Fear of Frying

nothing.
    “What now, Sherlock?“ Jane asked.
    “Breakfast. We could move around a lot, sitting by different people, and see if anybody smells of latex.”
    Jane looked at her sharply. “You are kidding, right?”
    Shelley drew herself up. “The rest of them might think we’re crazy, Jane, but I expected you to know better.”

Eleven

    Jane and Shelley felt awkward and embarrassed, and the others seemed to be feeling the same. Benson welcomed them with a vague smile, not quite able to look right straight at them. Edna, who was tidying up the magazines in the lobby, undoing Liz’s arrangements, suddenly had to rush away on another errand after saying a quick “Good morning, ladies.“
    “I feel like we forgot to get dressed and nobody wants to notice or mention that we’re in our underwear,“ Jane whispered to Shelley.
    “Remember that time the PTA board had the meeting at your house and it wasn’t until the meeting was over that we noticed one of your cats had horked up a hairball under the coffee table?“ Shelley said.
    “Oh, God! I’ll never live it down. Yes, that’s the exact same feeling. We should have thought this out a little better before we got here. How about pretending last night never happened?“
    “Nope. You’re the one who said we’re taking the line that we were mistaken and are vaguely sorry.”
    Breakfast today was a little more modest. Cereals, fruits, scrambled eggs, and toast were the primary choices. The room was also a good deal more crowded. Several more strangers had been added to the mix—young, athletic-looking people for the most part. Jane noticed that three of them at one table were talking quietly and looking at her and Shelley. Word must have gotten around about the batty pair who imagined dead bodies in the woods.
    Everyone else ignored them. Nobody signaled them to join a table.
    “Let’s sit with Liz,“ Shelley said, fixing herself a bowl of cereal. “She’ll either defend us or tear us into little scraps. Either way, we’ll be done with the best or worst.”
    Liz and Al were sitting with Eileen Claypool and one of the new people. Jane and Shelley took their plates over and sat down.
    “Good morning, everybody,“ Shelley said with shrill cheerfulness.
    There was a mumble of greeting and the young man at the table was introduced as the boating instructor. Liz had been grilling him and went back to it. “What I’m getting at,“ she said to him, “is why lessons in driving around in a boat is educational? I’ll grant that it may be fun, but the school district isn’t in the business of providing fun.”
    Eileen saved the young man by responding, “But aren’t school plays and concerts mainly for fun? And you offer driver’s education, don’t you?”
    Liz wasn’t impressed by the reasoning, though she wasn’t quite as curt and accusatory toward Eileen as she’d been with the young man. “Plays and concerts, like most sports, emphasize team play, taking a specific role in society, and doing your best for the group. Although, to be honest, I believe far too much effort and budget are spent on both. As for driver’s ed, almost everyone these days must learn to drive a car skillfully and lawfully.“
    “But aren’t all those things also fun for the students?“ Eileen asked.
    “Yes, but the emphasis should be on ‘also.’ Learning valuable life skills can be fun,“ Liz said. “What I’m questioning is whether lessons in boating aren’t just for fun. Very few of our young people are going to become professionals in boating.”
    Eileen was digging her heels in, whether out of genuine philosophy or irritation with Liz, it was impossible to tell. “How many are going to become professional actors, or singers, or sports players?”
    Liz backed off a little. “I’m sorry. I’m making you angry and I didn’t mean to. But I am here as a representative of the school district and I have to look at the camp in that light. Are the activities primarily educational?“
    “I understand that,“ Eileen said with a forced smile. “But what’s wrong with having fun?“
    “Nothing at all! So long as the tax monies that support the school district aren’t paying for it,“ Liz said.
    Then, in an obvious effort to change the subject, she said, “Quite an exciting night, wasn’t it?“ studying Jane and Shelley intently.
    “Yes, it was,“ Shelley said blandly.
    Jane started to get up. “Oh, dear. I forgot the cream for my coffee.”
    Without