John Paulits - Philip and the Dragon

by

John Paulits

All rights reserved

Copyright April 25th, 2017, John Paulits

Cover Art Copyright 2017, Charlotte Holley

Gypsy Shadow Publishing, LLC.

Lockhart, TX

www.gypsyshadow.com

Names, characters and incidents depicted in this bookare products of the authors imagination, or are used fictitiously.Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, orpersons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond theintent of the author or the publisher.

No part of this book may be reproduced or shared byany electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited toprinting, file sharing, and email, without prior written permissionfrom Gypsy Shadow Publishing, LLC.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoymentonly. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people.If you would like to share this book with another person, pleasepurchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Ifyoure reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was notpurchased for your use only, then you should return toSmashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respectingthe hard work of this author.

ISBN: 978-1-61950-310-6

Published in the United States of America

First eBook Edition: June 1, 2017

For: Wendy Lee and Jenny Choo

Whose kind words helped make a long careerworthwhile, not to mention fun.

Philip glared at Cecil Peabody and poked hisbest friend Emery, who sat next to him. Emery rolled his eyes andput his head down on his desk.

Emery, Mr. Decker teased. Mr. Decker taughtSocial Studies and visited the class three times a week. Are youlistening to Cecil? Youll learn some things from him if youdo.

Emery picked up his head as Philip stifled alaugh. Nobody in his fourth grade class wanted to learnanything from Cecil Peabody. They wanted to forget about CecilPeabody. How anybody nine years old could know so much stuff aboutso many different things boggled Philips mind. The mountain ofinformation Cecil had wasnt even the worst part. The worst partwas Cecils knowing he knew more than anybody else andwaving his great big brain around like an American flag soeverybody could salute it.

Cecil kept talking. President Kennedys mostfamous speech, perhaps, occurred at the Berlin Wall, a wall erectedto separate the free people in West Berlin from the poor Communistpeople in East Berlin. The speech is commonly known as the Ich binein Berliner speech.

And whered Cecil learn to speak English,Philip wondered? Did his family own a dictionary factory? Did heeat Alpha-Bits every morning of his life so he could swallowletters but spit out words?

Gloria Falconi squirmed in her seat. Gloriaknew the answer to practically every question any teacher came upwith and always tried to get her answer heard before Cecil got hisanswer heard. They battled every day for attention in class. If aquestion stumped Gloria, though, Cecils arm shot to the sky, andhed have the right answer on the tip of his tongue. Nothingstumped Cecil.

Mr. Decker glanced at Gloria, then focusedhis attention back on Cecil.

Very nice, Cecil. You may finish up, Mr.Decker said. Well give some others a chance.

Cecil frowned, spouted a few moreinformation-filled sentences, and sat down.

Great job, as usual, Cecil. Who would liketo go next? Emery? You got a nice rest when Cecil spoke, so youshould be full of pep.

Emery oozed reluctantly to his feet.

Who is your President? Mr. Deckerasked.

Richard Milouse Nixon.

Uh, make sure you put the h in themiddle name, Emery. Milhouse. We really need the h inthere. And his most famous speech, Emery? Go on. Tell us aboutit.

Philip snorted as he tried to keep fromlaughing. The sight of Emery staring at the floor and lookingmiserable really hit his funny bone. Philip had been called onyesterday and sped through what hed memorized about themilitary-industrial complex speech of President Eisenhower. Philiphad no idea what he was talking about, but managed to learn eightsentences from a Wikipedia article by heart. Philip thought hedsounded pretty good, even though by his third sentence, the otherkids in the class looked at him as if he were speaking Martian.Stupid Cecil even burst out laughing. Mr. Decker shushed Cecil, andPhilip managed to finish his eight sentences and sit down. Havingsurvived his own ordeal, the sufferings of the other kids in theclass now provided a source of great relief and entertainment forhim.

Emery, you with us? Mr. Decker prodded.

Emery cleared his throat.

Richard Milouse Nixons most famous speechwas called his Im not a crook speech.

Uh, I think well stop there for the day.Emery, come see me for a minute before I leave. Were about out oftime. Any questions?

Cecils arm blasted off from hisshoulder.

Cecil?

Why do you always give us easy stuff to do?Cant you give us something hard?

A moan swept through the class. Even Gloriaglared angrily at Cecil. Emery and Philip turned to one another,eyes big with surprise. Only Cecil would ask a question likethat.

I thought this assignment pretty difficultand pretty sophisticated, Mr. Decker said.

Cecil frowned as the class chorused theiragreement with Mr. Deckers assessment.

But, Mr. Decker continued, Ive beentoying with an assignment that would really require some smarts andhard work to do well.

Another groan from the class.

Mr. Decker laughed. Would that make youhappy, Cecil?

You bet! Real happy.

Ill give it some thought and let you knowwhats up next time. Ah, heres Mr. Ware. I have to go. Emery, canI have a minute?

The two teachers chatted a moment, and Emeryfollowed Mr. Decker out of the room.

~*~

What did he sayto you? Philip asked Emery as the class lined up for dismissal.Nobody wanted to stand near Cecil, and he stuck out in the linelike an island in the middle of the ocean.

He asked me to find a different speech.

Did you say the speech was called the Imnot a crook speech?

The computer said, not me.

What did he steal?

I dont know. Something about a water gate,whatever that is.

He stole a water gate? What? You betterfind something you understand better.

Did you understand your military blah, blah,blah?

Didnt have to. I memorized itexactly. Mr. Decker couldnt say I was wrong aboutanything.

I hate memorizing.

Theyd reached the schoolyard, and the linebroke apart. Gloria walked near Philip and Emery as they headed tothe sidewalk.

How come your friend thinks hes so smart?she asked. Whats wrong with him?

Who, Emery? Philip said, amazed at Gloriashigh opinion of Emery. He doesnt think hes so smart. Doyou?

Not after today, I dont.

Not him. Cecil.

Hes not my friend, Philip answeredback.

Mine either, Emery agreed.

Whyd he have to ask for extra hard work?Social Studies is hard enough already. I have to get high marks ormy parentsll kill me.

Neither Philip nor Emery had an answer forher.

I know Mr. Deckers going to come upwith some crazy assignment only Cecil can understand, and all ofour marks will go pfft! Gloria shot out her fingers like amagician making something disappear. Boys, she grumbled andwalked off.

Dont blame Emery and me, Philip shoutedafter her.

~*~

It was mid-January and very cold.

You gonna come out to play? Emeryasked.

No, its freezing, Philip answered. Youwant to come to my house?

I guess so. Your motherll let us play thevideo games on the big TV, wont she?

Until dinner, Philip assured his friend.After dinner, Im supposed to study all night.