“So, Talluuuuulah Casey, regrettably we meet again. Remember I am watching you. I have my eyes on you. Always. Sit down.”

I looked up into the stern, forbidding, beak-like face of Dr. Lightowler. We all sat down.

As she walked past us and up toward the front of the hall, Jo said softly, “She still hates you times-a-million.”

Vaisey said, “She just loomed up from nowhere. Did she frighten you? She frightens me.”

Flossie said, “Her beaky eyes are watching you wherever you go, even on the lavatory.”

I said, “I think she is part owl because her hearing is—”

Blimey, she is part owl because as I spoke her head turned back toward me, but her body didn’t! Just her head. Spooky dooky.

She looked at me, not blinking.

I looked back at her, not blinking. I couldn’t help it.

We were two owls looking at each other.

I felt a little twitch in my lower lids.

A voice inside my head warned me, “No! Don’t start raising your lower eyelids like your owl impression. It’s not funny. It isn’t funny.”

Then another voice in my head said, “It IS funny. Go on, do it. It is very, very funny.”

The first voice said, “Just do one eyelid, just a little eyelid raise. Or a slow blink. She’ll never notice that.”

Then my legs began to feel tingly and restless.

No, heavens, no! Not an owl impression and Irish dancing at the same time. She’ll eat me alive!!!! Bit by bit … head first …

Save me!

But then thankfully she walked on. (Not with her head facing backward.)

As we sat there waiting for Sidone to arrive, Jo said, “Did you get a postcard from Honey?”

We all nodded.

Vaisey said, “I wonder what her big news is?”

I said, “She’s probably done multiple snogging.”

Vaisey said, “Multiple? Is that …” Then Monty came onto the stage. Good Lord, he’s wearing a pink leotard. Just. He is quite porky. He looks like he has got little snacks in his cheeks that he is saving for later.

Flossie said, “He’s goddam beautiful.”

But I don’t think she really means it. Anyway, we gave Monty a big round of applause.

Monty was delighted to be back. His little piggy eyes were sparkly with enthusiasm for the theater.

He clapped his pudgy hands together. And gave us a little twirl.

“Mes enfants, mes enfants … l’aventure commence. The ADVENTURE commences. Tout de suite. Immédiatement. Once again, we at Dother Hall embark on the noblest of voyages, we are voyaging to the land of entertainment. Of magic!!! Of transformation.”

And he did a spontaneous pas de deux.

Jo said, “If he does that again he won’t be in that leotard for long.”

I said, “No, he’ll be in an ambulance.”

Flossie punched my arm. And said in her Texan drawl, “Why, Miss Lullah, that was very nearly a goddam joke y’all told there.”

Monty was still talking.

“And guiding us as always on our journey is our captain. Or should I say, our captain-ess! The brightest star in our firmament. The wick of our candles. The bow to our arrows. The beaver in our midst. Ms. Sidone Beaver!!!”