Is a Graduation Girl

by Barbara Park

  Then my whole face got happy.

  ’Cause guess who was talking to my teacher?

  It was Gus Vallony, that's who!

  And Gus Vallony is my favorite janitor!

  I zoomed right over to that guy.

  “Gus Vallony! Gus Vallony! It is a joy to see you!” I said. “And so what brings you here, anyway?”

  Gus Vallony patted my head.

  “I had an important delivery to make, sis,” he said.

  Just then, my bestest friend Lucille came running up to me.

  She pointed to a big stack of boxes.

  “IT'S CATS AND GOWNS, JUNIE B.!” she shouted. “GUS VALLONY BROUGHT US CATS AND GOWNS!”

  She twirled me all around.

  “I heard him talking to the teacher! The cats and gowns are right there in those boxes! Everyone is getting one for graduation!” she said.

  I jumped up and down at that wonderful news!

  ’Cause who doesn't love cats? That's what I would like to know!

  “CATS AND GOWNS!” I hollered.

  “CATS AND GOWNS!” hollered Room Nine.

  Mrs. sat down in her chair real slow. Then Gus Vallony patted her shoulder. And he said the word good luck.

  Mrs. said for Room Nine to please stop shouting.

  “I'm sorry, boys and girls. But Lucille did not hear me correctly,” she said. “No one in Room Nine is getting a cat and gown for graduation.”

  Room Nine did a loud groan.

  “Then what are we getting, exactly?” I asked.

  “Caps and gowns,” said Mrs. “You're all getting a cap and gown for graduation. Not cat and gown.”

  “No, no, no!” said Lucille. “I heard you say cat, teacher! I know I did! I know I did!”

  Mrs. said for Lucille to hush. Then she passed out the boxes to all the children.

  I looked inside my box real curious.

  Then I kept looking and looking. Because something was not right in there.

  “My cap got run over by a truck, I think,” I said. “It is a big, square flatso.”

  Mrs. laughed.

  Then she came to my table. And she unfolded my cap. And she put it right on my head.

  “Hey! What do you know! It fits!” I said.

  After that, all of us put on our caps and gowns. And we skipped all around the room.

  Only not Lucille. ’Cause she was still upset about the cat issue, of course.

  Pretty soon, the bell was going to ring. And so Mrs. made us put our outfits back in our boxes.

  “I'm going to let you take these home with you today,” she said. “But please do not play with them on the bus. And don't play with them at home, either. These caps and gowns are white, okay? And white material gets soiled very easily.”

  “I know it, Mrs.!” I said. “I know white material gets soiled easy! ’Cause one time, my grampa Miller spilled beer on his new white tie. And you can still see beer splots on that thing!”

  Mrs. looked and looked at me.

  Then she sat back down at her desk very quiet.

  And she waited for the bell to ring.

  Me and my bestest friend named Grace rode the bus home together.

  We held our boxes very tight on our laps. And we didn't open them.

  “We are being careful about our graduation gowns, aren't we, Grace?” I said. “We are being careful not to soil them.”

  “Yes,” said that Grace. “We are.”

  I looked down at my box. “I am very proud of us for not opening these things,” I said.

  “I am very proud of us, too,” said that Grace.

  We rode and rode.

  I did a sigh.

  “It's too bad we can't just peek at them a little bit, though … isn't it, Grace?” I said. “One teensy peek wouldn't even hurt anything, I bet.”

  That Grace didn't say anything.

  I tapped on her.

  “Okay, here's what I'm thinking, Grace. I'm thinking we should do one little peek, and that's all,” I said. “What do you say, friend?”

  Grace made her voice very loud.

  “No, Junie B.! No! We are not allowed to! Can't you follow orders? Huh? Do you want to soil these things?”

  I did a huffy breath at her.

  “But peeking will not even soil them, Grace,” I said back. “Peeking is just looking with your eyes … only faster.”

  Only too bad for me. Because Grace kept on saying no, no, no.

  And so I had to wait and wait for that stubborn girl to get off the bus before I could peek.

  After she was gone, I looked in my box zippedy quick. And what do you know! I didn't even soil anything!

  I got off the bus and ran to my house.

  My grandma Helen Miller was babysitting my brother. She was feeding him a snack in his high chair.

  “Grandma Miller! Grandma Miller! I got my cap and gown! It is right here in this box!” I said. “Would you like me to try it on for you, Grandma? Huh? Would you?”

  Grandma Miller clapped her hands.

  “Of course I would!” she said real thrilled. “Try it on right now.”

  “Okey-doke!” I said.

  Then I quick put on my cap and gown. And I danced all around.

  “See me, Grandma? See what I look like? I look like a graduation girl!” I said.

  I hopped around Ollie's high chair.

  “My teacher said not to play in this. But hopping is not the same as playing,” I said.

  Just then, I heard the front door open.

  And hurray, hurray! Mother was home early from work!

  Her whole mouth came open when she saw me.

  “Oh my goodness!” she said. “Look how cute you are!”

  “I know it, Mother! I know I am cute!” I said. “I look like a million bucks in this getup!”

  I twirled all around in front of her.

  “See me twirling, Mother? Twirling is not the same as playing,” I said.

  After I stopped twirling, I fell down on the floor.

  Falling on the floor is what comes after twirling. It cannot be helped, normally.

  Mother picked me up. “Maybe you should take this off before you get it dirty,” she said.

  “No, Mother. No,” I said. “I want to keep it on. Please let me? Please, please!”

  I quick ran to Ollie's high chair. And I ducked down behind it.

  Ollie peeked around at me.

  He had sloppy on his face.

  “I am not a sloppy baby like Ollie,” I said. “I won't get this dirty. I promise.”

  But Mother shook her head.

  “I'm sorry, Junie B. But it's just not a good idea to play in your gown,” she said.

  After that, Mother and Grandma Miller blocked the high chair. And I couldn't run away again.

  “Shoot,” I said. “I am surrounded.”

  Mother took my graduation outfit off of me. And she put it back in the box.

  Then she put the box way on top of the ’frigerator.

  “Let's store it up here for safekeeping,” she said.

  “Let's not,” I said real growly.

  Mother made squinty eyes at me. Then she took me by my arm. And she marched me to my room. ’Cause that woman has no sense of humor, apparently.

  She shut my door and left.

  I flopped on my bed very glum.

  My stuffed animals were very glum, too.

  “Everybody thinks I am a sloppy baby. But I'm not,” I said.

  “I don't think you're a sloppy baby,” said my stuffed elephant named Philip Johnny Bob.

  “I don't think you're a sloppy baby, either,” said my Raggedy Ann named Ruth.

  My Raggedy Andy named Larry did a sigh. “I wish your mother didn't put that cap and gown box on top of the ’frigerator,” he said.

  “Me too,” said Philip Johnny Bob. “I wish you could get it down from there so all of us could see it.”

  After that, I thought and thought.

  Then I lifted up his softie ear.

/>   And I whispered, “Maybe I can.”

  The next morning, my grampa Frank Miller came to baby-sit.

  I love that baby-sitter very much!

  ’Cause he doesn't even follow the rules, that's why!

  Grampa Miller let me fix my own breakfast. I fixed two waffles. And three marshmallows. And a bowl of cheese curls.

  And guess what else? My grampa let me pour my own grape juice! And I didn't spill one single drop!

  “See, Grampa! See how careful I am?” I said. “I am not a sloppy baby, right?”

  Grampa Miller was feeding Ollie.

  “Right,” he said.

  My eyes looked up at the ’frigerator.

  I hopped down from my chair.

  “All rightie, Frank. I guess I'll be getting out of your hair now,” I said. “If you'll just hand me that box from the top of the ’frigerator, I will be on my way.”

  Just then, baby Ollie started to cry. Grampa Miller patted him.

  I tapped my foot. “Yeah, only I'm waiting, Grampa,” I said.

  Finally, Grampa Miller stood up and got my box.

  He started to look inside.

  Only, all of a sudden, Ollie did a loud squeal!

  And he put his whole bowl of cereal right on his head!

  “OH MY GOODNESS!” hollered my grampa.

  Then Grampa Miller shoved the box right at me. And he hurried to clean Ollie's head.

  I zoomed to my room. Then I locked my door. And I waved my box all around.

  “I got it, guys! I got it! I got it!” I said.

  “Hurray!” said Philip Johnny Bob.

  “Hurray, hurray!” said Raggedy Ruth and Raggedy Larry.

  After that, I set those guys on my bookshelf. And I put on my graduation gown.

  “See me, friends?” I said. “See how cute I look? I am a graduation girl! See?”

  “Wowie wow wow!” they hollered.

  After that, I danced and skipped and hopped and twirled. ’Cause they wouldn't stop cheering, that's why!

  Finally, I flopped on my bed.

  “Okay. That's enough, people,” I said. “I am pooped and thirsty.”

  “Me too,” said Raggedy Larry. “I am pooped and thirsty, too.”

  “I wish we could get something to drink,” said Raggedy Ruth.

  Just then, a brainstorm came right in my head!

  I sat up very straight.

  “Hey! Wait a second! I just learned how to pour grape juice without spilling a drop,” I said. “And so I can go get us some, maybe!”

  “Yes!” said Philip Johnny Bob.

  “Yes, yes!” said Raggedy Ruth and Raggedy Larry.

  I hurried to my door and listened in the hall.

  Grampa Miller was giving Ollie a bath.

  “Shh,” I whispered to my friends. “You wait here. I'll be right back.”

  After that, I tippytoed to the kitchen speedy quick.

  And I poured us a cup of grape juice.

  And I tippytoed right back again.

  Grape juice can go wrong.

  First, Raggedy Ruth got purple on her mouth.

  Then Teddy got a dribble drop on his paw.

  And then, oh no, oh no!

  RAGGEDY LARRY FORGOT TO SWALLOW HIS WHOLE ENTIRE SIP!

  Driblets spilled all over my bookshelf.

  I covered my mouth very shocked. Then my heart pounded and pounded. ’Cause if grape juice gets on my rug, I am in BIG TROUBLE, MISSY!

  “A cloth! A cloth! I need a cloth!” I hollered.

  I ran around and around all over my room. Then, all of a sudden, my eyes looked down at my clothes. And what do you know? I saw all the cloth I needed!

  I quick took it off of me. And I soaked up the driblets.

  My shoulders felt relief in them.

  “Whew! That was a dose one,” I said.

  After that, I walked to my bed. And I plopped on my pillow.

  “My brain was a genius to think of that,” I said.

  I breathed and breathed.

  Then, all of a sudden, I did a teensy frown.

  ’Cause something did not feel right here, possibly.

  I covered my head with my sheet. Then I turned my head very slow. And I peeked out at my bookshelf.

  My stomach did a flip-flop.

  Because I saw my graduation gown, that's why! And it had juice driblets soaked into its front!

  I looked at Raggedy Larry real mad. “Oh no! Look what you made me do!” I said. “You made me use my graduation gown to soak up that dumb juice. Great, Larry. Just great.”

  After that, Raggedy Larry got put under my bed. And he did not come out again.

  Juice driblets do not go away.

  Not even if you erase them with your brand-new eraser. Or if you color them with your new white crayon. Or if you brush them with Daddy's new whitening, brightening toothpaste.

  I brushed up and down and all around. But the driblets did not budge.

  “Shoot!” I said. “Now I will look like a sloppy baby at graduation! And I'm not even the one who dribbled!”

  Just then, I heard a knock on my door.

  It was Grampa Miller!

  “Junie B.? Is everything okay in there?” he said.

  My heart got very pounding again.

  “Yes, Grampa! Yes! Everything is perfectly perfect!” I hollered. “I am just playing with my stuffed animals, and that's all.”

  Grampa Frank Miller knocked some more.

  “Could you open the door, please?” he asked.

  I felt tension in me. ’Cause I didn't want him to see my problem, that's why.

  I quick pushed my graduation gown under my bed. Then I opened my door a teensy crack.

  “Hello. How are you today?” I said. “I am fine. Except I am right in the middle of something. So I would like to get back to it, please.”

  Grampa Miller was holding baby Ollie. He looked disappointed at me.

  “Oh phooey,” he said. “Now that I've got your brother cleaned up, I thought maybe you and I could teach him how to play checkers.”

  I looked at Ollie. He was wearing a clean shirt with purple polka dotties.

  “No thank you,” I said. “Maybe I'll teach him checkers some other day.”

  I waved at my grampa Miller very sweet.

  “Well, nice seeing you again, Frank. Good-bye,” I said.

  After that, I closed the door. And I waited for Grampa's footsteps to leave.

  Finally, I pulled my graduation gown from under the bed. And I stared and stared at that stupid thing.

  “Why did this dumb gown have to be white?” I grouched. “Why couldn't it be purple like the grape juice? If it was purple like the grape juice, the driblets would blend right in.”

  I tapped my fingers real annoyed.

  “Or why couldn't this dumb gown have purple flowers on it? The juice would blend in with flowers, too, I bet,” I said. “Or what about polka dotties like Ollie's shirt? If there were purple polka dotties, no one would notice the driblets, for sure.”

  Just then, I sat up very fast.

  ’Cause I was getting another brainstorm in my head, I believe.

  I zoomed straight to my desk.

  Then I looked through all my drawers. And I found my colored markers.

  I laughed real happy.

  Then I spread my graduation gown on the floor. And I worked and worked very hard.

  And guess what?

  When I finally got done, you couldn't even spot the driblets, hardly!

  “My brain is a genius after all!” I said.

  After that, I put my cap and gown in the box again. And I took it back to my grampa Miller.

  “All rightie, Grampa,” I said. “You can put this back on the ’frigerator now, please.”

  Then I smiled real big.

  Because guess what else?

  He did!

  Room Eight and Room Nine practiced for graduation together.

  We practiced on the stage in the auditorium. ’Cause a stage i
s where people get diplomas, of course!

  Mrs. showed everyone how to walk up the steps without tripping. She played music for us to march in with.

  And guess what?

  Room Nine marched better than Room Eight. Except Paulie Allen Puffer kept bowing real silly. And Lynnie kept stepping on people's heels. Plus shy William ran out of the auditorium. And down the hall. And Gus Vallony had to chase him around the parking lot.

  After that, Principal talked to William a real long time. Plus also, his mother was called in, I believe.

  “I am not like William,” I told Lucille and Grace. “I am not even nervous of walking up on that stage, hardly.”

  “Me neither,” said that Grace. “I am not nervous of walking up on that stage, hardly, either.”

  Lucille fluffed her fluffy hair. “My nanna says that I was born to be on the stage,” she said. “Nanna says that people enjoy looking at me. Because I am a feast for their eyes.”

  After that, Lucille wrinkled her nose very cute. And she skipped around and around in a circle.

  Grace and I watched her for a real long time.

  Then, finally, Lucille stopped skipping. And all of us hugged and hugged.

  ’Cause we are the bestest three friends I ever even saw.

  Graduation week went by very fast.

  Friday night came in a jiffy. I felt so excited, I couldn't even eat my dinner that good.

  I got down from my chair. And I ran and ran all over the house.

  “Settle down,” said Daddy.

  “Settle down,” said Mother.

  “Settle down!” I hollered.

  Then I laughed real loud. ’Cause I am a hoot, that's why!

  Finally, it was time to go.

  Mother got my graduation box off the top of the ’frigerator.

  I jumped up and down.

  “Let me carry that, Mother! Please, please, please? I want to carry my box to Room Nine myself. ’Cause that's where all of us are getting dressed.”

  Mother handed me the box.

  Then Daddy said, “Settle down” again. And all of us drove to my school.

  Grampa and Grandma Miller met us in the parking lot.

  I hugged them hello. Then I zoomed to Room Nine speedy fast.

  And guess what?

  All of the children from morning and afternoon kindergarten were getting ready together!