collette giggled as she gathered her belongings and headed out. Did Harriet, at first, really not know she was making the high-pitched call? “Hold up, girl. I’m coming!”
Several hours passed since the girls’ morning walk to school. Collette is taking a test in her fourth period science class when Harriet’s dream crosses her mind. The dead silence in the room demanded to be broken, and before she knew it, “Meep! Meep!” made an appearance. The room erupted in laughter. Collette acted as shocked as all the other students. Everyone is looking around to see who unleashed the piercing cry. Her girlfriends to her left and to her right pretty much know it was Collette, but they aren’t totally sure. Of course, the only person who didn’t think it was funny was Mr. Thompson. He was rather annoyed. Before that, the quietness in the room had almost put him to sleep.
“Okay, now that you have my attention, get back to your test everyone. And don’t do that again,” he ordered.
“Girl, you better be careful,” Collette whispered to Nancy on her right.
“I thought it was you,” Nancy shockingly responded.
“I did, too,” mumbled Darla from Collette’s left. Collette wrinkled her brow and cocked her head in disbelief. She liked her new character and didn’t want her secret revealed too soon. It was a good thing Harriet was two years older and attended the high school or everyone would know it was Collette by the end of the day.
All the classes had assembled in the gymnasium for the homecoming pep rally. It was unusually loud as grade level cheered against grade level to see who could dominate the competition. The poor sixth graders could hardly get up a chant before they were drowned out by the upper classes. The noise stopped long enough for the principal to announce which class sold the most tickets to the game, the most lollipops and the most pennants/buttons. Following were the names of homecoming court participants. It was such a lengthy list the principal jokingly asked if there were any write-in candidates. To Collette’s astonishment, “Meep! Meep!” made a louder and more surprising appearance! The shrill echoed off the concrete walls of the gym. Her heart dropped, but within a few seconds, Collette began to hear faint “meep meeps” coming from all corners of the gym. The cry grew in intensity until every class had joined in and all the students were of one accord.
“I don’t know who Meep Meep is,” joked the principal after gaining control of the crowd, “but it sounds like you’ve got a very good chance at winning this thing.”
Collette couldn’t wait to fill in Harriet on today’s escapades. That is, if Harriet won’t run away.
