by Brann Garvey
I hugged her. Then Mason, Randi, and I took off down the beach.
Claudia’s Maybe-Fabulous Florida Vacation Journal
Seminole Beach, Florida. Friday, 7:19 a.m.
Okay, I have to admit it. I didn’t ask Mom and Dad about snorkeling on purpose. I didn’t want them to tell me I had to babysit. It’s my turn to have fun.
Old Boat Reef
The beach wasn’t crowded yet. One man was fishing. A woman jogged by with her dog. Three teenagers were setting up a net for volleyball.
Mason and Randi and I picked a spot to stash our stuff. I had my bathing suit on under my clothes, so I was ready to hit the water.
I took off my T-shirt and shorts and looked for my sunscreen. But it wasn’t in my bag. I’d left it at the motel!
“Randi, do you have any sunscreen?” I asked.
Randi frowned. “I put sunscreen on at home,” she said. “I’m sorry!”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
Then Mason yelled, “Grab your goggles, and let’s go!” He ran down to the water. He was carrying a net bag for shells.
I’d snorkeled before, in the lake back home. But in the lake, there wasn’t much to see. The bottom was mucky, and the water was cold and brown. The Florida water was warm and clear.
“Rinse your goggles before you put them on,” Mason said. “Then they won’t cloud up.”
“If you get water in your snorkel,” Randi said, “just blow it out.”
I got water in my snorkel right away. I didn’t blow it out. I forgot what Randi told me to do.
I panicked! I swallowed the water and gagged! Sea water is full of salt! UGH.
The boogie board made it easy to float. I put my face in the water and paddled. It was like watching underwater TV.
The waves made ripples in the sand. Most of the shells were broken. I saw a starfish and some round brown disks. The water wasn’t deep. I dove down and picked up one of the disks.
FYI: (For your information)
1. A long cord is attached to the boogie board.
2. The other end is wrapped around my wrist.
3. The boogie board can’t drift away.
I popped back out of the water and showed Mason the disk. “What’s this?” I asked. The disk was fuzzy with a hole in the middle. It was flat on one side, and rounded on the other.
“A sand dollar,” Mason said. “A live one.”
“EWW!” I said. I dropped it. I wanted souvenirs, but I didn’t want to kill anything.
Randi laughed. “The white ones are dead,” she told me. “Just like the other shells.”
Fish were swimming below us. Some were blue and yellow. Others were green and brown. A few had black and white stripes.
We paddled around for an hour. There was so much to see! I saw some creatures I’d never seen before, except on TV. Anemones are animals. They look like wiggly spaghetti flowers. Sea horses are brown and hard to spot. They blend in with seaweed. Live lobsters are green.
A barracuda is long and skinny and has sharp teeth. They’re bigger than the other fish. I came face to face with one. It scared me so much I shrieked!
“That’s Tiger,” Randi said. “He finds food around the reef.”
“Do human toes look like fish food?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Mason said, “but Tiger doesn’t eat much.”
“Stop teasing, Mason!” Randi said, laughing. She splashed her brother. “Tiger won’t bother you if you don’t bother him, Claudia,” she told me.
“Don’t worry!” I said. I did not want to tangle with Tiger’s teeth.
We dove down to collect some white sand dollars. We even found a few shells that weren’t broken. Then we went back to the beach. We rested and ate snacks.
“Want to see something cool?” Mason asked. He broke a white sand dollar in half.
I frowned. “Why did you break it?” I asked.
“To show you the little angels inside,” Mason said. He shook the broken sand dollar. Tiny pieces fell into my hand. They looked like little wings.
“Wow!” I said. “That is cool.”
“We’re going to see that new Super Six movie tonight,” Mason said. “Do you want to come?”
“Sure!” I said. I love the Super Six. Three of the heroes are girls.
“We’ll pick you up at seven,” Mason said.
“You’re such a flirt, Mason,” Randi teased.
“I’m not flirting. I’m just being nice,” Mason said.
Randi and I buried Mason in the sand. Then we rode waves with our boogie boards and played Frisbee. Suddenly, we realized that it was almost 3 o’clock. We packed our things and headed back.
As I walked toward the motel, I was filled with dread. My cousin-free day on the beach was over.
Claudia’s Almost-Fabulous Florida Vacation Journal
Seminole Beach, Florida. Friday, 3:07 p.m.
Was Mason flirting with me? Or was he just being nice? Is going to the movies a date? I want to see the Super Six movie on Skull Island, but I don’t want to go on a date.
Seminole Beach, Florida. Friday, 3:12 p.m.
I’ve thought about it. My insides don’t feel like mush when I see Mason. I don’t stumble over words or choke up when I talk to him.
I just like him as a friend. So going to the movies with Mason and his sister is not a date.
That’s a relief! I don’t want to feel guilty about having a good time.
Good News
Mom and Dad said I could go to the movies!
Aunt Maria and Uncle Renaldo were taking my cousins to play miniature golf at Pirate’s Cove that night.
I didn’t have to babysit. I just had to watch the kids for a little while in the afternoon, while Mom and Aunt Maria helped Grandma make dinner.
My cousins were playing on the beach. “Where were you today?” Alisha asked.
“I went snorkeling with Randi and Mason,” I said.
Alisha kicked sand at me and STOMPED off. She sat down about twenty feet away with her back to me.
I shrugged. I was getting used to Alisha’s weird moods.
Gabe and I built a sand castle.
Jose made a pirate ship with driftwood and seaweed. We used small shells for people. Jose’s pirates fought Gabe’s soldiers. We had a blast.
Alisha just sat and POUTED.
After dinner, I waited until the cousins left for Pirate Cove. Then I rushed back to the motel to change.
“Ouch!” I yelled when I took off my T-shirt. My skin was redder than a boiled lobster! I hadn’t realized how bad my sunburn was.
I took a shower. Even cold water stung my sunburn.
It was only 5:30. I didn’t have to go to Randi and Mason’s house until 7 o’clock. I stretched out to watch TV for a while.
I must have fallen asleep, because I woke up when the cousins came back.
Alisha pushed me over in the bed. “Move over, Claudia,” she said.
I yelled, “Ow!”
I thought I would die! My sunburn hurt so bad!
I gently rolled over and looked at the clock. It was 9:30.
Claudia’s Not-So-Fabulous Florida Vacation
Motel Room, Florida. Friday, 9:45 p.m.
I am so mad! I missed going out with my new friends again. And I missed seeing the Super Six movie on Skull Island. And it hurts when I move. Sunburn pain is the worst.
Don’t ever forget sunscreen on the beach!
CHAPTER 6
Saturday
Pirate Parade
When I woke up on Saturday morning, Jose and Gabe were already awake.
“Hurry up, Claudia!” Jose said. “We’re going to miss the Pirate Parade if you don’t get up and get ready now!”
“Okay, okay,” I said. I got dressed. Then my cousins and I met Uncle Diego outside.
The Pirate Parade was going to go right past the motel. We sat on a bench and waited. Soon, Randi and Mason walked up and sat down next to me.
R
andi noticed my long sleeves and jeans. “Aren’t you hot?” she asked.
“Yeah, but I have a really bad sunburn,” I explained. I felt stupid. It was really hot outside already, and getting hotter. But I didn’t want to make my sunburn worse!
“Is this a REAL pirate parade?” Jose asked.
“There aren’t any real pirates,” Alisha answered. “Only FAKE ones.”
“But they throw beads and stuff,” Mason explained. “It’s like pirate treasure.”
“Wow!” Jose yelled. He looked really excited.
Uncle Diego yawned. He never gets excited.
“Pirates!” Gabe shouted. He clapped his chubby hands.
“Pirates are silly,” Alisha said. “But I like beads.”
“Here they come!” Randi told Gabe. She pointed down the street.
The first car in the parade was decorated with pirate flags and fake parrots. Two ladies threw strings of plastic silver beads toward us. We all reached to catch one, but only Mason got one of the necklaces.
Alisha held up her hand. “Can I have it?” she asked, smiling sweetly.
“Sure,” Mason said. He gave her the beads.
“MINE!” Gabe yelled, grabbing for the necklace.
“You can have the next one, Gabe,” I said.
Randi waved at the next float. “Over here!” she called.
The second car was pulling a trailer with palm trees, parrots, and treasure chests. Teenagers dressed like pirates and colonial ladies were riding on the float. They threw red and green beads.
Randi, Mason, and I each caught one. We gave the beads to the cousins.
I took Gabe’s hand so he wouldn’t run away. He wanted more beads, but catching them wasn’t easy.
“Blue!” Gabe shouted. He jumped up and down and pulled on my arm. “Get them!”
A man threw a string of blue beads right at me. I caught them. “Thank you!” I called to him.
“I want blue ones,” Alisha said. I looked at her. She was wearing BUNCHES of beads. She had silver, gold, red, and green necklaces.
“You can’t have mine!” Jose told her. He was wearing four blue strands.
“I’ll trade you three silver for one blue,” Alisha said.
“No,” Jose yelled. He ducked between two adults. Then he caught a necklace with a big gold coin attached to one end.
“I want one of those!” Alisha yelled. She stepped off the curb. She jumped up and down and shouted at the float. “Me! Me!” she called.
Another gold coin necklace sailed through the air.
Alisha jumped, but an older boy jumped higher. He caught it and gave it to his little sister.
“That was mine!” Alisha screeched. “He took my beads!”
“Quiet, Alisha!” Mason snapped.
Alisha shut up. Her lip quivered, and tears rolled down her face. I could tell that she was embarrassed.
Mason felt terrible. He put his arm around Alisha and said, “I have beads just like that at home. I’ll give them to you later.”
“Okay,” Alisha said, sniffling quietly.
Then Jose and Gabe ran past me into the street. “Money!” Gabe yelled. They both picked up candy wrapped in gold foil. I bent down and scooped up six chocolate coins.
Jose reached for the last coin. Another boy reached at the same time. They bumped heads, and they both cried. Then Alisha picked up the coin. That made the boys cry harder.
I gave three of my gold coins to Jose and three to the other boy.
“Hey! I only got one!” Alisha said. She kicked me.
Claudia’s Sort-of Fabulous Florida Vacation Journal
Gulf Avenue, Florida. Saturday, 11:45 a.m.
Little kids are a lot like pirates.
1. They want gold, silver, and jewels.
2. No matter how much they have, they want more.
3. They don’t like to share.
4. They punish people who make them mad.
There’s only one difference:
Pirates made people walk the plank.
Little kids throw screaming fits and kick shins. I don’t know which is worse.
Beware
After the parade, we took the cousins back to the motel. Randi and Mason came too. The kids ran ahead. They wanted to show Aunt Maria and Uncle Renaldo their beads.
“Why do you have to babysit so much?” Randi asked.
“I’m here, and my aunt and uncle trust me,” I said.
“Do they pay you?” Mason asked.
“No,” I said, shaking my head.
“That ’s not fair,” Mason said.
Randi agreed. “You’re a kid too,” she told me.
“We want to hang out with you,” Mason said. “Not with your cousins.”
“They’re a little BRATTY,” Randi said quietly.
I knew she was right. “They’re going swimming with their parents this afternoon,” I said. “I can’t because I’m sunburned.”
“Great!” Mason said. “Come over to our house later. We’ll watch a movie.”
They headed home, and I headed into the motel. My aunt and uncle were still asleep.
I turned on cartoons. I couldn’t leave my cousins alone, so I was babysitting again.
For free.
I was asked to do a lot of things because I was dependable.
1. I’m the only person who feeds Ping-Ping or cleans her litter box. Even though Mom and Dad have had her since before I was born.
2. At home, I have to do the dishes. Jimmy doesn’t rinse them well enough.
3. Kids at school always want me as a project partner. I’ll do all the work to make sure I get an A.
I was sick of it.
Claudia’s Awful Florida Vacation Journal
Motel Room, Florida. Saturday, 12:23 p.m.
Uncle Diego once said that desperate times called for desperate measures. That means that when things are really bad, you might have to do things you wouldn’t normally do. Well, I’m desperate!
Plus, cartoon music is driving me nuts!
Desperate Measures
Desperate Measure #1: Hide
After my cousins went to the beach, I went to see Randi and Mason. I didn’t leave a note, and I didn’t tell anyone. I wouldn’t have to do anything if nobody could find me!
That worked great for two hours. We ate snacks and watched a movie.
“Your parents invited us to your great-grandfather’s birthday party tomorrow,” Randi said.
“It’ll be better than the FIREWORKS on the beach tonight,” Mason said.
“Which you’re coming to with us, right?” Randi asked. “They start at dark.”
“Okay!” I told her. I smiled. Fireworks sounded fun!
Just then, someone pounded at the front door. Mason opened it. My dad was standing there, and he looked mad.
I got up, said good-bye to Mason and Randi, and left. My dad and I walked toward the beach house.
“I’ve been looking all over for you,” Dad said. “Why didn’t you leave a note? Or tell someone where you were? Your mother is very worried.”
I shrugged. “Randi and Mason invited me over,” I told him.
“At least you’re all right,” Dad said. He sighed. “Jimmy cut his finger helping Grandma with the dishes. Your mom has not had a good afternoon.”
“Sorry,” I muttered. I was SORRY I made my parents NERVOUS. I was SORRY that Grandma always got stuck doing dishes. I was not sorry that Jimmy had to clean up after lunch.
“Your mom and I are going to dinner with Renaldo and Maria,” Dad said. “You can have pizza with your cousins.”
I gasped. I couldn’t believe it. “I have to babysit again?” I asked quietly.
Desperate Measure #2: Just Say No
“At 6 o’clock,” Dad said. “For a couple hours.”
“I can’t!” I said. “I promised to watch the fireworks with Randi and Mason.”
“We’ll be back before dark,” Dad said.
Trying to say no didn’t work, but
I wasn’t ready to give up.
At the beach house, Aunt Maria was sitting under a beach umbrella, reading a magazine.
“Did you have to work on your school vacations when you were in seventh grade, Aunt Maria?” I asked.
“Of course not!” Aunt Maria said, smiling. “It’s not a vacation if you have to work.”
“Exactly!” I exclaimed. “I bet Alisha and Jose and Gabe would love to go out to dinner with you,” I added.
“Nope. They want to have pizza with you,” Aunt Maria said.
“What if I have other plans?” I asked quietly.
Aunt Maria looked up from her magazine. “What? Did you say something?” she asked.
“At home, Mom pays me two dollars an hour to watch the little boy who lives next door to us,” I said.
“Well, that’s nice of her,” Aunt Maria said. She did not offer to pay me.
I SIGHED. Then I went inside the beach house.
“Why can’t Great-Aunt Louisa and Great-Uncle Sam watch the cousins, Grandma?” I asked.
“They’ll probably fall asleep,” Grandma explained.
“Can’t you do it?” I asked.
“I have to take care of Great-Grandpa,” Grandma said. “I’m sorry, but you have to watch your cousins, Claudia.”
Desperate Measure #3: No Show
I had to do something. If I didn’t, I never would.
I went walking on the beach at 5:30.
I came back to the motel at 6:45.
Dad was sitting on a bench when I walked up to the motel. He looked MAD when he saw me. I hated making Dad mad. He never yelled. He calmly told me my punishment. Then he wouldn’t talk to me until it was over.
Dad pointed to the bench. I sat down.
“We had a reservation at a very nice restaurant,” Dad said. “Your mother really wanted to eat there, but it’s too late now.”
I looked at the ground. I didn’t try to explain. I didn’t have an excuse. I had been late on purpose.
