Spelling Bee

Mrs. Myrtle Standich, Mrs. Ida Wilaby, and Ms. Allison Tuttle attended the 56th Annual Kalesburg Spelling Bee. Mrs. Myrtle Standich had accepted the invitation on behalf of her grandson, Mr. Devon Standich, age twelve. Likewise, Mrs. Ida Willaby had received and accepted the invitation of her granddaughter, Ms. Jennifer Willaby, age eleven. Ms. Allison Tuttle accepted a joint invitation from Mrs. Myrtle Standich and Mrs. Ida Willaby, as Ms. Allison Tuttle was unmarried and without offspring.

Conversation between Mrs. Ida Willaby, Mrs. Myrtle Standich, and Ms. Allison Tuttle was being kept at a hushed minimum. Ms. Allison Tuttle, however, commented after the first round, "I never, in my wildest dreams, would have thought that I would be sitting here at the Kalesburg Spelling Bee." Mrs. Myrtle Standich agreed, as did Mrs. Ida Willaby.

Mr. Devon Standich and Ms. Jennifer Willaby breezed through the first three rounds, as did twenty other children. However, in the fourth round, Ms. Jennifer Willaby was given the word 'spumoni' by Kalesburg Elementary principal, Gerald Spector. It marked the first time Ms. Jennifer Willaby resorted to the provided use of a definition. To her credit, many other contestants had resorted to such a tactic as early as the first round. Ms. Jennifer Willaby pushed through with only two slights pauses and advanced to the fifth round.

Mr. Devon Standich was then given the word 'parastroika'. Mrs. Ida Willaby and Mrs. Myrtle Standich gasped only slightly. Unlike Ms. Jennifer Willaby, Mr. Devon Standich did not resort to the definition request. Also unlike Ms. Jennifer Willaby, Mr. Devon Standich did not advance to the fifth round. Mrs. Ida Willaby gave Mrs. Mytrle Standich a much-needed reassuring pat on the knee.

In all, the fifth round claimed fifteen children. Said Ms. Allison Tuttle, "I do not know what to say, Myrtle." Mrs. Ida Willaby soon followed by saying, "I am sorry, but words like that do not belong in our schools." Mrs. Myrtle Standich nodded. Mrs. Ida Willaby continued, "Is that what we worked so hard for? Is that what we fought wars for? So, our children could be raised to memorize words like that?" "I don't think so," is all Mrs. Myrtle Standich could muster.

Mrs. Myrtle Standich, Mrs. Ida Willaby, and Ms. Allison Tuttle sat in silence throughout the remainder of the competition, which only lasted one more round. Ms. Jennifer Willaby won after spelling 'Tutankhamun'. You can catch Ms. Jennifer Willaby next participating in the Crenshaw County Spelling Bee, whose inclusion would look fine on any resume be it collegiate or professional.