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PART ONE

One Day

One

AUGUST

Stratford-upon-Avon, England

What if Shakespeare had it wrong?

To be, or not to be: that is the question That’s from Hamlet’s--maybe Shakespeare’s--most famous soliloquy I had to lish, and I can still reht back then I just wanted to get all the words right and collectthe wrong question? What if the real question is not whether to be, but how to be?

The thing is, I don’t know if I would have asked myself that question--how to be--if it wasn’t for Ha the Allyson Healey I had been Doing just what I was supposed to do, which, in this case, was going to see Haht it wasn’t supposed to get this hot in England" My friend Melanie loops her blond hair into a bun and fans her sweaty neck "What ti the doors, anyhow?"

I look over at Ms Foley, who Melanie and pretty roup has christened Our Fearless Leader behind her back But she is talking to Todd, one of the history grad students co-leading the trip, probably telling hi or other In the Teen Tours! Cultural Extravaganza brochure that raduation two raduate students were called "historical consultants" and were meant to bolster the "educational value" of the Teen Tours! But so far, Todd has beeneveryone out drinking alo extra wild It is, after all, our last stop, Stratford-upon-Avon, a city full of Culture! Which seems to translate into a disproportionate number of pubs na white sneakers

Ms Foley is wearing her own snohite sneakers--along with a pair of neatly pressed blue jeans and a Teen Tours! polo shirt--as she repriht, when everyone else is out on the town, she will tell ht to call the head office on hih I think partly because when she scolds, he flirts Even with Ms Foley Especially with Ms Foley

"I think it starts at seven," I say to Melanie I look at raved Going Places It weighs heavy against my sweaty wrist "It’s six thirty now"

"Geez, the Brits do love to line up Or queue Or whatever They should take a lesson from the Italians, who just mob Or maybe the Italians should take a lesson froe skirt, she calls it--and adjusts her cao"

Roo? Or sixteen? All of Europe has becos, and prix-fixechicken in various kinds of sauce When raduation present, I was a little reluctant to go But Mom had reassured arded, noted for its high-quality educational component, as well as the care that was taken of its students I would be well looked after "You’ll never be alone,"too

And they were right I know everyone else gives Ms Foley crap for the eagle eye she keeps on us, but I appreciate how she is always doing a head count, even appreciate how she disapproves of the nightly jaunts to local bars, though e in Europe--not that anyone over here seeo to the bars I usually just go back to the hotel rooms Melanie and I share and watch TV You can almost always find American movies, the same kinds of ether on weekends, in one of our roo out here," Melanie moans "It’s like middle of the afternoon still"

I look up The sun is hot, and the clouds race across the sky I like how fast they go, nothing in their way You can tell fro like it e got here"

"Do you have a pony holder?" Melanie asks "No, of course you don’t I bet you’re loving your hair now"

My hand drifts to the back of e, oddly exposed The Teen Tour! had begun in London, and on the second afternoon, we’d had a few free hours for shopping, which I guess qualifies as culture During that tiet e reinvention scheht over: "No one at college will know that ere AP automatons I e, everyone will be ss will no longer be mutually exclusive"

For Melanie, this reinvention apparently meant the new heavy-on-skiof her na I can’t quite remember to do, no matter how uess it meant the haircut she talked me into

I’d freaked out when I’d seenas I can re back atlike one two days, but my stomach went holloith homesickness I wanted to be back in my bedroom at hoe alare if I couldn’t handle this

But I’ve gotten used to the hair, and the hoone away, and even if it hasn’t, the tour is ending Toht to the airport to fly ho a train down to London to stay with her cousin for three days Melanie is talking about going back to the salon where I gotto see Let It Be in the West End On Sunday, we fly hoe--me near Boston, Melanie in New York

"Set Shakespeare free!"

I look up A group of about a dozen people are co out htaway that they’re not Aht They are all i, son

"Oh, I’ll take one of those" Melanie reaches out for a flyer and uses it to fan her neck

"What’s it say?" I ask her, looking at the group Here in touristy Stratford-upon-Avon, they stand out like fire-orange poppies in a field of green

Melanie looks at the flyer and wrinkles her nose "Guerrilla Will?"

A girl with the kind ofcomes up to us "It’s Shakespeare for the masses"

I peer at the card It reads Guerrilla Will Shakespeare Without Borders Shakespeare Unleashed Shakespeare For Free Shakespeare For All