Battle lines have been drawn. Two young champions approach the lunch table with slow and deliberate demeanor. The card game championships of Mrs. Terwilliger’s third grade class are drawing to their exciting conclusion. It has been a long journey for both of the finalists. Dozens of other students have fallen before them, some by skill, some by pure luck. Whatever the appearance, only fate could have brought together Jimmy Olkin and his nemesis Suzie Frigg.
Standing at a commanding 4’3” made Jimmy Olkin the tallest kid in all of fourth period. No one messed with him. (At least not until next year when everyone else had their growth spurts and even the girls were taller than him, but for now, he was standing tall.) He was known for such feats of strength as kicking a soccer ball ALMOST onto the roof of the school once, and being one of the few kids who carried his backpack rather than using the built in wheels. He did not know fear, once when confronted with a dare to eat a worm… he did it. With. Out. Gagging. As he seated himself at the lunch table he placed a blue plastic lunchbox and slowly opened it. Proudly he displayed the familiar and elegant logo of Batman emboldened across the front.
But Suzie was not to be intimidated. She had all the guile and cunning of a fourth grader, perhaps even a relatively unpopular fifth grader. Although she was smaller than Jimmy, she knew her times tables all the way up into the sevens… but seven times eight always messed her up. Her geography was also a force to be reckoned with, when asked her favorite country in Europe she answered Luxembourg. When the class laughed at the silly and made up seeming name… the teacher shushed them. Luxembourg was REAL! And Suzie knew it. None would dare confront her in geography again after that day. Her deck of cards was wrapped nicely in a pink ribbon. Tied not just in a regular knot, but rather it criss crossed around, holding the cards from all four sides! As she tugged on the knot holding them in place the ribbon gave way and she began to shuffle her cards. The glint of victory was already in her eyes as she stared across the table at Jimmy. Their battle would be epic.
The cards had been devised by Mrs. Terwilliger herself. Not Pokemon, not Magic, not Yu-Gi-Oh…. no.. she had taken all that was amazing about those and put them together. These cards contained all of the greatest heroes of mankind. These were Historical Figure Cards and whomever could win this final round would be crowned class champion. And have a pizza party thrown in their honor. Yes. A pizza party. Where the champion could select their favorite topping for one of the pizzas.
“Hello…. Jimmy” the brainy girl intoned.
“Hello yourself Suzie” the nearly nine year old boy retorted.
As they looked at each other across the table, the whole class gathered together, the excitement was palpable. Mrs. Terwilliger rose, a pillar of authority in a furious sea of spectators.
“Alright, quiet down. Jimmy, you won the coin toss, so you may go first.” She smiled softly and folded her arms. Her calm demeanor could not hide what all of the class knew, this was important. Possibly the most important thing to ever happen. And they were going to be there to witness it.
Jimmy nodded and drew his cards, he played them fast and loose, using his most powerful cards as soon as he could… Charlemange. But Suzie was patient, she countered with Mozart, backed him up with Joan of Arc. The rounds were intense… points were racking up and soon one of them would be the victor. Einstein dropped, Churchill rose, Plato defended, and finally, both nearing the end of their decks the final deciding hand would begin. It had been a hard fought game with so much on the line. Jimmy’s brashness had led him to an early lead, but Suzie’s deliberate style had kept her defeat at bay long enough to whittle down Jimmy’s defenses.
With a grin Jimmy pulled his final card from his deck. He looked down to see what it was and fought to hold back the excitement boiling up at the realization. With almost too much excitement he placed down his card. Sir Francis Drake. The second person to circumnavigate the world. The privateer was a lucky draw for him, just the thing he needed to win the game.
“Well, looks like that is it Suzie, Mrs. Terwilliger… the topping I want is pepperoni!” He smugly stood raising one arm in the air, declaring his own victory…. but too soon.
With a quiet cough Suzie pulled a card she had been holding onto for the latter half of the game from her hand. The excited cheers for Jimmy distracted almost everyone from what she was doing until the card was out on the table and she slowly turned it over. The crowd fell silent.
The soft voice of the girl rang out in the quiet “Not so fast… Magellan did it first”
The class had pineapple pizza that day.
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