#debukefarmhold

The school at the farm has an odd experience for Connor. here he is, at a sit down class room, with KIDS... his own age...

and he don't gotta wear gloves or a hat or anything

Jackflap fidgets next to him, staring out the window to the farm beyond, the far more INTERESTING farm than the maths problems they've got to do on paper

Lily toothlessly bites at her own lip, scrunches her face, and works out the solution for her own sheet

A DeBuke Kinian, who they are to refer to as Miss Puttyroot, makes sure they stay focused and sometimes directs older students to please assist.

It took a while for Connor to adjust. Lots of startling, fidgeting, and even hiding under the desk at times when a new person walked in. Eventually he settles though - having Lily and Jack helps tremendously.

He scrunches up his forehead and raises a hand, looking at the math worksheet in front of him. "Miz Puttyroot? I have a QUESTION!"

She smiles, her face not nearly so stern as her hair bun "Yes, Connor?"

"This one says iffin I got 10 apples, and give three apples, how many apples do I have? But what about snow?"

There is some theory that Miss Puttyroot has secretly marked all the childlings with their own names. For how else can she know their names so well?"

"Snow?" She says surprised "Well, the weather shouldn't affect the count in this case, dear"

"Well, if the apples are in a backpack they might be safe, but if they're in a basket, she can probably carry at least two, or three if they're the little fuji kind? Not the big 'uns? And you can't keep apples without Snow knowing about it. So it's probably better to give them to the Hearth." A solemn nod.

"Then she'll make a pie and you can share the pie pieces instead, and snow can have the leftover cores 'acuz they still have good apple on 'em."

Jackflap translates, "Snow is a white chimera monkey and she's CRAAAAAZY about fruit, she steals them ALL the time"

"oh!" Miss Puttyroot says, "Well,I see now why you are concerned, Connor. " A nod of thanks to Jackflap, though she doesn't encourage interrupting normally . She looks at Connor "For now, Let's assume Snow is sleeping when you have the apples and won't be a factor. "

Another hand comes up, a girl, a pooka like him, but with Pig features waves it around

"Yes, Orwella?" Miss Puttyroot asks "You have a question?"

"Pshaw" the girl says in answer, then nods, and looks to Connor "How BIG is Snow? Like, is she Queen Kong? Can she beat Godzilla in a fight? Or is she just apple sized so she eats the apple and gets all around and rolls like a ball with arms and legs and a monkey tail? Does she have a tail? Or does she have no stories at all?"

This gets the other kids interested!

"She's FAST. But... but... Miss Puttyroot, how many pieces is the pie cut into? And when can we have some of the pie?"

To the pooka, "She's small but better than King Kong because she has a TAIL. Tails are the BEST." His own wags.

"Well, for your math problem, we're not making pie" Miss Puttyroot says "it's a nice idea, but just apples." Then a look at Orwella "Orwella, I meant questions about our work here at school... now if you need help..."

"I got a tail too!" Orwella squeels excitedly "I thought it was just me in the WHOLE world" She turns and wagles her butt showing , through her pants, a curly pink pig tail

This causes a cascade of laughter

"But but, Miss Puttyroot. If you make a pie, then you have more to share then if it's just plain 'ol apples. And if you have apples, someone is GONNA take some, like Snow, or Star, or a hungry dog or someone. And isn't pie better?"

He claps for the tail!

"Mine doesn't curl like that." Envious. "Unless...." He ponders Sylvi's curling iron.

"Oh my, and yours has all that hair on it so it won't freeze come winter" Orwella says, pointing out the good side by making it sound like the sad side because well, pooka chatter

Miss Puttyroot ponders briefly putting the pooka in far corners away from each other, but no, that would be an over reaction, she moves to Connor and bends down near him "Connor, Pie math is a little more complicated. We''ll study Pi in years to come. I promise, however, for the purpose of math and learning, it's just easier to work with apples . Now unless Snow is mentioned in the problem, assumed she's not around and work it out. I know you have a wonderful imagination, but we're also working on calculation. Now Sally Mae tells me she's taught you some math."

"I bet we can knit a taily-cozy!" ANd he siiiighs as he gets reprimanded, even nicely.

"Can I use coconuts? I don't think Snow can bite through those."

Orwella says "oh I like...."

"Orwella, please wait until I'm done talking to Connor" The teacher says

And the pig girl sighs and shushes

"It's... um.... Seven coconuts, and I don't think they go in a pie."

The answer is... correct, if convoluted.

Then Miss Puttyroot nods at Connor "yes, yes we may" And as he comes to the right conclusion "Very good, Connor, that is correct. Now for this sheet, if you see anymore apple problems and would rather use coconuts, then that's fine."

He reviews, and starts drawing pictures on monkeys and coconuts in the margins...

"Miss Puttyroot? " Another girl near Connor holds up her hand. The boggan has disapproving look in her face.

"Yes, Angelyka?" Miss Puttyroot says

"COooooneerr " She says the boy's name as if it required a nasal tone on the Ns, "isn't doing his work, he's just drawing"

His jaw drops, and he starts to protest. “It’s a STORY problem, that means it needs illustrations... right Miss Pussyfoot?”

Miss Puttyroot looks at the drawings, accessing if indeed math is being done via images?

Well, it's mostly just doodling... but there is school work being done too. If anything, it's just extra.

He whispers over to Angelyka, "I can decorate yours too if you want? I like drawing. I have crayons somewhere..."

Digging into a pocket, he brings up a handful of colorful leaves, a nub of pink chalk, a big slug, a crayon missing the wrapper but some unnamed shade of blue that is probably visible on someone's skin at the Farm or Lodge, and some smooth river rocks, set proudly on the desktop and spilling over onto her papers too.... "Oops." The slug he delicately plucks back up and sets near Lily.

"Mmm as long as the work gets done" his teacher says

Then she says "Angelyka, please focus on your OWN work rather than letting yourself get distracted by others."