William "Bill" Baggins was a senior in high school, and quite a decent student, but not exactly popular- most kids just thought he was a bit weird. His truest friend was the principal of the school, Dr. Michael Grey, who would be on the New England school board if it weren't for the superintendent, Christopher Blanche, and his unceasing jealousy for Dr. Grey.

Bill's home situation was nice. The Bagginses lived in a rich, suburban community in Connecticut called "The Shire." Bill lived with his parents, his younger cousin (an 8th grader) Frederick (his mother and father having died in an airplane crash), and the "family help": The Gardener, Howie Garrick, and his son, a 9th grader named Sam. Their house and estate were nicknamed "Bag End" because they took up nearly the entire area of their community, Westdale.

You see, The Shire had 4 parts, each with their own little distinctions. While Westdale was more of an agricultural area, Southdale was mostly for the people who were rich-and-proud-of-it, like the Tate family. The Tates claimed to be the founders of The Shire. Pippin Tate (his mother had a thing for Andrew Lloyd Webber, and his dad was a Tolkienist) was a 7th grader at the time, and one of Fred's best friends.

Fred's other really good friend, Kenneth Brownolow, lived in Eastdale, the area with all of the Schools, most of the apartments, and a lot of the commerce. Kenny was also an 8th grader. His father almost literally owned Eastdale, or at least the apartments. Kenny lived in the penthouse of one of his father's buildings, Brandy Hall. Some controversy was developing over the name, but Old Mr. Brownolow didn't seem to mind.

Bill didn't care that he lived with his cousin, or that most of his classmates thought he was nuts. The only thing that bothered him was the Reason they thought he was nuts.

Bill wanted to leave the Shire.

Bill's high grades had gotten him accepted into several out of state schools, and his parents didn't approve. They wished for him to stay and run the family business. But Bill and Dr. Grey planned to defy them...

Dr. Grey planned a Graduation party for Bill. A party that would be talked about for days to come.



When the day of the party arrived, Bag End was packed with caterers, musicians, hired help, and a few family members from out of town that were just arriving. Full of hustle and bustle. The parents were joining in the fray, but Bill and Dr. Grey stayed up in Bill's suite, making some last minute arrangements of their own.

The party started with cocktails around 5:00. Nearly everybody in the Shire was there, invited or no. The invited guests were about 6:00, but randoms from everywhere were showing up at any time. This was, in turn, a good thing.

After a stunning Fireworks display at around 9:30, provided by Dr. Grey, the party really got started. Imagine the biggest Bar Mitzvah or Sweet Sixteen you've ever been to. Think of all the noise, the confusion, the speeches and toasts made right and left.

Now magnify that 51 times.

At 11:00, things were either starting to wind down or people were just getting shnockered. Bill chose that time to make his speech.

He walked to the DJ booth, took the microphone, and stood on a little platform in front of the booth. Dr. Grey took the place of the DJ behind him.

Bill held the mike to his mouth and said:

"Hi, everybody, and thanks for coming to my Graduation party."

The crowd responded eagerly, with the exception of a few randoms who were just there for the free drinks.

"I hope you are all having as much fun as I am."

The crowd responded with a chorus of yesses (and a few noes from the randoms).

"As of today, I have graduated High school. I am officially an adult today."

This was the kind of stuff the crowd wanted. Short, obvious, sane.

"I stand before you with a few things to say to you about my position in this town."

OK, getting a little too political and prosy now.

"First, to say that all of you have a special place in my heart, and that I will always remember you."

Perfect. Sentimental schlock belongs in speeches like these.

"I don't know half of you as well as I should like, and I don't like half of you as well as you deserve."

To anyone sober this statement was pretty confusing. To the drunks it sounded like a compliment.

"Secondly, to celebrate my commencement."

Obvious again. Back on track. Cheers from the crowds.

"Or, I should say, Our commencement. My cousin Frederick is entering High school at the same time I choose to leave it, and this town, behind."

This made even the drunks confused. Silence.

"And thirdly, I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT!!!"

This last word was so loud it made the microphone reverberate, and several guests, drunk or otherwise, had to cover their ears. Bill, however, began fiddling around with something in his left pocket, by most perceived as a nervous quirk of his.

"Sorry. The announcement is this: I am leaving you. This is the end. Good-BYE!!"

The Fog machine turned on, along with some VERY loud music. Every light other than the DJ booth lights went out at the same time, and sparklers shot off at every table in the place. A single white firework shot up into space, and exploded with a crash louder than the music.

The crowd applauded, and several rushed to the DJ booth to congratulate Bill on such a fine presentation.

But he wasn't there.

And Dr. Grey was nowhere to be found either...



Fred watched this happen with wonder and excitement. He had said nothing the entire time, not cheering, not thanking the people who had congratulated him. He had enjoyed the show, even though he had some information about it (eavesdropping can be so fulfilling, but he didn't tell anyone; he wasn't one to tell his favorite cousin's secrets, not even to Pippin or Kenny).

The DJ returned to the booth and started playing a hip-hop tune. The guests came back to the floor, and continued with the party, random or not.

Fred didn't want anything more to do with these people. He drained his glass of sparkling grape juice to the prosperity of William, and walked towards the house.



As for Bill, even while he was making that speech, he was fingering the golden ring in his pocket; that enigmatic ring that he had found touring high schools over 2 years ago. He slipped it onto his finger, and was never seen by his family or friends in The Shire again.

He walked back to the house, slipped right by the gyrating throng in the dancing area, and stood for a moment listening to all of the people having such a nice time. He went to his room, took off his tuxedo, and put on a pair of Gap jeans and a sweatshirt bearing a word in Crimson. Harvard.

He then turned on his computer, emailed Fred a quick message, and deleted his account. The next thing he did was grab his large Jansport backpack and stuff a few more notebooks, a bundle wrapped in old cloth, and his oldest copy of "The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien. He took the Ring out of his pocket, put it in a little jewelry box, and was about to put the box in a predetermined hiding place, but he decided to keep it in the pocket of his jeans instead.

At that moment the door opened and Dr. Grey came quickly in.

"Hi," said Bill, "I wondered if you would turn up."

"I am glad to find you visible" replied the old man, sitting down on Bill's bed. "I wanted to catch you before you left and have a few final words. I suppose you feel that everything has gone according to plan?"

"Yes, but the Fireworks and all were surprising; it startled ME, let alone the guests. A little addition of yours, I suppose?"

"Yes, I needed to buy you some more time, and give them a reason to think you would be coming back."

"And spoil my escape. But I guess you know best."

"I do -- when I know anything. But I don't feel too sure about this whole thing. You've had your joke, alarmed or offended your entire town, with a few exceptions, and given The Shire something to talk about for the next nine days, or even 99 days. Are you going any further?"

"Yes, I am. I need to get out of this stifling suburban situation."

"Good alliteration. No wonder Harvard wants you. You will make a fine Author."

"Thanks. I don't expect to ever come back here. In fact, I don't want to, and I have made all the arrangements. You know, for living in a town like this, so confined, I feel unreasonably stretched. Like butter scraped over too much bread."

Dr. Grey looked curiously and closely at him. "You're quoting him again."

"I can't help it. Tolkien is my inspiration."

"Which is why it's such a coincidence that you found that ring."

"Yeah...Bill Baggins...Fred Baggins...The Shire...kinda weird, isn't it? Only I wasn't with a bunch of Dwarves trying to retake their treasure."

"You were touring schools with the (normally losing) Football Team, without your parents permission, as the Manager and spy. Yes, you were."

"Those guys weren't dwarves."

"Well, they certainly had some Dwarven tendencies. And don't forget that "Professor" Smygel you met up with when you got lost in Mount Mist H.S..."

"Oh. Right."

"...and that semifinals game with the Esgaroth H. S. Archers versus the Lonely Mountain Red Dragons..."

"Yeah...."

"...AND that last game with the Mount Mist Goblins, when the quarterback Thori Okansilt got rammed in the back by..."

"OK!! I get your point!!"

Dr. Grey smiled. "Well then, my "fallohide" friend, I trust that you didn't make Bilbo's mistake and try to hide the ring in your pocket."

Bill looked sheepishly at Dr. Grey. The sheepish look gradually changed to an almost maddeningly possessive one. Dr, Grey realized that even the Book's influence could not counter the domineering effects of the ring.

"Bill, give it up. You know what will happen if you don't."

"Well, I don't care! It is precious to me."

"Don't even get me started on that."

"You aren't going to tower over me. You can't."

Dr. Grey smiled again, but differently. "No, but there are over a thousand people outside who would love to congratulate you on such a miraculous performance! Then your parents will send you to Bywater University just across town, put you behind a desk for the next 50 years, and you'll be so busy with stocks and managing Bag End and your wife's alcoholism, your 3 kids going through puberty one after the other, the family dogs and the hired help and the college funds and the money. And when you turn 75 you can retire, but by then it will be too late to start writing, traveling, or living."

Bill scrutinized the old man. He perceived that Dr. Grey was not going to take it from him, but that all he said was true.

Dr. Grey continued. "All this can be avoided if you leave the Ring behind. Let Fred do his part. You will see him again. You and I both know that."

Bill reached into his pocket, pulled out the jewelry box, walked over to his bookshelf, and hid it behind his millennium edition copy of "The Lord of the Rings".

"We shall make a believer of Fred yet."

Bill left the room, went out the back door, and jumped into the taxicab that was waiting for him. With a last look at Bag End, the cab drove away.

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say."