Room Two laughed even louder.
Rooms Three and Four laughed, too.
I hated that mean noise!
I hated it!
Tears came in my eyes. And my nose started sniffling very much.
I hanged my head so no one could see.
And ha!
That's when I spotted them!
Sheldon's cymbals!
They were still lying in the grass right next to my feet!
I quick picked them up. And I crashed them together so I wouldn't hear the laughing.
And it worked, I tell you! It worked! I couldn't hear the laughing at all!
That's how come I crashed them again … and again … and again, until my arms got tired.
And guess what?
When I finally stopped, no one was even laughing anymore.
I felt a little better.
Cymbals are very enjoyable.
After that, I stood in the middle of the field. And I rocked back and forth on my feet very thinking. ’Cause I didn't know what to do next, of course.
Just then, I heard shouting.
“BORRRRING!” yelled a voice.
“DON'T JUST STAND THERE … DO SOMETHING!” yelled a different voice.
I looked up. The boys who shouted were being taken away by their teacher.
But it was already too late.
More tears were coming in my eyes.
Mr. Scary started coming to get me.
My brain began to panic. ’Cause this was the stupidest halftime show I ever even saw.
The children started laughing again. They would be laughing at me for the rest of their life, probably!
Then, all of a sudden, my eyes glanced over to Sheldon's microphone.
And what do you know? A brand-new idea popped into my head!
And it's called, Hey! Maybe I could sing a song just like Sheldon was going to do!
I grinned real big.
Yes! Yes!
I could sing “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow” from the hit musical Annie. ’Cause I love that tune, I tell you!
I hurried over to the microphone.
Then I opened my mouth to sing. Only I couldn't actually remember how that song started.
Mr. Scary was getting closer.
My brain panicked some more.
Then, out of nowhere, I heard a— PLOP!
I looked down.
Something had landed on the ground next to my boots.
I looked closer.
It was a flaky biscuit, I believe.
Two more biscuits. And a small plum.
Then suddenly, there was another fuss in the stands.
And two more kids were getting led away by their teacher.
That's when I got it.
That's when I figured out that those meanie kids had thrown food at me!
And throwing food is the biggest insult you can even do!
At first, my face turned red as a tomato.
Then I felt myself getting mad.
And I got madder …
And madder …
And then I picked up those biscuits!
And I started to throw them back!
Only all at once, my brain changed its mind!
And—instead of throwing them back— I put two of the biscuits in my right hand!
And I held the other biscuit in my left hand.
And then I tossed them in the air! One by one! Exactly like my juggle book said to.
And then, MAGIC HAPPENED, I TELL YOU!
It did! It really did!
Because for just a few teensy seconds, I juggled those biscuits way high in the air!
I juggled them as perfect as could be!
And I caught them, too!
I caught all three of those flaky guys.
And then the whole entire bleachers started to clap and clap and clap!
And then they cheered and cheered and cheered!
And the sound of that noise was better than the bestest daydream I ever, ever had!
I did a bow.
The people kept on clapping.
Then I picked up Sheldon's cymbals.
And I marched right off the field.
And guess what?
It was the proudest darned moment of my life.
The rest of the day was a joy.
We had a happy party. And I smiled till my cheeks hurt.
Also, I wrote in my journal again.
