Chapter Ten

 

Philip’s school scheduled Mr. Ware’s play for a week from Thursday in the evening so parents who worked during the day could attend. Another class planned to sing some songs, and a third class would present a play about Thanksgiving. Philip’s class began working on their play the next day. Mr. Ware assigned chores to the children who were not in the play, and he took the actors to the back of the room to see whether they knew their lines. Philip knew his, but some of the other children didn’t seem to know anything. Philip rolled his eyes as Larry, the fourth Chinese brother, stood there opening and closing his mouth like a fish.

“Did you study your lines last night, Larry?” Mr. Ware asked in a gentle voice.

Larry opened and closed his mouth some more before he closed it and shook his head.

Philip rolled his eyes again. Larry always acted like this. He peeked toward the front of the room as Mr. Ware tried to impress on Larry the importance of not letting the other actors down. Emery lay on the floor coloring something and laughing with the boy lying next to him. He had the exact easy job Philip had wished for. Philip couldn’t wait for the next play the class did so he could be the one coloring and laughing while Emery suffered through memorizing lines and saying them in front of an auditorium full of staring eyes.

“Well,” Mr. Ware continued, “anyone who needs to read from the script, please take one, and we’ll go through the play.”

Philip shook his head when Mr. Ware offered him a script.

“Very good, Philip. I’m proud of you.”

Mr. Ware’s kind words made Philip feel a little bit better. He touched the Moon Charm in his pocket as rehearsal began, closed his eyes a second and wished he would remember his lines without any problem. When his turn came, he spoke his lines perfectly. Mr. Ware smiled at him and he felt a lot better.

At lunch Philip asked Emery, “Did you make any wishes with your troll today?”

Emery shook his head as he wiped the chocolate off his mouth from a piece of chocolate cake his mother packed for him.

“Not really.”

“What’s not really mean?”

“I only wished my mother wouldn’t forget to put the chocolate cake in my lunch, but I knew she wouldn’t anyway ‘cause I reminded her a zillion times. I don’t think I’d count that as a lucky troll wish, but maybe.”

“You didn’t wish I would remember my lines when we practiced the play, did you?”

Emery made a confused face. “Why would I waste a wish on something dumb like that? That should be your wish.”

“Right,” Philip muttered, relieved. Maybe the charm had finally started doing its job.

Two days later on Thursday, one week before the play, Mr. Ware brought the costumes into the classroom in a big box. Philip’s stomach began to hurt when he saw what came out of the big box—little hats that looked like they belonged on a monkey, long braids of fake black hair, and shiny colorful coats for each of the seven brothers. Philip slid his hand into his pocket and wished with all his might he would not feel as silly as he knew he would look when he dressed up for the play.

“Philip, come up,” said Mr. Ware.

Philip’s stomach ping-ponged inside of him. Why did Mr. Ware always call his name first? He walked to the front of the room and stood with his back to the class.

“Turn around, Philip,” said Mr. Ware.

Philip slid his hand into his pocket and turned around.

“First, the wig,” Mr. Ware said with a grin.

Philip closed his eyes and felt the fuzzy, itchy black wig go onto his head. He felt the two braids dance down his back. He felt Mr. Ware put the elastic from the tiny hat under his chin.

“Now pick a coat, Philip. Whatever color you want.”

Mr. Ware pointed into the big box, but Philip peeked at his classmates. It shocked him to see they were not rolling around on the floor laughing at him. He was even more shocked to find them looking at him with interest and even fascination on their faces.

Philip looked into the box and pointed to the gold coat. Mr. Ware took out the coat and helped Philip into it.

“Show everyone, Philip.”

Philip turned to the class again. He heard some oohs and aahs, and even one wow. Two boys from the front row got out of their seats and came to rub their hands on Philip’s soft, shiny sleeve. When Mr. Ware refrained from telling the two boys to sit back down, the rest of the class came to the front of the room and surrounded Philip.

Philip turned left and right, astonished by the attention. He stretched out his arms so more people could touch his coat.

“All right, everyone,” said Mr. Ware. “Enough. Sit back down, and we’ll dress the other Chinese brothers.”

The class sat down muttering their approval of the costumes to one another, and the other six brothers chose their coats. The class watched, but no one came to the front to admire brothers two through seven. Being first didn’t turn out to be so bad after all, Philip thought.

When everyone was in costume, the actors rehearsed the play in the classroom. Philip remembered his lines and surprised himself by feeling good about acting in the play. No, he felt more than good. He felt . . . fancy! He felt . . . important, standing in the front of the room in his golden costume saying his lines with everyone looking at him. He patted his pocket.

At lunch Emery slid next to Philip and said, “Those costumes look cool. I hope when I have to be in a play I get a costume as good as yours.”

“Did you say wow when you saw me?” Philip asked. “Somebody said wow.”

Emery shrugged. “I don’t remember. I don’t think so.”

Philip looked at Emery and said, “Did you wish for the costumes to be so good?”

“Why do you keep asking me if I’m making wishes about the play? I only made one wish—not to be in the play, and I got my wish.”

Philip turned back to his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He’d gotten two wishes he knew Emery hadn’t wished for. His Moon Charm was coming through for him.

Every day until the next Thursday Philip’s class rehearsed the play. Every day Philip felt a thrill when he put on his beautiful golden coat. Every day Philip recited his lines perfectly without even thinking about them.

“Are you nervous?” Emery asked as he and Philip walked home from school. “The show’s tonight.”

Philip shook his head. “No.”

“You sure you’re not nervous? Lots of people will be watching tonight.”

“We practiced the play so much, tonight will be easy.” Philip patted his pocket and made a quick wish to be sure. “Are you coming?”

“My mom wants to see it, so my dad has to stay home with the babies. I’d rather see the play than stay home with the babies, so I’ll go with my mom.”

When they reached Emery’s house, the boys parted.

“See you tonight,” Emery called. “And good . . .”

“Don’t!” Philip cried. “Don’t wish me good luck. Promise you won’t make any wish about me or the play. Promise.”

“Why?”

“Just don’t,” Philip insisted. “Promise.”

Emery shrugged. “Okay, but then don’t blame me if you mess up.”

“I won’t.”

“You won’t blame me, or you won’t mess up?” Emery called after Philip, but Philip ignored him. As Philip walked, he considered the night ahead. He decided he’d make his wish right before the play began so the Moon Charm would have it fresh in its memory. He would hold his Moon Charm as tight as he could and wish for good luck for both the play and himself. Without Emery’s troll in the way, this would prove once and for all whether the Moon Charm brought him good luck or not.