Kalila Read Online Free Page A

Brodie shirt, Maggie’s sisters call it — into your green flannel pants and say, Okay. Question number ten. What concept does this question deal with?
    Uniform motion, a scattering of voices calls.
    And uniform motion is?
    Motion at a constant speed.
    Thank you, Eileen. And speed, as not many of you have learned, judging by the number of you who got this test question wrong, equals distance over time. You scribble the equation on the blackboard. Harold, read the question.
    Brodie and Maggie took their dog for a walk at the river. When they parked the car, Brodie got out and started walking. Maggie remained behind to gather up the leash and doggie bags and lock up the car. Skipper, worried that Brodie and Maggie would become separated, ran full tilt back and forth between them on the path. Maggie took three minutes to lock up the car. If Brodie was walking five kilometres per hour, and three minutes later, Maggie began walking seven kilometres per hour, how far would Skipper, bounding at twenty kilometres per hour, have to run before Maggie caught up to Brodie?
    Hey, Mr. Solantz, is Maggie your wife?
    Mr. Solantz, you have a dog?
    What kind is she?
    Mr. Solantz is married? I never knew he was married. You’re married, Mr. Solantz?
    She is, I do, I am, and she’s a he. And details of Skipper’s daily habits, or mine, are not going to help you pass your physics departmental.
    Skipper! Is he a mongrel?
    You sigh. Last question, Anita. Promise? He’s a springer spaniel.
    Awwwwww, echoes around the classroom. They’re so cute.
    And smart, Anita says. I read that —
    Anita, Skipper’s smart. He could probably pass this physics exam. The question is, Could you? Now help me work out this question. Where do we begin?
    Well, says a gum-snapping Anita, I’d begin with the character of Brodie. Why the hell would he leave Maggie to lock up the car like that? He just walked off on her? Why would Maggie even want to catch up with the jerk? Anita slumps back in her chair. I tell you what I’d do. I’d drive right off and leave him!
    You pull at your hair in mock anguish. This is about speed that doesn’t change, okay? They all have to move at their own rate so you can work out the problem. Forget the character of Brodie. I’ll work on his manners for the next exam. Come up here, Anita, and solve the problem.
    I was only trying to express myself , Anita says, eyes feigning innocence, blue and sparkling.
    You want to take these happy people in your arms.

Suzette and Francine, dripping costume jewellery, wiggle up beside me at my kitchen table in their dress-up clothes. Francine hiccups and inhales two snuffly breaths. I pour my nieces pretend green tea. Skipper rams his head under my elbow. Kool-Aid splashes.
    Remember this tea set, Maggie, when we were little? Marigold wipes up the spills. Skipper, shoo! Auntie Maggie and I drank from this set when we were little girls. We had a wooden-egg-crate table in that red peeling granary.
    What’s an egg crate? asks Suzette, licking her green-stained mouth.
    What’s a granary? mutters Francine.
    Skipper helps himself to the Nanaimo bar hanging squished between Francine’s dangling fingers.
    City kids! Marigold scoffs. A granary is a square little building where a farmer stores his wheat. That’s what bread is made from, only this granary was empty — except for chaff. Grandpa gave it to us for a playhouse.
    And Grandma sewed us curtains out of flour sacks —
    Out of what ?
    Really, I give up! Marigold laughs. She tweaks Francine’s brunette braids. It’s what flour came in, great woven bags; you use flour to make bread.
    You said wheat makes bread, Francine says sulkily.
    I’m sorry your rabbit died, Francine, Marigold says cheerily, but let’s not be rude. Grandma made us a floursack-tableclo —I miss To-oo-ops, Francine quavers, knocking over her lime Kool-Aid. Suzette lets out a sympathetic