Mrs. Muchmore is very sick, though she is supposed to be the substitute for Mr. Fabiano’s sixth grade class today. When she tries to get up, she feels sicker and decides that “they would have to find a substitute for the substitute” (18). She calls the school and learns from the secretary that she is supposed to call the Registry if she cannot come in, but the secretary will make a note of it.

Principal Peacock is in his office, meeting with the president of the P.T.A., Mrs. Ransom. Mrs. Ransom complains about how all of the sixth-grade teachers are bad. Principal Peacock tries to look like he’s listening to her, but he hates these meetings and wishes she would leave. He tells her there is nothing he can do about the teachers, especially at the end of the school year. She storms out of the office and knocks a bunch of phone messages on the floor. One message gets caught against the radiator, “out of sight” (22).

At school, Mr. Fabiano’s sixth grade class discovers that he wrote a note on the board telling them they’re supposed to have a substitute teacher. Rachel realizes this first because she likes to go into the classroom early to spend