Teeny Weeny Zucchinis

by Judy Delton

  Molly got out her pencil and notepad. She liked to write things down. She liked making lists.

  “Some of you could help in the first-aid tent,” said their leader. “You can help the nurse there put Band-Aids on knees and elbows. Another thing some of you could do would be to have a little stand of your own. You may want to sell some fresh produce from your gardens, or cider, or even something you make yourself, like pumpkin bread or zucchini bread. One year, one troop made jewelry out of small vegetables. They dried little pea pods and berries and painted them and glued them onto pins and earrings. They earned a lot of money for their troop that way.”

  Ashley was waving her hand. “I’m going to have a ‘back to school’ booth,” she said. “I can sell things I get at thrift stores, like sweaters and scarves and mittens and stuff. That is, if I’m still here. In California we don’t need things like mittens. It never gets cold there. We can use our pool the whole year long.”

  “She just wants to brag,” whispered Mary Beth. “She thinks it’s so great to live in California. You’d think she was a TV star or something.”

  “That’s a good idea, Ashley,” said Mrs. Peters. “Just let your imagination guide you. The sky’s the limit. You can do things with autumn leaves and dried flowers and grapevines too. You can collect seeds and sell them. Just keep the season in mind, and the harvest theme.”

  When Mrs. Peters was through talking, she showed them some things that scouts had made in past years. Then Mrs. Stone came down the steps with some chocolate cupcakes and glasses of milk. Everyone cheered and forgot about harvest things for a while.

  After their treat, they all went out in the yard and played ball. Then they sang the Pee Wee song and said the Pee Wee pledge.

  It looked as if everyone had also forgotten about good deeds, thought Molly. Even Mrs. Peters.

  CHAPTER 4

  Who Knows What

  the Future

  Will Bring?

  When the meeting was over, Molly found Mary Beth and said, “We didn’t even get a chance to tell our good deed. This is the first time she didn’t ask for them. And it’s the time we’ve got the best one!”

  “Good deeds keep,” said Mary Beth. “They’re like secrets. You just keep them inside until the time is right, and then there they are! Next time she asks, we can tell it.”

  Molly supposed her friend was right. But by the time the time was right, it would be old news. It wouldn’t seem as exciting to report as it was now. Rat’s knees, thought Molly. Good deeds are like homemade bread. Good only when they’re fresh.

  On the way home, Molly and Mary Beth talked about what they should do to get their badge.

  “I might sell my mom’s pumpkin cookies,” said Mary Beth. “They’re made with pumpkins from our own yard.”

  Rat’s knees! That was a good idea. Why hadn’t Molly thought of that? But Molly did not have pumpkins in her yard. Molly’s dad said gardens were lots of work. She’d have to think of something else.

  But just then something happened that made Molly forget about the Harvest Fest badge. Rachel was across the street. And she was pushing Jody’s wheelchair. Jody was laughing at something Rachel had said.

  Then Mrs. Meyers drove up and Rachel got into the car. As the girls watched, Jody got in too! Then Rachel’s mother folded up the wheelchair and put it in the back of the station wagon.

  “Why is Jody in Rachel’s car?” said Molly. “His dad always picks him up.”

  “He’s been going over to Rachel’s a lot after scouts,” said Mary Beth. “I think Rachel likes him.”

  Molly was shocked. Jody liked her! How could he like Rachel too? Rachel was a show-off. She wasn’t Jody’s type. Jody was generous and friendly and smart. Molly felt an empty feeling in her stomach. Jody looked as if he was enjoying himself.

  Mary Beth was talking on and on about the Harvest Fest. “I think we should help out in the first-aid tent too,” she said.

  “I don’t like blood,” said Molly crossly.

  She said good-bye to Mary Beth at the corner and went home to brood about her problems. She threw herself on her little bed and thought about what was making her mad.

  It must be Jody, going to Rachel’s house. And besides that, she had no idea what to do at the Harvest Fest to get her badge. And she hadn’t had a chance to report her big good deed. Problems came in threes. That was three. At least she should be safe for a while.

  During the week, signs went up all over town. HARVEST FEST! they said, in big letters. They were on trees, and in store windows, and on bulletin boards at the market. They were even strung across the streets from the lampposts.

  GAMES! FOOD! PRIZES! RIDES! FUN FOR EVERYONE! COME ONE, COME ALL! Then the signs gave the date. The date was coming up fast! It was only a week away!

  At the next Pee Wee meeting, everyone wanted to talk about what they had planned to do to get their badges.

  Mary Beth talked about her cookies. Ashley talked about her back-to-school booth.

  “I’m going to make acorn necklaces, Mrs. Peters,” said Tracy, sneezing.

  Rachel waved her hand. “Jody and I are going to have a booth together!” she said. “We are going to read tea leaves! Get it? Leaves are for fall, and tea is something you harvest!”

  Jody was laughing at Rachel’s joke. “First we sell cups of tea,” he said. “Then we look at the shape of the tea leaves left in the cup, and tell them what the future will bring.”

  Rat’s knees! Things were getting worse all the time, Molly thought. Rachel was taking Jody away from her!

  Maybe she could tell Jody how she felt. He would say he was sorry and that he really liked Molly best. But maybe he wouldn’t! Maybe he’d tell Molly to mind her own business! Maybe he’d tell her he liked Rachel better!

  And everyone had ideas for a badge but Molly. They talked so long about them that there was no time for good deeds or cupcakes.

  When Molly got home she told her mom and dad about her problem.

  “Could you sell school notebooks?” her dad asked.

  Molly shook her head. “They aren’t harvest things,” she said. “And Ashley is selling school stuff.”

  “What are some of the other Pee Wees doing?” asked Molly’s mom.

  “Mary Beth is selling her mother’s cookies,” said Molly. “And Tracy is making acorn necklaces.” Then she blurted out, “Rachel and Jody are having a booth together. They are going to read tea leaves and tell people the future. I wish I could do that.”

  “Well,” said Molly’s mom thoughtfully. “There’s always room for two fortune-tellers. You could dress up like a gypsy and read a crystal ball.”

  “How do I read a crystal ball?” Molly asked.

  “You look in the ball and tell customers what you see in their future,” said her dad.

  “I have a round crystal vase,” said Molly’s mom. “I’ll bet we could turn it upside down and it would work just fine!”

  She ran to the dining room and found the vase in the china cabinet. When she turned it upside down it looked round and shiny, just like the real thing!

  “You’re all set, Molly,” said her dad. “Now all you need is your costume.”

  Molly gave her dad and mom a hug. One of her problems was solved!

  But when she got up to her room with the vase–crystal ball, she looked into it and didn’t see anything but her own face reflected back! How could she tell all her customers she saw only herself in their future? The customers wanted to hear about themselves, not about Molly!

  Molly didn’t want to ask her parents more questions. They had done enough already. She’d ask Mary Beth.

  She wrapped the vase in toilet paper so that it wouldn’t break and put it into a brown bag. It would be very bad luck to break a crystal ball, she thought. Or even to break her mother’s good vase.

  When she got to Mary Beth’s, her friend was making a big sign that said PUMPKIN COOKIES FOR SALE. She held it up for Molly to see.

  “It’s nice and b
right,” said Molly. “You’ll sell a lot of cookies. But I think you should say ‘homemade cookies’ and say they are made with pumpkins from your own yard. People like to know that things like cookies don’t come from a store.”

  “That’s a good idea,” said Mary Beth, getting another big piece of paper and beginning again.

  Molly told her about the plan to read a crystal ball. “My mom said you look in the ball and tell them what you see in their future. But when I look in it, all I see is my face!”

  “You don’t tell them what you really see,” said Mary Beth. “You make up stuff. Here, read my fortune, for practice.”

  She pushed the ball in front of Molly. Molly looked into it.

  “I don’t know what to say!” she said.

  Mary Beth stamped her foot. “Think about something I’d like to hear,” she said.

  Molly looked into the ball. Finally she said, “You will get all A’s when school starts?” She sounded doubtful.

  “That’s good,” said Mary Beth. “But you have to say it different. You have to say, ‘What do I see in my magic ball? I think I see a school. And a teacher. And a report card with “Mary Beth Kelly” on it. And it has all A’s! I see you getting a prize for being so smart.’ Or something like that.”

  Molly could do that! Rat’s knees! It was like telling a story. Molly loved to tell stories!

  Now she could think about her costume.

  And about making a big sign to set up on her table that said MOLLY DUFF, FORTUNE-TELLER. Or maybe FIND OUT WHAT LIES IN YOUR FUTURE. Maybe even MAGIC SOLD HERE!

  And when she was finished, Rachel and Jody better watch out! Her fortunes were going to be bigger and better than anything that was found in a teacup!

  CHAPTER 5

  Zucchinis Aren’t

  Pumpkins

  The girls went out on the front lawn to work. Mary Beth painted her sign and said Molly could use her paints to make a sign of her own. The two girls were working hard when Sonny came by on his bike. Molly noticed he still had training wheels on it. Sonny screeched to a halt.

  “What are you guys doing?” he asked.

  “Getting our projects ready for the festival,” said Molly. “Mary Beth is selling homemade cookies, and I’m going to tell fortunes.”

  “Rachel and Jody are telling fortunes,” said Sonny. “You’re a copycat.”

  “She is not,” said Mary Beth. “Rachel and Jody are reading tea leaves. Molly is reading a crystal ball.” She pointed to it.

  “Hey, that’s nothing but a vase!” said Sonny. “It’s a vase you put flowers in! How can that tell your fortune?”

  Rat’s knees, Sonny was picky! “It’s a crystal ball,” said Molly. “It’s not a vase.”

  “Is too,” said Sonny.

  “Is not,” said Mary Beth.

  “Is too,” said Sonny back.

  “Go home,” said Mary Beth. “Let us alone.”

  But Sonny made no move to go.

  “I’m going to tell Rachel you’re copying her,” said Sonny.

  “Go ahead,” said Mary Beth. “But it’s a lie. Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

  “I’m going to give rides to little kids on my motorcycle,” said Sonny. “No one else is doing that.”

  “Your motorcycle?” shrieked Molly. “You call that thing a motorcycle?”

  “It’s not this,” scoffed Sonny. “My motorcycle is at home.”

  “Yeah, sure, your mom would let you have a motorcycle,” snorted Mary Beth. “Like she’d let you go to Mars.”

  “You’ll see,” said Sonny, pedaling off down the street.

  “I’ll bet his motorcycle has training wheels,” said Molly, laughing.

  The girls kept working. “He makes me mad,” said Mary Beth. “He’s always bragging and he’s such a baby.”

  “That’s why he brags,” said Molly wisely. “Because he is a baby. It makes him sound older.”

  In a little while Roger came by on his skateboard.

  “Sonny said you stole Rachel’s idea,” he said to Molly.

  “Yeah, like you never stole anything,” said Mary Beth.

  Was Mary Beth saying Molly had stolen an idea?

  “I’m not reading tea leaves,” said Molly patiently. “I’m reading a crystal ball.”

  “Vase,” said Roger. “Sonny said you were reading a vase.”

  Mary Beth groaned. “Go home,” she said to Roger.

  “I’m standing on the public sidewalk,” said Roger. “You can’t make me leave.”

  Roger was right, thought Molly. He could stand on the public sidewalk, or even in the street for that matter, as long as he wanted to.

  “Do you know what I’m doing for the festival?” he said, rocking back and forth on his skateboard.

  “No, and we don’t care,” said Mary Beth, trying to get the last word, ‘garden,’ on her sign. It was a tight fit, Molly noticed. She’d have to squeeze it in.

  “I’m going to sell slices of my dad’s zucchini bread,” he went on, paying no attention to the fact that they had said they didn’t care. “He makes it himself from the zucchini in our backyard,” added Roger.

  Mary Beth looked shocked. “You’re copying me!” she shouted.

  “Hey, zucchinis aren’t pumpkins!” said Roger.

  “It’s just the same, though,” said Mary Beth, turning red. “It’s something to eat made with something from your garden!”

  “Well, you can’t stop me,” said Roger. “It’s a free country.”

  “Cookie thief!” shouted Molly.

  “Vegetable robber!” called Mary Beth. Roger skated away, laughing.

  “I don’t think it matters,” said Molly to her friend. “You’ll sell a lot more cookies than he will bread. Everyone likes homemade cookies more than bread. And zucchinis are those long green things, like pickles. They won’t taste good, like pumpkin cookies will.”

  Mary Beth didn’t look as if Molly’s words had cheered her up any. Both girls kept working for most of the afternoon.

  “I hope no one else comes by,” grumbled Mary Beth. “You can’t even work in your own yard without people nosing around.”

  When the girls had finished their signs, they went inside and Mary Beth’s sister poured them some Kool-Aid. Then she gave them each a cookie she had just made. Cookies with M&M’s in them.

  “I wish I had a sister,” said Molly as they ate their cookies on the Kellys’ front porch.

  “You’ve got your own room,” said Mary Beth. “And you don’t have to share stuff. That’s better than having a sister.”

  “No, it isn’t,” said Molly. “All I’ve got is a dog.”

  When the girls had finished their snack, they rode their bikes over to the park to watch the workers get things ready for the festival. There were little booths going up, where the Pee Wees and others would sell their wares. Other workers were getting the rides ready, and the places to sell hot dogs and ice cream. Other people were putting up decorations. Mr. Peters was under a tree blowing up lots of balloons to string around the bandstand. The girls helped him.

  “See you Sunday!” he called as they left.

  Molly said good-bye to Mary Beth and went home. After supper she went to her room and practiced reading fortunes. She let her imagination go wild.

  “You will win a million dollars!” she said to the stuffed bear on her bed.

  “You’ll go across the ocean to France,” she told her old doll, Betsy Wetsy.

  She wouldn’t mind if Betsy Wetsy went to France. She was getting too old for dolls.

  After a few more fortunes, she sat down at her little desk and made a list. A list of things she still had to worry about. She wrote down “badge” and crossed it off because that was one problem that was solved. She knew what she was going to do to get her badge. She was going to tell fortunes with her crystal ball.

  After “2” she wrote “Costume.” The festival was this coming Sunday and she hadn’t even thought of what she would dress up in.

&
nbsp; Then she wrote “3” and felt sad. It said, “Get Jody back.”

  How was she going to do that?

  The fourth thing was “Tell good deed.” She still had not gotten credit for the pork chop dinner. Well, as Mary Beth said, it would keep. She hoped she would not forget to report it, with all the excitement of the fall festival. Good deeds were not that easy to think of.

  Molly looked at the list again. She erased number one, the badge project.

  Then she made “Get Jody back” number one and “Costume” number two. The good deed was already done—all she had to do was report it. The main worries for Molly were only two: Jody and her costume.

  Rat’s knees. She’d better get to work on both of them.

  There was no time to lose.

  CHAPTER 6

  Only the Gypsy Knows

  When Molly went to sleep, she took her worries with her. And her worries made her dream worrisome dreams.

  In the first one, the festival came and she wasn’t ready. It was worry number two. When she got to the park, Mary Beth was wearing a white hat and apron to sell cookies. She looked like a nurse. Rachel and Jody had twin outfits on that Mrs. Stone had made.

  In her dream, Sonny had a black leather jacket and goggles on and had a real motorcycle with training wheels on it. No one would let their children ride with him.

  But when Molly stood behind her crystal vase, in her dream, all she had on was her underwear! Not one other stitch of clothes! She not only did not look like a gypsy, she did not even look like a Pee Wee! People were laughing and pointing. Especially Roger and Sonny.

  Molly woke up shaking with fear. What if that really happened? What if she let her costume go too long, and the festival came before she had found one?

  She got a drink of water and went back to bed and tried to forget about the festival. But she didn’t. Because in the next dream she was back in the park in her Pee Wee outfit and her dream was about worry number one.