by Betsy Byars
The last time Roy could remember actually seeing his mother, she had been on the stage, lit up so that everyone in the audience could see her while he, in the wings, looked at her profile. He blinked, and abruptly he was back in his bed, acutely aware that Retta was just his sister.
“Is there something you’d like to do?” Retta asked.
“The Bowlwater plant,” he said almost without thinking.
She looked at him and he shifted his head. Now it was he who was staring at the ceiling. “Retta?”
“What?”
“The Bowlwater plant—is it a great big plant with leaves and giant flowers and stuff?”
“No.”
He took a deep breath. The wind wasn’t blowing in the right direction, but he thought he smelled the Bowlwater plant for the last time. He exhaled.
“It’s a factory, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“And there aren’t any giant plants with giant leaves, are there?”
“Maybe in the jungle, Roy. I don’t know.”
“Yes, in the jungle, or maybe on other planets. There could be giant plants on other planets.”
“That’s right.”
“But not around here.”
“No.”
A satisfied feeling came over Roy as he lay there. It was as if, by swallowing a hard truth about life as willingly—this was the way he saw it—as Popeye swallows spinach, he had become stronger. “There are no giant plants around here,” he said again, feeling better every time he confirmed the unhappy fact.
Retta rose up on one elbow to look at him, remembering his hopes for the Bowlwater plant as a kind of recreational facility, a natural Disney World where everything was real instead of plastic. He seemed almost pleased as he lay there with the covers pulled up to his chin. Maybe each of us, she thought, had been off into that strange time zone that changes a person while keeping the rest of the world the same.
“Well, I better go to bed,” she said. “It’s three o’clock in the morning.” She hugged Roy. “Good night.”
She turned over and hugged Johnny. Johnny stirred. He was drawn out of a dream in which he and Arthur, grown men, were sending rockets off to planets as yet unnamed. He squirmed with irritation and said, “Let go of me.”
“I have,” Retta said.
“Retta, you can hug me all you want to. I don’t care how many times you hug me,” Roy said.
“Thanks.”
She climbed off the foot of the bed and started for her room. In the hallway she bumped into her father, shorter than she now, without his cowboy boots. “Doesn’t anybody ever go to bed around here?” he asked.
“I’m going.”
She went into her room and got under the covers without bothering to take off her clothes. She sighed. She was as tired as if she’d been working in the fields.
She could hear Brendelle talking in the kitchen. “Here’s your sandwich.”
Shorty Anderson said, “You know, that’s not a bad line for a song.”
“What? ‘Here’s your sandwich’?”
“No, what you said earlier when you were hollering at me in the living room. I said, There’s a lot of fools in this world,’ and you said, ‘It don’t take but one.’”
Brendelle said, “Now, look. Aren’t you glad you changed? You already got egg yolk on your shirt. If that had been velour, well …”
Shorty said, “Hand me a napkin.” There was the sound of rustling as he tucked it into his shirt collar. “Now, listen to this, Brendelle.”
“I’m listening.”
He began to sing. “It don’t take but one fool and you got a fool in me. It don’t—”
“Shorty Anderson, didn’t anybody ever teach you to hold your hand under a fried egg sandwich while you’re eating?”
“I’m sorry, hon, hand me another napkin.”
“Here’s two.”
There was more rustling. Then Shorty said, “Wait a minute. Would this be better? Something like ‘You Got Sixteen Kinds of Fools in Me.’”
“That’s not bad.”
He began to sing again. “You got a fool who loves you and a fool who’ll let you go.” A pause. “You got a fool who needs you but who don’t want it to show. You got a fool who’ll be around through good times and through bad, and a fool who’ll—”
He broke off. “I’m going to get my guitar.”
“I’ll get it, hon,” Brendelle said.
And in the comfortable silence that followed, Retta fell asleep.
Glossary
ă pat / ā pay / â care / ä father / ĕ pet / ē be / ĭ pit / ī pie / î fierce / ŏ pot / ō go / ô paw, for / oi oil / ŏŏ book / ōō boot / ou out / ŭ cut / û fur / th the / th thin / hw which / zh vision / ə ago, item, pencil, atom, circus
a•brupt (ə brŭpt′) adj. Unexpected; sudden: I was surprised by the abrupt change in weather.—a•brupt′ly adv.
ac•cu•sa•tion (ăk′ yōō zā′ shən) n. A statement that a person has been guilty of wrongdoing.
as•pect (ăs′ pĕkt′) n. A part or element: The judge carefully studied each aspect of the case.
awe (ô) v. To fill with a feeling of wonder, fear, and respect caused by something mighty or majestic.
be•lat•ed (bĭ lā′ tĭd) adj. Too late: Two months after my birthday, John sent me a belated gift.—be•lat′ed•ly adv.
be•nev•o•lent (bə nĕv′ ə lənt) adj. Desiring to do good; kindly.
bil•low•ing (bĭl′ ō ĭng) adj. 1. Rising or surging like the waves in the ocean. 2. Swelling out or bulging.
bond (bŏnd) n. 1. Something that ties or fastens together. 2. A force that unites; a tie or link: Our bond of friendship will never be broken.
chlo•rine (klôr′ ēn′) or (-ĭn) or (klōr′-) n. A chemical which is used in water to keep it clean.
clog (klŏg) n. A heavy shoe with a wooden sole, sometimes used in a kind of dance characterized by heavy stamping.—modifier: clog step.
com•pan•ion•a•ble (kəm păn′ yə nə bəl) adj. Like a good friend; friendly.
con•cede (kən sēd′) v. To admit as true, sometimes unwillingly: Paul conceded that he might enjoy the trip.
con•de•scend (kŏn′ dĭ sĕnd′) v. To agree to do something one thinks is beneath one’s dignity: The movie star is condescending to act in the school play next month.
con•firm (kən fûrm′) v. To support, prove, or agree that something is true or correct: The sound of voices confirmed my suspicion that the room was not empty.
crit•i•cal (krĭt′ ĭ kəl) adj. Likely to find fault or judge severely.—crit′i•cal•ly adv.
dain•ty (dān′ tē) adj. 1. Light, graceful, and carefully precise. 2. Very careful in choosing; fussy.
de•ject•ed (dĭ jĕk′ tĭd) adj. Feeling depressed and gloomy; unhappy.
dis•con•tent (dĭs′ kən tĕnt′) adj. Restlessly unhappy; dissatisfied.
ear•nest (ûr′ nĭst) adj. Expressing deep, sincere feeling: Lori’s parents gave in to her earnest request.—ear′nest•ly adv.
el•apse (ĭ lăps′) v. To go by or pass: Years elapsed before I heard from my friend again.
el•e•gant (ĕl′ ĭ gənt) adj. Refined or marked by good taste.
en•vi•sion (ĕn vĭzh′ ən) v. To imagine; picture in the mind: He envisioned himself winning the award.
ex•ile (ĕg′ zīl′) or (ĕk′ sīl′) n. 1. Removal by force from one’s native country. 2. Forced removal from a group or activity.
fa•cil•i•ty (fə sĭl′ ĭ tē) n. 1. Ease in moving, acting, or doing something. 2. Something that is built to provide some kind of service or convenience: The swimming pool was a public facility used by all the townspeople.
fa•tigue (fə tēg′) n. Exhaustion; the condition of being tired from hard work or strain.
fo•li•age (fō′ lē ĭj) n. The leaves of plants or trees.
green (grēn) adj. Lacking training or experience: The green newcomer made many mis
takes.
in•stinc•tive (ĭn stĭngk′ tĭv) adj. Arising from an inner feeling or way of behaving that is automatic rather than something that has been learned: We were amazed at the young animal’s instinctiveability to hunt.—in•stinc′tive•ly adv.
in•ten•si•ty (ĭn tĕn′ sĭ tē) n. The quality of being strong, deep and forceful; concentration: The class studied with great intensity.
in•tent (ĭn tĕnt′) adj. Showing concentration; fixed on a purpose; determined.
i•so•lat•ed (ī′ sə lā′ tĭd) adj. Set or kept apart from others.
lilt (lĭlt) n. A pleasant, cheerful rhythmic motion, suggesting music.
loath•ing (lō′ thĭng) n. Extreme dislike.
lyr•ics (lĭr′ ĭks) n. The words of a song.
mim•ic (mĭm′ ĭk) v. mim•icked. To copy or imitate closely: The comedian mimicked an ape.
of•fen•sive (ə fĕn′ sĭv) adj. Unpleasant to the senses; disgusting.
pan•to•mime (păn tə mīm′) v. 1. To act without using speech. 2. To use gestures and movements instead of words to express a meaning: He won the game of charades because he pantomimed so well.
pa•pal (pā′ pəl) adj. Like the Pope; regal yet kindly.
pen•e•trate (pĕn′ ĭ trāt′) v. To go into or through; pierce: Very little light could penetrate the dense forest.
per•sist (pər sĭst′) v. To continue stubbornly to say or do something: He persisted in saying that he was innocent.
plea (plē) n. An urgent request or appeal.
pol•i•cy (pŏl′ ĭ sē) n. A general plan or course of action followed by someone: The teacher’s policy was to fail anyone caught cheating.
rec•re•a•tion•al (rĕk′ rē ā′ shən əl) adj. Of or having to do with activities, such as sports or games, that relax or refresh one’s body or mind.
reel (rēl) v. To stagger; go around in a whirling motion.
re•gard (rĭ gärd′) v. To look at.
shim•mer•ing (shĭm′ ə rĭng) adj. Shining with flickering light; glimmering.
sol•emn (sŏl′ əm) adj. Very serious; grave: The officer took a solemn oath to uphold the law.
stride (strīd) v. To walk with long steps.
strode (strōd) Past tense of the verb stride.
su•preme (sə prēm′) adj. Greatest; highest in quality or achievement.
taunt (tônt) v. To insult; mock: The referee did not respond when the crowd taunted him.
top•ple (tŏp′ əl) v. To push over; overturn.
un•daunt•ed (ŭn dôn′ tĭd) adj. Not discouraged; fearless.
un•wit•ting (ŭn wĭt′ ĭng) adj. 1. Not intended. 2. Not knowing; unaware: The unwitting boy didn’t realize that he had been tricked.
un•yield•ing (ŭn yēl′ dĭng) adj. Firm; not giving in: We could not force the unyielding donkey up the hill.
vain (vān) adj. Without success; of no use: She tried in vain to keep the water from spilling.—idiom: in vain.
ve•lour (və lŏŏr′) n. A soft, smooth, velvetlike fabric used for clothing, curtains, and furniture.—modifier: a velour cushion.
vi•tal (vīt′ l) adj. 1. Essential to life. 2. Having great importance: It was vital that they reach town by sundown.
vul•ner•a•ble (vŭl′ nər ə bəl) adj. Capable of being harmed; open to danger; unprotected.
whisk (hwĭsk) or (wĭsk) v. 1. To brush or sweep with quick, light movements. 2. To move or carry very quickly: The parents whisked the naughty child out the door.
yoke (yōk) n. 1. A crossbar that fits around the necks of oxen or other animals. 2. Part of a garment that fits closely around the neck and shoulders.
Copyright © 1986 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Definitions and pronunciation key adapted and reprinted by permission from The American Heritage Student’s Dictionary.
A Biography of Betsy Byars
Betsy Byars (b. 1928) is an award-winning author of more than sixty books for children and young adults, including The Summer of the Swans (1970), which earned the prestigious Newbery Medal. Byars also received the National Book Award for The Night Swimmers (1980) and an Edgar Award for Wanted . . . Mud Blossom (1991), among many other accolades. Her books have been translated into nineteen languages and she has fans all over the world.
Byars was born Betsy Cromer in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her father, George, was a manager at a cotton mill and her mother, Nan, was a homemaker. As a child, Betsy showed no strong interest in writing but had a deep love of animals and sense of adventure. She and her friends ran a backyard zoo that starred “trained cicadas,” box turtles, leeches, and other animals they found in nearby woods. She also claims to have ridden the world’s first skateboard, after neighborhood kids took the wheels off a roller skate and nailed them to a plank of wood.
After high school, Byars began studying mathematics at Furman University, but she soon switched to English and transferred to Queens College in Charlotte, where she began writing. She also met Edward Ford Byars, an engineering graduate student from Clemson University, whom she would marry after she graduated in 1950.
Between 1951 and 1956 Byars had three daughters—Laurie, Betsy, and Nan. While raising her family, Byars began submitting stories to magazines, including the Saturday Evening Post and Look. Her success in publishing warm, funny stories in national magazines led her to consider writing a book. Her son, Guy, was born in 1959, the same year she finished her first manuscript. After several rejections, Clementine (1962), a children’s story about a dragon made out of a sock, was published.
Following Clementine, Byars released a string of popular children’s and young adult titles including The Summer of the Swans, which earned her the Newbery Medal. She continued to build on her early success through the following decades with award-winning titles such as The Eighteenth Emergency (1973), The Night Swimmers, the popular Bingo Brown series, and the Blossom Family series. Many of Byars’s stories describe children and young adults with quirky families who are trying to find their own way in the world. Others address problems young people have with school, bullies, romance, or the loss of close family members. Byars has also collaborated with daughters Betsy and Laurie on children’s titles such as My Dog, My Hero (2000).
Aside from writing, Byars continues to live adventurously. Her husband, Ed, has been a pilot since his student days, and Byars obtained her own pilot’s license in 1983. The couple lives on an airstrip in Seneca, South Carolina. Their home is built over a hangar and the two pilots can taxi out and take off almost from their front yard.
Byars (bottom left) at age five, with her mother and her older sister, Nancy.
A teenage Byars (left) and her sister, Nancy, on the dock of their father’s boat, which he named NanaBet for Betsy and Nancy.
Byars at age twenty, hanging out with friends at Queens College in 1948.
Byars and her new husband, Ed, coming up the aisle on their wedding day in June 1950.
Byars and Ed with their daughters Laurie and Betsy in 1955. The family lived for two years in one of these barracks apartments while Ed got a degree at the University of Illinois and Byars started writing.
Byars with her children Nan and Guy, circa 1958.
Byars with Ed and their four children in Marfa, Texas, in July 1968. The whole family gathered to cheer for Ed, who was flying in a ten-day national contest.
Byars at the Newbery Award dinner in 1971, where she won the Newbery Medal for The Summer of the Swans.
Byars with Laurie, Betsy, Nan, Guy, and Ed at her daughter Betsy’s wedding on December 17, 1977.
Byars in 1983 in South Carolina with her Yellow Bird, the plane in which she got her pilot’s license.
Byars and her husband in their J-3 Cub, which they flew from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast in March 1987, just like the characters in Byars’s novel Coast to Coast.
Byars speaking at Waterstone’s Booksellers in Newcastle, England, in the late 1990s.
Byars and Ed in front of th
eir house in Seneca, South Carolina, where they have lived since the mid-1990s.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook onscreen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Text copyright © 1980 by Betsy Byars. Illustrations copyright © 1980 by Troy Howell. Reprinted by permission of Delacorte Press.
Copyright © 1989 by Houghton Mifflin Company
cover design by Elizabeth Connor
978-1-4532-9418-5
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