This story explores Mrs. Jewls’s fear of cute children in Chapter 2 of Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Before we dive into the fan‑fiction, let’s take a quick look at what the second chapter is about.
CHAPTER 2. MRS. JEWLS — SUMMARY
A new teacher arrives on the thirtieth story of Wayside School, but she is terribly afraid of cute children. Her fears seem confirmed when she enters the classroom and sees what she believes to be a room full of monkeys. For what feels like a very long time, the students try to convince her that they are children, not monkeys. When Mrs. Jewls finally realizes the truth, she announces that they have a lot of work to do and tells them to get ready for a test.
Mrs. Jewls was both a nice teacher and a kind person. In fact, she was one of the kindest adults you could meet. Ever since she was a little girl, she had loved helping people and animals alike. In her spare time, she often searched for solutions to the problems of anyone who needed her.
One summer, while students and teachers were on vacation, Mrs. Jewls received an email from Aunt Martha. Aunt Martha ran an animal shelter in Orlando, Florida, and she needed help right away.
The next morning, Mrs. Jewls caught the first plane to Orlando, took a taxi from the airport, and arrived at Aunt Martha's house at noon. She was shocked to find her aunt still in bed, with one leg in a plaster cast.
"Aunt Martha, what happened?" Mrs. Jewls cried.
Aunt Martha moaned, sat up slowly, and rubbed her eyes. "Could you please bring me a glass of water?" she whispered. Her voice was dry and raspy. "I haven't drunk anything since I came home from the hospital."
Mrs. Jewls rushed to the kitchen and returned with a mug of water. Aunt Martha gulped it down in no time.
"May I have another, please?" she asked.
Mrs. Jewls brought a large pitcher and set it on the bedside table. After drinking some more, Aunt Martha explained that she had broken her leg while feeding the monkeys the morning before.
"But Aunt Martha," Mrs. Jewls exclaimed, "you're an old woman. You shouldn't be working so hard anymore!"
"I have no choice," Aunt Martha sighed. "All my caretakers left because we don't have much money."
"Then why do you keep so many animals?" Mrs. Jewls asked.
"I don't keep many animals," Aunt Martha protested. "The Animal Police came last year and took all the rhinos, the jaguars, and the hippos."
"I didn't know there were rhinos, jaguars, and hippos in America," Mrs. Jewls muttered.
"People keep all kinds of pets," Aunt Martha chuckled. "But when the animals grow too big, they abandon them. Somebody has to take care of them."
"But you said the Animals Police took them all," Mrs. Jewls said.
"They took everything except the monkeys," Aunt Martha explained. "They're very cute. I love them like my own children."
"Who looked after the monkeys while you were in the hospital?" Mrs. Jewls asked.
"Nobody," Aunt Martha admitted. "Could you go feed them for me?"
The shelter was behind the house. Aunt Martha gave Mrs. Jewls the keys and explained where the food was and exactly what she needed to do.
As soon as Mrs. Jewls opened the gate, all the monkeys began screaming like crazy, jumping, and slamming themselves against the tall fence. She worked hard to feed them, bring them water, and clean the enclosure. By the time she finished, it was already dark. She took a shower, ate a bowl of cereal, and went straight to bed.
When Mrs. Jewls opened her eyes, sunlight was streaming through a large window. A chair and small table stood beside her bed. It was a hospital room, but it felt warm and cozy.
The door opened, and a man in a white coat stepped inside. "My name is Doctor Rossi," he said. "How are you feeling, Mrs. Jewls?"
Mrs. Jewls pointed toward the window. "It was raining this morning. How is the sun shining so brightly now?"
Dr. Rossi laughed. "That was three days ago. You've been asleep for a long time."
"Did I break my leg?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No. You were exhausted."
"Oh my goodness!" Mrs. Jewls gasped. "Who's taking care of Aunt Martha?"
"Aunt Martha has moved to a nursing home," Dr. Rossi explained. "She realized she's too old to look after the animals."
"And the monkeys?"
"They're safe," he said. "The Animal Police took them. But you need to stop worrying about everyone else and take care of yourself. You shouldn't have worked so hard alone."
"But the monkeys were so cute!" Mrs. Jewls protested.
"The problem is your brain, Mrs. Jewls," Dr. Rossi remarked. "Or maybe your heart. You're too nice. From now on, you must not teach cute children anymore. Otherwise, you might end up back in the hospital."
"But I can go back to school, can't I?" she asked.
"Of course," Dr. Rossi said. "You may teach any kind of students, except cute ones. Are we clear?"
Mrs. Jewls nodded.
But when she went to Wayside School, she learned that the children on the thirtieth story were very cute. Panic rose in her chest. She hurried up the huge staircase to the top floor, knocked on the classroom door, and stepped inside.
The room was full of monkeys.
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