Sunny Summer Days

Sunny Summer Days!

By

Doug Lewars

Published by Doug Lewars at Smashwords

Copyright: 2018 by Doug Lewars – All rights reserved.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author

This book is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places, events, incidents and organizations in this book are the work of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is purely coincidental and is not intended by the author.

This book is dedicated to those individuals with whom I attended high school at good old BCI. You are long gone from my life but I remember you all fondly.

Table of Contents

The Driving Lesson

The Miles Slip By

A Day At The Beach

TGIF

Odds n’Ends

The Driving Lesson

Guess what? said Ellen as she arrived at Carol’s house where Carol and Jennifer were sitting on the steps of the front porch discussing some subtle points of make-up.

You gained another two pounds, guessed Jennifer.

No way!

If you say so.

That’s all muscle!

Hmmm.

In actual fact, Ellen was not fat and Jennifer knew it, but liked to tease. With the amount of running she did it would have been difficult for her to become fat; and, in addition to the running, she did her fair share of floor exercises to maintain balance between lower and upper body strength. She was, however, a big girl, particularly compared to Jennifer who was petite by any measure.

Her hair was blond with perhaps a few red tones to it and she was quite a bit taller than most of her classmates. She had a wide open face with a broad smile and was naturally cheerful most of the time. Jennifer, on the other hand, was tiny. At little more than five feet, she almost disappeared beside Ellen. Her hair was black and, unlike many individuals of oriental extraction, it was truly black – not merely a deep brown.

Just because you’re the runt of the litter is no reason to be jealous because I’m well proportioned.

Runt of what litter? I’m an only child.

Exactly, you’re only a child.

Where did that come from?

Anyway, you still haven’t guessed my news!

What news? chorused the two.

I am officially sixteen years old now!

Oh, happy birthday! said Carol

Oh dear, I guess we forgot, said Jen.

No, you didn’t forget. I made a point of keeping it a secret.

Well then, happy birthday from me too.

Actually it was two days ago, but never mind that. The important thing is that I’m sixteen years old now.

Sweet sixteen and never …

Forget that! She gave Jennifer a dark look that Jen pretended not to see. The important thing is this! She held out a card.

A library card? Oh Ellen that’s wonderful! exclaimed Jennifer, You’ve finally learned how to read!

Enough from you child. This is a driver’s license!

No more walking safely on the sidewalk for Carol and I then.

Ha! I am an excellent driver I’ll have you know!

How did you get it so fast? asked Carol. In physical terms, Carol was in between her two friends. She had brown hair and was reasonably pretty, although when it came to looks, Jennifer was cute whereas Ellen was stunning. On the other hand, Carol was probably more mature than her friends. Having a younger sister and two much younger twin brothers she had taken on certain responsibilities at a young age and they tended to serve her well. Jennifer was the scholar, Ellen the athlete but Carol was the one who was organized, focused and could keep things together.

My uncle had a farm, so when I was younger I started driving the tractor. I couldn’t take it out on the road; but I could drive it in the fields and in the area around the barn. That’s how I learned; and then Dad took me out to a number of parking lots where I practiced parallel parking; so on my birthday, I went down and got my ninety day permit and I booked my test while I was there. It happened they had an opening this morning so my dad drove me down and I took the test and passed!

That’s great Ellen. Were you nervous?

Frankly terrified; but it’s over and done with and I’ve got it! Dad let me drive home after the test! It was neat!

What does your Mom think about all this?

Well I guess she’s pleased, but she didn’t say much. I think she thinks I’m growing up too fast. Actually I thought Dad might have a problem with it because it will be hard on his insurance, but he encouraged me all the way.

And you drove home after the test …

Sure did Jen!

Your father’s a very brave man.

You just wait until something comes up where you need a lift and see if I help.

I’ll get Greg to drive me.

Does he have a license?

I don’t know. I don’t think so. We’ve never talked about it and I think he’d have said something if he’d got it so he probably doesn’t.

Hah! So you’re still dependant on your much older and wiser friend.

I think the word you’re looking for is geriatric.

Ellen looked confused, Geri-what?

Never mind, said Carol hastily, Can I get you two lemonade and cookies?

You sure can! said Ellen.

So I guess now you can drive your running days are over.

Not a chance. I’ll still run at least an hour every day. It’s just that if I need to go someplace that’s too far to walk, I can get there.

There’s always the bus, said Jennifer.

Right, and wait for half-an-hour and then stop at every stop along the way. No, driving’s much better.

Yeah, it is actually. But your dad works every day and he always has the car and your family only has the one car so I don’t think you’ll be able to use it much.

Not in the daytime. But I can use it in the evenings and on weekends.

But don’t your parents like to go out a fair bit on the weekends?

I guess you’re right; but sometimes I’ll be able to borrow it. The important thing is that I can!

Carol returned from the kitchen bearing a tray with three tall glasses of lemonade and ice and a plate of cookies. Everyone took a glass and Ellen made short work of a chocolate-chip cookie.

That’s another thousand calories, said Jennifer sadly.

There’s nowhere near a thousand calories in one cookie, replied Ellen.

Like you’ll stop after one.

I’m a growing girl.

I thought you were all grown up a couple of minutes ago.

I’ve passed a significant milestone in my youth that you won’t see for another year.

So have you put in your application?

What application?

To be accepted into an old-age home?

Very funny Brat.

It was a Friday and the girls had a day off from school since it was a Professional Development Day for the teachers; but they couldn’t really take the day off entirely, because exams were fast approaching. That was the real reason they had convened at Carol’s house; although a certain amount of discussion of non-academic subjects was only natural. Although Jennifer would never have admitted it, she was just a tiny bit jealous of the fact that Ellen had got her license so quickly. She, of course, was still too young by a full year; but even if she had been older, the thought of taking a driving exam was definitely intimidating.

Okay, said Carol, Getting your license is great news but now we have to get down to business and do some studying. We’ve got a math exam coming up in just a week.

Not for me thanks.

Yes, Ellen, you too!

Why should we demonstrate the incompetence of our teachers? After all, they’re supposed to teach us, so if we don’t do well, it reflects badly on them. I say we cut out all this exam nonsense so that our teachers needn’t be embarrassed at having the poor quality of their work demonstrated so clearly.

Don’t worry. They don’t see it that way.

You don’t mean to tell me that they naively believe that without quality teaching we can possibly be expected to learn the material?

They think that their teaching is just fine. Now concentrate on math.

The square on the hippopotamus is equal to the squares of the other two sides.

That’s ‘hypotenuse’ and sum of the squares; but at least you’ve learned the Pythagorean Theorem. Now, can you tell me the proof for it? asked Jen.

Proof? Everybody knows it’s true.

Yes but can you prove it mathematically?

It’s an axiom. The rules clearly state that you don’t have to prove axioms.

It is not. You have to prove it.

No. Axioms require no proof.

I know that axioms require no proof but the Pythagorean Theorem is a theorem, not an axiom so you have to prove it. Otherwise it would be called the Pythagorean Axiom!

Very well. I’ll concede your point and accept the name change.

You can’t change the name! You have to prove the theorem!

It’s unprovable.

It is not.

Fermat’s last theorem is unprovable.

Fermat’s last theorem has nothing to do with the Pythagorean Theorem. They’re two separate people and two separate theorems. They have nothing to do with one another. Besides, someone may come up with a proof for Fermat’s theorem someday.

Ellen shook her head sadly, Perhaps, but it’s not likely that anyone will ever come up with a proof for Pythagoras’s theorem.

There are already lots of proofs for Pythagoras’s theorem!

Then you don’t need me to provide another one. QED. Well I guess we got that one out of the way.

Carol! Ellen’s not doing math properly!

Carol, who had stepped back into the house to return the glasses, poked her head out the door.

Ellen, you’re going to need to know this stuff for the exam.

How do you know it’s even going to be on the exam?

Well there will certainly be some questions and since we don’t know which ones, we’d better be able to handle anything they might throw at us.

What a defeatist attitude! They’re only entitled to the right answers if they ask the right questions.

That’s not how it works. Okay, Carol said joining them on the porch, Let’s start from the beginning. First what is a point?

A point is an undefined term, responded Jennifer promptly.

Then how could Euclid possibly get to the point? asked Ellen.

It isn’t a question of getting to the point!

Well if there’s no point to it, then why are we studying it?

We’re studying it because we’re going to be examined on it next week, put in Carol hastily, And that’s the whole point of this!

Ah, so you have a point after all.

Right.

So how do you define your point?

I don’t. I merely prepare for the exam. Now, what about a line?

Another undefined term! said Jennifer quickly.

You mean that Greg could hand you a line and you wouldn’t know what he was talking about? That’s rather risky don’t you think? interjected in Ellen.

I would know exactly what he was talking about!

Then you have to understand the line.

I do understand the line and it’s an undefined term!

Uh, put in Carol, Isn’t a line defined as the shortest distance between two points?

That’s a line segment, said Jennifer, A line itself is undefined; but within Euclidean Geometry it is both straight and infinite. There is, however, no real concept of infinity within this branch of mathematics.

Carol nodded. Good, that’s the sort of thing they might ask to try and trick us.

Trick us? Ellen looked horrified. You mean the dastards would not only force us to demonstrate their lack of teaching ability, but would even go so far as to make it more likely that they’d look bad?

I think it’s to see if we’re awake when we’re writing the exam, replied Carol.

I may sleep in class but I never sleep during exams!

Good, then Jennifer and I can expect to see a vast improvement in your marks this time around.

I didn’t say I intended to pander to the teachers. We wouldn’t want them to acquire swelled heads.

I doubt there’s any danger that they will.

Okay what’s next, asked Jennifer.

Angle, read Carol from her notes.

‘An angle,’ quoted Jennifer, ‘is defined as two line segments or two rays having a common end-point.’

What’s a ray? asked Carol.

It’s a line segment that just keeps on going.

So it’s a line.

You got it.

Carol continued, Okay if an angle is less than ninety degrees what’s it called?

Sally, suggested Ellen.

An acute angle, corrected Jennifer.

What’s cute about an angle?

I didn’t say the angle was ‘cute’. I sat it was ‘acute’.

It’s a cute angle. So what’s cute about it?

Ha! This time I’ve got you! ‘Cute’ is not something you’re ever likely to know anything about!

Are you saying I’m not cute?!

Ellen, you are a fine person - more or less - and a good athlete so they say; but ‘cute’ is not a part of it.

I’m as cute as you are!

You are not!

Why not?

You’re too big!

You have to be small to be cute?

Yes!

But what about whales? Aren’t they cute?

Certainly not!

But what about baby whales?

Oh they’re so cute!

But a baby whale is much bigger than I am so I can be cute.

Uh…

Geometry girls, interrupted Carol, Now what’s an angle that’s greater than ninety degrees but less than one-eighty?

Obtuse! sang out both Jennifer and Ellen together.

Very good, said Carol, I didn’t know you knew that Ellen.

I was referring to Jennifer.

What?! How can you say I’m obtuse!

Oh it’s not difficult. I just have to open my mouth and speak the words.

I am not obtuse.

Then what’s your angle?

I don’t have an angle!

Ah, so you’re spinning us a line.

I am not!

In that case you simply haven’t got the point.

What point?

Ellen nodded See? I rest my case.

And what is an angle of ninety degrees? asked Carol.

That’s a correct angle, replied Ellen.

You mean a right angle! shot back Jen.

That’s what I said.

No, you said ‘correct’.

Well if I’m correct then I have to be right.

No, I mean it’s a right angle.

That’s correct.

Uh …

What do you call an angle that’s greater than one-hundred-and-eighty degrees but less than three-sixty?

It’s a good angle.

Once again Jen rose to the bait, No, it’s a reflex angle.

Right, an angle with good reflexes.

Angle’s don’t have reflexes!

But you clearly said that this one does.

I said it was a reflex angle!

In that case, what is it reflecting on?

‘Reflex’! Not reflect!

Isn’t that something that happens when you eat the wrong foods?

That’s reflux! Would you try and focus on math?

How, when we’re discussing food?

We’re not discussing food! We’re discussing angles!

Carol sighed, Okay girls, are there any other undefined terms? We mentioned point and line.

Plane and space, replied Jennifer.

That’s impressive, said Ellen.

It is? Jennifer looked at her friend suspiciously.

Very impressive. I didn’t know that a plane could get into space. I thought you needed a rocket of some sort.

It’s not that kind of plane!

Ah, but is it that kind of space?

Yes! No! Um … I’m not sure. Jennifer looked puzzled as she attempted to sort out the non-sequitur.

Don’t let her distract you. We’re talking math here, noted Carol.

Spoilsport. Jennifer and I were on the brink of the final frontier.

Well get back on the brink of geometry. If two angles are said to be complementary what does that mean?

It means they say nice things about one another.

It means they add up to ninety degrees.

Now, Jennifer, you surely know that’s wrong. Angles can’t add.

Um, I mean, they add up in degrees.

Ah, now that adds a degree of complexity to the issue.

You know what I mean!

But will the teacher?

Uh … probably.

Perhaps you should sit down with the angles and teach them addition prior to the exam.

Jennifer’s eyes didn’t quite cross but Ellen was gratified to see that a number of expressions crossed her face as she tried to focus. Ellen! You know perfectly well that a circle is three-hundred-and-sixty degrees and angles are means of describing arcs on a circle.

But I thought you said that an angle was defined when two line segments joined together at a common vortex.

That’s ‘vertex’ but you’ve got the right idea.

It still sounds kinky however you say it; but it doesn’t have anything to do with a circle.

Yes it does, because the set of all possible pairs of line segments of equal length with a common vertex defines a circle.

Okay, but how do you get from there to angles being able to add?

A degree is merely a unit of measurement used to describe the position of one line segment relative to another.

So line segments have degrees?

Pairs of them do.

A bachelor’s degree or a doctorate?

A numerical degree between zero and three-sixty.

What sort of University did these line segments go to, to get that sort of degree?

I don’t know; but I’m pretty sure that you’ll never go to one yourself unless you learn this stuff!

Ah, now your argument is becoming circular.

Only to a degree. Stop! Now you’ve got me doing it. Okay what are supplementary angles?

Angles that have to take a make-up exam …

Angles that add to one-hundred-and-eighty degrees!

… because they didn’t.

Didn’t what?

Add correctly to one-hundred-and-eighty degrees.

They did! That’s what supplementary angles do.

Don’t they ever take breaks?

Angles can’t take breaks!

Then they should be given breaks just like we poor students.

Jen leaned forward slightly, You do not need a break. We’ve only started.

You mean there’s more?

Carol had to stop herself from laughing. We have to cover triangles, squares, parallelograms, trapezoids, circles and all their properties. Then we have to review the proofs.

You’d think teachers would have better things to do with their lives than to bother us with this sort of stuff.

Carol nodded, They probably think so too; but that’s the way it is. Now try to focus on what we’re doing. She paused, took a breath and continued, Okay, if you have two points how many lines can you draw between them?"

One, replied Jennifer

Three, suggested Ellen.

One is correct.

Not if the lines are curved.

Carol raised an eyebrow, Uh … right, you’re right. I should have stated that in the question. You can only draw one straight line between two points.

But if the lines are curved you can draw way more than three! pointed out Jennifer.

Nope, three is the max.

Jennifer pulled out a pencil and paper, marked two points and then drew four lines that arced between them. There! See?

Ellen pretended to study the illustration for a moment and then pronounced, Your lines aren’t curved.

They are too! Look at them!

No, they’re all wiggly. I didn’t say anything about wiggly lines. I said curved lines.

It doesn’t matter!

Yes it does. You can draw any number of wiggly lines but only three curved lines.

You can draw as many curved lines as you want!

But I only want to draw three.

That doesn’t matter!

It matters to me.

I mean in mathematics you can draw as many curved lines between two points as you want.

But Jennifer, you didn’t draw any. All your lines are wiggly.

That doesn’t matter! It just means I can’t draw!

Well if you can’t draw then you can hardly draw more than three curved lines joining two points. In fact I suggest you go away and practice for a while if you even want to draw three.

I don’t want to draw three!

So there you go.

Two straight lines can intersect at only one point, said Carol. Remember that.

Ellen glanced over at her, Remember what?

That two straight lines can intersect at only one point.

Why?

It might be on the exam.

The point or the two straight lines?

The question.

What question?

‘At how many points can two straight lines intersect?’

One.

Good.

Does that mean we’re finished?

No we’ve barely started.

You mean there’s more?

Yes, now if you’ve got a line segment, how many midpoints can it have?

One! replied Jennifer.

Very good.

What if it’s got two? asked Ellen.

It can’t have two!

Why not?

Then they wouldn’t be mid-points … or at least one of them wouldn’t.

What about the other?

Well it may be a midpoint or it might be just a point.

I expect that a line segment can have lots of midpoints.

It cannot!

It probably keeps spares in drawers.

Line segments don’t have drawers!

Okay, cabinets then; but it would certainly need spares. What if its main midpoint got rusty?

Points don’t get rusty!

How do you know?

Uh … they’re mathematical.

Well rust is a form of corrosion.

So?

Well my dad worries about the possibility that the points on his car might become corroded.

Those are different points!

My point exactly! So points do rust.

Not in mathematics!

No, in cars.

But we’re not talking about cars!

Yes we are. I got my license.

Getting your license has nothing to do with mathematics!

You don’t have your license.

Once more Carol attempted to get them back on track, In how many ways can you bisect an angle?

Um … ways?

Sixty-four.

Sorry, you’re right, I mis-phrased that. How many bisectors can one angle have?

One.

Sixty-three.

One is the right answer. Okay, so if two points lie on a plane, what can be said about the straight line that goes through those two points?

It’s also on the plane.

Right, and what’s the easiest way of measuring the magnitude of an angle? Ellen, this one goes to you.

Why me?

You like easy things.

Ah, well then, I guess you’d use a protector.

That’s protractor.

That’s what I said.

You said ‘protector’.

Why, do you want your angle to be at risk?

An angle doesn’t need protection! Jennifer could never resist rising to the bait.

It might. Maybe it’s only a little angle and the big angles might beat it up.

They wouldn’t!

Well you wouldn’t want to take the risk that it might get hurt would you? After all, you were the one who said it was a cute angle.

I said it was ‘acute’!

Okay girls, we already covered that. If angle ABC is congruent to angle DEF what does that mean?

It means they have the same number of degrees, responded Jennifer quickly.

And if line segment AB is congruent to line segment CD what does that mean? Ellen?

It means they’re dating.

It does not! interjected Jennifer.

Carol sighed and was about to go on to the next question when she looked into the distance, Oh good, here comes Greg.

Greg? asked Ellen.

Yeah, I invited him. I thought we’d get more work done if he were here.

Ellen winced inwardly. She liked Greg, but he did tend to focus on the academic and if he was present she’d probably have to do some work. Well, there goes the study session for Jennifer.

What do you mean!?

Well, as soon as Greg sits down, you’ll start making cow eyes at him and that will be the end of your ability to concentrate.

I will not!

Of course you will. It’s all you ever do.

I do not! Do I Carol?

No, you don’t, Ellen’s just trying to confuse you.

Hi guys! said Greg as he came up the path, Looks like another great day.

Greg wasn’t quite as tall as Ellen but he was pretty close; however, unlike his classmate, he didn’t seem to be entirely put together. He wasn’t quite gangly but there was a certain looseness to him that suggested maybe his arms and legs hadn’t quite got the idea of being fully coordinated. Like Ellen he had blondish hair but his tended more towards the brown side of things.

Prior to meeting the girls, Greg’s life had been one of eating, sleeping and studying with precious little of the sleeping as his parents drove him to scholastic achievement as a means by which he could become a doctor. It had been a difficult time in his life made worse by the fact that he had no interest in medicine; however, thanks to Carol and the intercession of a guidance councillor those days were behind him. Nevertheless, some old habits remained and he was strongly oriented towards the academic.

How can a day be great that’s got studying in it? asked Ellen.

Oh come on! Studying’s fun! Besides, this exam is just math. There isn’t any real work involved.

Ellen groaned and Jennifer giggled.

Greg, would you like cookies and lemonade?

Yes! replied Ellen.

No thanks, I had a big breakfast earlier so I’m good until supper.

You mean lunch, said Ellen, Tell me you mean lunch.

Well I usually do eat lunch – like when I go to school and all; but on Saturdays when I go to the library I skip it, and if I’m at home by myself I usually skip it as well.

Ellen looked accusingly at Carol, And you invited this snake into our midst.

Don’t worry, when lunch time rolls around, I’ll make us some lunch.

Oh don’t go to any trouble, said Greg.

Yes go to lots of trouble! quickly interjected Ellen lest Carol be persuaded.

Looks like you guys already got started. How far along are you?

We just finished, noted Ellen.

We’re about to start the theorems, corrected Jennifer.

Alright, does everybody know how to bisect an angle? asked Greg.

With a bisection kit, suggested Ellen.

You’re thinking of biology and that’s a dissection kit, put in Jennifer.

I mean, how do you bisect an angle with just a ruler and compasses?

Carol took this one. You put the point of the compasses on the vertex of the angle and sweep out an arc that intersects both rays of the angle. Then you place the end of your compasses on each of the intersections and draw another arc within the angle. Where the two arcs meet, is one end of the bisected point and the vertex is the other. Then you just use your ruler to draw a straight line between them and you’ve got your angle bisected.

Very good Carol. Now let’s try a problem. Say you’ve got a triangle with points ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’. Line segment AB = AC …

So it’s isosceles.

… right Jen. Now, suppose you have a point ‘P’ somewhere on AB such that AP = PC = CB. Find the magnitude of the angle at ‘A’.

You are stark raving mad.

Ah, come on Ellen, it’s not that hard.

Alright, said Jen, Let me draw a triangle. Okay I’ve got ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ and I’ve marked ‘AB’ = ‘AC’. Now what was the next part?