A Swell Piece of Corn
Eric Douglas knew few things about himself, except he didn’t like crowds much — especially from the vantage point of a stage. He was certain about one thing, though: He was in love with Jenny Gardner, and the fastest way to a girl’s heart was by holding her hand—
even if it meant dressing like a piece of corn.
The costume was bulky and stiflingly hot with green foam fronds sticking out around his head like a ridiculous sixteenth-century ruff. A simple turn of the head sent them flailing about, slapping his classmates in the face if they stood too close. And walking was an entirely different matter. The leg holes came just below the knee, which made forward movement feel like he was walking with his pants down.
“Corn!” A shrill voice broke Eric’s thoughts. Miss Pennington was the fifth-grade teacher and always seemed in a hurry. “Corn!” she said again, stomping toward Eric on a pair of kitten-heeled shoes. She pushed a sharp breath through her teeth and said, “Eric!”