I need them to make stamps their priority And also our Internet and phone They HAVE to get set up I can't get in touch with my friends I feel like a cave person I need help hanging stuff too I've got stacks of pants and sweaters and long sleeved shirts and sweatshirts to hang They don't fit in my new dresser which is tiny Because my room is tiny One good thing about this room though it's ALL MINE For the first time in my whole life I’m not sharing a room with Sloppy
I drop my used Q tips on the floor 0 0 0 0 0 Sloppy Jo Altman lessiest Big Sister Ever In my very own room I will never have to worry about Jo setting her wet towels on my bed or spilling nail polish on my desk or leaving bowls of half eaten moldy strawberries in my closet That’s one hundred percent good news But it can get lonely in here without Jo I didn't like being all alone last night when there were shadows and creakings inside this new place plus sirens sometimes outside getting closer and closer and louder and louder before fading away I'm going to find Jo now Maybe she'll help me hang my
Later I think Mom might be going bonkers I just saw her sitting on the floor in the living room unpacking a box full of photo albums I asked if she could FINALLY find a stamp for me It s been HOURS since I asked her the first time She didn't answer at first Instead she looked around her at all the boxes and bubble wrap and half filled garbage bags plus the stacks of books and folders and games and binders that haven't been put away yet Why wouldn't I be able to find a stamp she said after she'd glanced at all of that Then she said How about a teeny tiny button Would you like a teeny tiny button too Then she started laughing And she DID NOT STOP She leaned back and put her hand on her chest and laughed and laughed and wiped tears from her eyes and laughed some more I should've been annoyed Because I really need a stamp and she was making fun of me But all that laughing was contagious I had to laugh some too I left her on the floor in there shaking her head and grinning And now I’m taping my entire letter to Lula in here Since I'm obviously not getting a stamp any time
Dear Lula I miss you so much already I can't believe I'm starting a new school tomorrow without you and Violet I don't want to go I'm not going to know a single person We never brush our teeth Mom and Dad keep saying You'll make friends You ll see But they can't know that right What if all the kids in my class have bad breath Or what if I mess up What if I sneeze one of those wet sneezes in class for example and I don't cover my face fast enough and snot and slobber gets on everyone around me They’ll call me Sneezy for the rest of my life And no one will want to get anywhere near me Not without protective
