Margo’s Frozen Dream (Fiction)
By Ronald Maynard
(All stories displayed on this blog are the property of Ronald Maynard. They are not to be used by any second party for distribution.
Margo knew it was time for a change of pace. Her father wanted the best for his little girl. After school Margo would come home, read books in the family room until dinner, do her homework, and then off to bed. The next day Margo’s routine never differed. She had a pattern, which was always fine until her father made a painful comment at dinner one evening. He said, “You will never grow up enough to move out, but that is just fine with your mother and me.” Margo sat at the table horrified.
Margo never replied that night at the dinner table. Instead, she sat weeping in her room. The comment was a devastating blow to her already none existent social card. Margo was the type of girl that never made friends. The truth was that her cousin, Jeanie Belle, was the only other teenager she had ever hung out with in or out of school. Jeanie Belle was a popular kid. She ran with the circle that mattered at Shawnee High School. Nevertheless, Jeanie Belle loved Margo. Margo had never felt like her social status was a problem until now. She obviously needed to take charge of her social life.
Margo’s father had left the Daily Gazette on the end table in the family room. Margo picked it up, then read a few news articles, and she flipped open the job section. In big print in the center of the page-it read-we are currently hiring for a customer service representative at Frozen Dream’s Ice Cream Parlor. This was Margo’s opportunity to fit into a new social group. The ice cream parlor was a great place to start social activities after school. Sixteen was a great age for most teens, and most teens her age work after school. Margo had made up her mind.
Margo entered the kitchen where her mother was finishing the dinner dishes. She said, “Mom, do you think it’s expectable for a sixteen year old to have an after school job?”
“I guess an after school job would be a fun experience. Why?” Margo’s mother replied.
“I thought about applying at the Frozen Dream’s Ice Cream Parlor. Do you think dad would be as accepting as you are?”
“Margo, I don’t see why not. He had a job at your age. Your Dad worked at a gas station in Littleton, Ohio for a man named Bucky. Maybe you should ask him about how he feels about it. He is in the study.”
After kissing her mother on the cheek, Margo left the kitchen. She approached the study doorway. Margo could see her father as he sat doing work. She stood outside the doorway building up her confidence. After Margo devised a plan in her head, she knocked softly. Her father raised his head from a stack of documents. Margo’s palms sweated.
“Father I wanted to talk for a moment. Am I interrupting you?”
“Okay, come in and sit. What’s on your mind?”
“Well, Dad, I thought about what you said. The moving out thing... I thought maybe it was time for me to get a job after school.”
“Where?”
“The Frozen Dream’s Ice Cream Parlor. The one down on Patterson...”
“Is this something you’re doing, because I made that dumb comment at dinner last night? Honey, I was just playing around with you. You have a while before you will move anywhere. One day you will go to college, and then we will cross the moving out thing then. Okay?”
“And what about the job, Dad?”
“That would be okay with me, but only if your grades stay above a B-average. Margo, just be the very best Greendale that you can be. Now go on, honey, get yourself ready for bed.”
Margo ran over and kissed her father’s baldhead. She hugged him tight with all her might, and then she ran off to her room. She bounced on her bed like a toddler. Margo prepared herself, and then she climbed in bed. The night passed slowly because she felt anxious about how to approach this new endeavor. She planned to stop at the ice cream parlor after school the next day. The next morning finally arrived when her alarm clock sounded. Margo went down stairs to join her mother and father for breakfast. She played around with her oatmeal for a while. Her mother watched as not the first spoon full made its way to Margo’s mouth. Her mother finally interjected. She said, “Margo, if you’re just going to play with your food, then go get ready for school.” Margo excused herself from the table. She ran to the front door-picked up her backpack-walked down half a block to the bus stop. When the bus came, she boarded.
After one more stop, Margo’s cousin boarded the bus. Jeanie Belle sat down next to her on the bench seat. Jeanie Belle said, “How’s my favorite cousin?” Margo replied, “I am getting a job.” Jeannie Belle said, “Where?” Margo tells her about the position at the Frozen Dream’s Ice Cream Parlor. Jeanie revered her cousin for her sudden bravery.
Margo looked to be a different girl. Margo’s confidence was not of a girl that would get a job at one of the town’s most popular teen hangouts.
Jeannie Belle said, “Are you sure that you want to work there?”
Margo replied, “I know...I am not a popular kid, but I need to do this...for me.”
The bus arrived at the school. The two girls went to their side-by-side lockers to retrieve their books for class.
Jeanie Belle invited her cousin to walk with her to homeroom. She threw an arm around Margo shoulders. They shared a homeroom because of their last name, Greendale.
“Margo, you know that Kipper Anderson, Meredith Johansson, and Betsy Russo, they all work at that ice cream parlor. Why don’t you just go to the Dairy Queen? You wouldn’t have to deal with those nasty girls. It’s girls like Nancy Thurman that you would have work with everyday. Nancy is an assistant manager at that shop. Do you realize that, Margo?”
Margo wanted to believe that these girls might accept her after they see she is a dedicated worker. She replied, “This is my choice, Jeannie Belle. I want to work there. Besides the Dairy Queen isn’t hiring.” The two girls enter homeroom where they took their seats. The homeroom bell rang, the class sat quietly. The teacher took attendance, and then sat quietly for the second bell to ring before she would release the class. Once the bell rang, the two cousins went to their first period classes. Margo’s first class was P.E., and she hated the course. She hated how the school-issued gym shorts emphasized her plumpness. Margo would usually be defiant in P.E., but today she felt a new sense of courage. She took to the gymnasium floor with the other students.
The P.E. teacher came out of her office. Mrs. Bloustermen immediately approached Margo. Bloustermen said, “Margo Greendale, are you joining us in the festivities today. What...have you completely run out of excuses to not participate in physical education?”
“No, Mrs. Bloustermen, I am ready for class to proceed.”
Mrs. Bloustermen walked the row of students like a drill sergeant. She stared at the students; as she got to one end of the row, she would turn and march down to the beginning of the row. Each of the students in the P.E. class belonged to a different social group. Donnell Washburn was the captain of the basketball team. He stood 6 foot 8 inches tall, and he was Mrs. Bloustermen’s pet student. Everyone loved Donnell. Mrs. Bloustermen husband was the basketball coach. Molly Dofasco was a fellow nerdy type at the high school, but she had a boyfriend to share in the daily ridicule. Nancy Thurman was the captain of the cheerleading squad. As a collective bunch, the class would surely malfunction if they had to work together at any given task, but as individual groups, the popular kids would devastate the weaker students in a game of kickball.
First Mrs. Bloustermen assigned Donnell and Molly to choose teams. Donnell chose Nancy Thurman. Molly chose Peter Wallis. Nancy Thurman chose her best friend, Gretchen Robinson. Peter chose David Parker. This picking and choosing went on until Margo was the only kid left on the floor not chosen. Donnell and Molly started to bicker back and forth about whose team Margo should play on. When Donnell walked over, grabbed Margo by the arm, and placed her in Molly’s lineup.
Mrs. Bloustermen said, “It’s settled. Let’s play ball, children.” Then the teacher called Donnell’s team up first. Molly’s team took to the floor and covered all the positions. Margo walked around to each player to secure her spot, but each one shoved her along to the next position. Finally, Mrs. Bloustermen told Margo to have a seat on the bleachers.
Mrs. Bloustermen said, “You can join your team when it’s your turn to kick.”
Margo followed the instructions. She sat on the first row of the bleachers with her arms crossed. This had turned into an average day for Margo at Shawnee High School.
Peter rolled the rubber ball towards home plate. Donnell waited until the ball neared home plate. He kicked the ball to the back of the gymnasium. The ball sailed across the gym, bounced a few times, and then Bobby McLennan grabbed the ball. Bobby threw the ball towards home plate, but Donnell was already safe back in the line up. Donnell’s team scored one after another. Each member dominated Molly’s team. Mrs. Bloustermen looked at her watch and yelled game point. It was now up to Nancy to drive home the last humiliating run. Peter rolled the ball. Nancy kicked the ball hard and struck Margo in the face.
Mrs. Bloustermen blew her whistle, and said, “Hit the showers, children.” Everyone left the gymnasium. Margo sat red-faced and alone.
Finally, Margo entered the locker room without a bead of sweat on her body. She opened her locker, changed into her regular clothes. Margo sat on the wooden bench in a daze. The rest of the female students showered and dressed. Nancy and Gretchen boasted proudly about that one in a million chance that the ball would hit Margo in the face. All the remaining girls in the locker room laughed aloud. Nancy bragged about how she was the captain of her childhood soccer team. She described a team of champions that won every game that year. Margo was a part of that team. She was the ball girl that summer. Margo left the locker room to go to Honors English.
She walked into the room. The students in Margo’s Honors English class immediately started to gossip about the breaking news. This was a normal occurrence for Margo, but today she would take it personally. Margo sat in her assigned seat in the front of the class. Mr. Walker, the English teacher, came over to ask why Margo had a red welt on her face. Margo blurted out the reason before Mr. Walker could ask. She said, “Mr. Walker, I know it looks like someone punched me, but the truth is Nancy Thurman accidently kicked a rubber ball into my face.”
Nancy raised her hand from the rear of the class.
“Yes, Nancy, do you have something to add?” Mr. Walker asked.
“Yes, Mr. Walker, I did kick the ball that hit Margo in the face.” Nancy looked around at her friends, and then said, “It wasn’t an accident people.”
Gretchen said, “Margo, is that blush you’re wearing? You look so peachy today.”
Margo sank in her seat as the class erupted into laughter. Nancy received a high five from Gretchen.
Mr. Walker said, “Nancy, I wouldn’t be so proud of your kick. That is until you pass English this semester. You may need someone smart like Margo to tutor you later.”
Gretchen replied, “Mr. Walker, with all due respect to you as an educator, Margo would be lucky to do Nancy’s homework. Nancy improved that ugly face.”
Mr. Walker said, “Gretchen, I think we’ve heard enough about this incident. Open your textbooks to page 213.”
The two girls smirked at Margo. Margo continued to sink low in her seat. The rest of the day students snickered and gossiped as Margo made it through to last period, Mrs. Whitakers home economics class. Margo had learned to sew and cook from her mother and grandmother. She entered the class expecting the same snickering from her classmates, but there was none. Maybe everyone had forgotten. Margo stood at her station, and then she waited for instructions. Mrs. Whitaker announced a new project. She asked the students to take out their sewing kits. Margo complied. By the time Margo had her kit prepared, she realized who was sharing her station. Paul Dunlap stood beside her. His face was as blank as a new painter’s canvas.
Paul looked at Margo. He cracked a smile. He said, “You’re Margo, right? Can you help me through this project? I am not much for sewing.”
“Sewing...right! I can...well...if you really need the help. Aren’t you the class president, and the quarterback of the Shawnee Indians, and the manager at the Frozen Dream’s Ice Cream Parlor?” Margo replied.
“Yea, but I don’t like titles.” Paul had a wide smile, perfect teeth, and ruby red lips.
Margo stood in a trance. The two completed the assignment throughout the remainder of the day. Paul’s patchwork turns out topnotch. After the class, Paul thanked Margo. The two left the class together and parted ways in the hallway. Margo headed to her locker on a cloud. Her experiences from earlier in the day had now subsided to images of Paul’s handsome face. Jeanie Belle met Margo at her locker. Margo placed her books inside and shut the door. Margo told Jeanie Belle about Paul Dunlap. How he had been so nice during her home economics class. Jeanie Belle expressed happiness over her experience with Paul, but asked if she felt Nancy had kicked the ball in her face on purpose. Margo disagreed with Jeanie Belle’s claim.
The two walked to their bus. They boarded. The bus drove on to the street. The driver turned onto Ferguson Avenue, then drove for a while before turning on to Beaker Road, then drove down two blocks and took a left on Patterson Road. Margo knew she needed to get off the bus at the corner of Patterson and Waverly if she wanted to fill out an application. Jeanie Belle saw a twinkle in Margo’s eyes as she stared out the bus window. Jeanie Belle thought that Paul’s kindness had changed Margo’s mind about the Frozen Dream’s Ice Cream Parlor. That she could go home proud of her new found confidence. “Margo, you aren’t still thinking about that job, are you?” Jeanie Belle asked.
Margo sat silent for a moment. She said, “I am.”
“I wish you would just scrap this dumb idea. Those wenches are a mean bunch of snobs. They are likely to chew you up and spit you out.”
“Jeanie Belle, they will have to destroy me. I want this position. I deserve this position.”
The two sat silent until the bus stopped at the corner of Patterson and Waverly. Jeanie grabbed Margo’s hand and pleaded once more. Jeanie Belle said, “Margo, you have nothing to prove.”
Margo shook lose Jeanie’s grip. Margo stood, and then exited the bus with her backpack in hand. As the bus drove off, Jeanie Belle watched her cousin disappear. She should have stayed with Margo. It was too late for Jeanie Belle to help now. Margo walked in circles around the sidewalk for fifteen minutes and then she mustered up the courage enter. Margo walked in. Her hair stood on the back of her neck. She saw that Nancy, Gretchen, and some of the other girls were working. There she stood, in the midst of a social mixer. Everyone, who was anyone, was there.
Donnell sat in the corner with his basketball friends. Each of the team members ate chocolate, caramel, and fruit covered sundaes. Nancy took orders at one end and Gretchen the other. Just like everyday in the school cafeteria, the popular kids sat on one side of the ice cream parlor and the hoodlum kids on the other. The new found social acceptance of hoodlums came after Mike Jack the king of the hoods had pulled a knife on Principle Macintyre. No one would ever fear a lonely little plump girl like Margo. She took up a menu to disguise her face. She watched kids file through the door and join their different groups. Molly had her social group there. So did Peter Wallis.
The jukebox in the corner played Nancy’s favorite pop songs. Every once in a while, a remnant of food would fly across the air in an attempt to start a food fight. If a food fight happened at the Frozen Dream’s Ice Cream Parlor, then surely it would happen today, and Margo would be the target. Margo ducked behind the wall that led to the restrooms. She watched as Nancy rang up a family of four. A mother, a father, and their two small children devoured their cones. Margo waited for few more minutes, and then approached the counter. Gretchen chomped on a piece of gum.
Before Margo could say a word, Gretchen hollered around her wad of gum, “Margo Greendale!”
Kipper Anderson, Meredith Johansson, Betsy Russo, and the whole parlor turned their heads at Margo. In Margo’s mind, a tiny voice told her to runaway. She said in a crackling voice, “Gretchen, may I...I have a...a application, please.” The parlor went back to normal. The hoods made make believe tattoos on their arm with ink pens. Molly’s group sat with their tablets and laptops opened. They spoke about the latest pop culture. Donnell’s group sat with a basketball, tossing it back and forth, and discussed their epic championship season. Margo sat with her arms now folded into her chest.
“I would like an application,” Margo said more loudly.
Nancy’s circle of friends surrounded Margo. They poked and teased her. Nancy and Gretchen took ice cream cones and placed them like horns on the top of Margo’s head. Margo stood there, frozen, scared, and her confidence shrank. The girls danced circles around Margo. It became a strange game of Ring around the Nerdy Girl. They kept up the awful treatment until Margo had had enough of the abuse.
Margo yelled, “You nasty little wenches. You think you’re better than me, or better than Molly.”
Molly said, “Please don’t involve me, Margo.”
Margo said, “Nancy, you run around school with your nose in the air. I remember a time when we shared a tent in Molly’s backyard in third grade. We were all friends then. Now we are enemies. Why, because you grew up to be attractive, and we grew up to be ugly.”
Nancy put her face into Margo’s. She said, “I am pretty and you are ugly, Margo. You grew up to be a nerd. That isn’t my fault, troll.”
Margo said, “I may be a troll, but you are the most popular girl in school because everyone fears you. I would think that that title comes with responsibilities. I would love to be the most popular girl in school. I would be kind to everyone. Because, you see...I want people to like me. You don’t care about people...just yourself. We could all be friends if you weren’t always being such a snob. We could hangout here, together. What is wrong with me working here after school? Is it so bad that you would think I cramp your style. I have every right to be here. This is a public place, but you have made it Nancy’s dream. The name on the sign says Frozen Dream’s Ice Cream Parlor.”
A sound came from behind the counter, and it was Paul Dunlap. He said, “Margo, you are an awesome friend. You helped me to do my assignment in home economics today. We had a great time...didn’t we? I say that from now on we should act like humans for the sake of acting like humans. My parents own this place, and I say that everybody’s welcome.” He looked at Nancy, and said, “Nancy, if you don’t like that rule, then get out of here. Paul handed Margo an application. He said, “You’re hired.”
