Atomic recess

The challenge

"Oh, that's nothing. If I'd had a little more notice that you were coming--" prickly started to say proudly before he was cut off.

"Too bad your cook grilled every ounce of flavour out of it." Paul criticised before bragging. "Did I mention the chef at my school graduated from the Cordon Bleu?"

Prickly leans a bit closer to Miss Frinster who was standing behind him and whispers. "86 the crème brûlée." Before turning his attention back to his brother. "Let's stroll the grounds, shall we?"

Out on the playground the kids are enjoying a good game of kickball, currently Gus was up to kick. "Oh, man, last inning and we're a single run behind." TJ said as he stood to the side next to Vince, Gretchen and Dede.

"Yeah, and Gus is up." Vince said not having much faith in his friend.

"Surely there's something that can be done to help Gus." Dede said, looking over at her friend.

"No problem." Gretchen said as she got Galileo out. "Who's playing third base? Ah, yes, Tracy "Too Deep" Logan. Don't worry. I have a plan." Gretchen said TJ her three friends before she walked over to Gus. "Look, the third baseman has a tendency to play far too deep. That means you should be able to beat out a little roller down the line. In other words, bunt left."

"Bunt left. Got it." Gus said, getting ready.

At this point, prickly and his brother walk out of the school and onto the playground. "My word, little brother, You do keep your school grounds looking immaculate."

"Well, I can't take all the credit. Hank our janitor has shown great facility In executing my vision." The brothers stopped walking when they heard kids cheering loudly. "Excuse me just one second." Prickly leaves his brothers side and walks up to our group of eight who were all jumping around and cheering as they had won the game of kickball they were playing. "Stop all that jumping. Get off the grass. It's rented."

Paul, ignoring his brother, walks over to join the group. "My, my, these kids are quite the impressive little athletes."

Principal Prickly looks over at his brother, before he gets a new idea to brag about. "Huh? I mean, don't I know it." Prickly grabs TJ and gives him a quick noogie before releasing him. "In fact, just last week, scouts from Lincoln Middle School were here recruiting."

"I know what you mean, the coach
at Washington High offered to buy me a car to get dibs on some of my youngsters." Paul brags.

"Ha! A graduate of mine went on to play professional kickball in Japan." Prickly rebuttals as TJ backs away from him to rejoin his friends.

"Japan, huh? Well if they are as good
as you say, perhaps a wager is in order."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, perhaps the losing brother has to wash the winner's car."

"In front of the loser's own school."

"Wearing a bathing suit."

"During recess."

"Oh! Very gutsy, Petey. I accept. Next week bring your kids to my school, and we'll see who fields the best kickball team. Once and for all."

During the brothers back and forth, the group of friends all just stood off to the side, looking between the two. When they both walked off after declaring the challenge they didn't know what to do. "What just happened here?" Paloma asked her friends, hoping one of them had an idea.

"I'd say we're stuck between a rock and his older brother." Vince replies.

Just like what was planned, a week later the group of eight friends were all on the bus with principal Prickly, driving to 98th street school.