Katharine the Almost Great: The Ding Dong Ditch-a-Roo
Mom swooped into the room and plucked Jack out of my arms Bedtime she announced She slid the popcorn bowl across the table It was Friday night which meant it was movie night My favorite night of the week I pulled Penelope Parks Takes a Dare out of a bag Look what Lily lent us Us Crockett groaned We’ve seen it at least ten times How about watching a scary movie I put my hand on my forehead and whipped my neck back I must watch Penelope She smiles She sparkles She shines Mom’s thundery voiced boomed down the steps Didn’t you pick out the movie last week Katharine Be fair And the week before yelled Crockett He pointed upstairs Now she has good hearing 7
I tossed poor Penelope on the couch You know I’m a fair and square kind of girl I sighed Go ahead Pick Crockett fl ipped through the movies How about The Invisible Man I nodded What else could a fair and square kind of girl do Mom came downstairs and snatched a deck of cards out of the desk I’ll be in the basement with Aunt Chrissy My cousin Crockett and Aunt Chrissy have lived in our basement ever since his parents divorced Mom glanced at the movie Good choice Crockett I studied the cover There’s no such thing as an Invisible Man An evil laugh came from Crockett as he pointed to the door Who do you think rang your bell It was not a chuckle moment 8
Ha ha Crockett Mom didn’t Dr Cho say I had 20 20 hearing Per-fect-o hearing But when I looked up she was gone Crockett popped the movie into the player Looks like you have an Invisible Mother he said When the movie started I munch munch munched on popcorn Then I giggled It looks like he’s wrapped in toilet paper I said But I didn’t laugh for long When it got scary I scooch-a-rooed closer to Crockett Wasn’t that a great movie he asked when it ended The chase scene favorite was my part What was yours 9
I didn’t have time to answer Just then the doorbell rang Again I glanced at the clock It’s nine thirty at night I whispered Who could it be Crockett walked over to the door He looked through the peephole No one’s there He pulled back the curtain I don’t see anyone Or anything He slowly opened the door Stepping outside he announced The coast is clear I peeked over his shoulder It’s hard to see anyone with all this rain We hurried back inside Maybe it’s the Invisible Man after all said Crockett My heart pounded Do you think it could be I sat on the couch and wondered where my Monster-Be-Gone spray could be I closed my eyes and took ten deep breaths Finally I had a 10
