The Kids of Widney Junior High Take Over the World! by Mathew Klickstein

Author:Mathew Klickstein
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: -
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2020-11-18T00:00:00+00:00

Everyone was in such a tizzy that even Daniel was having trouble producing his podcast. He had started doing them later in the evening to make up for his constant practicing with the band, but the routine was clearly wearing him out.

Daniel was also still wondering if signing to a label would be a good idea, and whether or not they were doing all of this just to make people feel better about themselves for coming and seeing “those poor retarded kids singing up on stage,” as he put it.

When I tried to explain to Daniel that there was no way that’s what people who came to their shows were thinking, Peewee finally looked up from his eighth peanut butter and jelly sandwich to say the first thing he’d said in days: “Well, muchacho, I tell you what: People come to our shows for many different reasons. Some people come because they love our music. Some people because they connect with our special lyrics about being special kids. You know what? Some people come because they think we’re funny, which is okay too. And some people, sure, muchacho, they come because maybe they feel bad for us. But that’s okay! As long as they’re coming and having a good time, it doesn’t matter.”

Shelly agreed, bringing up a documentary he’d seen about a musician named Daniel Johnston, whom he really liked. “You know, when I watched the documentary movie about Daniel Johnston, I could see that people went to his shows for a lot of the same reasons they come to our shows. Daniel Johnston had some special things about himself too, some pretty serious mental problems, I think. But he still made the music that pleased his crowds. And they went to his shows because they liked his music, they liked his lyrics, they maybe found the whole thing funny, or even because they felt bad for Daniel Johnston. But they would go and were always really happy. And that made Daniel Johnston … very … happpppppy.”

“I’ll have to see that documentary,” our Daniel said. “Especially since this guy sounds like he had a lot in common with us. Especially me!”

Our Daniel granted us a rare smile (he’s usually so, so serious), and we all laughed. Peewee asked if any of us wanted his last sandwich. When we said we were full, he chucked it up at the ceiling (PLOP!), and it never came back down.

It was Tanesa’s idea for us to all go see Cain at his grocery store after school. She told Mr. Monagan what we were going to do, and he agreed it was not a bad thought. We’d still try to make it to rehearsal after, but for now, all of us, except for Peewee, who wasn’t “feeling up to it,” were all off to the little store, or bodega, as Cain had called it in the past, by his house in the deepest part of East LA.

The Access Mobility driver was nice enough to let me hitch a ride with the Kids of Widney Junior High members again.

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