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Stuart laughed.
Patsy Gatsby was sitting alone playing jacks.
She was the weirdest girl in Marvin’s class. Even weirder than Casey. Sometimes all you had to do was say her name, Patsy Gatsby, and everyone would laugh.
But Casey was funny-weird, Marvin thought. Patsy Gatsby was sad-weird.
She was always so quiet. Like she was afraid of people.
She didn’t have any friends. No one ever talked to her.
Except Clarence. Clarence called her names. Worm-Face. Stupid-Head. Ugly. Double-Ugly. Stink-Girl.
Marvin watched her bounce the red ball, then pick up the little jacks.
He had never played jacks. It looked like a fun game.
“Where’s your football?” asked Stuart.
“Huh?” said Marvin.
“Duh,” said Nick.
Marvin suddenly remembered. He was supposed to bring his football.
“Now what are we going to do?” asked Stuart. “Play jacks with Patsy Gatsby?”
Nick laughed.
Marvin looked at Patsy.
Maybe she isn’t the weirdest girl in class, he thought. Maybe I am.
He tried to think of another game to play. He didn’t want to let his friends down.
Then he got a great idea. He didn’t know why he had never thought of it before.
“Do you want to play hopscotch?” he asked.
7
It’s Fun to Be a Girl
Marvin sat at his desk in Mrs. North’s room.
He didn’t see what was so bad about hopscotch. He didn’t know why Nick and Stuart had laughed at him.
It takes a lot of skill to play hopscotch, he thought. Boys are just stupid!
>
No, I don’t mean that! he quickly told himself.
But girls were smarter than boys. That was a fact. Everybody knew that.
Or did they?
He couldn’t remember if he used to think girls were smarter. Before he kissed his elbow.
