When we got home, I went to my room and sobbed for a while. Finally I must have gone to sleep; when I woke up, it was almost noon. I decided to change my clothes, and pulled on a pair of shorts under my dress. Just then, the doorbell rang, and I heard Rose whisper something that I couldn’t hear. I said, “It’s okay, I just woke up.”
Rose began to speak in a loud voice. “Honey, Mike’s come over. He’s very upset.”
Realizing it would be too much of a chore to take off my dress, I hobbled out on my crutches to see Mike. He was holding a book. “What’s that?” I asked.
“The school handbook,” he said.
“Yeah?” I asked. “What does it say about long tight dresses?”
“Nothing,” he said. “Look here, on page 12.” He showed me the book. “Girls who wear short skirts should consider wearing shorts underneath to maintain modesty…Heels should be no more than two inches…Long skirts should end at least two inches above the floor…Jeans should not be so tight as to restrict circulation…” The next page was even more interesting: “Anyone found to be in violation of the dress code shall be counseled to wear more appropriate clothing, and if possible, sent home to change into such clothing.”
Sarah and her boyfriend, Jack, came by a few minutes later, along with Tug and Carol. Mike showed them the handbook. “Mike, nobody goes by this thing anymore,” said Carol.
“Then why do they give it to us?” Mike asked, feeling a little deflated.
“Mike’s right,” I said. “If this isn’t the code of rules we’re supposed to live by, where’s the one they’re using?”
“Sarah,” said Tug, who looked like a dumb jock but was really very bright, “you and Mike have classes with Helen all day long, right?”
“At least one of us is with her all day—except seventh period, when she’s a T.A. for Mr. Hambert.”
“Okay, but Hambert’s cool,” said Tug.
Sarah agreed. “He went ballistic when he found out Helen got sent home today. He likes us.”
Tug said, “You guys will have p.e. with us today. I think you’ve been present enough to get at least a B in the class even if you don’t suit up anymore. Besides, it’s too late to have you change classes. So why don’t you come to school this afternoon and let’s see what happens.”
I rode back to school with Mike, sat out p.e. (I told Mr. Conner I had shorts on under my dress; he gave me credit for suiting up!), then went up to Mr. Hambert’s class for my T.A. He just had me do the little review quiz that my class had done after I left first period; meanwhile, he lectured the freshmen on civil disobedience. I showed him the place in Mike’s handbook where it told us what we could and couldn’t wear, and what was to be done in case we were wearing something unacceptable. After class, he and two freshman boys carried me, my book bag (which I was carrying out of force of habit), and my crutches down the stairs, where Mike and Tug joined my escort. Mike gave me my homework from math and science, I had already finished my book report for English. I saw nothing of Mr. Walters or Mr. Pierson; they apparently had a meeting across town with the superintendent.
Although I felt like I had won this round, I knew tomorrow would be different.
