Read Online Fabulous Five 024 - The Great TV Turnoff by Betsy Haynes - Free Book Online
Authors: Betsy Haynes
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stormed back to where
Christie, Jana, and Melanie were standing.
"Wow! That was some article your mother wrote for today's
paper," Beth said the next morning as she opened her locker. "She
really cut down parents who aren't helping their kids with the TV turnoff."
Katie groaned. "As if one article wasn't enough, she
had to write two.
"By the way," she asked Beth, "how'd your
interview with Jack Albright go?"
Beth's eyes lit up. "Super. He was really nice, and
totally gorgeous. He autographed my purse for me, right on the front, where
everyone can see it. I've decided I'll survive not watching the tape until the
week after next. Every time I close my eyes, I see his face as clear as TV,
anyway!" She sighed dreamily.
"Are you surviving not watching your soaps, Mel?"
asked Katie. "You haven't been cheating, have you?"
"Who, me, cheat?" Melanie raised her eyebrows in a
show of innocence. "I certainly have not."
"Tell us about the latest episode of Interns and
Lovers you've written, Mel," said Christie.
"I'm glad you asked," said Melanie, digging into
her purse and pulling out a small spiral notebook. "The way I've got it
figured out, see, is that Sylvia's convalescing now and Cal is spending all his
time at the hospital with her. He doesn't realize it yet, but he's falling in
love."
"Something told me it would turn out that way,"
said Christie with a smile.
"Katie," Mrs. Karl called, as the study period
came to an end. "Would you drop this envelope off at the office for me?"
"Yes, ma'am."
As Katie hurried along the busy hallway, she saw Tony
walking ahead of her with Bill and Scott. She felt a tug at her heart as the
three boys laughed and jostled each other. Part of her wanted to tell Tony she
missed him, but another part of her still felt that he was the one who owed her
the apology. It was obvious that he was still angry at her, too.
When Katie entered the office, Miss Simone was at her desk,
looking totally frazzled.
Mr. Bell was standing nearby with an exasperated look on his
face.
"Miss Simone, that was at least the tenth irate call I've
gotten about the article in this morning's paper. Please take my calls from now
on."
Then, noticing Katie, he frowned. "Oh, hello, Katie. I
didn't see you standing there," He turned and went back into his office.
"Mrs. Karl asked me to give you this envelope, Miss
Simone," said Katie.
"Thank you, dear."
Katie hesitated before leaving. "Miss Simone, was Mr.
Bell talking about my mother's article that was in the paper this morning?"
The secretary looked at Katie and smiled. "I'm afraid
he was. It's part of his job to take flak, and he doesn't really mind it this
time. He knows it's for a good cause."
"Why is he getting so many angry calls?" asked
Katie.
"Some of the parents feel that the article was directed
at them," Miss Simone replied, "and they think the school may have
talked your mother into writing it. I think there are a few guilty consciences
out there."
Boy, Katie thought as she hurried to her next class. What a
mess the turnoff was shaping up to be. It had sounded so simple at first.
People would turn off their televisions for two weeks and find something else
to do. But things had quickly become a lot more complicated.
Katie squared her shoulders and stuck out her chin as she
marched into her next class. One thing was certain—she wasn't going to give up
on the TV turnoff. In spite of everything, it was a good idea.
CHAPTER 12
Katie looked around the crowded school yard in amazement.
There were boys and girls with bicycles all over the place. Some of them,
including Tony, Bill, and Scott, were seventh-graders, but there were kids from
eighth and ninth grade, too. Even the McNatts were going to Adventureland. Then
Katie noticed Laura McCall and her friends.
"I can't believe it," said Katie. "Laura's
here. She's actually coming."
Jana shrugged. "I guess so."
"Don't worry about Laura, Katie," said Melanie. "This
has turned out great. Except for
Christie, Jana, and Melanie were standing.
"Wow! That was some article your mother wrote for today's
paper," Beth said the next morning as she opened her locker. "She
really cut down parents who aren't helping their kids with the TV turnoff."
Katie groaned. "As if one article wasn't enough, she
had to write two.
"By the way," she asked Beth, "how'd your
interview with Jack Albright go?"
Beth's eyes lit up. "Super. He was really nice, and
totally gorgeous. He autographed my purse for me, right on the front, where
everyone can see it. I've decided I'll survive not watching the tape until the
week after next. Every time I close my eyes, I see his face as clear as TV,
anyway!" She sighed dreamily.
"Are you surviving not watching your soaps, Mel?"
asked Katie. "You haven't been cheating, have you?"
"Who, me, cheat?" Melanie raised her eyebrows in a
show of innocence. "I certainly have not."
"Tell us about the latest episode of Interns and
Lovers you've written, Mel," said Christie.
"I'm glad you asked," said Melanie, digging into
her purse and pulling out a small spiral notebook. "The way I've got it
figured out, see, is that Sylvia's convalescing now and Cal is spending all his
time at the hospital with her. He doesn't realize it yet, but he's falling in
love."
"Something told me it would turn out that way,"
said Christie with a smile.
"Katie," Mrs. Karl called, as the study period
came to an end. "Would you drop this envelope off at the office for me?"
"Yes, ma'am."
As Katie hurried along the busy hallway, she saw Tony
walking ahead of her with Bill and Scott. She felt a tug at her heart as the
three boys laughed and jostled each other. Part of her wanted to tell Tony she
missed him, but another part of her still felt that he was the one who owed her
the apology. It was obvious that he was still angry at her, too.
When Katie entered the office, Miss Simone was at her desk,
looking totally frazzled.
Mr. Bell was standing nearby with an exasperated look on his
face.
"Miss Simone, that was at least the tenth irate call I've
gotten about the article in this morning's paper. Please take my calls from now
on."
Then, noticing Katie, he frowned. "Oh, hello, Katie. I
didn't see you standing there," He turned and went back into his office.
"Mrs. Karl asked me to give you this envelope, Miss
Simone," said Katie.
"Thank you, dear."
Katie hesitated before leaving. "Miss Simone, was Mr.
Bell talking about my mother's article that was in the paper this morning?"
The secretary looked at Katie and smiled. "I'm afraid
he was. It's part of his job to take flak, and he doesn't really mind it this
time. He knows it's for a good cause."
"Why is he getting so many angry calls?" asked
Katie.
"Some of the parents feel that the article was directed
at them," Miss Simone replied, "and they think the school may have
talked your mother into writing it. I think there are a few guilty consciences
out there."
Boy, Katie thought as she hurried to her next class. What a
mess the turnoff was shaping up to be. It had sounded so simple at first.
People would turn off their televisions for two weeks and find something else
to do. But things had quickly become a lot more complicated.
Katie squared her shoulders and stuck out her chin as she
marched into her next class. One thing was certain—she wasn't going to give up
on the TV turnoff. In spite of everything, it was a good idea.
CHAPTER 12
Katie looked around the crowded school yard in amazement.
There were boys and girls with bicycles all over the place. Some of them,
including Tony, Bill, and Scott, were seventh-graders, but there were kids from
eighth and ninth grade, too. Even the McNatts were going to Adventureland. Then
Katie noticed Laura McCall and her friends.
"I can't believe it," said Katie. "Laura's
here. She's actually coming."
Jana shrugged. "I guess so."
"Don't worry about Laura, Katie," said Melanie. "This
has turned out great. Except for
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