Old Friends, New Friends

“Mommy, my feet smell.”

“Karen.”

“Well, they do.” I was sitting on the floor at my gymnastics school. I was wearing my purple leotard and my pink leggings. And I was holding one of my feet up to my nose. I breathed in. “Oh, pew,” I said.

“Honey, really,” said Mommy. “Is that necessary? Anyway, please do not worry about your feet. If they smell it is because you just took off your sneakers. You were running around in gym today.”

“Yeah. Let your feet air out a little,” said Andrew.

“Mommy, does he have to be here?” I asked. I pointed to my brother.

“I don’t know what else to do with him,” said Mommy.

“Maybe you could leave now,” I suggested.

“I want to make sure you find your new class,” Mommy answered. “Then Andrew and I will leave.”

We waited in the hallway at gymnastics school. We waited until I saw my teacher. “Hi, Miss Donovan!” I called. “Mommy, there is Miss Donovan. Now you can leave.”

I followed Miss Donovan into one of the practice rooms. I could not wait to see the kids in my gymnastics class again. Here is who was in my first beginners class: Maria, Dana, Kitty, Scott, Taisa, Robbie, and me. We had so much fun together.

I stood by the doorway and waited for Dana. But the first person who came into the room was a girl I had not seen before. Hmm. A new student. Well, Dana and I would introduce her to the kids in the class.

The next person who arrived was another new kid.

The next person was Jannie Gilbert. Jannie is in my class at school. But I had not seen her at gymnastics before.

“What are you doing here?” I asked Jannie.

“Taking lessons,” she replied. “Miss Donovan is my teacher. I am in second beginners now.” Jannie looked proud of herself.

“Me, too,” I said. “I am in second beginners. But you were not in first beginners with me. You were not in my class.”

“I know. The classes change,” Jannie told me.

Boy, was she right. Here is who was in my new class: Sophie, Gregg, Polly, Gemma (four kids I did not know), Jannie, me, and Natalie Springer. Natalie is also in my class at school. She is nice. We are friends. But Natalie is a klutz. I could not imagine her doing gymnastics.

We sat down. Miss Donovan welcomed us to our new class. She explained what we were going to learn. I tried to pay attention. But mostly I looked at the other kids. Then Miss Donovan said we would have a review.

She asked us to turn a forward roll. I did a great job. So did Jannie and Gemma. (Natalie had to try twice.)

Miss Donovan asked us to walk along the low balance beam. I did a great job. So did Gregg and Polly. (Natalie fell off.)

Miss Donovan asked us to leap over the horse. (It is not a real horse.) I did a great job. So did Sophie and Jannie. (Natalie got stuck on top of the horse. She looked mad.)

Then Miss Donovan asked us to try a cartwheel. I still could not do one. My hands and feet got mixed up. Everyone else could turn a cartwheel. Even Natalie. (Well, sort of.) I would just have to keep practicing.