# 16: One-Eyed Jack

So even with all the weirdo stuff that happens at Planet Nine Middle School, some things just plain make me curious. Like, why does Jack Syke always wear dark glasses? I'm talking, always. As in, he never takes them off. Ever. I mean, even to go to bed. How do I know this? Because he went to camp with a bunch of us last summer, and was in the same cabin as Wiley, Fatty, Deepak, Cody, Fart-Face Freddy, Zack, Marion and myself.At lights out, Jack would be in his sleeping bag on his bunk, with his sunglasses on.

On the first night, Deepak stared at him, then couldn't hold it in any longer. "Dude, is there something wrong with your eyes?"

Jack turned toward Deepak and shook his head. "No Man. Why?"

Deepak gave a nervous laugh. "Well...uh...you...um...you never, you know, take your sunglasses off."

Jack shrugged. "No biggie. I just feel more comfortable with them on."

At this point, we're all staring at him, even the really weird kids, like Zack and Marion. "You take them off to shower, right?" I asked.

Jack shook his head. "Nope. They're always on my face. Right where they belong. 'Night." Then he rolls over and goes to sleep. With, you guessed it, those big, dark glasses on.

Weird.

Well, anyway, I didn't really think much about Jack and his bizarro sunglass habit after that. At least not until now. Not after what I've just seen.

You see, we have a duty roster at school. One day each week, a different kid is responsible for cleaning out the science table in class, setting out the new exhibits, and labeling them. It's a lot of work, so the kid usually stays in during recess to get the job done. It's kind of fun to be the first to see all the new cool science stuff, so we don't really mind missing recess.

So anyway, today was my day on the job. The classroom was super quiet, which kind of weirded me out. Usually, you can hear the kids playing outside, which made you feel like you were still a part of it all, even if you were inside busy working. But today was different. The 8th. grade basketball team, the Charon Comets (named after the planet Pluto's moon, Charon) was in the gym practicing for the big game against the Spokane Supersonics, and everyone wanted to watch. I mean, this was the big game. The big one. If the Comets win this one on Saturday, they'll be the reigning Washington State basketball champs. How could you not want to see them practice?

So there I was, all alone in class. Not a peep anywhere to be heard. I whistled as I worked, just to hear something. The quiet was a little too quiet for me. I'd removed all the objects from the science table, and packed them into the tub that Mr. Kellogg gave me, before realizing I was out of sanitizing wipes to clean the table with. I headed to the science lab. Mr. Kellogg usually kept some cleaning products in the closet at the back, so I figured I'd find more wipes there. As  much fun as the job was, I was in a hurry to finish up, so I could at least watch part of the practice.

I turned the knob of the closet door, praying it wasn't locked, and was pretty relieved when it swung open. But any relief I felt vanished pretty fast when I saw what I saw.

Jack Syke was in the closet, his glasses in one hand, and a towel in another. It was pretty obvious he was cleaning them. I raised my eyes to his, and felt everything around me start to tilt. I clutched at the door to keep from falling over. And stared at the huge eye in the middle of Jack's face. Yeah, you heard me. At the huge eye, singular, on Jack's face.

Jack had one eye. I mean, one. And it was huge. It was bigger than two eyes put together, and sat over his nose, just like eyes are supposed to, only there was one on his face.

Oh Man.

As I stared at him, Jack hurriedly replaced his glasses on his nose, and just like that, he looked like Jack again. I mean, the Jack I was used to seeing. The Jack I expected to see.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but the only sound that came out was a squeak. I cleared my throat and tried again. Same thing.

"Hey Beaks," Jack said, and I couldn't believe how calm his voice was.

"Hey...hey Jack," I said, at least I think I said. I don't know. Everything that happened then is still kind of a blur. "What...er...what's new?'

Jack shrugged. "Nothing much. Just popped in here to clean my glasses before heading out to watch the practice. You coming?"

"Sure. yeah." I babbled, nodding for all I was worth. "Gotta sup...support the team, right?"

"You bet," Jack said, folding the towel and setting it by the sink. With his back to me, I heard him take a deep breath, then let it out in a long sigh. He slowly turned back to me. "Beaks...?"

"Hey Dude, I didn't see anything. I mean, sure, I saw...your...uh..."

"Eye?" Jack supplied.

"Yeah. Yeah, your...um...eye., but ---"

"But what?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. I mean, it explains the over-sized sunglasses, right?" I smiled, at least I think I did, but my face felt kind of frozen, so who knows?

 There was a short silence as Jack stared at me. With his one huge, enormous, gigantic eye. I tried not to shift as he stared, but I sure did feel uncomfortable. Who knew one eye could look right through you like that?

"I guess the jig's up, then." Jack said softly, almost as if he were talking to himself.

I frowned. "What jig? What do you mean Jack?"

He shrugged."Just that everyone will know about me now, and I'm sure there'll be all kinds of creative nicknames used to describe me from now on."

I didn't get it. "Why would everyone know? What are you talking about? I'm not going to say anything."

Jack's eyebrows popped over his sunglasses, and again I felt the penetrating force of that one-eyed stare. "Seriously Dude? I mean, for real?"

"Sure." I nodded. "Why would I say anything? Your eyes...er...eye...is your business, not mine. Besides," I shrugged, thinking of all the characters at Planet Nine Middle School; Dead-Eye Danny, Millie Milkweed, Marion Dorsey, Euclid Hill...I mean the list goes on and on, and doesn't stop with the school. Pretty much all of Pluto is Weirdosville. "This is Pluto, Dude. Different is kind of our motto."

Jack's mouth dropped open for a second, then he laughed. He rubbed a hand over his hair, and took another deep breath. Except this time, he sounded relieved. "You still working on the science table?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Just came in for some wipes."

Jack grabbed a pack off a shelf and headed toward me. "Let's go Beaks. The quicker we finish setting up the new items, the quicker we can go watch the practice."

As Jack and I walked back to the classroom, I had one more question. "Hey Dude? So where'd you get those cool glasses?"