Page 24 of Tamiko and the Two Janitors
“No, thanks. I’d rather be Ash.” He held up three fingers.“Less letters to remember.”
“A – S – H,” Harrison spelled out, also raising threefingers. “I suppose that does keep things simple. But aren’t there supposed tobe two of you?”
“Yeah, there are two of us.” And putting his fingers to hislips, he gave a shrill whistle.
Heads turned as Kip charged through the door, pretended totrip, dove into a handspring, and came to a stop like a gold-medal gymnaststicking a landing. The class erupted into cheers and applause, and Kip sweptoff an imaginary hat and bowed.
Tami shook her head in disbelief. They must have scriptedthe whole thing.
Harrison used his crossing guard whistle to regaineveryone’s attention. “Are you all right, Mr. Kipling.”
“Who, me?”
“Isn’t that your name?” Harrison took a sterner tone. “Whereis your nametag, Mr. Kipling?”
“It’s here somewhere!” While he patted pockets, he said,“And you can call me Kip.”
“That’s three letters, too.” Ash helpfully pulled the danglinglanyard from Kip’s back pocket and handed it to him. “K – I – P spells Kip.Nice and easy.”
Now properly displaying his photo ID, Kip said, “I neverwear a bowtie, but I always have red hair. I’m Kip, the janitor with red hair.”
Ash said, “I don’t have red hair, and I never wear a bowtie,but I like high places.”
“Top of the jungle gym, top of the slide, top of the bleachers.”Kip held a hand to his mouth as if telling a great secret. “I’ve even found himin trees. Weird, huh?”
More laughter. The kids were relaxed and having fun.
Harrison asked, “Do you think you can remember Ash and Kipas part of your Landmark Elementary family?”
Everyone agreed with enthusiasm.
“And I see Principal Reaverson is here.” Harrison beckoned.
Making her way to the front, Tami took the time to scan allthe eager faces. “Welcome to Landmark Elementary. We’re excited that you’ll belearning with us this year.” Following the established pattern, she lifted herlanyard. “I don’t wear a bowtie, and I don’t have red hair. I’ve been known toclimb trees on occasion because my family owns an apple orchard, but I thinkyou can still tell me apart from Ash.”
“She’s shorter,” Kip said. “And a girl.”
Tami curtsied. “I do have something that’salwayswith me, though.”
From where it was mostly hidden by the collar of her secondmost businesslike suit, she withdrew a strand of heavy stones in shades rangingfrom deep purple to lavender. They looked for all the world like a fortune inamethysts. For all Tami knew, that’s exactly what they were. She’d never hadthem assessed.
Kip hunkered down, studying her necklace with obviousfascination. “Principal Reaverson, are you secretly a princess?” he asked inawed tones.
She laughed. “I don’t think so. This necklace is a familyheirloom, so it’s very old and very special. I never take it off.”
“Not even when you sleep?” Kip asked.
“Nope.”
“Not even when you wash your hair?”
“Nope.” Tami offered a small shrug. “It doesn’t come off.”
Harrison stepped in. “Will you all remember Princess … ImeanPrincipalReaverson if you see her?”
The kids chorused their assurances, and Kip finallystraightened and offered her his arm. As he escorted her to the door, he asked,“How long have you worn that necklace, Tami?”
“Always,” she replied, touching the familiar weight. “Mybrother and I each inherited something from our great-grandparents.”
