SVT #71 Jessica Saves The Trees
Because Jessica's so-called "friends" aren't speaking to her, in that way which occasionally happens when you're thirteen, Jessica goes off on a half-cocked environmental crusade. And once again, the title is misleading.
The Unicorns move to the soccer field, in anticipation of the Annual Soccer Scrimmage, which appears to be a soccer game. But a special one, that doesn’t count for anything. Tamara is particularly excited, because apparently the boys are dedicating goals to their favourite girls, a practice which is utterly utterly strange and totally American. This doesn’t actually happen, right? This is like on Thanksgiving episodes of TV shows, and everyone goes around the table saying what they’re thankful for. It’s just a fabrication, because I can’t believe anything that cringe-worthy actually happens. Anyway, Aaron Dallas is on the team, and he and Jessica have the slowest moving romance ever, where he hasn’t even kissed her yet. Or at least he hadn’t twenty books ago, he probably has by now. Quite a change from SVH, where Jessica considers it a slow week if she hasn’t fallen in love with someone who then dies.
Elizabeth hurries along to Mr Bowman’s office - he wants to speak to her before the scrimmage. Also, she’s wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and a baseball cap with a button that says “PRESS” on it. Not a fedora and trenchcoat? Disappointing. Now she’ll never be cast in a screwball romantic comedy set in a newspaper office.
Mr Bowman has a visitor - Mrs Simmons, owner of the Sweets for the Sweet shop. She has a sister business, Sugar For My Honey. Two weeks ago Elizabeth had written an article about Dennis Cookman and Alex Betner going there, and being refused entry. Dennis said the owner said she didn’t like kids. Possibly a poor choice of career there. Mrs Simmons is pissed, because the reason she didn’t let them in is because the last time they were there they started a food fight and she had to close the shop to clean it up. Her actual words were “I don’t like kids who throw food around my shop.” Elizabeth hadn’t interviewed Mrs Simmons for the article, merely taken the boys’ word for it. Mr Bowman admonishes her for not fact-checking. Elizabeth must print a correction, and make sure all article are objective from now on.
And now we get clarification on what the scrimmage is about. It’s to get places on this year’s soccer team, who are in division A for the first time.
Soccer scrimmage. Aaron scores, and waves at Jessica. Not so much a dedication, as an acknowledgement of her presence. He scores again. Tamara sighs at how romance it all is. You got that right. In fact, all the Unicorns are in awe of Jessica, except Lila, who is a bit sulky about the attention Jessica is getting. “Jessica was thrilled beyond description. Not only was she the only sixth-grade girl to have a goal dedicated to her, she was the only girl in any grade to have two goals dedicated to her.” Probably because Aaron scored twice and nobody else did. Not because Jessica is so amazing or anything. Although of course she is!
Eight-grader Denny Jacobson scores - Janet gets hopeful, because she has a big crush on him. But he dedicates his goal to Mrs Montgomery, the eight-grade English teacher, because he failed his English test last week. Was it really? Or was it because Denny is alone in his life and has to cover it up with jokes? OR are Denny and Mrs Montgomery having a tragic affair, a la that episode of Buffy in the second season with Christopher Gorman in it? Hopefully this won’t end in suicide.
Janet and Lila snipe bitterly at Jessica that Aaron won’t get on the team because he’s a sixth-grader and sixth-graders almost never make the team, so everyone will forget the goals by the next day. Not if Jessica can help it!
Jessica tries to convince Elizabeth to print a headline about her and Aaron. Interestingly, she says Aaron scored three goals, rather than the two mentioned over the page. Appalling continuity, or did the game continue on? Also, pity the poor defenders. Their girlfriends must be angry. Jessica’s suggested headlines are SIXTH-GRADER MAKES TEAM BY SCORING THREE GOALS FOR JESSICA WAKEFIELD, JESSICA WAKEFIELD PREDICTS GREAT DIVISION A SEASON, and (my personal favourite) JESSICA WAKEFIELD AND AARON DALLAS MAKE GREAT TEAM ON AND OFF THE PITCH. Elizabeth isn’t budging, because she’s still licking her wounds over the sweet-shop fiasco. She’s writing her correction now, although Amy has added in a paragraph with the phrase “a pair of low-down, lying, slimy, food-fighting finks”. Elizabeth is not amused.
Jessica watches TV, and sees her favourite actress, Lois Latimer, going on about how great saving the trees. Jessica is impressed because Lois is wearing a purple t-shirt and has a hot boyfriend. Activism is in!
Jessica notices a picture of her parents on the wall which she’s never noticed before. They are young. Her parents appear and talk about their old college days - they were on a protest. It was a student rally for better governance. Or was the rally for improved education? Possibly the demonstration on behalf of the striking cafeteria staff. My, those are some mighty vague causes. Could the ‘V’ word (Vietnam) not be mentioned? Would it date things too clearly? It could even have been something like Civil Rights. Everyone loves those! Here is Jessica’s insightful view on campus protests: “She turned back to the photograph. Her mom sure had looked pretty. And her dad looked handsome too. Maybe caring about causes really did make people beautiful.” I would view this as a character milestone, but she probably means physically. Politics is so good for the skin!
At school the next day, Jessica bumps into Aaron. He escorts her to her next class, holding his arm out for her. Aw. It is intentionally retro, rather than being accidentally so. By the way, whenever Aaron smiles at Jessica (and he does frequently), it is always “shyly”. And now that he’s on the soccer team, Jessica views him as more adult and feels a little shy around him. OK. Aaron promises to dedicate more goals to her this season, despite it being the most embarrassing behaviour ever. What does their coach think of this?
Dennis asks Elizabeth about the article. She claims it was objective, but he quotes Amy’s line back at her. Somehow it got in, despite Elizabeth supposedly checking each line of copy herself.
Special assembly, third period. Jessica sits next to Aaron. Woo! Mr Clark solemnly tells them that the California Soccer Association has classified their soccer field as three yards short of regulation size, and so they won’t be able to participate in Division A. What, so Division B has a smaller field? The hell? A soccer field is a soccer field, they’re all supposed to be the same size! Let’s swallow this ridiculous claim and move on. The girl’s team won’t be affected because they play on a smaller pitch, as their legs get tired and sometimes they need to sit down. Also, the high school field is booked solid FOREVER, as is the park field. So there will be no soccer this year. Jessica is angry because she won’t get any goals dedicated to her. To enlarge the field would cost $5000, which the school doesn’t have. Randy Mason suggests raising the funds themselves - but they would only have ONE WEEK because of the start of the football season. Did they not have the entire year to check the regulations? Thinking of Lois Lattimer, Jessica volunteers her services.
Elizabeth gets told off by Mr Bowman again. Also, it seems old sweet lady was mistaken and it was two completely different boys from a different school. So there’s some libel for you!
Kids from school collect donations at the mall, without success. Wouldn’t they need a permit for this? Jessica makes a pitch to a woman who can’t speak English very well, who suggests if she’s lost she should ask a policeman. They ask an old man who is reading National Sports Week magazine. His reply: “Athletes today are spoiled. And so are kids. When I was your age, we didn’t play fancy games like soccer. We played kick-the-can. And we didn’t need a five thousand dollar field to play it on either. All we needed was a tin can and a street.” Presumably that was during the Great Depression.
Jessica makes a speech about the students of Sweet Valley being the future of California. Dear God! Everyone needs to chip in, possibilities of tomorrow etc. “Citizens who know how to play by the rules. Citizens who know how to compete.” Because life is a competition. Personally I’d like to give money to the English department, so Jessica can learn how to spell. Crowds of people tell her it was lovely and give her money. Maybe I should start orating in the middle of the mall. This bucks up the moral of everyone.
Thursday, another assembly. Mr Clark will be announcing the total raised. Jessica sits next to Aaron again. Yay! The big news is there is enough money to get the field. The soccer season is back on! One student in particular raised the most money - Jessica gets ready to make a proud yet humble speech - and Mr Clark announces… Lila Fowler! BURN! The students collected $1767, which is impressive for a week’s slightly unorganised fundraising. Mr Fowler made up the rest. Which would lovely, if Lila hadn’t done it to spite Jessica. What good friends they are. There will be a plaque - not on the soccer field, but the bleachers - which says “To the Fowler family, from the students of Sweet Valley Middle School with gratitude. Without your generous support, this soccer field would not have been possible.” Then Lila totally steals Jessica’s speech about investing in tomorrow’s future and stuff. Peter Jeffries announces all goals made in the next season will be dedicated to Lila. And Lila will be honorary co-captain. Jessica is fuming. Jessica cries because it’s so unfair, stumbling out of the auditorium. Nobody notices, because they’re all too focused on Lila.
Jessica sulks by her locker. Elizabeth joins just in time to see Lila walking past with a veritable parade of students singing her praises. Lila sneers at Jessica and says “Jealous yet?” when she walks past her. Harsh. Thankfully, as co-captain, Peter Jeffries asks Lila to spend the night listening to some of the plays he’s been working on. That’s probably Lila’s idea of hell.
Jessica sits in the woods by the soccer field, watching the Unicorns watch the soccer players, like some sort of creepy stalker. Jessica had not been invited to watch the boys play, by order of the grand supreme leader Janet. She hears Aaron dedicate a goal to Lila. Jessica lies back against a tree and cries, feeling totally friendless and alone. But what’s this? A little bird, hopping near her. Jessica starts talking to it. She decides to tell it her problems. “Chirrup”, it replies. I think that’s bird for “Call somebody who cares.” But the bird doesn’t fly away, merely letting out a series of angry chirrups, and settling on a nearby branch. Jessica views this as an endorsement of her. So she cries some more.
Elizabeth takes Lila’s picture for the newspaper. Lila is posing in front of lockers wearing a soccer jacket with a popped collar. Janet approves of all Lila is doing for the Unicorn image. Janet will be an amazing PR guru when she grows older. The Unicorns go to frolic with the soccer team, and Jessica watches from across the corridor. Have to admit, that’s a little creepy. But sad, too. Elizabeth convinces her to come to the interview she’s doing with the engineer, in an attempt to cheer Jessica up. Yeah, that’ll do it.
Ms Engineer says the field needs to be enlarged on two sides. If they move in one direction they’ll go into the tennis courts, and they’ll need to be moved too. So they’ll expand into the other direction, and bulldoze some of the trees, although not all of them. Jessica thinks about the trees: They felt like old friends. In fact, they felt like her only friends. She would be sorry to see them go. Indeed.
Elizabeth decides to go to the Nature Society to find out how old the trees are. Jessica does too, because she has no friends now. Except for the trees. A man holding a bird greets them. Predictably, the bird (named Tweeter) reminds Jessica of the bird in the woods. Tweeter used to live in some woods that were cut down. He fell out of his nest when the bulldozers left, and his mum flew away. Bill says “We raised him, and he’s been here ever since. We’ve tried to turn him loose, but he always flies back. I guess he can’t find any place he fits in anymore.” Predictably, Jessica way over-emphasises with Tweeter’s plight, because two girls have decided they’re not speaking to her for a week. Let’s just forget her loyal sister, the lesser Unicorns who will still talk to her, and her sort-of boyfriend who still likes her even though Lila put up the money for the field. Bill says some of the trees in Sweet Valley are 400 years old. He says if the trees are that old, the construction should be challenged, which would either hold up or stop the expansion. Jessica orders the Nature Society to get involved, but they’re busy right now. Saving some other trees, elsewhere.
Jessica demands that Elizabeth’s article argues against the construction. Elizabeth won’t. When told that the animals in the trees would die, she says they’ll go live in the other trees. Heh. Jessica declares she is going to save the trees, because Tweeter thinks it would be a good idea. Tweeter also thinks it is a good idea to vomit up dinner to feed to his loved ones. Is Jessica going to do that?
Before homeroom on Monday, Jessica has already convinced Amy, Mandy, and Sarah Thomas, although they’re all tree huggers anyway, so it isn’t exactly difficult. Although construction is ready to begin on Friday (and isn’t that a fast turn-around?) they’re determined to succeed. Posters and leaflets ahoy!
Straight away they’re handing them out, and Jessica convinces Lloyd Benson to join the campaign, whoever he is. He’s going to write a petition that night. Ah yes, the ever-present petition. That’ll get things done. Peter Burns is going to organize a protest, with the help of his dad, who used to be a political activist. No doubt he strived for better education and nicer bus drivers, or something else cheerfully vague.
Along comes Aaron, who wants to hear what Jessica’s shouting about (no really, she’s actually shouting). She gives him a leaflet, and he’s puzzled to see she’s campaigning against the football field. She even says trees are more important than soccer! Shockingly, Aaron disagrees: “Trees are everywhere.” Thankfully, he doesn’t say she shouldn’t be doing it or anything, but he’s clearly hurt and confused that his sort-of girlfriend (KISS HER!) is campaigning against something he likes.
The Unicorns come to Save The Trees headquarters (the art room). Notably, Ellen is not with them. Janet demands that Jessica and Mandy stop saving the trees RIGHT NOW, because (predictably) it gives the Unicorns a bad image. Janet insinuates that anyone who can’t “put aside their differences” should join another club. Basically, she’s kicking Jessica and Mandy out of the club. I hope she doesn’t try and do that with Union activity when she’s a ruthless corporate head. Mandy and Jessica pick the trees, and Mary Wallace sides with them too. See? The normal, sane Unicorns.
Wednesday morning, the Save The Trees coalition protest outside the school. Elizabeth and Todd marvel at it. There’s a counter-demonstration planned by the Save The Soccer Field faction. Elizabeth goes to their meeting for reportery reasons. Same as usual - we want a soccer field, there are lots of trees. The Save The Soccer Field faction moves towards the Save The Trees coalition, both sides chanting their catchy slogans. There’s a lot of yelling going on. The pro-tree yell “tree killers”, the pro-soccer yell “tree huggers”. Both as lame as each other. Elizabeth thinks the whole thing is becoming “mean-spirited and a little scary.” Well, that’s life. Charlie Cashman claims it’s because the pro-trees didn’t make the team. Belinda, pro-tree and member of the girl’s football team claims otherwise. Is Belinda a sometimes Unicorn? Then the unthinkable happens - a balled-up leaflet hits Belinda in the face! She throws it back, and it hits Janet. What next - rubber bullets?
Mr Clark comes out and threatens to suspend everyone. He makes everyone go to class, and wants to see the ringleaders in his office. Jessica yells “2 4 6 8 We will not negotiate!” Then Mr Clark threatens to call her parents and she apologises.
Todd asks whose side Elizabeth is on. She’s objective, because reporters are robots who don’t have emotions or lives. She doesn’t seem to get that you can have a personal opinion as long as your reporting remains objective. Todd’s mum says newspapers aren’t objective. And she always makes sure he eats his vegetables. Todd doesn’t know which side he’s on, although he normally likes nature causes. Such as whales.
Aaron talks to Jessica alone. He admits to being a jerk about Lila and the soccer field. A little vague, surely? He said he was so happy to be the only sixth-grader on the Division A team he got carried away. Jessica begins to soften. And then he asks if he apologizes, will she call off saving the trees?
FAIL.
Jessica will not, and she’s seriously angry. Aaron accuses her of doing it because he’s mad at her and Lila. She says she truly wants to save the trees. Eh, a little of column A, a little of column B.
Elizabeth asks Randy for a comment on the trees/soccer thing for her article. This is going to be one hell of a long article. Randy’s view is relatively important, because he was fundraising for the field, and is now campaigning against it. He says now he knows how old the trees are, he thinks they’re more important than the field. He says “How can we ask the inhabitants of the Amazon rainforest not to cut down our trees when if we’re cutting down ours?” Elizabeth once again mentions her objectivity, and Randy is disappointed because he thought Elizabeth would be on their side. She asks Rick Hunter for his view (pro-field). Rick argues that although the trees are 400 years old, that’s only old in comparison to our life-times. Although let’s face it, we measure everything in comparison to our own life-times. Charlie Cashman argues that objectivity is for cowards. Or for the nuanced, whichever. Elizabeth asks Mrs Wyler, who says she is pro-nature. But then she realises that’s the equivalent of Todd’s opinion about siding with his friends. Even though it’s totally not, and is more about having a wider view of life which you automatically lean towards.
Anyway, Elizabeth goes on a journey of self-discovery by asking people their opinions on it. it’s all rather tedious.
Elizabeth sits with her pro-tree friends at lunch. They want her to print their petition in the newspaper. She says no, they won’t sit with her. Aaron wants her to print a pro-soccer petition. Second verse, same as the first.
Mr Bowman tells her he used to be a reporter, back in the days of ‘Nam. Sadly, he wasn’t actually in ‘Nam. He explains this is a story about intensity of feeling, and that the passion is lacking from her reporting. She decides to get editorials from both sides. From Jessica and Aaron to be precise.
Elizabeth and Todd eat at Casey’s. The newspaper has come out, and now everybody hates her for not being on their side. Elizabeth and Todd, the disputed zone of Sweet Valley Middle School. For some reason the trees group are protesting outside Casey’s. Some soccer people (predictably involving Bruce Patman) are inside taunting them. Tongues are poked out. The two sides are chanting at each other, until Mr Casey throws everyone out. Including Elizabeth and Todd, who has yet to finish his sundae. It’s always the innocent who suffer in war.
Elizabeth heads to the Nature Society, spurred on to do more research after a talk with the lawyer aspect of her father. She explains the tree thing to Bill, who says “causes should bring people together, not tear them apart.” Yes… except when people are campaigning for opposite things. Her father has told her that sometimes in his trials, he discovers more information at the last minute which helps matters. I wouldn’t want to be represented by him. So Bill points her towards their library, and tells her to take whatever books she wants, just leave a phone number! I can’t help but feel that sort of system would lead to a great deal of missing books. She finds an interesting picture of the type of tree at her school, with some very interesting detail… By the way, she looks at the picture with her magnifying glass. How many thirteen-year-old girls have magnifying glasses, aside from Harriet The Spy?
The next morning she gets to school early, and inspects the trees. She finds “several sections where the bark looked patchy and yellowish. It was soft and spongy, not hard like the rest of the tree.” Heh. That sounds vaguely dirty. Also, did they not do a survey of the trees to be felled? Would this not have been noticed? All the trees have the patches on them. Jessica arrives. Elizabeth tries to stop her from “doing something silly”, but Jessica won’t listen. She runs to the office to call Bill at the Nature Society.
In second period, Jessica is nervous. They hear the bulldozers rumbling. Jessica yells “It’s zero hour!” and Maria, Winston and Amy all jump up from their seats, grab their bags and run to the field, banging on classroom doors as they go. The rest of the school run after them to see what’s happening. The trees faction run to the trees and attach themselves to the trees using their bicycle locks. Enter Elizabeth, with Bill of the Nature Society. Jessica interprets this as Elizabeth has come to her senses, is on her side and has brought Bill to convince everyone. Jessica is mistaken. Bill talks to Mr Clark, who announces Bill is going to inspect the trees. He has a look and announces “Yep! They’re going to have to come down, all right!”
Wah wah waaaah.
“What kind of environmentalist are you!?” demands Winston. Jessica is shown some of the bark under a magnifying glass. It’s infested with some sort of thing, so it’s slowly dying. All the trees marked for demolition have it, and it will spread to the healthy trees if they aren’t removed. In fact, it could spread to most of the trees in Sweet Valley. So all the trees will have to go, not just some of them. Also, the trees aren’t even that old. Oh dear. It seems Bill said some trees in Sweet Valley are 400 years old - these are about 60. Bruce points and laughs at the protesters. The protesters are seriously angry with Jessica for misleading them.
The whole demolition programme has to be reconsidered now. The crowds leave, Aaron shaking his head in disappointment. Lila giggles at Jessica some more. Lila is so incredibly cruel sometimes.
Jessica is left alone in the woods. There aren’t even any birds around. Where are your woodland friends now?
The parents have gone to the emergency PTA meeting. Jessica is home alone, sulking. Steven comes home and cheers her up a bit, because without her deranged antics they wouldn’t have found out about the mystery disease which no character wishes to name. The parents return. After clearing the trees, there will be no money left for the soccer field. No one wants to ask Mr Fowler for another contribution, even though he bathes in money. Also, Mr Bowman yelled at Elizabeth for not checking the facts and finding out about the trees sooner, even though she didn’t need to do that and it was a really good thing she did. Nobody is speaking to Elizabeth because she didn’t take sides.
Jessica has a brilliant idea to help with the trees and soccer field. She thinks the whole community should share in the cost of demolition, because it’s in the interests of the community. Mr Wakefield calls Mr Clark at home, because nobody else has thought of this.
One final assembly about the trees/field fiasco. Three or four assemblies in this book, and not one dance. Disappointing. Mr Clark reiterates what we already know, and announces the City Council are contributing, so they’ll be able to have the football field. And credits Jessica.
Lunchtime - there is no one in the cafeteria. Outside a mob of students yells “Save The Trees!” Didn’t we just got through this? Even Aaron is holding up a sign and yelling! He says a lot of people have been talking now that all the trees have to go. So now they’re having a new drive to buy new trees to plant. This time everyone will work together, so they have the money to buy the trees once the soccer field is planted. Jessica is asked to run the fundraising, seeing as she did a good job of getting the initial soccer field money and saving the trees, even though she turned out to be spreading misinformation.
Jessica gets a letter from Lois Latimer. The status quo is returned, because now she can rub it in Lila’s face. Two weeks later everyone plants trees. Hurrah!
The Unicorns move to the soccer field, in anticipation of the Annual Soccer Scrimmage, which appears to be a soccer game. But a special one, that doesn’t count for anything. Tamara is particularly excited, because apparently the boys are dedicating goals to their favourite girls, a practice which is utterly utterly strange and totally American. This doesn’t actually happen, right? This is like on Thanksgiving episodes of TV shows, and everyone goes around the table saying what they’re thankful for. It’s just a fabrication, because I can’t believe anything that cringe-worthy actually happens. Anyway, Aaron Dallas is on the team, and he and Jessica have the slowest moving romance ever, where he hasn’t even kissed her yet. Or at least he hadn’t twenty books ago, he probably has by now. Quite a change from SVH, where Jessica considers it a slow week if she hasn’t fallen in love with someone who then dies.
Elizabeth hurries along to Mr Bowman’s office - he wants to speak to her before the scrimmage. Also, she’s wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and a baseball cap with a button that says “PRESS” on it. Not a fedora and trenchcoat? Disappointing. Now she’ll never be cast in a screwball romantic comedy set in a newspaper office.
Mr Bowman has a visitor - Mrs Simmons, owner of the Sweets for the Sweet shop. She has a sister business, Sugar For My Honey. Two weeks ago Elizabeth had written an article about Dennis Cookman and Alex Betner going there, and being refused entry. Dennis said the owner said she didn’t like kids. Possibly a poor choice of career there. Mrs Simmons is pissed, because the reason she didn’t let them in is because the last time they were there they started a food fight and she had to close the shop to clean it up. Her actual words were “I don’t like kids who throw food around my shop.” Elizabeth hadn’t interviewed Mrs Simmons for the article, merely taken the boys’ word for it. Mr Bowman admonishes her for not fact-checking. Elizabeth must print a correction, and make sure all article are objective from now on.
And now we get clarification on what the scrimmage is about. It’s to get places on this year’s soccer team, who are in division A for the first time.
Soccer scrimmage. Aaron scores, and waves at Jessica. Not so much a dedication, as an acknowledgement of her presence. He scores again. Tamara sighs at how romance it all is. You got that right. In fact, all the Unicorns are in awe of Jessica, except Lila, who is a bit sulky about the attention Jessica is getting. “Jessica was thrilled beyond description. Not only was she the only sixth-grade girl to have a goal dedicated to her, she was the only girl in any grade to have two goals dedicated to her.” Probably because Aaron scored twice and nobody else did. Not because Jessica is so amazing or anything. Although of course she is!
Eight-grader Denny Jacobson scores - Janet gets hopeful, because she has a big crush on him. But he dedicates his goal to Mrs Montgomery, the eight-grade English teacher, because he failed his English test last week. Was it really? Or was it because Denny is alone in his life and has to cover it up with jokes? OR are Denny and Mrs Montgomery having a tragic affair, a la that episode of Buffy in the second season with Christopher Gorman in it? Hopefully this won’t end in suicide.
Janet and Lila snipe bitterly at Jessica that Aaron won’t get on the team because he’s a sixth-grader and sixth-graders almost never make the team, so everyone will forget the goals by the next day. Not if Jessica can help it!
Jessica tries to convince Elizabeth to print a headline about her and Aaron. Interestingly, she says Aaron scored three goals, rather than the two mentioned over the page. Appalling continuity, or did the game continue on? Also, pity the poor defenders. Their girlfriends must be angry. Jessica’s suggested headlines are SIXTH-GRADER MAKES TEAM BY SCORING THREE GOALS FOR JESSICA WAKEFIELD, JESSICA WAKEFIELD PREDICTS GREAT DIVISION A SEASON, and (my personal favourite) JESSICA WAKEFIELD AND AARON DALLAS MAKE GREAT TEAM ON AND OFF THE PITCH. Elizabeth isn’t budging, because she’s still licking her wounds over the sweet-shop fiasco. She’s writing her correction now, although Amy has added in a paragraph with the phrase “a pair of low-down, lying, slimy, food-fighting finks”. Elizabeth is not amused.
Jessica watches TV, and sees her favourite actress, Lois Latimer, going on about how great saving the trees. Jessica is impressed because Lois is wearing a purple t-shirt and has a hot boyfriend. Activism is in!
Jessica notices a picture of her parents on the wall which she’s never noticed before. They are young. Her parents appear and talk about their old college days - they were on a protest. It was a student rally for better governance. Or was the rally for improved education? Possibly the demonstration on behalf of the striking cafeteria staff. My, those are some mighty vague causes. Could the ‘V’ word (Vietnam) not be mentioned? Would it date things too clearly? It could even have been something like Civil Rights. Everyone loves those! Here is Jessica’s insightful view on campus protests: “She turned back to the photograph. Her mom sure had looked pretty. And her dad looked handsome too. Maybe caring about causes really did make people beautiful.” I would view this as a character milestone, but she probably means physically. Politics is so good for the skin!
At school the next day, Jessica bumps into Aaron. He escorts her to her next class, holding his arm out for her. Aw. It is intentionally retro, rather than being accidentally so. By the way, whenever Aaron smiles at Jessica (and he does frequently), it is always “shyly”. And now that he’s on the soccer team, Jessica views him as more adult and feels a little shy around him. OK. Aaron promises to dedicate more goals to her this season, despite it being the most embarrassing behaviour ever. What does their coach think of this?
Dennis asks Elizabeth about the article. She claims it was objective, but he quotes Amy’s line back at her. Somehow it got in, despite Elizabeth supposedly checking each line of copy herself.
Special assembly, third period. Jessica sits next to Aaron. Woo! Mr Clark solemnly tells them that the California Soccer Association has classified their soccer field as three yards short of regulation size, and so they won’t be able to participate in Division A. What, so Division B has a smaller field? The hell? A soccer field is a soccer field, they’re all supposed to be the same size! Let’s swallow this ridiculous claim and move on. The girl’s team won’t be affected because they play on a smaller pitch, as their legs get tired and sometimes they need to sit down. Also, the high school field is booked solid FOREVER, as is the park field. So there will be no soccer this year. Jessica is angry because she won’t get any goals dedicated to her. To enlarge the field would cost $5000, which the school doesn’t have. Randy Mason suggests raising the funds themselves - but they would only have ONE WEEK because of the start of the football season. Did they not have the entire year to check the regulations? Thinking of Lois Lattimer, Jessica volunteers her services.
Elizabeth gets told off by Mr Bowman again. Also, it seems old sweet lady was mistaken and it was two completely different boys from a different school. So there’s some libel for you!
Kids from school collect donations at the mall, without success. Wouldn’t they need a permit for this? Jessica makes a pitch to a woman who can’t speak English very well, who suggests if she’s lost she should ask a policeman. They ask an old man who is reading National Sports Week magazine. His reply: “Athletes today are spoiled. And so are kids. When I was your age, we didn’t play fancy games like soccer. We played kick-the-can. And we didn’t need a five thousand dollar field to play it on either. All we needed was a tin can and a street.” Presumably that was during the Great Depression.
Jessica makes a speech about the students of Sweet Valley being the future of California. Dear God! Everyone needs to chip in, possibilities of tomorrow etc. “Citizens who know how to play by the rules. Citizens who know how to compete.” Because life is a competition. Personally I’d like to give money to the English department, so Jessica can learn how to spell. Crowds of people tell her it was lovely and give her money. Maybe I should start orating in the middle of the mall. This bucks up the moral of everyone.
Thursday, another assembly. Mr Clark will be announcing the total raised. Jessica sits next to Aaron again. Yay! The big news is there is enough money to get the field. The soccer season is back on! One student in particular raised the most money - Jessica gets ready to make a proud yet humble speech - and Mr Clark announces… Lila Fowler! BURN! The students collected $1767, which is impressive for a week’s slightly unorganised fundraising. Mr Fowler made up the rest. Which would lovely, if Lila hadn’t done it to spite Jessica. What good friends they are. There will be a plaque - not on the soccer field, but the bleachers - which says “To the Fowler family, from the students of Sweet Valley Middle School with gratitude. Without your generous support, this soccer field would not have been possible.” Then Lila totally steals Jessica’s speech about investing in tomorrow’s future and stuff. Peter Jeffries announces all goals made in the next season will be dedicated to Lila. And Lila will be honorary co-captain. Jessica is fuming. Jessica cries because it’s so unfair, stumbling out of the auditorium. Nobody notices, because they’re all too focused on Lila.
Jessica sulks by her locker. Elizabeth joins just in time to see Lila walking past with a veritable parade of students singing her praises. Lila sneers at Jessica and says “Jealous yet?” when she walks past her. Harsh. Thankfully, as co-captain, Peter Jeffries asks Lila to spend the night listening to some of the plays he’s been working on. That’s probably Lila’s idea of hell.
Jessica sits in the woods by the soccer field, watching the Unicorns watch the soccer players, like some sort of creepy stalker. Jessica had not been invited to watch the boys play, by order of the grand supreme leader Janet. She hears Aaron dedicate a goal to Lila. Jessica lies back against a tree and cries, feeling totally friendless and alone. But what’s this? A little bird, hopping near her. Jessica starts talking to it. She decides to tell it her problems. “Chirrup”, it replies. I think that’s bird for “Call somebody who cares.” But the bird doesn’t fly away, merely letting out a series of angry chirrups, and settling on a nearby branch. Jessica views this as an endorsement of her. So she cries some more.
Elizabeth takes Lila’s picture for the newspaper. Lila is posing in front of lockers wearing a soccer jacket with a popped collar. Janet approves of all Lila is doing for the Unicorn image. Janet will be an amazing PR guru when she grows older. The Unicorns go to frolic with the soccer team, and Jessica watches from across the corridor. Have to admit, that’s a little creepy. But sad, too. Elizabeth convinces her to come to the interview she’s doing with the engineer, in an attempt to cheer Jessica up. Yeah, that’ll do it.
Ms Engineer says the field needs to be enlarged on two sides. If they move in one direction they’ll go into the tennis courts, and they’ll need to be moved too. So they’ll expand into the other direction, and bulldoze some of the trees, although not all of them. Jessica thinks about the trees: They felt like old friends. In fact, they felt like her only friends. She would be sorry to see them go. Indeed.
Elizabeth decides to go to the Nature Society to find out how old the trees are. Jessica does too, because she has no friends now. Except for the trees. A man holding a bird greets them. Predictably, the bird (named Tweeter) reminds Jessica of the bird in the woods. Tweeter used to live in some woods that were cut down. He fell out of his nest when the bulldozers left, and his mum flew away. Bill says “We raised him, and he’s been here ever since. We’ve tried to turn him loose, but he always flies back. I guess he can’t find any place he fits in anymore.” Predictably, Jessica way over-emphasises with Tweeter’s plight, because two girls have decided they’re not speaking to her for a week. Let’s just forget her loyal sister, the lesser Unicorns who will still talk to her, and her sort-of boyfriend who still likes her even though Lila put up the money for the field. Bill says some of the trees in Sweet Valley are 400 years old. He says if the trees are that old, the construction should be challenged, which would either hold up or stop the expansion. Jessica orders the Nature Society to get involved, but they’re busy right now. Saving some other trees, elsewhere.
Jessica demands that Elizabeth’s article argues against the construction. Elizabeth won’t. When told that the animals in the trees would die, she says they’ll go live in the other trees. Heh. Jessica declares she is going to save the trees, because Tweeter thinks it would be a good idea. Tweeter also thinks it is a good idea to vomit up dinner to feed to his loved ones. Is Jessica going to do that?
Before homeroom on Monday, Jessica has already convinced Amy, Mandy, and Sarah Thomas, although they’re all tree huggers anyway, so it isn’t exactly difficult. Although construction is ready to begin on Friday (and isn’t that a fast turn-around?) they’re determined to succeed. Posters and leaflets ahoy!
Straight away they’re handing them out, and Jessica convinces Lloyd Benson to join the campaign, whoever he is. He’s going to write a petition that night. Ah yes, the ever-present petition. That’ll get things done. Peter Burns is going to organize a protest, with the help of his dad, who used to be a political activist. No doubt he strived for better education and nicer bus drivers, or something else cheerfully vague.
Along comes Aaron, who wants to hear what Jessica’s shouting about (no really, she’s actually shouting). She gives him a leaflet, and he’s puzzled to see she’s campaigning against the football field. She even says trees are more important than soccer! Shockingly, Aaron disagrees: “Trees are everywhere.” Thankfully, he doesn’t say she shouldn’t be doing it or anything, but he’s clearly hurt and confused that his sort-of girlfriend (KISS HER!) is campaigning against something he likes.
The Unicorns come to Save The Trees headquarters (the art room). Notably, Ellen is not with them. Janet demands that Jessica and Mandy stop saving the trees RIGHT NOW, because (predictably) it gives the Unicorns a bad image. Janet insinuates that anyone who can’t “put aside their differences” should join another club. Basically, she’s kicking Jessica and Mandy out of the club. I hope she doesn’t try and do that with Union activity when she’s a ruthless corporate head. Mandy and Jessica pick the trees, and Mary Wallace sides with them too. See? The normal, sane Unicorns.
Wednesday morning, the Save The Trees coalition protest outside the school. Elizabeth and Todd marvel at it. There’s a counter-demonstration planned by the Save The Soccer Field faction. Elizabeth goes to their meeting for reportery reasons. Same as usual - we want a soccer field, there are lots of trees. The Save The Soccer Field faction moves towards the Save The Trees coalition, both sides chanting their catchy slogans. There’s a lot of yelling going on. The pro-tree yell “tree killers”, the pro-soccer yell “tree huggers”. Both as lame as each other. Elizabeth thinks the whole thing is becoming “mean-spirited and a little scary.” Well, that’s life. Charlie Cashman claims it’s because the pro-trees didn’t make the team. Belinda, pro-tree and member of the girl’s football team claims otherwise. Is Belinda a sometimes Unicorn? Then the unthinkable happens - a balled-up leaflet hits Belinda in the face! She throws it back, and it hits Janet. What next - rubber bullets?
Mr Clark comes out and threatens to suspend everyone. He makes everyone go to class, and wants to see the ringleaders in his office. Jessica yells “2 4 6 8 We will not negotiate!” Then Mr Clark threatens to call her parents and she apologises.
Todd asks whose side Elizabeth is on. She’s objective, because reporters are robots who don’t have emotions or lives. She doesn’t seem to get that you can have a personal opinion as long as your reporting remains objective. Todd’s mum says newspapers aren’t objective. And she always makes sure he eats his vegetables. Todd doesn’t know which side he’s on, although he normally likes nature causes. Such as whales.
Aaron talks to Jessica alone. He admits to being a jerk about Lila and the soccer field. A little vague, surely? He said he was so happy to be the only sixth-grader on the Division A team he got carried away. Jessica begins to soften. And then he asks if he apologizes, will she call off saving the trees?
FAIL.
Jessica will not, and she’s seriously angry. Aaron accuses her of doing it because he’s mad at her and Lila. She says she truly wants to save the trees. Eh, a little of column A, a little of column B.
Elizabeth asks Randy for a comment on the trees/soccer thing for her article. This is going to be one hell of a long article. Randy’s view is relatively important, because he was fundraising for the field, and is now campaigning against it. He says now he knows how old the trees are, he thinks they’re more important than the field. He says “How can we ask the inhabitants of the Amazon rainforest not to cut down our trees when if we’re cutting down ours?” Elizabeth once again mentions her objectivity, and Randy is disappointed because he thought Elizabeth would be on their side. She asks Rick Hunter for his view (pro-field). Rick argues that although the trees are 400 years old, that’s only old in comparison to our life-times. Although let’s face it, we measure everything in comparison to our own life-times. Charlie Cashman argues that objectivity is for cowards. Or for the nuanced, whichever. Elizabeth asks Mrs Wyler, who says she is pro-nature. But then she realises that’s the equivalent of Todd’s opinion about siding with his friends. Even though it’s totally not, and is more about having a wider view of life which you automatically lean towards.
Anyway, Elizabeth goes on a journey of self-discovery by asking people their opinions on it. it’s all rather tedious.
Elizabeth sits with her pro-tree friends at lunch. They want her to print their petition in the newspaper. She says no, they won’t sit with her. Aaron wants her to print a pro-soccer petition. Second verse, same as the first.
Mr Bowman tells her he used to be a reporter, back in the days of ‘Nam. Sadly, he wasn’t actually in ‘Nam. He explains this is a story about intensity of feeling, and that the passion is lacking from her reporting. She decides to get editorials from both sides. From Jessica and Aaron to be precise.
Elizabeth and Todd eat at Casey’s. The newspaper has come out, and now everybody hates her for not being on their side. Elizabeth and Todd, the disputed zone of Sweet Valley Middle School. For some reason the trees group are protesting outside Casey’s. Some soccer people (predictably involving Bruce Patman) are inside taunting them. Tongues are poked out. The two sides are chanting at each other, until Mr Casey throws everyone out. Including Elizabeth and Todd, who has yet to finish his sundae. It’s always the innocent who suffer in war.
Elizabeth heads to the Nature Society, spurred on to do more research after a talk with the lawyer aspect of her father. She explains the tree thing to Bill, who says “causes should bring people together, not tear them apart.” Yes… except when people are campaigning for opposite things. Her father has told her that sometimes in his trials, he discovers more information at the last minute which helps matters. I wouldn’t want to be represented by him. So Bill points her towards their library, and tells her to take whatever books she wants, just leave a phone number! I can’t help but feel that sort of system would lead to a great deal of missing books. She finds an interesting picture of the type of tree at her school, with some very interesting detail… By the way, she looks at the picture with her magnifying glass. How many thirteen-year-old girls have magnifying glasses, aside from Harriet The Spy?
The next morning she gets to school early, and inspects the trees. She finds “several sections where the bark looked patchy and yellowish. It was soft and spongy, not hard like the rest of the tree.” Heh. That sounds vaguely dirty. Also, did they not do a survey of the trees to be felled? Would this not have been noticed? All the trees have the patches on them. Jessica arrives. Elizabeth tries to stop her from “doing something silly”, but Jessica won’t listen. She runs to the office to call Bill at the Nature Society.
In second period, Jessica is nervous. They hear the bulldozers rumbling. Jessica yells “It’s zero hour!” and Maria, Winston and Amy all jump up from their seats, grab their bags and run to the field, banging on classroom doors as they go. The rest of the school run after them to see what’s happening. The trees faction run to the trees and attach themselves to the trees using their bicycle locks. Enter Elizabeth, with Bill of the Nature Society. Jessica interprets this as Elizabeth has come to her senses, is on her side and has brought Bill to convince everyone. Jessica is mistaken. Bill talks to Mr Clark, who announces Bill is going to inspect the trees. He has a look and announces “Yep! They’re going to have to come down, all right!”
Wah wah waaaah.
“What kind of environmentalist are you!?” demands Winston. Jessica is shown some of the bark under a magnifying glass. It’s infested with some sort of thing, so it’s slowly dying. All the trees marked for demolition have it, and it will spread to the healthy trees if they aren’t removed. In fact, it could spread to most of the trees in Sweet Valley. So all the trees will have to go, not just some of them. Also, the trees aren’t even that old. Oh dear. It seems Bill said some trees in Sweet Valley are 400 years old - these are about 60. Bruce points and laughs at the protesters. The protesters are seriously angry with Jessica for misleading them.
The whole demolition programme has to be reconsidered now. The crowds leave, Aaron shaking his head in disappointment. Lila giggles at Jessica some more. Lila is so incredibly cruel sometimes.
Jessica is left alone in the woods. There aren’t even any birds around. Where are your woodland friends now?
The parents have gone to the emergency PTA meeting. Jessica is home alone, sulking. Steven comes home and cheers her up a bit, because without her deranged antics they wouldn’t have found out about the mystery disease which no character wishes to name. The parents return. After clearing the trees, there will be no money left for the soccer field. No one wants to ask Mr Fowler for another contribution, even though he bathes in money. Also, Mr Bowman yelled at Elizabeth for not checking the facts and finding out about the trees sooner, even though she didn’t need to do that and it was a really good thing she did. Nobody is speaking to Elizabeth because she didn’t take sides.
Jessica has a brilliant idea to help with the trees and soccer field. She thinks the whole community should share in the cost of demolition, because it’s in the interests of the community. Mr Wakefield calls Mr Clark at home, because nobody else has thought of this.
One final assembly about the trees/field fiasco. Three or four assemblies in this book, and not one dance. Disappointing. Mr Clark reiterates what we already know, and announces the City Council are contributing, so they’ll be able to have the football field. And credits Jessica.
Lunchtime - there is no one in the cafeteria. Outside a mob of students yells “Save The Trees!” Didn’t we just got through this? Even Aaron is holding up a sign and yelling! He says a lot of people have been talking now that all the trees have to go. So now they’re having a new drive to buy new trees to plant. This time everyone will work together, so they have the money to buy the trees once the soccer field is planted. Jessica is asked to run the fundraising, seeing as she did a good job of getting the initial soccer field money and saving the trees, even though she turned out to be spreading misinformation.
Jessica gets a letter from Lois Latimer. The status quo is returned, because now she can rub it in Lila’s face. Two weeks later everyone plants trees. Hurrah!