Junie B., First Grader_ Boss of Lunch - Barbara Park [4]
After that, I looked up at Mrs. Gutzman kind of nervous. And I waved my fingers.
“Hello,” I said real soft.
“Hello,” she said back.
Mr. Scary shook his head. “No. I'm sorry, Junie B. I know Mrs. Gutzman has enjoyed seeing you. But you can't just get up from the table and run wherever you please during lunch,” he said.
Mrs. Gutzman nodded. “Mr. Scary is right, Junie B.,” she said. “I am very happy to see you. But you do have to learn to follow school rules.”
I did a sigh.
“Yeah, only I really, really wanted to find you, Mrs. Gutzman,” I said. “’Cause I missed you very much.”
Mrs. Gutzman tapped on her chin.
“Hmm,” she said. “Maybe I have an idea. Maybe—if you promise to follow the rules—you can come back tomorrow and help me in the kitchen. Would you like that, do you think?”
My eyes got big and wide at her. “Are you kidding, Mrs. Gutzman?” I said. “Is this some kind of a joke?”
She smiled again.
“Nope,” she said. “It's no joke. We let children help us in the kitchen quite often. If it's okay with your teacher, I'll give you a permission slip to take home to your parents.”
I pulled on Mr. Scary's arm. “Say it's okay! Okay? Please! Please! Please!” I begged.
Mr. Scary didn't answer right away.
Instead, he ran his fingers through his hair. And he thought and thought.
Then finally, he said it.
Mr. Scary said it's okay!
I clapped and danced and twirled.
“I can do it, Mrs. Gutzman!” I said. “I can come and help you in the kitchen!”
“Excellent!” said Mrs. Gutzman.
Then she reached behind the counter. And she handed me a permission slip.
And that is not all!
Because she reached back there one more time. And she pulled out a pair of brand-new plastic mitts!
“Here,” she said. “These are for you. You can wear them around your house tonight and get used to them.”
I did a gasp at those wonderful things.
“Thank you, Mrs. Gutzman! Thank you!” I said. “I've always wanted some of these thingamajigs!”
After that, I put them on my hands very thrilled. And I waved goodbye to Mrs. Gutzman.
“See you!” I said. “See you tomorrow!”
Then I walked back to my lunch table with Mr. Scary.
And I followed the rules for the rest of the day.
After school, I ran home from my bus stop.
It was Mother's day off from work.
She was in the backyard playing with my baby brother named Ollie.
Ollie is ten months old. He cannot skip or play tag or color.
So far, I am not that satisfied with him.
I ran out the back door.
“Mother! Mother! I'm going to be a helper! I'm going to be a helper!” I shouted real cheery.
I quick handed her my permission slip.
“Read this paper! Hurry! It's from Mrs. Gutzman!” I said. “You remember Mrs. Gutzman, right? Mrs. Gutzman used to be my cookie lady last year. But this year she's branched out, apparently. ’Cause now she's the boss of the whole kitchen operation, I think.”
Mother read the permission slip.
I bounced up and down very excited.
“See, Mother? See? Mrs. Gutzman wants me to be her helper in the cafeteria tomorrow. And so all you have to do is sign that paper. And I will be all set.”
I started back to the house. “I'll go get you a pen!”
Mother hollered, “Hold on” to me.
“This really does sound like fun, Junie B.,” she said. “But let's talk it over at dinner, okay? At dinner you can tell Daddy and me all about it.”
I did a big breath at her.
“But I don't want to talk it over at dinner, Mother,” I said. “I want you to sign that paper right exactly now. Please, please? Just sign it, okay?”
Mother smiled. “Patience, Junie B.,” she said. “Dinner is just a few hours away.
I'd like Daddy to be in on this, too.”
I rolled my eyes way up to the sky ’Cause Daddy always has to be in on everything.
Finally, I went back in the house. And I walked around the