“Thanks for coming with me,” Eldridge said to Johnny and Stu.
Eldridge played on the Howling Timberwolves hockey team with Johnny and Stu. After school, the boys walked to Connie’s house together.
“Connie asked me to help her with her computer,” said Eldridge, “but I’m too shy to go to her house by myself.”
“No problem,” Johnny said to Eldridge. “We have plenty of time before our hockey game tonight. Besides, I’m your friend. I’m glad to help.”
“That’s not quite true,” Stu told Eldridge. “Johnny’s here because he wants Connie to be his dance partner at the Valentine’s fundraiser.”
“That’s a good idea,” Eldridge said. “I hear she’s a great dancer. A person could win the contest with her as their partner. But I’m too shy to ask her.”
“I just want to win the grand prize,” Johnny said.
“I wonder if she has any cookies at her house,” Stu said.
When they arrived at Connie’s house, Johnny rang the doorbell.
Connie answered the door and smiled. Johnny’s face turned red.
“Hello,” Eldridge said. “We’re here to help you with your computer.”
“Hello,” Stu said. “Do you have any cookies?”
Johnny was too busy being red in the face to say anything.
“Come in,” Connie said. “My little sister Suzie is here too. She’s only four years old.”
Connie’s house had a big living room. The computer was at a desk in one corner. The television was in another corner. Johnny and Stu sat on the couch in front of the television. They used the remote control to find a hockey game. Eldridge went straight to work on the computer. Connie stood beside him and watched the computer screen.
“It would be nice to have some cookies,” Stu said.
A little girl walked up to them, carrying a tray with a toy tea set on it.
“Cookies?” Stu asked.
“Pretend tea,” Suzie said. “Would you like to have a tea party with my dolls?”
“Just dolls?” Stu asked. “No cookies?”
“I would love a tea party,” Johnny told Suzie. Johnny whispered to Stu, “This is how to get a girl’s attention. Not by climbing a flagpole but by being nice to her little sister.”
Suzie set the cups down on the coffee table. She poured water from the little teapot into the tea cups. She picked her dolls up off the floor and sat them at the table.
“This is delicious,” Johnny said as he drank his tea. Johnny pointed at the dolls. “And I like your little friends.”
Connie didn’t notice Johnny and Suzie’s tea party. She and Eldridge were trying to figure out a problem on the computer.
“This is really delicious,” Johnny said loudly. It was no good being nice to Connie’s little sister if Connie didn’t notice. Johnny drank a second cup of tea. “Suzie, thank you for the tea party with your dolls!”
Finally, Connie turned around.
“Oh no!” Connie yelled. “I should have been watching my sister.”
“It’s okay,” Johnny said. “I’m happy to play with her.”
“I hope you didn’t drink the tea,” Connie said.
“I had two cups already. And I played with her dolls. Because I’m nice,” Johnny said and smiled.
“More tea please,” Johnny said to Suzie.
“That’s not a good idea,” Connie said.
“What? It’s not good to be nice?” Johnny asked.
“You don’t understand,” Connie said. “Suzie is little. She can’t reach the taps on the sink.”
“So?” Johnny asked.
“The only place Suzie can get water for her teapot is from the toilet,” said Connie.