Chapter Eight

“My mother says maybe you can sleep over Friday night,” Al said on our way to school. She had on her navy-blue coat that her mother bought on sale. It was a very good buy, Al said. It is only a little too big. She is still growing.

“Is it for supper?” I asked.

“I’ll check.”

We got to school before anyone else. Even Mr. Keogh. He is usually sitting at his desk, marking papers or something, by the time we get there.

Al went behind the desk. “All right, class,” she said, tugging at her ear. She really did sound like Mr. Keogh. “Let’s just cut out the horsing around and get down to business. We have a lot to cover today. Yes, Herman? No, you may not go to the boy’s room. It is much too early to go to the boy’s room.”

I was in stitches. Herman is always waving his hand to go to the boy’s room. I know it isn’t nice to make fun of people, but sometimes I can’t help it. I think it is all right if the people you make fun of don’t find out.

“And Isabel, stop making goo-goo eyes at Thomas. We do not allow our students to make goo-goo eyes at each other. It is strictly out of order. Out of order, indeed.”

I was laughing so hard I was practically on the floor.

“Very good, Alexandra, very good indeed. If you were as good a student as you are a thespian, you would get straight A’s.”

Mr. Keogh was standing at the door. He looks very young with his hat on. It is only when he takes it off that he looks old.

It was very embarrassing to be caught in the middle of something like that. I was sorry that we had got to school early. I will not do it again.

Al was very quiet the rest of the day. Even at lunch time, when we met in our usual place, she wasn’t hungry.

“He called me ‘Alexandra,’” she said, breaking up little pieces of her sandwich and making balls out of them. “I must have hurt his feelings and now he doesn’t like me. He’s mad.” She was talking about Mr. Keogh.

“He’ll get over it,” I said. I wondered if Al would remember about asking me to sleep over on Friday. I wanted to go and I did not want to go. Al’s mother makes me nervous. She is always friendly, but she makes me nervous anyway. The last time I was there she had on pajamas with feathers on them. They were hostess pajamas, Al said. My mother doesn’t wear hostess pajamas. With or without feathers.

Everything turned out all right. Al came to our apartment just before supper. She rang her special ring—two, then one, then two.

“You can come for supper Friday,” she said, smiling. She does not smile often and I keep telling her she should because she has nice teeth. They are very white and even. Mine are a little on the yellow side.

“Should I bring my sleeping bag?” I asked. Practically all the times I go to friends’ houses I bring my sleeping bag, on account of most of the kids I know don’t have extra beds.

“We have a cot,” she said, “that we use when we have guests.”

In all the time I had known Al, I had never slept over. This was what my mother called An Occasion.

I brought my new nightgown and even a bathrobe and slippers, which is silly, but my mother insisted. I knew I wouldn’t use the bathrobe and slippers, but my mother was firm, very firm.

Al’s mother was taking a tub when I arrived. I could smell the oil and bath salts and gunk she puts in her tub. It must clog up the drains something awful.

Al’s mother had a dinner engagement. She came out wearing a black dress and said, “How are you, dear?” I have a theory that when mothers call you ‘dear’ it is because they can’t remember your name. “I’m so glad Alexandra has such a nice little friend to keep her company.”

She started to kiss Al good night but Al stuck out her hand and said, “Shake, Mom. See you.” Then Al’s mother left.

We had a blast. We stayed up until midnight watching television. Then we had a snack, cocoa and potato chips. Finally, when we turned the lights out, Al said, “Mr. Keogh called me ‘Al’ again this morning.” Her voice sounded happy. “And I got a post card from my father. It was from Miami, Florida, and it said ‘Swimming every day. Hope to see you soon.’”

“Good,” I said. I was very sleepy. “That’s great. Go to sleep.”