- Time for a do-over. Flash back to the first day of school, but this time it's from Mrs. Olinski's perspective.
- She's not as confident as she seems. In fact, she's downright nervous about getting back in the classroom.
- It doesn't help that Hamilton Knapp can't see the blackboard. (Somehow, Mrs. O doesn't seem to understand that he's just being a jerk. We're pretty sure he can see just fine.)
- Now we shift into a different perspective. This one's new. It's not Mrs. Olinski's, but it's not any of the kids, either. In fact, it sounds a lot like a good, old-fashioned omniscient narrator. And he's got something interesting to say.
- A while after The Souls formed, they decided they needed a project, something a little more meaningful than calligraphy or peeling wallpaper for Julian's dad.
- Julian has an idea. (We get the feeling he has lots of ideas.)
- They're going to help Mrs. Olinski.
- Yeah, yeah. How are a bunch of sixth-graders going to help a grown woman? And just what does she need help with, anyway?
- Well, we're not exactly going to find out now. Sure, Konigsburg throws in some phrases about "giving her a lift" (4.27) and "stand on her own two feet" (4.23), but that's not particularly illuminating.
- Time for another shift. This time, it's back to the future: the Academic Bowl.
- The commissioner reads the next question. It's about acronyms, and Julian has it in the bag.