by Wanda Coven
SPLOOSH!
Heidi Heckelbeck and Bruce Bickerson talked about narwhals the whole way to school.
“Narwhals are the unicorns of the sea!” Heidi said as the two friends hopped off the bus. “And they grant wishes with their magical horns!”
Heidi loved these mysterious whales with the single spiral tusk.
Bruce looked at Heidi as if she had a horn. He was a scientist, and scientists love facts.
“There are so many things wrong with that statement,” Bruce declared. “First of all, it’s not a horn. It’s a tooth that grows out of the narwhal’s lip. Second, the tooth cannot grant wishes, because the tooth is not magical. Third, and most important, there is no such thing as magic.”
Heidi giggled, because of course there was such a thing as magic. She practiced magic all the time! But she couldn’t exactly tell Bruce she was a witch.
“Okay,” she challenged, “if you’re such a great scientist, how can you say magic doesn’t exist until you prove it doesn’t exist?”
Bruce laughed loudly, and Heidi was so busy watching him, she forgot to look where she was going.
Sploosh!
She stepped right into a deep puddle. Cold water filled one of her sneakers.
Heidi hopped back quickly, but the wet muck still seeped into her tights.
“GROSS!” she cried. “Now what am I going to do?!”
Bruce smirked. “Maybe some magic would dry out that soggy sneaker.”
Heidi rolled her eyes. “Very funny.”
Bruce nudged his friend’s shoulder. Then he pointed at the side of the school building.
“See that drainpipe?” he asked. “If that spout were directed behind the bushes rather than at the sidewalk, there wouldn’t even have been a puddle to step in.”
Heidi sighed heavily. “So what you’re saying is, science could’ve helped me?”
Bruce nodded. “Yeah, but I’m also sorry your day started off on the wrong foot.”
Heidi looked down at her wet shoe. “Me too!”
CLASS PRESIDENT
Squish!
Squish!
Squish!
Heidi and her squishy shoe made the mistake of walking by Melanie Maplethorpe’s desk.
“Oh no,” Melanie said with a laugh. “Heidi, wearing a wet kitchen sponge instead of a shoe is a bold fashion choice. Everyone, look at Heidi’s shoe!”
Heidi hurried over to her desk and made a scrunchy face at Melanie.
Then her best friend Lucy Lancaster leaned over and whispered, “What’s with your shoe?”
Heidi rolled her eyes and told Lucy about the evil puddle outside.
Lucy frowned. “That’s terrible!” she said while scooching closer to Heidi. “I have a funny story that might make you feel better. Want to hear it?”
Heidi nodded—anything to get her mind off her clammy shoe.
“One time, before school, I dribbled maple syrup on my shirt,” said Lucy.
“Um, I sure hope there’s more to this story,” said Heidi.
Lucy giggled. “Well, I didn’t notice the syrup at all until I got to school and I bumped into Carter Collins. Like, I bumped into him hard! The syrup made our shirts stick together! It was so embarrassing!”
Heidi let out a snorty laugh. Lucy could always make her feel better. Maybe one day Heidi would be able to laugh about her soggy shoe story too. But not today.
At the front of the room Mrs. Welli rang her silver bell.
“Hello, students!” the teacher sang cheerily. “We have a surprise guest this morning, who has a very special announcement.”
Principal Pennypacker walked into the room. He had on a gray suit and black loafers. He placed his hands behind his back and cleared his throat.
“Greetings, class!” he said. “I’m here to talk about the upcoming school election.”
All the kids murmured with excitement.
“Now each class will elect a president,” the principal went on. “And then those class presidents will work together to make sure Brewster Elementary is the best school it can be. Does anyone know what it means to nominate a candidate in an election?”
Stanley Stonewrecker’s hand shot up quickly.
“I do!” he said. “It’s when you name somebody YOU think would make a good candidate. And a candidate is someone who runs for office, like the office of president.”
Principal Pennypacker smiled and said, “That’s exactly right! Anyone who would like to run for president must be nominated by a fellow student. Then the candidates must show the voters what they would do if they were elected president. At the end of the week, each class will vote. Are there any questions?”
Laurel Lambert raised her hand. “Um, can anybody in the class be nominated?”
Principal Pennypacker nodded. “Yes, Laurel!”
Charlie Chen also waved his hand. “Does the president get to ride in a limo?”
The principal chuckled. “Sorry, no limos. If there aren’t any other questions, then I’ll see you on election day!”
Nobody else raised a hand, so the principal moved on to the next classroom.
Heidi sighed and rested her chin on the palms of her hands. Hmm, I wonder if I would make a good president, she thought.
DOWN WITH PUDDLES!
The class broke into small groups to talk about the election. Heidi sat in a group with Lucy, Bruce, Laurel, and Stanley.
“So, Bruce, what would YOU do if you were voted class president?” Heidi asked her friend.
Bruce sat on the edge of his chair and said, “That’s EASY! I would build a state-of-the-art laboratory, where students could invent cool stuff—maybe even cure the common cold!”
Then Heidi turned to Lucy. “How about you?”
Lucy tilted her head to one side. “I would add more nonfiction books to the library. Also, I would take our class on a field trip to the Chocolate Chunkery Candy Factory. The factory has an indoor roller coaster, and they hand out FREE chocolate bars!”
Without waiting for Heidi to ask her, Laurel announced, “If I were class president, students could bring their pets to school EVERY day. Then we’d get to play with our furry friends at recess.”
Stanley pretended to be a dog barking excitedly. “Woof, I’d vote for pets at school! Woof! But if I were class president, I would also make sure pizza was on the menu EVERY day.”
Mrs. Welli laughed. She had been listening to all their ideas. “I’m not sure a class president would get to make those kinds of decisions—even though they sound like fun.”
Heidi agreed with her teacher. Fancy laboratories and visits to chocolate factories did seem a little out of reach. She tapped her pencil against her lips.
“Well, if I were president,” Heidi started, “the first thing I’d do is get rid of that yucky puddle by the entrance to the school. Bruce says all we’d have to do is redirect the drainpipe to empty behind the bushes. Then the bushes would get watered, not our feet!”
Heidi lifted her soggy shoe off the ground. “Down with puddles!” she cried.
Her friends laughed and cheered for Heidi’s idea.
Because nobody likes soggy shoes.
NOMINEES
Mrs. Welli made the class switch groups to talk about the election.
This time Heidi sat with Eve Etsy, Carter Collins, Natalie Newman, and Melanie, who didn’t wait for anyone to ask her what she would do as president.
“When you elect me, I’ll put on a school fashion show,” Melanie bragged. “Everybody will dress up, and then one person will be crowned Brewster’s Most Fashionable.”
Heidi actually loved the idea of a fashion show, even though Melanie would faint if someone othe
r than her won. Melanie already seemed to be imagining herself as Brewster’s Top Model.
“That’s a really cool idea,” Heidi said, trying to be supportive. “Eve, what if you were president?”
Eve grabbed the underside of her chair with both hands. “Well!” she began. “I would definitely get new instruments for the music room. The tambourines are missing jingles, and I can never find a mallet for the xylophone.”
Eve looked at Carter, who was sitting next to her.
“Music’s cool,” he said as he looked around the table, “but I happen to know one thing every class needs more of, and that’s recess. Am I right?”
Everybody nodded and cheered a very loud, “Yeeeessss!”
“Then just call me the president of recess!” Carter said.
Heidi gave Carter a thumbs-up and turned to Natalie. “Do you have presidential plans?”
Natalie’s cheeks turned bright pink. “Not really,” she said, looking down at the floor. “I’m not even sure I want the job.”
Heidi smiled. “That’s okay. Being president isn’t for everyone.”
Then Mrs. Welli rapped her gavel on her desk, and everyone looked up from their seats.
“Time to nominate candidates!” she said. “Now remember, if you are elected, you will represent our entire class. It will be a position of hard work—so if someone nominates you, make sure this is something you are willing to do.”
The class all nodded.
Mrs. Welli smiled and said, “The floor is now open for nominations.”
Lucy’s hand shot up first. “I nominate Heidi Heckelbeck!”
Heidi froze as the class cheered. A wave of excitement washed over her.
“Do you accept the nomination, Heidi?” Mrs. Welli asked.
“I accept!” she answered proudly.
Then someone else raised their hand. It was Stanley. “I nominate Melanie Maplethorpe!”
Melanie leaped out of her chair immediately. “I’m SO honored!” she said, bowing in every direction.
Now the whole class cheered for Melanie—even Heidi.
When everyone quieted down, Laurel raised her hand. “I would like to nominate Carter Collins,” she said.
The students really erupted. Everybody liked Carter. He was one of the nicest kids at Brewster.
Mrs. Welli asked if there were any more nominations, but nobody raised a hand.
“Our stage is set!” Mrs. Welli said. “Would Heidi, Melanie, and Carter please stand as our candidates for class president?”
Heidi stood up, and the kids around her clapped loudly.
Wow! she thought. I’m a REAL presidential candidate! Well, a real class presidential candidate… wearing one very soggy, squishy shoe.
Merg.
POSTER CHILD
After school Heidi burst through the back door, followed closely behind by Lucy, Bruce, and her little brother, Henry.
“MOM! DAD! WHERE ARE YOU? I have REALLY BIG NEWS!” Heidi called out through the house.
Mom walked out of the pantry with a packet of lemonade mix. Dad opened the door of his lab.
“What is all the yelling about?” Dad asked.
“Heidi has big news!” said Mom. “Everybody, take a seat at the table, and I’ll get some snacks.”
The kids all sat down as Mom emptied a bag of popcorn into a bowl. Everybody took some.
“Are you ready?” Heidi asked.
“Not yet,” said Dad as he swiped a piece of popcorn, tossed it in the air, and caught it in his mouth. “Now I’m ready.”
“Me too!” Mom said.
Heidi stood up. “SO, my big news IS…” She paused to let the excitement build. “Lucy nominated ME for class president!”
Mom and Dad both clapped their hands.
“What an honor!” Mom said. “How many kids are running?”
Heidi counted on three fingers. “Melanie, Carter, and me.”
“Oh, Carter is the best, hands down,” said Henry. “I mean, no offense, Heidi, but Carter is great. He reads to my class once a week.”
Heidi rolled her eyes and grabbed a handful of popcorn.
“Well, fortunately, I don’t need your vote, Henry,” she said. “This election is for our class only.”
“Speaking of, we should make campaign posters,” suggested Bruce.
“Good idea! Mom, may we work at the kitchen table?” Heidi asked.
“Of course!” Mom said as she stirred a pitcher of lemonade for the group.
Heidi ran to the art cupboard and pulled out markers, paints, and poster board. She set everything on the table.
“Okay, now we can come up with some catchy campaign slogans!” said Lucy.
Everyone thought for a moment, and then Bruce picked up the saltshaker and held it like a microphone. He began to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” only with different words… and off-key.
“Oh, say can you SEE? Please vote for HEIDI!”
“Hmm, it might sound better on a poster, though,” Henry said with a smile.
This made everyone laugh, even Bruce. “I think you’re right. Now let’s really get to work.”
The kitchen was quiet as the kids worked on their posters.
Lucy drew a picture of Heidi’s face on hers. Then she stuck a fake mustache on it.
Heidi raised an eyebrow. “What’s with the mustache, Lucy?”
“You’ll see,” said Lucy as she wrote something under the picture.
Heidi read it out loud. “ ‘I mustache you to vote for Heidi Heckelbeck!’ ”
“Get it?” Lucy asked. ‘I mustache you’—as in, ‘I must ask you’—to vote for Heidi.”
“It’s perfect!” said Heidi.
The friends continued working on their posters all afternoon. When Heidi was done, she held up her poster so her friends could see.
It said HEIDI HECKELBECK HAS THE MAGIC TOUCH! VOTE HEIDI ON FRIDAY!
She had used lots of glitter to make the poster look magical.
“That’s awesome!” Lucy said.
Bruce agreed. “I bet you’ll win!”
Heidi smiled at her friends as she held up another poster.
“Thanks,” she said. “I’ll do my BEST!”
ONE TOUGH COOKIE
The next morning Heidi, Carter, and Melanie hung their posters at school.
Carter’s had cool slogans like:
VOTE FOR CARTER! HE’S WAY SMARTER!
And…
FOR LONGER RECESS EVERY DAY, VOTE FOR CARTER ON ELECTION DAY!
Melanie’s posters all had glossy photos of her taped to them. She posed as a cheerleader, a judge, and even a mermaid in the pictures. Plus, she autographed every one of them with a heart dotting the i.
Not that Heidi cared. She had work to do. She finished hanging all her posters and returned to her classroom.
Time to let my posters work their magic! she thought.
The rest of the class was busy working on an election worksheet, but then Mrs. Welli clapped her hands.
“Okay, everybody!” she said. “It’s time to get to know your presidential candidates. Please walk around, read the posters, and ask your candidates questions!”
Heidi stayed at her desk and waited for her classmates to come talk with her. But nobody stopped by. Everyone wandered into the hallway.
Heidi got up to join them.
Students crowded the hall, talking to one another and reading posters.
Heidi felt a little silly standing there alone, so she headed for the water fountain.
There was a poster above the fountain that read:
FREE DRINKS ON ME! VOTE FOR CARTER.
Heidi giggled and took a quick drink. Then she headed down the hall where a big table had been set up. All the kids were stopping there.
Along the way there were more Melanie posters. One was taped to a mirror. When Heidi looked at her reflection, it seemed like Melanie was standing right next to her! The poster read:
Heidi had to admit it was a really grea
t poster.
As she approached the table, Heidi wiggled her way to the front and her mouth dropped open. Melanie and Stanley were handing out free cookies!
“Have a MAPLEthorpe victory cookie!” said Melanie, handing a treat to Heidi. “The maple flavor will remind you to vote MAPLEthorpe!”
Heidi stared at the cookie and then back at Melanie. “You can’t BUY people’s votes!”
Melanie gave a shrug and handed Principal Pennypacker a cookie.
The principal held his cookie in front of Heidi. “Cookies are fine,” he explained. “They’re a wonderful way to make a candidate stand out!”
Heidi sighed. Then she chomped angrily on her cookie.
It was soft, chewy, and absolutely delicious.
Oh, MERG IT ALL! she thought. Why does Melanie’s cookie have to taste SO GOOD?!
Heidi snuck another bite before throwing the treat away. One thing was for sure: Melanie Maplethorpe was going to be one tough cookie to beat.
PEP TALK
At dinner Heidi twirled her spaghetti for a very long time.
“How’s the campaign trail?” Mom asked. “Were your posters a big hit? I’m sure they were with all that glitter.”
