April 1

Ms. Florence Waters
Flowing Waters Fountains, Etc.
Watertown, California

Dear Ms. Waters,

As you might have noticed on your recent visit to Geyser Creek, the trees on our school campus have become quite overgrown. One tree in particular, a giant weeping willow behind school, is in need of serious pruning, if not total elimination. The remaining 100 or so trees require trimming.

I can't imagine you have the experience, expertise or necessary equipment for a tree trimming project of this magnitude. Then again, I've learned better than to assume anything when it comes to you, Ms. Waters. If you would like to bid on this tree trimming and pruning job, please advise soonest.

As part of my yearly evaluation by the Society of Professional Administrators, I will be graded on the appearance of our school campus, as well as how I award and administrator contracts for projects such as this.

In the past, evaluators have reviewed correspondence between administrators (me) and contractors (you) to judge the relationship and to look for lapses in professionalism or ethical conduct. This need not be a concern for you, but it might explain the rather direct nature of my correspondence as we proceed with this project.

The evaluators will be here in early June, so time is of the essence. For this reason I must be very clear with you about my intentions regarding the trees and my relationship with you. In short: I need a proposal from you.

If you'd prefer to give me a call and state your proposal over the phone, that would be acceptable, too. Just give me a ring.

Sincerely,

Wally Russ

P. S. I'm a little concerned about your friend chef Angelo and his plans for our school lunch program.

Kirkus Reviews (July 15, 2005)

The doyennes of the double meaning offer a third visit to the Missouri hamlet of Geyser Creek, whose residents are now regarding two crises. One is middle-school Principal Wally Russ's "Proposal" to Flo Waters, which he supposes is only to cut down a century-old weeping willow to save his job (She thinks otherwise); the other a bitter culinary rivalry between the Geyser Creek Cafe's Angel Fisch and Chef Angelo of newly opened Caffe Angelo that has blossomed into a town-wide split between the sexes. As in previous episodes, these and other intertwined plotlines are entirely leafed out through letters, memos, newspaper reports and ads, archival documents and chalkboard notes, all printed in various typefaces with the occasional ink-and-wash vignette grafted in. Led by crusading classmate Minnie "Ax not! It's what you can do for your country" O., the six sixth-graders plant themselves right in the middle of it all, and by the end have helped to save the tree, nip the bad report of school inspector Leif Blite in the bud and turn intended "weedings" into multiple "weddings." Consistently clever and often hilarious, this and its series mates may well become perennial favorites with young readers.