Benjamin couldn\'t take it any longer. Today was the day he would finally tell Mrs. Jewls his real name. So what it nobody likes me? he thought. So what if I stop getting high marks?

"Hi, Mark," said Jason.

"Hi, Mark," said Stephen.

"Hi, hi," he glumly replied, then started up the stairs.

"Hi, Mark," said Bebe as he took his seat next to her. "Guess what? We have a substitute!"

100

"Yahoooo!" shouted Maurecia.

Everyone in Mrs. Jewls\'s class loved it when they had substitute teachers. They loved playing mean and horrible tricks on them.

Benjamin frowned. He finally had the courage to tell Mrs. Jewls his real name. "Rats!" he said.

"That\'s a good idea!" said Terrence. "Well put dead rats in her desk!"

"Let\'s trick her into going outside," said Joy, "then lock her out of the room."

"But what if she tells Mr. Kidswatter?" asked Eric Fry.

"So what?" said Joy. "She\'ll have to go all the way down to the office, and then all the way back up. By then we\'ll unlock the door. Mr. Kidswatter will think she\'s bonkers!"

Benjamin looked at the substitute teacher sitting at Mrs. Jewls\'s desk. She looked like a nice lady. She wore tiny spectacles and had long gray hair tied in a ponytail. He felt sorry for her, and he felt sorry for himself. I was going to tell Mrs. Jewls my name, he thought. I really was!

The substitute stood up and walked to the center of the room. "Good morning," she said. "My name is Mrs. Franklin."

Nobody said "Good morning" back to her.

Calvin handed Benjamin a note: At ten o\'clock drop your book on the floor. Pass it on.

Benjamin read it, then passed it on to Todd.

101

"Okay, who can tell me what page we\'re on?" asked Mrs. Franklin.

"Page seventeen," called Myron.

"A hundred and twelve," said Maurecia.

"Ninety-eight," said Eric Ovens.

"Three thousand," said Joe.

Mrs. Franklin smiled. "I guess well have to study all those pages," she said.

Benjamin raised his hand.

"Yes, the handsome young man in the red shirt," said the substitute.

He told her the correct page. "We\'re on page one hundred and two," he said.

"Thank you," said the substitute. "And what is your name, please?"

Benjamin thought a moment. He looked around the room, then boldly told the truth. "My name is Benjamin!" he stated proudly.

Several kids snickered.

"Thank you, Benjamin," said the substitute.

There were more snickers.

"You\'re welcome," said Benjamin. He felt good, even if the other other kids were laughing at him.

Mrs. Franklin asked a question from page 102.

Jason answered it correctly.

"Very good," said the substitute. "And what is your name, please?"

Jason looked around. "Benjamin!" he asserted.

102

Half the class giggled.

"............