Junie B., First Grader - Barbara Park [4]
“See how it's screaming, ’CLUCK! CLUCK! CLUCK!'? I used capital letters for the clucks. Capitals are for screaming. Correct?”
“Well, yes. I suppose so,” said Mr. Scary. “But–the thing is, Junie B.–the word cluck wasn't on the board today.”
“I know it,” I said. “The word on the board was clock. Only I didn't read all the letters right, I guess. ’Cause I accidentally thought it was cluck.”
I tapped on my chin.
“What I actually wanted to draw was the but and bull,” I said. “I really liked the sound of that one. But I didn't know how to get started, exactly. So I went ahead with the cluck idea.”
Mr. Scary looked confused at me.
“The but and bull?” he asked.
I smiled kind of embarrassed.
“Yeah… well, I read those words wrong, too, I guess,” I said. “They turned out to be bat and ball.”
Mr. Scary frowned.
“Hmm,” he said. “What about the other words on the board, Junie B.? Do you remember how you read some of the other ones? How about dog and cat? Or coat and goat?”
I thought back. Then I made my voice real quiet.
“Dug and cot and coot and yoot,” I said.
Mr. Scary nodded his head.
Then he patted my hand very nice.
And he gave me back my journal.
And we walked back into Room One.
Mr. Scary put down his chalk.
“You can stop peeking at me now, Junie B.,” he said.
I looked at him real surprised. ’Cause that guy has eyes in the back of his hair, apparently.
He turned around and smiled.
“Do you see these three sentences that I just wrote up here?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said. “I see them.”
“Excellent,” said Mr. Scary. “Could you stand up and try reading them from back there, please?”
Just then, my heart got pumpy and pounding inside.
’Cause I'm not good at reading from the board, that's why.
I kept on sitting there.
“Please,” said Mr. Scary. “Just give it a try, okay?”
Finally, I stood up. And I squinted at the sentences.
I read real slow.
“Bob… is … a … bug … bag,” I read. I did a teensy frown at that news.
“Really?” I asked. “Bob is a bug bag?”
Mr. Scary pointed to sentence number two. “Try this one,” he said.
I squinted some more.
“I… like … my … hog … spit,” I read again.
I looked at my teacher very curious.
“These sentences are oddballs, aren't they?” I said.
Mr. Scary pointed at the last one. “Just one more to go,” he said.
This time, I stretched my neck. And I strained my eyes.
“Jack … is … going … to … to …”
I scrunched my eyes even smaller.
“… to jail,” I read.
I did a gasp.
“Really? No fooling? Jack who?”
Mr. Scary came back to my seat.
He took my hand and walked me closer to the board.
“Could you try reading them again from here, Junie B.?” he said.
I made my voice real whiny.
“But I don't want to read them again, Mr. Scary,” I told him. “I already know what they say.”
“Just one more time,” he said.
And so finally, I did a big breath. And I read the sentences all in a row.
“Bob is a big boy.”
“I like my dog, Spot.”
“Jack is going to Jill's.”
I covered my mouth very surprised.
“Hey! What do you know? He's going to Jill's, Mr. Scary!” I said. “Whew! That's a relief, right?”
Mr. Scary laughed. “Right,” he said.
After that, I headed for the door.
“Okey-doke. Well, I guess I'll be getting back to recess now,” I said. “See ya.”
I waited for him to answer.
He did not say see ya.
I turned around.
“See ya?” I said a little bit softer.
But Mr. Scary just shook his head no.
’Cause too bad for me.
He had other plans.
Mr. Scary took my hand.
We walked out of Room One and down the hall.
“You and I are going to visit Mrs. Weller, Junie B.,” he said. “You remember Mrs. Weller from last year, don't you?”
I shook my head no. ’Cause that name did not ring a bell.
“Mostly I would just like to remember recess,” I said.
Mr. Scary patted my shoulder.
“Mrs. Weller is a lovely person,” he said.
“Recess is a lovely person, too,” I said.
“Mrs. Weller is the school nurse,” he said.
I quick stopped walking.
Because the school nurse is where you go when you are sick or tired. And I was totally fine.
“But I am in good shape,” I said. “See me? I don't even need a Band-Aid.”