Finally it was Friday, the last day before the zoo was to officially open. Everyone in Amelia Bedelia’s class came to her house after school to make sure that the zoo would be ready in time.
Pat and Amelia Bedelia went straight to the garage to work on the contraption. They tested it a couple of times. It took three seconds after the treat was grabbed for the inflatable tube to fall into place. All that was missing was a banana . . . and a monkey.
Rose’s mother stopped by with cupcakes for everyone and three mini trampolines! Amelia Bedelia and Rose decided to set them up in a line, one right after the other. Rose hopped on. Boing-boing-boing!
“I’m a kangaroo!” she hollered.
Then everyone had to try it.
The trampolines were the perfect addition to the Be an Animal! exhibit.
The whole class worked together on the final exhibit—Signs of Animals. There was a section of a tree trunk with claw marks made from clay. It looked exactly like a bear had been there! Penny used more clay on another tree to make it look like a beaver had gnawed the wood. And Nate used a dark brown marker to create fake holes—a woodpecker searching for bugs!
That night, Amelia Bedelia’s family sat down to a special dinner of grilled lamb chops. Her father had been talking about dinner nonstop since he came home from work. At last, the table was set, the candles were lit, and dinner was served. “Mmmmm,” he said.
“Baaaaaaa.”
Amelia Bedelia’s father looked at Amelia Bedelia’s mother, who looked at Amelia Bedelia, who tried to look like nothing had happened. Amelia Bedelia’s father shrugged and popped a bite of lamb into his mouth.
“Baaaaaaaaa!”
Amelia Bedelia’s dad stopped chewing. “Sweetheart,” he said, “either this is the freshest lamb you’ve ever made, or there is a sheep right outside our window.”
They both looked at Amelia Bedelia.
“You look sheepish,” said her mother.
“Sheepish?” said Amelia Bedelia. “I’m not a sheep. What sheep?”
“Baaaaa, baaaaaa, baaaaaa!”
Her parents jumped up and ran outside, with Amelia Bedelia close behind them. The sun was setting, songbirds were chirping, and a sheep was grazing on the grass. This peaceful scene lasted less than a second.
“Okay, young lady,” said her mother. “Out with it. What’s that sheep doing in our yard?”
“Ummm . . . eating supper?” said Amelia Bedelia.
Amelia Bedelia’s mother put her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowing to slits.
Amelia Bedelia’s father gazed up at the heavens as he slowly shook his head.
Amelia Bedelia realized that she had run out of luck. It was time for the truth.
“You know Wade, right? Well, Wade’s uncle, Fred, has a farm,” she explained. “He grows vegetables and he has animals like chickens and pigs and sheep and cows. When he came to town today for the farmer’s market, he dropped off a spare sheep.”
“Sweetie,” said Amelia Bedelia’s mother. “I don’t recall giving you permission to have a sheep.”
“But my zoo opens tomorrow,” said Amelia Bedelia. “Uncle Fred will stop by afterward and pick it up.”
“Look,” said her father. “Your ideas are super, but you’ve gone wild! You’re making me nuts with these animals. Are you trying to get my goat?”
“Goat?” said Amelia Bedelia. “If I knew you had a goat, I wouldn’t have gotten a sheep.”
Amelia Bedelia’s mother clapped her hand to her mouth and snorted. “Amelia Bedelia,” she said, trying not to laugh, “you don’t have any more animals up your sleeve, do you?”
“See for yourselves,” said Amelia Bedelia, rolling up both of her sleeves. “Empty!”
Now her father was trying not to laugh. But he managed to say, “No more surprise animals, young lady!” in his firmest I’m-really-not-kidding-this-time voice.
“Cross my heart,” said Amelia Bedelia, tracing a giant X on her chest.
Luckily the sheep was wearing a collar. Amelia Bedelia’s father tied a rope to the collar and led the sheep to a spot where it would have plenty of grass but couldn’t reach any of her mother’s flower beds.
“I need to attach the rope to something,” he said. “Any ideas?”
“How about a stake?” asked Amelia Bedelia’s mother.
“Dad doesn’t need a steak,” said Amelia Bedelia. “He’s got a plate full of lamb chops waiting for him.”
Her parents looked at her, then at each other, and then at the sheep.
“Baaaaaaaaa!”
“Here’s an idea,” said Amelia Bedelia’s father. “Let’s put those lamb chops in the fridge. I vote we all go out for pizza. All those in favor, say baaaaaaaaa!”
“Baaaaaaaaa!” said Amelia Bedelia.
“Baaaaaaaaa!” said her mother.
“Baaaaaaaaa!” said the sheep.
“It’s ewe-nanimous!” said her father.
“Hey, Mom and Dad,” Amelia Bedelia said from the backseat as they pulled out of the driveway. “When we get back home, remind me to call and cancel the cow.”
Now she was the one who couldn’t keep a straight face. She burst out laughing and her parents did too, and they laughed all the way to the Perfect Pizza Parlor.
