And here the group was back at it again this afternoon. At this rate he was hardly going to knock anything off his mom’s to-do list.
Nate straightened in his chair, clearing his throat as he tried to come up with a forceful but polite way to end this meeting and keep them from coming back ever again. “So, listen, everyone. Not to be rude, but—”
“I know exactly what you’re going to say,” Gus said, pointing at Nate. “I’ve been sitting here, thinking the same thing.”
Somehow, Nate doubted that. Especially when Gus followed up with, “How can we have Wine and Cheese Committee without any cheese?”
“This isn’t Wine and Cheese Committee,” Georgie said, dressed today in a loose button-down top covered in giant palm leaves with matching pants that Nate felt fairly certain could moonlight as a pair of pajamas. “That’s every second Thursday of the month.”
“I thought every second Thursday of the month was Foreign Language Club,” Gus said.
“Nein,” said Barb with a smile as she handed everyone a piece of paper. “That’s every third Thursday of the month.”
“What’s today?” Gus said.
“Tuesday.” Evie held her knitting needles and yarn up to Barb. “Is this looking like how it’s supposed to look?”
“Is it supposed to look like a deflated football?” asked Barb.
“A scarf,” said Evie.
“Uh-oh,” said Barb, taking the knitting supplies from Evie.
“So today’s Book Club then?” said Gus. “Don’t we still eat cheese?”
“Book Club is first Friday of all the odd months,” Georgie said. “Even months is Stop This Town from Going Down the Toilet Committee.”
“And if you’ll look at the proposed budget I just handed out,” Barb said, untangling the yarn, “you’ll see our funds have pretty much gone down the toilet. I think the Dominoes Dance is going to be the only fundraiser we can help out with this year. Speaking of which, I hear they still need a photographer.”
Georgie pointed at Nate.
He scribbled in his notebook.Dance. Photographer. Find.
Gus frowned at the budget. “Can’t you run these numbers again, Barb? We’ve got to have enough for cheese.”
“I do like cheese,” Evie said in agreement.
Gus pointed at Nate.
He clicked his pen.Gus and Evie like cheese.
“So what’s today’s meeting then?” said Gus.
“June Fundraiser meeting,” said Georgie.
“Didn’t we just have that meeting?” said Gus.
“No, that was our secret Lottie’s Gotta Go meeting where we decided to reschedule everything last minute in an attempt to keep Lottie from attending our meetings because we all agreed she’s questioning my capability as a committee leader and it’s wreaking havocon my blood pressure. Not a word of that in the minutes,” Georgie added, pointing at Nate.
He set his pen on the table.
“Well, can’t we at least have some crackers?” Gus waved off the pot of coffee getting passed around and folded his arms over his chest. “How are we supposed to have a meeting about anything without any snacks?”
“Maybe we shouldn’t.” Nate leaned forward in his chair. “Meeting adjourned?”
“Sorry I’m late,” Lottie yelled just as the front screen door slammed shut.
Nate slumped back in his chair, Barb and Evie winced, Gus sighed, and Georgie mumbled, “I knew I should’ve taken both blood pressure pills this morning,” as Lottie continued hollering all the way into the dining hall.
