The Secret Society of Spies
was holding an emergency meeting
(all except for Eddy Engels,
who no one bothered to get).
They sat tightly locked together
in the tunnel
where the creek ran under the street,
their egg-white eyes
taking in each and every detail
on the slick glossy pages
as Mike Maloney carefully turned them.
And with each new page
Billy Balinski's heart beat faster and faster,
and his breathing grew harder and harder.
All Kevin Cline's brother had told him
was true - mostly.
Billy wondered if Mary Ann Walker
would look that way
when she grew up.
Probably - but certainly not that big.
The emergency meeting had to end
because Mike Maloney
had to get the book back
to where his brother had it hidden
up above the heating duct
down in the basement.
But before they all went home
the Secret Society of Spies
all decided to take out
the part in their oath
about not liking girls.

July 1981