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interview. Caroline and Wally were obviously more intent on annoying each other than they were in doing this assignment, which was to improve our observingand listening skills. An interviewer who approaches her subject already knowing how she feels about him cannot possibly be unprejudiced. An interview like that is worse than no interview at all, because it simply passes on to others our own prejudices. Therefore, both Wally and Caroline have failed the December project, and I don't think we need to hear any more, Caroline. You may take your seat.”
    Caroline stood speechless at the front of the room. This couldn't be happening! You simply did not turn off the lights in the middle of a performance! You did not pull the curtain when the actress was center stage. She still had her best lines to say! She still had to tell how Wally—
    “You may sit down, Caroline,” the teacher said again. “Though I would suggest you go into the rest room and change back into your own clothes.”
    It was Caroline's face that burned now, but Wally seemed to take no pleasure in it. His ears were still fiery red and he sat staring down at a pencil eraser on his desk.
    The rest of the class watched as Caroline stumbled back to her seat, picked up the shopping bag with her own clothes in it, and fled the room, tears running down her cheeks.
    This was horrible! It was awful! She had heard of plays closing in New York after only a few performances, but she had never, ever heard of a play so bad that they brought down the curtain right in the middle of the show. She leaned against the paper-towel dispenser and bawled.
    For the rest of the day Caroline did not look atWally or he at her. She hardly looked at anyone else either, and the other kids left her alone. How would she ever get over the embarrassment? She would never live it down—never, never, never! Why hadn't Miss Applebaum sent Wally to his seat when he described her as boring? He had deserved everything she'd said about him! And then, silently interviewing herself, Caroline admitted that she had planned the grand humiliation of Wally Hatford even before he'd got up to give his report. Even before he'd called her life boring. In fact, the only reason she'd chosen him for a partner at all was to make him think she was his friend so he would accept a gross-me-out present.
    How could she think he would be friendly now? How did she think he'd dare open any gift she gave him? She had gotten so carried away by her own plans that she'd forgotten what she'd set out to do in the first place.
    I don't care, she thought angrily, turning all her anger back onto Wally again. I am going to make him as miserable as I can this Christmas, and if we're both stuck in fourth grade for the rest of our lives, he'll be sorry he ever heard the name Malloy.
    Miss Applebaum did not say anything more to either Caroline or Wally that afternoon. The fact that it was snowing when school let out made it even worse somehow. Ordinarily, Caroline would climb up on the highest object handy, toss back her head, throw out her arms, and cry, “Snow! Wonderful snow!”, letting it coat her hair and eyelashes.
    But she shuffled along with her head down, hershoulders hunched, until Beth caught up with her and grabbed her arm.
    “Caroline, what's wrong?” she asked.
    Caroline was afraid to answer for fear she might cry again. And if she cried out here on the sidewalk, someone would be bound to see and report it to the Hatfords. How could she feel so miserable in the season of peace and joy? How could she have acted so miserable, even to Wally Hatford?
    “What's wrong?” Beth asked again.
    “Only the major embarrassment of my life,” Caroline replied, choking. “Not only that, but I—I failed fourth grade!” Her tears came in spite of herself. But by then Eddie had caught up with them, and, comforted by the presence of her two older sisters, one on either side of her, Caroline spilled out her story in gulps and