#94: Stacey McGill, Super Sitter
Stacey wants to save up some money to take her bf Robert out to dinner and to a Broadway play in New York City, so she jumps at the chance to take a long-term daily baby-sitting job with a new client, Mrs. Cheplin. Mrs. Cheplin is pretty demanding, though; she’s really looking for more than a baby-sitter. Stacey has to pick up the kids (Dana and Adam) from the bus stop each day, bring them home, make them a snack, and then tend to Mrs. Cheplin’s growing list of chores (laundry, cleaning, dishes, dinner prep, etc.) before the kids’ homework hour, during which she helps with their homework. It’s kiiiind of a lot for a thirteen-year-old, and yet Mrs. Cheplin only gets more demanding and critical. (Not to mention one of the kids, Dana, is diabetic and keeps faking sick to get out of things or to gain sympathy, which pisses Stacey off.) Stacey is getting annoyed and overwhelmed, but she keeps her eyes on that green.
One day, as Stacey is two-thirds of the way through the long list of chores that SHOULDN’T BE HER JOB, Dana gets legitimately sick and has dangerously low blood sugar. Stacey gets a neighbor to drive her and the kids to see Dr. Johanssen and get help for Dana. When they return, Mrs. Cheplin is pissed that the chores aren’t finished and laments how she should have hired someone older and more mature. HOW DARE SHE DISPARAGE STACEY LIKE THAT?! Also, lady, Stacey just saved your damn daughter. Sorry she didn’t finish peeling the potatoes.
Stacey’s life is legit unraveling because of the Cheplin job. She has to be late to BSC meetings, she forgets about plans with Claud, she has no time for Robert and forgets to even make or get him a Valentine’s Day card, she can’t get all her homework done, and she’s neglecting her mom — who says Stacey is acting like a workaholic, like her dad. Plus, Stacey’s exhausted and has no time to breathe or relax. Something’s gotta give. After talking things over with the BSC, they all agree she should quit the job. She does, and immediately feels relieved. GOOD JOB, QUEEN STACEY! She can finally breathe again. And, in my dreams, she punches Mrs. Cheplin in the throat.
In this book’s side plot, Logan asks Kristy to help him buy a ring for Mary Anne for Valentine’s Day. Some of the BSC charges see them together and think they’re cheating on Mary Anne, and the word spreads and suddenly all of these children are bullying Kristin Amanda Thomas. They leave her notes and make prank phone calls and call her Crusty Toemas. LOLOLOL. They also kneecap Logan’s V-Day plans by bullying him, telling Mary Anne that he bought a ring for “another woman,” and canceling his reservation at Chez Maurice. Luckily they sort it out and Logan is amused along with annoyed, and Mary Anne thinks it’s sweet they stood up for her. (Which it is, but if Mary Anne was the one getting harassed she would not think it’s funny.) The kids make it up to them by making them a special dinner (with Stacey’s frazzled help) and all’s well that end’s well… although I hope those little bastards apologized to Kristy, too!
