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make the parrot dislike answering questions about
custodian
or
eraser
, so that, if anybody ever does ask him about those two things, he won't know the answer.”
    “Isn't he psychic, though?” Helen asked.
    “No. He's just … observant. I want to make sure he doesn't observe the wrong things. Oh, and we also need to curb his wandering ways at the same time. So can you help me?”
    “Where do we start?” Kyle said.
    “With the cat.”
    “You don't want Toby to, you know, like … hurt … the parrot or anything, do you?” Helen looked a little sick.
    “No, of course not, we just distract the parrot with Toby. I'm sure the parrot hasn't seen too many cats before and he'll be curious and want to investigate. We go in the library, show the parrot the cat and then get the bird to follow Toby to the lab, where Betty can release some of her Odors to Repel at the same time that everyone says
custodian
and
erasers
over and over. That will plant a negative association in the parrot's head. With leaving his cage, too.”
    “And cats,” Kyle said.
    “Can parrots smell? I feel like I should knowthat,” Ms. Underdorf said. Mudshark noticed Bill patting her shoulder kindly.
    Mudshark went on, “I read that the apparatus for detecting odors is present in the nasal passages of all birds.”
    “But we're not
hurting
him, right?” Helen peered doubtfully at Toby/Mr. Cuddles.
    “No! Think of it as aversion therapy. One whiff of Betty's formula should cure the bird of any interest in erasers and of his wandering tendencies. Maybe for life. Meanwhile, what he doesn't see, he can't tell.”
    They all nodded.
    “All right, then,” Betty said, “I'll go get set up. My science is stronger than something covered with feathers and a brain the size of a peanut.” Betty squared her shoulders and trotted off to the lab.
    Helen, carrying Toby/Mr. Cuddles, followed Mudshark into the library. Mudshark removed the night cover from the parrot's cage, untied the string he'd left there before and set the door slightly ajar. When he saw the parrot fix his gaze on the cat, henodded to Helen, who began walking slowly toward the door, looking back to make sure she had the bird's attention. The parrot squawked and said, “Hey, babe, wait up,” before nudging his door open and hopping out of the cage, onto the table and then down to the floor. Mudshark watched the bird jump and flap after Helen and Toby/Mr. Cuddles before he turned back to Kyle, Ms. Underdorf and Bill.
    Ms. Underdorf was showing Bill the sketches for the new library, scheduled to be completed in five years. “ … After, of course the athletic center is updated three more times and the soccer field has been AstroTurfed.”
    Bill looked at the sketches and listened to her gush about the new automated book-handling system and the electronic blackboards—
    “Wait!” Mudshark and Bill said at the same time. “Electronic blackboards?”
    “Yes!” Ms. Underdorf said. “The library will be equipped with electronic blackboards instead of the regular old-fashioned chalkboards. There are styluses that can draw or write in different colors, andeverything, every last mark, can all be saved on a computer.”
    “It doesn't have to be erased?” Bill looked awestruck and Mudshark thoughtful.
    “It
can
be erased, but whatever was there can be saved just like it was written on a computer, and brought back anytime you like. And if it works in the library they're going to incorporate it throughout the whole school system—that's the last item on today's board meeting with the faculty. It makes me crazy, but the library somehow always comes in last. I mean, really, is it
necessary
to have an Olympic-size curling rink before the library gets anything? Does the library have to fight for every penny?”
    “I hear you,” Bill said.
    “That”—Mudshark grabbed Kyle's arm—“might be changing. As soon as I can get Kyle to practice his misdirection on a couple of school board members …