Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy - Barbara Park [4]
Because just then, a big, buzzy fly landed right on my sweater sleeve! And I swatted him with the jar lid! And he did not even die that much!
I put him in the jar, too.
Then I danced and danced all over my yard.
Because now Noodle had friends!
And I had pets for Pet Day!
And that is called happily ever after!
6/Sparkle
I runned into the house very thrilled.
“Mother! Mother! I found friends for Noodle! I found Buzzy the Swatted Fly! Plus also I found three ants and a cheese puff!”
Mother looked at the friends.
“Oh my,” she said kind of soft.
“I know it, Mother! I know it is oh my! Noodle will love these guys! I know he will!”
After that, I quick took the jar to my room. And I put it on my bed. And I waited for Noodle to meet his new friends.
I waited the whole entire afternoon.
Only Noodle never came out.
At dinnertime, I walked to the kitchen very slumping.
“Noodle is still hiding,” I said. “Plus the ants are the cheese puff. And Buzzy the Swatted Fly bit the dust.”
Mother lifted me into my chair. She put stew on my plate.
“Yeah, only how can I even eat stew? ’Cause I am depressed, I tell you,” I said.
Just then, someone opened the front door.
It was my Grandma Helen Miller.
She was bringing the ice chest back.
And guess what?
There was a giant fish in that thing!
My eyes popped out of my head!
“Grandma Miller! Grandma Miller! That fish is almost as big as me!” I said real thrilled.
Grandma Miller looked proud of herself.
“It’s called a largemouth bass,” she said. “He’s a beaut, isn’t he?”
“He is, Grandma! He is a beaut! Look at how shiny his skin is! Let’s name him Sparkle! Want to? Huh, Grandma? Want to name him Sparkle?”
Grandma Miller laughed.
“Name him whatever you want, sweetie,” she said. “We’ve got three more in the truck just like him. Come on, everybody.Come see them.”
That’s how come Mother and Daddy went out to the truck.
Only not me.
’Cause I wanted to stay with Sparkle, that’s why!
I waved at that guy in the ice water.
“Hello, Sparkle. How are you today?” I said. “I am fine. Are you fine, too?”
I patted his head.
“Want to swim, Sparkle? Huh? Want to swim in the freezy water?”
After that, I got down on my knees. And I swimmed him all around.
“I wish you were my fish, Sparkle. If you were my fish, I would take you to school for Show and Tell. And you would be the star of the show.”
Just then, I got goosebumps on my skin.
’Cause that was the bestest idea I ever heard of!
“Sparkle! Hey, Sparkle! Maybe you can come to Pet Day with me! ’Cause you are way better than my pet jar!”
After that, I lifted that big guy right out of the water.
Only too bad for me. ’Cause Sparkle fell on the floor.
“Oh dear,” I said. “You are a chubby one, Sparkle. And so how will I even get you to school? That’s what I would like to know.”
Just then, I saw Tickle’s dog leash.
It was hanging over the chair.
I danced all around the kitchen.
“A leash, Sparkle! A leash is the answer to our problem!”
After that, I quick grabbed the leash. And I put it over Sparkle’s head. And I pulled him all around the floor!
He slided as easy as pie!
Just then, the back door opened.
“JUNIE B. JONES! WHAT IN THE WORLD DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?”
It was Mother.
She was back from the truck, apparently.
“I think I am sliding Sparkle,” I said kind of nervous. “We are practicing for Pet Day.”
Mother shook her head real fast.
“Oh no. No way, missy. You are not taking that fish to Pet Day,” she said.
“Yes, Mother! Yes way! I have to! I have to take Sparkle! I love this slippery guy! Please, Mother? Please? Please?”
Mother did some deep breathing.
Then she sat down next to me. And she made her voice not yell.
“Okay. I want you to listen to me very closely,” she said. “I know you like this fish. And I know you would like to take him to school for Pet Day. But Pet Day is for live pets, Junie B. And maybe you don’t realize this…but the thing is, honey…Sparkle is dead.“
I nodded my head.
“Not a problem,” I said.
Mother did a frown.
“Not a problem? What do you mean ‘not a problem’? Of course