Chapter Eighteen

The next morning when the bell sounds for recess, Ann rushes to Sam. She helps him unfold his plastic tray and sets some note cards on it.

“I made these for you,” she offers and starts turning them over.

“Charlie, Bobby, Jonathan, Ben, Daisy, Betty, Nancy, A.J., Tom, Celia, Larry, Jan, Kent, Hanna, Marigold, Jack, Katy…” she reads, her words tripping over each other in excitement. “I made one for Mickey, too, even though no one ever talks to him.”

“Thhanks,” is all Sam says, but he wants to tell Ann, People don’t talk about Mickey because they don’t know him. If they knew him, they would be saying what a good basketball player he is.

Ann turns over a “hello,” “what’s your favorite song?” and “a thank you” card. She grins at him.

“Thhanks,” Sam says.

The next card reads, “Tomcats Score!”

“Thhanks.” Sam smiles. He can’t wait to show this card to Charlie Simmons.

“These are lovely, lovely cards, Ann,” Miss Perkins says.

Ann turns over the last card. It says, “Goodbye.” Underneath in smaller letters, she has written, “I will miss you.”

Miss Perkins looks at her, puzzled. “We’re not going anywhere, Ann.”

“My mother said…” Ann begins, and her face grows as red as her favorite dress.

“Hum,” Miss Perkins says. She picks up the goodbye card.

Sam is barely listening. The two of them need to stop talking. They are wasting his recess time. Impatiently, he points at the card that says, “Tomcats Score!”

“Sam wants to go to the playground,” Ann says.

“What?” Miss Perkins seems lost in thought.

Ann repeats herself.

“Well, what are we waiting for?”

Sam points at the “thank you” card but he can’t help wishing that Ann had made more cards. He’d love to have one that said, “Hurry up!” Or “It’s about time.” Or for use when Miss Perkins is particularly long-winded: “SHUT UP.”

Ann slips on her coat. It’s blue with white buttons.

“I’m ready,” she says.

Thoughtfully, Miss Perkins places the goodbye card onto the tray.