CHAPTER 12


If You Don't Find It in the Index, Look Very Carefully Throughout the Entire Catalog. - Sears Roebuck Catalog

Summary

The chapter opens with Tibby and Bailey's interview with Brian McBrian. Tibby thought it was the perfect place for a scorn fest. He was a caricature of a caricature of a loser. Bailey very competently sets up the equipment, a surprise to Tibby. The interview itself was meant to be sarcastic so Tibby's first questions were designed to make him look like a dork. However, she became unnerved by his honesty especially when he said other people lived outside the screen while he lived inside the computer. He explained the game very clearly and told the girls that on February 13 ^th , he became the first and only player to reach the 28 ^th level - the highest level in the game. He also wasn't upset when he played and didn't reach that level, because to him, the whole world was in there. Tibby became so engrossed in how he played that eventually the battery died on her camera and she didn't even notice it. He agreed to finish the interview another time. Then, she stayed and watched him play to the 24 ^th level before being incinerated by a dragon.

The scene shifts to Bee. She went on another run with Eric who was leading his own team. He became resigned that she was going to run alongside him, but was upset by the direction their conversation took. Bee was very direct and told him she wanted him. Eric was too much of a gentleman to hurt her and tried to explain that even though he had noticed her and was attracted to her, he was a coach, and she was only sixteen. She told him that she didn't care about the rules he was following, but he insisted that he didn't have a choice about them.

The scene shifts to Lena. The routine breakfast with Bapi continued to be awkward, because he didn't speak English, and Lena didn't speak Greek. But it was also awkward because of the fight she had inadvertently set off between him and his friend. She tried to tell him the truth through gestures and the sound of her voice, but Bapi just sweetly covered her hand with his as if to say they didn't have to talk about it. She decided to tell Effie, her sister, about it first to get a reality check and then tell Grandma and Bapi.

So, she packed up her painting supplies and decided to walk downhill. She walked toward Kostos' house, hoping she would see him along the way, but no one was home. Then, she felt uncomfortable even with herself and turned back home, unsure of what she would do that day. She told herself that, on the bright side, Kostos wouldn't be bothering her anymore, but that side didn't seem so bright just then.

Bee wrote to Carmen telling about a hike they took across a volcano field and down through the canyons to look at ancient Indian rock art. There was one picture after another of huge penises that made her and Diana laugh so hard they had to sit down. It was just another of the crazy pleasures of Baja.