Hello Mrs De Negris Nora would call back for she had learned the names of most of the 200 neighbors in her building And most of them Nora considered to be her good friends Nora’s friends were all ages and sizes and breeds Her smallest friend was Russell who was three a year younger than Nora’s brother Teddy Her shaggiest friend was a dog named Putzi and her oldest friend was Mrs Wurmbrand who was almost eighty-five Nora and Teddy liked to call her Mrs W for short All these friends helped to make life very interesting Every day seemed a new adventure with new discoveries Even the most ordinary day could suddenly turn into something special One Tuesday morning in the spring
just after Nora’s sixth birthday she woke up hearing unusual sounds coming from the street below Because they lived on the seventh floor they missed some street noises entirely while others like the garbage truck or fire sirens made their way up through the air This morning’s sound was a new one It was not one that Nora heard every day Nora woke Teddy and told him to listen What is it asked Teddy puzzled I don’t know said Nora It seemed a good reason to wake up Mommy I don’t hear anything Mommy said sleepily but she went with the children to the window Opening it and looking out she saw that a hole had been drilled in the cement sidewalk in front of the apartment house
Let’s go out and see proposed Nora Wait I need my coffee first said Mommy Nothing ever happened in the morning until Mommy had her cup of coffee We’ll go downstairs with Daddy in a little while she said Soon the apartment was filled with morning sounds and smells The alarm clock rang and Daddy got out of bed and into the shower Coffee began perking on the stove while Mommy dressed herself Daddy drank orange juice and coffee and ate two slices of toast but Nora and Teddy were too excited to eat They put on their winter coats toggle coats with hoods Teddy had a brown one and Nora had a green one And they put on their shoes Smart Nora tied all
