If I can just hide my leg, I thought, my body will be hidden from everybody.

You won’t believe how I found myself scrambling on top of this wall, I don’t. But take it from me, it’s crazier than a three-legged man racing two guys on crutches. Can you see that? Nuts, isn’t it? You won’t believe me, but I’ll tell you anyway.

Rough men have been chasing us. By us, I mean my buddy John Calhoun and me. I’m Alan Richardson and John is my best friend, even if he is a little geeky. It’s okay with me, as I’m a little weird myself. I use odd words sometimes, grown-up words, and I know tons of vocabulary. But hey! Are any of us normal?

What’s normal anyway? I know I’m not. I suspect you aren’t either.

I equate normal with boring. Equate is just a fancy word meaning to make equal. If you knew that then accept my sincere apology. If not, then there’s a new word for you. Anyway, I’m fifeen, in tenth grade, and so is John. High school in Central Florida, can you dig it?

We’ve been running through neighborhoods, taking shortcuts through people’s yards and I guess someone thought we were doing something wrong. We aren’t, but cutting through yards is a lot faster than using roads in this neighborhood. We’ve been running and not walking because we are on a mission. That means a time limit and a deadline that must be met!

If we don’t get to Wendy’s house by two-fifty, thenwe won’t be there when the girls arrive and that’ll ruin everything. See, John and I need to already be there waiting when they arrive–the girls, I mean. If we’re already there being casual and sitting cross-legged on the sofa, it will seem like we’ve been there since school got out. It will also seem like John and I are close, personal friends of Wendy’s and have the inside track on all things relating to our friend Ms. Wendy Gifford.

That, in turn, will cause these gorgeous females to want to talk to us and get to know us. Do you understand our need to make haste? That’s why I am on this wall. John’s right behind me and we’re almost there. Her place is only three or four houses away. We’re so close, I imagine I can already smell the perfume that those girls’ll be wearing.