Green Gravy

by Beverly Lewis

  Carly didn’t say anything. She wished Dee Dee would keep quiet. Too many kids were standing around.

  “Jimmy’s your brother, remember?” Dee Dee said.

  “I didn’t say he wasn’t,” Carly hollered back.

  Dee Dee dragged her feet and stopped swinging. She got off. And she stood right where Carly could see her.

  But Carly stared up at the sky. “Quit buggin’ me,” she said.

  Dee Dee said, “Yes, Your Royal Highness.”

  Then she walked away.

  “Oh, great,” Carly whispered. “The Student of the Week has another enemy.”

  She—Carly Hunter—wasn’t so special. She knew it for sure.

  So did her best friend.

  And probably her brother.

  She felt like crying.

  FIVE

  It was Carly’s special day.

  “Make Jimmy wear green!” Carly wailed.

  Her mother shook her head. “I’m not going to force him,” she said. “Jimmy’s Korean, not Irish.”

  “But he has to,” Carly told her. “The whole class is supposed to wear green and eat green.”

  “Well, I gave Jimmy some lunch money,” her mother said. “So it’s up to the school cook, I guess.”

  Carly wanted to stamp her foot. But she knew better. Her mother would give her extra chores. For sure.

  She went to her room. She made her bed and folded her pajamas. Cleaning up helped to take the “M” out of mad!

  On top of that, she counted to fifty. Very slowly.

  Soon she was drawing a picture of Quacker. This time she looked out the window at her duck. She took her time and did a good job.

  The sketch turned out just ducky.

  She pinned on her Student of the Week button.

  Now she was ready to make her green lunch.

  First, she washed two big pieces of celery.

  No peanut butter today. Wrong color.

  Next, she put two pieces of lettuce together. She added sliced dill pickles.

  She found some raw broccoli. A little avocado dip would taste good.

  She helped herself to a handful of Spanish olives.

  Her green meal was done. All but the drink.

  A can of lemon-lime pop was easy. Nice and green, too.

  Before she left, she reached into the cookie jar.

  Mm-m, yum!

  She’d helped her mother bake beautiful green clover cookies. With ooey, gooey green topping.

  “Take plenty for your friends,” her mother said.

  “Teacher too?” Carly asked.

  “Help yourself.” Her mother found a plastic bag.

  Carly put a bunch of cookies inside. “Maybe now Jimmy will eat something green,” she said.

  Her mother smiled. “Maybe, but maybe not.”

  “Why’s he so stubborn?” asked Carly.

  “Stubborn?” her mother said. “You could be wrong about that, dear. Jimmy might be feeling something else.”

  “Like what?” Carly asked. She couldn’t think of anything.

  “Jimmy needs to be himself,” her mother said. “He’s still getting used to America. And to all of us.” She kissed Carly good-bye. “Do you have your shoe box full of things?”

  “In my room,” Carly said. “I have everything I need for my special day.”

  Everything but a best friend and a nice little brother, she thought.

  That added up to nothing much!

  “Take good care of our family pictures,” her mother reminded her.

  “I will,” Carly said. “I promise.”

  “I’ll carry the cookies,” Abby said.

  “Thank you,” Carly said.

  She was trying hard to be a good citizen.

  Carly stuck with her big sister, Abby. And her big brother, Shawn. They walked across the street together.

  So did Stacy Henry, Abby’s best friend. Eric Hagel, too.

  They were four of the older Cul-de-sac Kids. The rest of the kids in the club were already at school.

  Miss Hartman’s outside door was easy to see.

  Super easy!

  It was the one with all the green kids. A ribbon of green stretched out across the playground.

  Carly saw something else. Something purple.

  It’s Jimmy, she thought. He’s spoiling my day.

  “Make sure you don’t drop your pictures,” Abby said.

  “Mommy already told me that,” Carly shot back.

  “Hey, what’s the matter?” Abby said. “I was only trying to help.”

  “Well, I don’t need any help.” Carly stamped off.

  It was OK to stamp in the school yard.

  Abby couldn’t stop her.

  “Guess I’ll just eat up your cookies!” called Abby.

  Carly spun around. “No! No!”

  Abby hurried over. “Here,” she said. “I was only kidding.”

  “Don’t be a sour pie like Jimmy,” muttered Carly to herself. Carefully, she carried the cookie bag and the shoe box.

  Now . . . where was Dee Dee?

  Carly searched. The green student line was a problem. Everyone looked the same!

  Finally, she found her friend. Dee Dee’s natural curls had a big green bow.

  Carly waved to her. But Dee Dee didn’t wave back.

  Neither did Jimmy. He was at the end of the line.

  “You look nice and green,” Carly said.

  Dee Dee didn’t smile. “So do you.”

  Something was strange about Dee Dee’s voice. It sounded like a flat tire.

  “What’s the matter?” Carly asked.

  “Nothin’ much,” Dee Dee said.

  She always said that when she was upset.

  Carly got in line behind her. But Dee Dee didn’t turn around. She didn’t even look at Carly’s clover cookies!

  What’s her problem? she wondered.

  Carly could hardly wait for the bell.

  SIX

  Miss Hartman was writing on the board.

  Her suit was bright green. Her green-and-blue blouse was all swirly.

  When everyone was seated, she called the roll.

  Jimmy was the only one missing.

  “Is your brother sick?” Miss Hartman asked Carly.

  Carly turned around. She looked all around the room. “I just saw him at the end of the line,” she said.

  Dee Dee tapped her on the shoulder. “Look out the window. Jimmy’s hiding. “

  Carly stretched up, up out of her seat.

  Her brother was sitting on the slide.

  “There he is!” Carly pointed.

  “Oh, dear,” Miss Hartman said and rushed out the door.

  Everyone jumped up to see.

  Carly and Dee Dee got out of their seats, too.

  “What’s going on?” Dee Dee asked Carly.

  “Who knows.”

  “Looks like Jimmy’s got some markers,” one girl called.

  Everyone rushed to the window. They crowded in.

  Carly was too short. She couldn’t see.

  Dee Dee crawled up on someone’s desk. She started to giggle.

  “What’s funny?” Carly asked.

  “Jimmy’s painting dots on his nose,” Dee Dee said.

  “Dots? What for?” Carly asked.

  “How would I know?” Dee Dee said.

  The kids watched for a moment.

  “Here comes the teacher!” someone said. “And Jimmy!”

  They darted to their seats. Like scared mice.

  Miss Hartman came inside, grinning. Silently, she guided Jimmy to his seat.

  Carly stared. She wasn’t daydreaming. Not at all.

  Now everyone was staring.

  Dee Dee was right. Jimmy did have dots on his nose.

  But they weren’t just any kind of dots.

  They were GREEN ones!

  “Those are some strange freckles,” one boy joked.

  Jimmy spoke up. “Friendly freckles.” He laughed.

  Miss
Hartman sat at her desk. “Quiet, class,” she said.

  Everyone settled down.

  “Every student in this class has helped make Carly’s wish come true,” Miss Hartman said. “Happy St. Patrick’s Day.”

  The kids chattered a bit. They were saying “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” to each other.

  But Carly wasn’t. She was staring at Jimmy.

  His friendly green freckles went all across his nose. They spilled over onto his cheeks.

  Carly was no dummy. She could see right through those Sour-Pie freckles.

  Jimmy had tricked her. On purpose!

  He’d tricked her with those green freckles.

  She couldn’t use the Pinch Rule on him.

  It was no good now.

  Rats!

  SEVEN

  It was time for morning recess.

  Miss Hartman’s class flew out the side door.

  “Jimmy’s a smart one,” Dee Dee said. “He’s wearing green, after all.”

  “Whose side are you on?” asked Carly.

  Dee Dee didn’t say anything. She rubbed her ear.

  Carly stared at her.

  “Not nice to stare,” Dee Dee said.

  “I wanna know whose side you’re on,” Carly said.

  Dee Dee sniffed. But she didn’t talk.

  “Aw, c’mon,” Carly pleaded. “Talk to me.”

  Dee Dee shook her head. “Only if you fix things up.”

  “With who?” Carly asked.

  “You know who,” Dee Dee said. “Start treatin’ your brother nicer!”

  Carly felt a fuss face coming. “You can’t tell me what to do, Dee Dee Winters!”

  She dashed to the swings.

  Dee Dee ran the opposite way. She went in Miss Hartman’s classroom door.

  “You’re a squealer,” Carly said out loud. She stamped her foot.

  “Who’s tattling?”

  Carly turned her head.

  There stood Abby and Stacy.

  “Are you fussing with Dee Dee?” Abby said.

  Carly pouted. “Nobody’s business.”

  Abby sat on the swing next to her. “You look pretty today,” she said. “I like your green polka-dot skirt.”

  Carly shook her head. “I know what you’re doing,” she said. “I’m no dummy.”

  “Didn’t say you were,” Abby told her.

  “So why are you saying I look pretty?” Carly asked.

  “Listen to me,” her big sister said. “You’re the Student of the Week, right?”

  Carly nodded. She bit her lower lip. “Guess you don’t think I oughta be.”

  Stacy stepped up. She leaned too close to Carly’s face. “Abby didn’t mean that. You’re a good citizen, Carly.”

  “Just not a perfect citizen,” said Carly.

  Abby scratched her head. “Don’t say that.”

  Stacy glanced at Abby and lifted her shoulders. “Here comes someone,” she said.

  Carly looked up. Dee Dee was coming toward them.

  “Hey, look, she’s smiling,” Abby said.

  “It’s a Sour-Pie smile,” said Carly. “I know a squealer when I see one!”

  EIGHT

  The bell rang. Morning recess was over.

  Carly hurried inside the classroom. She looked at Miss Hartman’s face.

  Is she upset? Carly wondered.

  She couldn’t tell. Not for sure.

  Carly turned around in her seat. “Why did you squeal?” she asked Dee Dee.

  “I just said what you said,” Dee Dee replied. “And Miss Hartman said that it wasn’t very nice.”

  Carly muttered, “Especially for a good citizen.”

  “What?” Dee Dee said.

  “Oh, nothing,” replied Carly. She wanted to cry.

  Nothing was turning out right. Nothing at all.

  Jimmy was getting away with wearing purple.

  Dee Dee was mad. Capital M!

  Miss Hartman was taking sides.

  And . . . oh no!

  She was putting “good-citizen” stars beside Jimmy’s name. Up on the board where everyone could see.

  Why? she wondered. Jimmy doesn’t deserve stars!

  She felt Dee Dee tapping her back. “Look. Jimmy’s earning points,” Dee Dee said.

  Carly didn’t turn around.

  How could Miss Hartman do this?

  Dee Dee kept whispering, “Jimmy didn’t wanna wear green, remember? He’s not Irish one bit! But he followed your wish, Carly. He wore green. Now that’s a good citizen.”

  “Shh!” said Miss Hartman. “It’s time for our Student of the Week. Carly Hunter, will you please come forward?”

  Carly was upset. She twisted the eraser off her pencil.

  Ka-pop!

  It sailed over Dee Dee’s desk and landed on Jimmy’s head.

  “What was that?” asked the teacher.

  Jimmy felt the top’ of his head. He found the round pink ball. “Eraser drop down from sky,” he said.

  The kids laughed.

  Carly froze. Now what?

  Miss Hartman went around the room. She looked at everyone’s pencil.

  She came to Carly’s desk and looked at her pencil.

  The pink top was missing.

  Carly looked down. “I didn’t mean to,” she said. “It was a mistake.”

  Dee Dee giggled behind her. “That’s what erasers are for—mistakes!”

  Everyone was laughing even harder.

  Suddenly, Carly felt sick. “Excuse me,” she said.

  Off she ran to the girls’ room.

  First thing, Carly turned on the water. Cold water.

  She slapped some on her face.

  Then she dried off with a paper towel.

  The face in the mirror was a fuss face. Capital F!

  “What’s the matter with me?” she said out loud.

  Soon Miss Hartman came in. “Are you all right?”

  Carly shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  “Maybe the nurse should check you,” said her teacher.

  Miss Hartman took her to the little square room. It smelled like mushroom soup.

  The nurse had her sit down. She checked for a fever. She made her say “AHHHH!”

  “You seem normal,” the nurse said. “Maybe a little rest will help.”

  “OK. I’ll rest,” Carly said. She went to the cot to lie down.

  But rest was impossible. Things were on her mind. Things like green foods and lunchtime. And Jimmy’s not-green hot lunch.

  She thought about the Pinch Rule. It was Ker-plooey.

  Why not a Lunch Rule, too? A rule for anyone who didn’t eat green foods.

  Like Sour-Pie Jimmy!

  She looked at the clock. It wouldn’t be long now until lunch.

  Would her brother trick her again?

  NINE

  Carly stared at the wall in the nurse’s room.

  She let herself daydream.

  Jimmy was wearing a sour apple pie. It was smashed on his head. It had rotten green apples in it. And long green worms.

  Carly shivered. She took a breath.

  “How are you feeling?” asked the nurse.

  “I need a drink of water, please,” Carly said.

  The nurse helped her up.

  “Thank you,” said Carly.

  The lady in white let the water run. She gave her the full glass.

  “Is it time for lunch yet?” Carly asked.

  “Almost,” said the nurse. “Are you hungry?”

  Carly nodded and scooted off the cot. “I think I’m better now.”

  The nurse walked her back to Miss Hartman’s room. “Tell your teacher if you’re sick again.”

  “Thank you very much,” Carly answered.

  The nurse smiled. “What a polite girl.”

  “Thank you.” Carly smiled, too.

  The nurse was right. She was polite. Most of the time.

  Carly opened the classroom door.

  Miss Hartman was checking handwriti
ng papers.

  Quickly, Carly went to her seat and took out her notebook.

  “We’re making P’s and D’s today,” Miss Hartman told her. “For St. Patrick’s Day.”

  Carly made her letters curly.

  “That’s not right,” Dee Dee said in her ear.

  But Carly didn’t turn around. She made seven more letters. Each more curly than the other.

  When Jimmy wasn’t looking, Carly stared at him. She could see his paper. He was drawing a clover leaf at the top.

  A green one!

  Would he eat a green lunch, too?

  At last it was lunchtime.

  Miss Hartman’s green students walked to the cafeteria.

  Carly watched Jimmy. She didn’t let him out of sight.

  “Feeling better?” asked Dee Dee. She didn’t wait for Carly to answer. “Still mad at your brother?”

  “Not nice to be nosy,” answered Carly.

  She headed to a different table. Abby and Stacy were sitting there. Jason Birchall and Dunkum Mitchell were there, too. And Shawn, of course.

  “Hi, Carly,” they all said.

  “Can I sit here?” she asked.

  “Well, I don’t know if you can, but you may,” Stacy said.

  Carly smiled. Stacy liked to correct the way kids talked. She had the best speech in the cul-de-sac.

  “Why aren’t you sitting with your class?” Abby asked.

  Carly lifted one shoulder. “Don’t wanna.”

  She kept looking over at Jimmy. He was in the hot-lunch line now. And it looked like his friendly freckles were gone.

  Carly thought about the Lunch Rule. “Is there any green food for hot lunch?” she asked.

  Stacy laughed. “Our cook’s not that creative.”

  “Well, I am!” Jason Birchall said. He held up a long, skinny tube. “This is my dessert.”

  Jason didn’t just like the color green, he loved it. Especially green things like bullfrogs. Dill pickles, too.

  Carly looked at the long tube. “What’s it for?” she asked.

  “It’s cake icing,” Jason said. “Wanna squeeze?”

  “Maybe later,” Carly said.

  She stared at Jason’s lunch. It was definitely a St. Patrick’s Day meal. There were bunches of green grapes, slices of green melon, and a cup of green Jell-O. And a giant dill pickle.

  “Hey, you’re eating all green foods,” she said.

  “Green as a bean!” Jason chanted. He poked his pointer fingers in the air and jerked his head around.

  The kids at the table laughed. So did Carly.