Alone, Mandy walked through the agora.
"How could they just leave me!" she thought.
"It seems boys get to do anything they want here.
But girls don't!"
She wandered around the marketplace.
It was hot and she was getting tired.
"I hope Vinnie comes back soon," she thought.
Finally she stopped to wait in front of a small house.
She noticed some sheep's wool pinned to the door.
"That's odd," she said to herself.
"Ah, you have a new baby sister,"
a voice said from behind her.
Mandy turned to look at the speaker.
He was a short man in a long white robe.
He had a full white beard.
"I beg your pardon?" Mandy said.
Pointing to the wool, the man said,
"That means a new baby girl.
For a boy, your family would hang olive leaves."
"Why do they hang wool?
Or olive leaves?
Or anything at all?" Mandy asked.
"Everyone in the city knows this," said the man.
"Yet you question it. Why?"
Mandy looked the man right in the eye.
"Because I don't understand," she replied.
"Ah! You seek understanding," he said.
Three men walked up.
They seemed excited.
"Great Socrates," said one of the men, "your students are waiting."
Mandy's mouth dropped open.
"S-S-Socrates?" she stuttered.
"He is one of the greatest teachers of all time!" she said to herself.
Socrates smiled at Mandy.
"Let's walk to the Parthenon," he said.
Meanwhile, back at the gymnasium, Vinnie looked around.
The gymnasium was huge!
He saw some young men wrestling.
Others threw a ball back and forth.
A musician played a lyre while a group of boys listened.
Jason wrapped long strips of leather around his knuckles.
He was getting ready to box.
"Vinnie, come train with us!" he cried.
"No, thanks," Vinnie said shyly.
"Come on," said Jason.
"Boxing will make you strong!"
"Oh really?" a voice boomed.
"Everyone knows wrestling is better!"
"Not again," said Jason. "It's Milo."
Milo showed them a thick rope.
He tied it around his head.
"Watch this!" said Milo.
"You are about to see an amazing feat of strength!"
"Don't show off," groaned Jason.
Milo took a deep breath and held it.
His face turned very red.
He held his breath even longer.
The veins in his forehead swelled.
His head looked like it might explode.
Everyone watched closely.
Pop! The rope broke!
All the boys shouted and clapped.