Hello, and welcome to bedtime stories with me, Ray SPRT. Well, today I'm gonna be reading to you chapter five from my book, the pesky kids, the mystery of the squashed cockroach. So here we go. Chapter to five, the new school, you can't have that in here explained miss Pilsbury. The school secretary she was pointing at pumpkin April was clutching him protectively to her chest. He's my support dogs at April. I need him for medical reasons. I have a doctor's note. This wasn't strictly true. April did I have a doctor's note only it was now ashes amongst the ruins of their house. Joe Finn and April was standing in the school's reception area. There was a long high desk with sliding glass windows that separated the secretarial staff from the members of the public. It was as if they worked in a bank, except the only thing they had to protect was a bunch of files, a bulk pack of bandaids and their personalized coffee cups, which admittedly, they did guard with the protectiveness of a lion defending the Carcas of a half dead antelope on the public side of the desk with some worn vinyl furniture and inexplicably, dozens and dozens of handmade cockroaches dangling from the roof. It was like a sea of incredibly ugly and slightly disturb in pinatas. What sort of medical reason demanded Ms. Pilsbury you're not blind. Are you? She appeared at April to see if her demeanor gave any hint of bad eyesight. Certainly April's poorly combed hair indicated that it might be a possibility. Emotional reasons explained April to finely holding her chin high pumpkin helps me cope with my social anxiety disorder. Your what asked miss Pilsbury social anxiety disorder repeated April you're only a child. Explain Mrs. Pilsbury. What have you got to be anxious about rude adults yelling at me for a starts at April Glar at miss P Ellsbury. Joe grabbed a hold of his sister before she could move any closer. April has anger management issues said Joe, her psychiatrist tried counseling, hypnotherapy and medication, but none of that worked explained fin. So he recommended she get a dog. As you can see, she is still really bad. April was glaring hatefully at Mrs. Pilsbury while hugging a growling pumpkin, but she was way worse before a dog has really helped her out. Of course, pumpkin bites. So all up about the same number of people get hurt. But now April is only doing half of it herself. So technically it is an improvement in her behavior. You might be able to get away with this Larkey and the city seed, Mrs. Pilsbury. She was quite good at glaring herself, but you are in a small town. Now we leave animals in the fields and backyards where they belong. Mrs. PS, Brie, a man with a gentle voice called out Joe Finn and April turned to see a podgy middle aged man in a sweater, vest emerging from an office. Can I help this girl has brought a dog to school. Explain Mrs. Pilsbury. She says her doctor said she can because she's a crackpot. Well, we hear at arong high school have a charter that requires us to be sensitive to the requests of anybody with mental health, special needs suit. The man smiling at the children, Mrs. Pilsbury scald sat down on her chair and slid her glass window shut. I'll take the children through the orientation process. Then shall I? The man asked Mrs. Pilsbury raising his voice slightly. So he could be heard through the glass. Mrs. PS pretended she couldn't hear him and started loudly typing on her keyboard. The man turned back to Joe Finn in April, Mrs. PS. Brie's been a devoted member of staff here for over 30 years now wonder she hates children, said Finn in his usual matter of fact, tone as well, perhaps you better come into my office said the man who are you asked April rudely, still clutching pumpkin, tightly. Sorry. I should have introduced myself, said the man. I'm the guidance counselor here. You can call me Mr. Lang, April glad at Mr. Lang as if trying to intimidate him purely with her eyebrows. It worked Mr. Lang leaned back instinctively. As you stro past him into the office, Joe and fin followed alongside while your mother's colleague, professor Maynard has made all the arrangements for you said Mr. Lang, as the children sat down, he moved around to his own side of the desk, Joe April. And I think someone must have written your name down incorrectly said Mr. Lang glance and Finn then squinting at the form in his hand. It says here, your name is shark Finn. That's right. Said Finn. But I go by Finn. Is this some sort of joke? Ask Mr. Lang nervously the higher ups. Don't like it. When people put jokes on forms, it's not a joke said Finn earnestly. That's what it says on my birth certificate. But your brother's name is Joe said, Mr. Lang, that's quite a contrast, Joe. Isn't my real name. So Joe it's It's Perrin, April finished forum. Joe nodded, Joe had trouble saying it explained Finn because he is got a stutter, said April pointing at Joe. So Mr. Lang wouldn't know which brother she was referring to. It's an involuntary S beach disorder where he gets blocked on words. I'm sure. Mr. Lang knows what a stutter is said. Fin, rolling his eyes at his sister's insensitivity. Well then he should have said something snapped April because it's always better to discuss problems openly and not be embarrassed. I forged a new birth certificate explained fin. Mr. Lang looked at Joe he's one of the most ordinary looking boys he'd ever seen. He didn't appear to be the type who could forge a birth certificate, but he suppose young people could do all sorts of surprising things. These days with technology best not to get into an argument about it. All right, well, April and shark, Finn fin will be going into year eight said Mr. Lang handing a timetable to each of them. It is a little unusual to have siblings almost a whole year party in age, in the same academic year. Mom couldn't wait to get April outta the house explained fin I could read and do masks already. So mom packed me off to school with fin said April, everyone, just to see we were twins and you are going into year 10, even though you are 16 said, Mr. Lang turn into Joe, shouldn't you be in year 11? I got held back, said Joe dyslexia asked Mr. Lang sensitively, fin snorted more like disinterest you. He said, okay, said, Mr. Lang. Well, I best thing to do is to go ahead to your regular classes. And in a week we'll have another meeting to see how you get along. The kids got up to leave. One more thing before you go said, Mr. Lang opening a drawer and pulling out some more papers. You'll need your entry forms for the cockroach races. He handed one to each of the children. The what asked fin the car annual cockroach races said, Mr. Lang haven't you heard of them? We hadn't even heard of Keong before yesterday. Scoffed, April, but we have heard of cockroaches said Finn, oh, the races are a big deal. Said, Mr. Lang, it's one of our top festivals in town. It's a festival asked April incredulously oh yes. Pay people, travel miles to see it. It's wonderful for local tourisms at Mr. Lang it's on next weekend. So you won't have long to train up your entrance, but you can still give it a go. I'm not entering said April flatly. I don't approve of bracing. It's inhumane. Cockroaches are inhuman. Joe pointed out. Then it's cruelty to all said April, I won't have any part of it. She dropped the form back on the desk. But all the students get involved said Mr. Lang call in on all his professional levels of patience to maintain his calm and reasonable tones. They have a great time train in animals to compete against each other is not my idea of a good time said April. I'm amazed. No one has reported this to the RSPCA. I'm amazed. No, one's reported this to a pest controller at fin one spray and there'd be no entrance. How can you be so callous demanded April turning off fin cockroaches have feelings too. Pumpkin started barking and lunging at fin. That's right. Pumpkin. You tell him, cockroaches are an ancient, simple life form said thin backing away from pumpkins, tiny, but razor sharp teeth. You have absolutely no evidence that they're capable of higher levels of feeling. Plus they poo on our food. If you leave it out, uncovered said, Joe, he didn't like the thought of food being wasted. You should really reconsider said Mr. Lang raising his voice. So it could be heard of a pumpkins. Yas. You want to fit in here. Don't you. I've never tried to fit in anywhere in my life stated April proudly. Except that time you tried to fit yourself into a post box. Fin reminded her. You managed to squeeze yourself in there, right? It was getting out. That was the hard part. April did not like it. When Finn reminded her of that incident to punish him, she let go of pumpkin. Finn ran from the room as the tiny lightning fast dog gave chase April ran after them. If pumpkin caught Finn, she didn't wanna miss that. Sorry. Mumble Joe, as he picked up his bag. Well, you think about it, Mr. Lang called after them. When you realize you've made a terrible mistake, I'll have the forms here for you. And that is the end of chapter five. So until next time, goodbye.