Soul Searching: Chapter 5
Just like there is one student who is the smallest in every school class, there is a natural principle that there is one student in every class who is the most popular, the smartest and the most athletic of them all. In Bobby’s class that student was Marvin G Ridgeway.
In addition to excelling in all academic subjects, Marvin was the captain of both the rugby- and the volleyball teams. He was also the top swimmer at Allerton and the outstanding star of the track and field, who could run, jump and throw better than anybody else. It was no wonder that all the teachers and coaches adored him. He was tall and handsome with wavy golden hair and a pleasant, confident smile which made the girls blush and swoon when he blessed them with his attention. His popularity went beyond teachers and girls. All the boys competed to be his best friend, hoping to bask in his glory so that some of it may rub off on them. In short, Marvin was everything that somebody like Bobby Fulton wasn’t.
But everything about Marvin wasn’t bright and sunny. Although he was careful to conceal it in his everyday dealings, deep down Marvin was a snob and a bully. He took pleasure in tormenting those he believed were inferior to him in some way, which at one time or another was just about everybody, and he was the invariant scourge of the likes of Bobby Fulton. The other students eagerly participated in the persecutions, anxious to gain Marvin’s approval, and not become the target of his torments.
One evening Cedric and Bobby were sitting on a bench outside the library discussing their research into the various methods of capturing souls. Marvin happened to be passing by on his way back to the dormitory from the swim hall, and on a lark he decided to make life a little more miserable for Bobby.
“Are you talking to yourself, Bobby?” he said, but then he saw Cedric on the bench next to Bobby. “What’s that you have there?”
Bobby tried to hide Cedric from view, but Marvin was faster and snatched the pine-cone creature from the bench.
“Little Baby Bobby is playing with toys!” Marvin exclaimed. “Aren’t you a little old for that, Baby Bobby? I think it’s high time to wean you from toys. I better keep this pine-cone thing away from you.”
“Give him back to me!” Bobby protested. “He’s mine!”
Marvin laughed and put Cedric in his gym bag.
“You want it back? This stupid pine-cone thing? I can’t imagine why you would want it back, but I think it can be arranged for a small fee. How about fifty dollars?”
Bobby complained that he didn’t have the money.
“You have a rich daddy, don’t you?” Marvin said. “Ask him to send you the money. In the meantime I’ll keep your dumb toy. If you don’t pay in one week’s time the price goes up to seventy-five.”
With that he walked off, leaving Bobby on the bench.