Sometimes Mrs. Hillbilly Mom Is Overly Suspicious

I caught The Pony leaving the Mansion this morning with a large ACT Practice Manual.

Yeah. It's not like he was sneaking out a sweatshirt emblazoned with a monster exhibiting many loose eyeballs so he could hide it in the bushes by the garage and put it on later and wear it to school. Still. He seemed secretive about it.

"What are you doing with that practice book? I thought you were done taking the ACT."

"I am."

"So what are you doing with the book?"

"Taking it to school."

"Why?"

"I told somebody I would loan it."

"Who? Why are you being so secretive?"

"This girl. She's the girlfriend of that one guy. On Scholar Bowl team."

"Did she ask to use it?"

"I heard that she was not happy with her score on the practice test they took at school last week. So I said I'd bring my practice book."

"Okay. But I want it back. It's just a loan. I'm not giving it away. I did that with your brother's physics book, and now I've had to buy a whole new one for you. I'd rather see that somebody gets it who can't afford it. She can."

"I don't know why you don't trust me."

"You just act so sketchy about things. I can't explain it. But if you said you'd loan it, fine. Get it back after she takes the test."

We got to school and The Pony hoofed it in ahead of me as usual. I happened to walk through the doors as he was going down the hall to his locker, carrying the practice book. That kid from Scholar Bowl overtook him on the way to the lockers.

"Oh. Hey. Here's this book. Give it to your lady."

"Oh, yeah. She was hoping you'd bring it."

"I forgot yesterday. But here it is."

The contraband changed hands. I guess he's on the up-and-up. Seriously. Who says, "Give this to your lady?" The Pony. That's who.