Operation Tiger

When the last bell rang, I ran outside. It was gray and drizzly and a little cold, so my mom would be picking me up. She insists on doing that, but I don't really care. It doesn't bother me to walk home in lousy weather. As soon as I saw our van, I ran out. "Mom, quick, take me home so I can change my shirt...NO! Never mind. Oh, great, you brought me a giant grape sloshee. Do you have a hairbrush in your purse?" "Slow down," Mom said as she pulled out into the slow-moving traffic. “What’s going on? You look a little frantic." "Our group is meeting at Kristin's house? Can you believe it?" I had already polished off almost half of my purple drink. "Do you know where she lives?" Mom asked. "1125 Willow, right around the corner from the Martins." I said. "Oh, that's right, you said Kristin's house. I should have guessed that you would know." Mom smiled. "Are you nervous?" She usually had me figured out pretty well. But that's only because I choose to tell her stuff. She's pretty cool most of the time, except when she gets mad and acts like a mother. "No. Yeah. I don't know. I just don't want to do anything stupid, right there in her house." "Just be yourself, you're a sharp guy. She'll notice if you just don't try so hard." "Mom, I'm not sharp, I'm a geek." Uh-oh, I knew I shouldn't have said that. It always starts off a long speech where she tells me how great I am and I don't have to be like everyone else and just wait until I was grown and successful. "YOU ARE NOT...," She started. "Mom, please, we have to hurry....I'll try to be myself. I need that brush". We were close to Kristin's house and at a stop sign, Mom reached into the suitcase she calls a purse and handed me a small pink brush. I slid down in the seat so no one could see me using it. When I finished, I pulled down the sun visor and looked into the mirror to check my hair. "AAAhhhh!" I yelled, making Mom swerve the car a little. "My mouth is purple!" My lips, tongue and teeth were stained a dark purple from the sloshee. I couldn't go in like this! "Mom, drive around the block. I look like I’ve been sucking on a purple marker!” Mom looked over at me and started to tell me it wasn't so bad. Instead, she frowned and said, "Here, drink some of my water. Maybe it will fade." She always carried water with her because drinking a lot of it was supposed to help her lose weight. Right now, I was real glad she wasn't skinny. I drank the water and rubbed my mouth and teeth with the inside of my shirt. It didn't help much. "This is the worst day of my life," I groaned. Mom tried to think of something, searching again in her purse. She offered me gum, lip gloss (sure!), and hand lotion to rub on my lips. In the end, I knew I had two choices. I could skip the meeting and miss my only chance to be in Kristin's house. Or I could go anyway, purple mouth and all. I imagined trying to go in and laugh it off. I sort of drifted into another daydream. "Mom! Can you drive me back to the Food Mart?" She didn't look pleased. "Aaron, I need to pick up your sister at Kim's house," she said, looking at her watch. "Mom, please? This is an emergency. I have a plan." "Well, I'm glad someone does. I'll do it if you hurry. Do you have money?" she asked. I felt in my jeans pocket. I had some change left from lunch. I hoped it would be enough, and nodded, giving her my best purple smile. Running into the convenience store, I quickly grabbed a handful of candy and paid the clerk. I even had a nickel left. "Well?" asked Mom as I got back in the car. “Mouth Zingers." "Mouth Zingers?" Mom didn't exactly keep up with candy and other good junk. "Bite into one of these babies and your mouth is stained an awesome color. Should last at least until the meeting is over." I was feeling pretty hopeful about this plan. Except I still had to walk in and get laughed at before I could pass the candy around. Just as we pulled up at Kristin's house, I saw Phil ringing her doorbell. I jumped out of the car. "Phil! Wait!" I raced up to him and shoved the candy into his hand. "I'm providing treats. Be sure and hand them out as soon as you go in. I'll be right back." Phil had already unwrapped a blue Zinger and was chomping away. His mouth and teeth were bright blue. I walked slowly back to the car to tell Mom I would call her to pick me up. I stayed at the car window, trying to keep her there so I would have an excuse to go in after everyone had been "zinged". She finally drove away, telling me to go in and get it over with. Walking in slow motion, I made it up the sidewalk, up the steps and to the door. I slowly reached up and rang the doorbell. I heard a lot of laughing inside. Kristin's toothy red grin greeted me. "Hi, Aaron, come in. Ooh, you're purple,” she laughed. "This is gross candy," said Alicia Brown, with frowning orange lips. "I like it!" said Larry Shumberg. He had chosen a black Zinger and now looked like a zombie or something. Larry didn't look that great even with his regular face. Jessica looked up and saw me, and quickly covered her green mouth with her hand. “Good job, Phil,” I whispered as I walked past him and sat down. "We better get to work, guys," said Kristin, not the least bit bothered by her red-stained mouth. I thought she looked beautiful and probably would have with almost any color teeth.