Junie B., First Grader_ One-Man Band - Barbara Park [2]
Mrs. Weller's face went funny.
“You … you kicked a cow?” she said real soft.
“Yes,” I said. “And the cow was full of water. And a cow full of water doesn't even budge.”
After that, Mrs. Weller got very speechless. And she didn't ask any more questions. She just kept holding the ice bag on my foot. Plus also, she mumbled to herself.
Room One stretched their necks to see my foot.
Then Shirley stood up. And she said that she knows just how I feel. ’Cause one time she accidentally kicked a brick. And that did not feel good, either.
And then Roger said he hurt his toe before, too. ’Cause last year he accidentally kicked a refrigerator-repair truck.
Plus a boy named Sheldon said that last summer, he accidentally kicked a giant tree stump. On account of his cousin told him it was made out of rubber.
“Only it wasn't,” said Sheldon very upset. “It was made out of tree. And so all of my toes got their heads bashed in.”
After that, Sheldon put his foot up on his desk. And he started taking off his shoe to show us.
Mr. Scary held up his hand. “No, Sheldon. Please. That's really not necessary,” he said.
But Sheldon quick yanked off his shoe and sock. And he raised his piggies way high in the air.
“See, everybody? See the baby one? The baby one still has a little red knob on the side of it,” he said. “See?”
Just then, Sheldon tipped his chair back on two legs so he could raise his foot even higher.
Only too bad for him. Because, quick as a blink, his chair legs slided out from underneath him.
And BOOM!
He went crashing into the aisle! And his forehead got a knob on it! Just like his baby toe!
Mrs. Weller quick grabbed the ice bag from my foot. And she put it on Sheldon's head.
She said he needed to come to the office with her right away.
Only wait till you hear this!
Sheldon didn't even cry!
Instead, he left the ice bag on his head. And he put his shoe and sock back on very calm. And he walked to the door with Mrs. Weller.
All of us clapped and clapped for that brave boy.
Sheldon smiled when he heard that.
Then he turned around.
And he did a bow.
And the ice bag fell off his head.
Mother came to get me from school that day. She said she would drive me and Sheldon home so we wouldn't have to take the bus.
I walked to the parking lot very limping.
Sheldon was still wearing the ice bag on top of his head.
“My. It must have been quite a day in Room One,” said Mother.
Sheldon did a sigh. “I've had better,” he said.
After that, both of us got in the back-seat. And we buckled our seat belts.
Sheldon quick put his window down.
Mother turned around. “Gee, I don't know, Sheldon,” she said. “That's going to be a lot of wind on you, don't you think?”
“I like wind,” said Sheldon. “Wind makes my cheeks flap.”
Mother stared at him a second. “Okey-doke,” she said kind of quiet.
Then she turned back around. And she started the car. And we drove out of the parking lot.
Sheldon leaned his head close to the window. And he tilted his head into the rushy air.
He opened his mouth so the wind flapped his cheeks.
Both of us started to laugh.
Only just then, a little bit of trouble happened. ’Cause Mother went around a corner kind of whizzy.
And Sheldon's head got tilted even further.
And WHOOSH!
The ice bag blew right out the window!
Sheldon sat very still after that.
Finally, he closed the window. And he drummed his fingers on the seat.
“Today isn't really going that good for me,” he said.
I nodded.
Then I patted his arm.
’Cause sometimes I understand that boy perfectly well.
That night, I tossed and turned in my bed. ’Cause my toe did not like things touching it, that's why. Not even the sheet.
Only here is the worstest part of all.
Because the next morning—when I took off my covers—MY WHOLE ENTIRE TOENAIL WAS BLACK!
I did a scream at that terrible sight!
Mother and Daddy came running.
“Junie B.! What on earth is the matter?” said Mother.
“MY TOE IS THE MATTER! MY TOE IS THE MATTER!” I hollered back. “LOOK! LOOK! LOOK!”
I held up my foot for Mother to see.
“Oh, my,” she said. “The doctor said