Justine McKeen, Walk the Talk by Sigmund Brouwer Page B

In all shades of colors,” said Mr. Noble.
    â€œWell,” she said, “it’s probably better to kiss mirrors than to kiss boys.”
    â€œYou may think it’s funny. But I don’t. After school every day it takes over half an hour to wipe the lipstick off the mirrors. That stuff is not easy to remove. Can’t you do something?”
    â€œI will give it some thought,” Ms. Booth said. “How is it going with the hole in the roof?”
    â€œYou mean where the roof garden was?”
    â€œWe’ve been through this, George. It was my fault. I did tell Justine I thought it was a good idea. A roof gets lots of sunshine, and it’s not a place rabbits or deer can get at. I just didn’t expect she would go ahead with it.”
    â€œFace it,” Mr. Noble said. “That girl is weird. You should see the hat she wore today.”
    â€œI’m out here!” Justine said from her chair. “And the hat matches my dress perfectly. It’s to remind people about birds and to not harm them.”
    â€œI like the way you dress,” Ms. Booth called out to Justine. “It reminds me of a flower child from the peace movement.”
    â€œThanks. That’s what my grammy says,” Justine said.
    Mr. Barnes stormed into the room. He was holding the Farting Machine. He marched past Justine in to Ms. Booth’s office.
    â€œThanks for knocking,” Ms. Booth said.
    â€œThat girl out there taped this under my chair,” Mr. Barnes said. “Justine Queen Green, or whatever her name is.”
    â€œI’m not surprised,” Mr. Noble said. “I’m telling you. The girl is weird.”
    â€œGeorge, that’s enough,” Ms. Booth said. “And Mr. Barnes, what are you holding?”
    â€œIt makes sounds,” he said.
    â€œWhat kind of sounds?” asked Ms. Booth.
    â€œGoing-to-the-bathroom sounds,” said Mr. Barnes. “Like this—”
    Justine heard an F-A-R-T-I-N-G noise. She hoped Mr. Barnes had made the noise with his mouth.
    â€œI see,” Ms. Booth said. “And you say that Justine McKeen put it under your chair.”

    â€œShe confessed. I demand you punish her!”
    â€œAnd it would be nice if you did something about the smooch marks,” Mr. Noble said. “Maybe that was Justine’s idea too. Smooching mirrors to save the planet.”
    â€œSmooch marks?” Mr. Barnes said. “What kind of school is this?”
    Justine heard Ms. Booth sigh. “Goodbye, gentlemen.”
    Both of them stomped out of the principal’s office and stopped to glare at Justine.
    â€œYou are a weird, weird girl,” Mr. Noble said to Justine. “With weird, weird ideas.”
    Then they stomped out into the hall. It was Justine’s turn to talk to Ms. Booth.

Chapter Five
    â€œI see these more often than you might guess,” Ms. Booth said. She was holding the speaker that Mr. Barnes had found under his desk. “It’s a remote-control farting machine. I take them away from Jimmy Blatzo all the time. He gets a new one whenever he can save enough money. I happen to think they are funny. But only when it’s appropriate. Do you think it’s appropriate to tape one under a teacher’s chair?”
    â€œNo,” said Justine.
    â€œWhy did you do it?” Ms. Booth asked.
    Justine didn’t answer.
    â€œWell,” Ms. Booth said, “at least tell me where the remote control is. I’ll need to take that from you too.”
    â€œUm,” said Justine.
    â€œYou don’t have the remote control, do you?”
    â€œUm,” Justine said again.
    â€œThat’s what I thought,” Ms. Booth said. “You don’t even know it needs a remote. This doesn’t seem like the type of thing you would do. So the question is, why did you confess to doing it if you didn’t?”
    â€œMr. Barnes said everyone would get punished if no one stood up. So I