A Crooked Kind of Perfect

Zoe’s dad’s only friend is Hugh, the UPS delivery man who brings his education packages. Hugh sometimes stops in for coffee, and on one such occasion, he tells a story about an elderly man who wanted his help putting a dead alligator in a box so he could ship it down to Florida to be buried there. Zoe and her dad laugh, and when Zoe asks what other stories Hugh has about his customers, Hugh mentions a woman who wanted to return a grand piano the other day.

In music class, a substitute teacher asks if anyone knows how to play an instrument. Someone mentions Emma’s piano, but she proudly announces that it was traded for a DJ turntable and speaker system, which she plans to learn to use. Emma remembers that Zoe has an organ, and the teacher suggests that Zoe play some songs for the class. Zoe starts with “Green Acres,” which many of her classmates know, then goes into the Scooby Doo theme song, which everyone knows. Zoe misses the rumba beats of her organ at first, but when the class joins in and plays their maracas, it helps. Zoe enjoys performing and getting everyone dancing with her music, and she wishes music class was always this way. A boy named Wheeler Diggs tells Zoe her playing is cool.

Wheeler is a kid in Zoe’s class who is known for always wearing the same jean jacket, having dark messy hair, and being inclined to punch anyone who looks at him or smiles at him for too long. Everyone is scared of Wheeler, and he doesn’t have any best friends, as far as Zoe can tell.

Zoe practices “I Dream of Jeannie” and begins including the pedals, but it takes effort. Mabelline sits beside her and tells her she’s improving, and Zoe takes the opportunity to ask if she’s a prodigy. Mabelline replies that a hard worker with some talent like Zoe is preferrable to a prodigy any day. Zoe considers this an acceptable answer, although not the one she hoped for. Mabelline asks Zoe to call her father in and tells him about an upcoming organ competition in Birch Valley. Mabelline believes Zoe is capable of competing, and Zoe’s dad agrees knowing that Zoe’s mother can drive her. Zoe is the last to be asked what she wants, but she enthusiastically agrees to sign up.

Mabelline gives Zoe a stack of songbooks filled with hit songs through the decades. She tells Zoe she has two more weeks to practice pedal work before they pick a song for the competition, which is seven weeks away.

Zoe thinks about how piano recitals are much more formal than organ competitions. They include programs, and the music is always classical, while organ music tends to be more fun and less serious.

Zoe finds the lunchroom in total chaos, as the Scouts have taken over several tables to sell their cookies, and her usual spot is taken. Wheeler calls Zoe over to a table filled with rowdy boys, calling her “Zsa Zsa Goober” (after Zsa Zsa Gabor from “Green Acres”), but she sits down and watches as the boys burp and laugh with each other. Zoe mentions how it’s impossible to burp in space, which one of the boys claims he could disprove. When a girl comes up to the table selling cookies, Zoe burps loudly, and the boys approve.

Zoe’s dad takes another living room class, this time on baking cookies, and bakes over a dozen different types. Wondering what to do with such a high volume of cookies, Zoe suggests putting them in her school lunches.

Zoe brings a huge box of her dad’s cookies to school and serves them at the boy’s table. Soon, dozens of other students are surrounding the table, wanting free cookies. When the Fireside Scouts approach, accusing Zoe of trying to ruin their sales, Zoe explains that she was just trying to help her dad. They don’t believe her and declare her an enemy of the Scouts.

Zoe used to want to be a Fireside Scout, but there was never anyone to drive her to meetings, so she gave up the idea. Now, she’s glad she doesn’t want to be a scout anymore.

Zoe is surprised to see Wheeler on the bus, as he is usually driven home by his brother. Wheeler explains that his brother joined the army. He asks whether Zoe has any more cookies, but she regrets to say the rest are at home. Wheeler decides to get off the bus with Zoe and come to her house.

Wheeler comes right into Zoe’s house, and since she and her father aren’t used to having guests, they both stand somewhat confused as Wheeler compliments Zoe’s dad on his baking skills. Zoe’s dad looks unsure at first, but he warms up to Wheeler quickly and is soon teaching him how to bake. Zoe can’t believe what she’s seeing or the fact that her father seems so comfortable with Wheeler. She goes into the living room to try and pick out her performance song.

Zoe listens to a CD of songs that Mabelline gave her to choose from and finds that they all sound like strange, half-baked versions of themselves. Still, Zoe manages to decide on “Forever in Blue Jeans” by Neil Diamond.

Wheeler starts following Zoe home almost every day.

Wheeler and Zoe’s dad start to bond and learn Living Room University classes together. Wheeler stays over for dinner sometimes and occasionally stays even later than that. Zoe’s dad starts offering Wheeler rides home and wants him to come back the next day, all of which confuses Zoe. When she tries to imply that she wants a day off from Wheeler’s visits, her dad either doesn’t pick up on it or pretends not to.

Mabelline tells Zoe that she isn’t ready to perform yet and still has a lot of practicing to do. She has Zoe play the same chords over and over with just her left hand, instructing Zoe to keep practicing that way until their next lesson. Zoe feels like crying, but usually she turns to her dad for that, and he’s busy with Wheeler.

Zoe decides she wants to quit playing the organ.

Zoe feels like quitting the organ isn’t nearly as tragic or important as quitting the piano. She thinks that when someone quits the piano, it’s always due to some great loss in their life, and piano can also revive a person who is in a dark place. Zoe wishes she was a prodigy and didn’t have to spend so much time practicing. She waits until her dad is available so she can tell him she wants to quit.

Zoe and Wheeler sit and do their math homework, which is all about measurements. Wheeler whizzes through it because the baking practice with Zoe’s dad means he already knows many of the answers. Zoe sits in frustration as Wheeler leaves and her dad comes to sit beside her. She asks her dad why Wheeler can’t ask his own father for help, and Zoe’s dad explains that Wheeler’s dad is usually not home. Just like Zoe’s dad prefers to always be at home, Wheeler’s dad hates to be. Zoe starts to understand why Wheeler keeps coming over and no longer wants to tell her dad about quitting the organ.

Zoe doesn’t play the organ for a few days, but she still can’t bring herself to tell her parents, who have started to suspect something is going on.