Minimalism

This story is inspired by Rondi’s situation in the thirteenth chapter of Louis Sachar’s Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Before we dive into the fan‑fiction, let’s take a look at Chapter 13, “Rondi.”

CHAPTER 13. RONDI — SUMMARY

Rondi is missing her two front teeth, and suddenly everyone thinks those missing teeth are the cutest things in the world. She can’t understand why. After all, something that doesn’t exist can’t be cute or beautiful. Her classmates start teasing her by complimenting outfits she didn’t wear and laughing at jokes she never told. When she finally tries to tell a real joke, no one pays attention. At recess, she runs outside only to be stopped by Louis, who wants to see her adorable front teeth. She screams and punches him in the stomach. 

It was a late autumn, foggy morning. When Mrs. Jewls entered the classroom, she looked tired and a little gloomy. She squinted at the cloudy sky outside the window and the gray buildings fading into the mist.

“Why didn’t you turn on all the lights this morning?” she asked Stephen.

Stephen blinked. “I did! I turned on every single one.”

“You’re right,” Mrs. Jewls muttered, glancing around. “But the room still looks boring and sad. How can we work in an environment like this?”

“We can’t,” Terrence agreed. “Shall we call it a day and come back tomorrow? Maybe the weather will improve.”

Mrs. Jewls wagged her finger at him. “Nice try. No, I mean, can’t we do something to make the classroom look better?”

Todd scratched his head. “I don’t know. Should we clean it again?”

“The classroom is clean,” Mrs. Jewls said. “Cleanliness isn’t the problem. The problem is that it doesn’t look enjoyable, does it?”

“That’s why I prefer the kickball field,” Todd said. “It looks like you can do anything you want out there.”

“Okay, class,” Mrs. Jewls announced. “I need a volunteer to decorate the classroom so we can actually enjoy being here. That way I can teach better, and you can have fun while you learn.”

Todd’s and Terrence’s hands shot up at the same time.

“I raised my hand first!” Terrence shouted.

“No, you didn’t,” Todd said, even though he hadn’t looked at Terrence at all.

“Maybe you two can work together,” Mrs. Jewls decided. “And Louis can help you. He has access to the workshop behind the school.”

When school let out, Todd and Terrence were ready. They weren’t thrilled to work together, but they had no choice.

“Okay, boys,” Louis said, patting them on the back. “What’s your design idea?”

Todd and Terrence stared at each other.

“What does ‘design’ mean?” Terrence asked.

“I mean, what’s your plan for how the room should look?” Louis explained.

“I thought you were going to tell us how it should look,” Terrence muttered.

“Guys, use your creativity,” Louis urged. “What do you like?”

“Dinosaurs,” Todd said.

“Pyramids,” Terrence said.

“Pyramids?” Louis and Todd exclaimed.

“Pyramids are big and strong,” Terrence declared. “And they look perfect.”

“We’re not turning our classroom into a pyramid,” Todd grumbled.

“At least I have a design idea,” Terrence said. “What do you have? Dinosaurs?”

They worked all afternoon. By the time they left, Louis had helped them build several tall columns and a huge chair at Mrs. Jewls’s desk, something that looked like a pharaoh’s throne.

Mrs. Jewls nearly screamed when she walked in the next morning.

“Oh my gosh!” she gasped. “Did ancient Egyptians invade our school?”

Todd shrugged. “Terrence insisted. He thinks pyramids look perfect.”

“They looked perfect,” Mrs. Jewls agreed, “but I don’t feel like teaching in here anymore.”

“Shall we call it a day and come back tomorrow?” Terrence suggested. “Maybe you’ll get used to it.”

“No,” Mrs. Jewls said. “I need someone else to come up with a better design. Who can think of something more appropriate?”

Joy’s and Maurecia’s hands shot up.

“You two are best friends,” Mrs. Jewls said. “I’m sure you’ll create something better, with Louis’s help of course.”

After classes, Louis arrived again.

“I hope you have a clear design plan,” he said. “What do you girls like?”

“I love flowing lines,” Joy said.

“And I like natural shapes,” Maurecia added.

Louis nodded. “Art Nouveau, then.”

The girls exchanged confused looks.

“Let’s use plants and flowers,” Louis explained.

The girls smiled. They placed big pots of green plants and colorful flowers around the room. They draped long vines over the columns Todd and Terrence had built. By the time they finished, the classroom looked like a friendly jungle, or a very wild garden.

Mrs. Jewls was stunned the next morning. At first she wasn’t sure where she was. Then she nearly tripped over backpacks and outstretched legs as she tried to reach her desk. It took her fifteen minutes to get to the front of the room.

“This is not going to work,” she sighed.

Terrence raised his hand. “Can I say something?”

“No, Terrence,” Mrs. Jewls said. “We are not calling it a day and coming back tomorrow. I need someone to create a different design or I’ll never be able to teach in here again.”

“Hurray!” Terrence cheered.

Everyone glared at him.

“Any volunteers?” Mrs. Jewls asked.

No one raised a hand.

She rubbed her chin. “All right, Stephen. You’re class president. I want you to work with Louis and fix this room. We can’t work like this.”

“But I’m not good at interior design,” Stephen protested.

“Then I’ll have to appoint someone else class president,” Mrs. Jewls said.

Stephen hoped inspiration would strike before Louis arrived, but it didn’t. He had no idea what to do.

“What’s your plan?” Louis asked when he walked in.

Stephen looked around at the chaos. “First, let’s get all these plants and flowers out. It’s getting stuffy in here.”

They carried everything to the school garden.

“What now?” Louis asked.

“The columns and the giant throne have to go,” Stephen said. “They make the room feel like a tomb.”

They hauled everything to a storage room in the basement. Then they wiped the blackboard and cleaned the classroom carefully.

“Are we finished?” Louis asked.

Stephen scratched his head. “I think so. We’re left with the blackboard, the desks, and the chairs. What do you call this style?”

“Minimalism,” Louis said.

“Perfect,” Stephen replied. “Minimalism it is. Let’s go home.”

When Mrs. Jewls entered the classroom the next morning, she smiled brightly.

“It’s amazing, Stephen!” she exclaimed. “Now I can finally teach.”

All the students agreed. They could finally learn too.

All except Terrence.

“The room looks exactly the same as it did at the beginning,” he said, but nobody listened.