Read Online Keeping Score by Linda Sue Park - Free Book Online

and Treecie handed out sodas and napkins; Maggie fed Charky bits from the tray.
    As people left, they shook Jim's hand.
    "Give those Commies what-for, Jim."
    "You show them reds who's boss."
    "They're nothin' but yella cowards, Jim. Make 'em run."
    Maggie stayed until the end with Dad and helped clean up. Finally, Jim said it was time for him to go. He had to be up early the next day to catch a train.
    He shook hands with George and Vince and Terry.
    "They won't know what hit 'em," George declared. "Nobody makes a better soldier than a smoke-eater, and that's a fact. You're gonna do us proud, Jim."
    Dad shook Jim's hand and gave him a bear hug and a clap on the back.
    Maggie wondered what she should do—shake his hand? Or hug him? Sometimes George gave her a hug, but that was different; she had known him since she was a baby. She didn't have to decide right away, because the next thing Jim did was drop to one knee.
    "Hey Charks! C'mere, Charky-boy."
    Somehow Charky knew it was a solemn moment, for he walked over instead of bounding, the way he usually did. He nosed Jim's hand, then licked it.
    Jim rubbed the dog's neck with both hands. "Charky," he said, "see Maggie there?"
    Charky knew her name. He looked at her and pranced in place a little but stayed where he was.
    "You gotta keep her company now. When she's scoring a game, or goes for a walk. I'm countin' on you. Okay? Okay, boy?"
    The dog barked twice in response. Everyone laughed, and Maggie knelt down to pet Charky, too. "Good boy," she said.
    Jim reached over and ruffled her hair. "You take care, Maggie-o."
    "You too, Jim."
    "Keep them scorebooks up to date."
    "I will," she promised.
    Then Jim stood and saluted them all. He turned the salute into a little wave as he went out the door.
    Charky barked again and ran to the door. Maggie followed him. Together they stood on the pavement and watched Jim walk down the street.
    Maggie leaned her leg into the dog's warm fur. "He'll be back soon, Charks," she murmured. "And you know what? We'll have an even bigger party for him then."
    With balloons. And me and Treece can make a big banner that says "Welcome home!" And maybe Mom will help me bake a cake....
    Jim wasn't even out of sight yet, and already she couldn't wait for him to come home.

    One morning a couple of weeks after Maggie sent her letter, Treecie was waiting for her on their usual corner, where they met to walk to school together. Maggie started to run, waving an envelope in the air.
    "Treece! He wrote back!"
January 14, 1952
    Dear Maggie-o,
    I'm writing this on the boat. I am VERY seasick. I can't hardly hold the pen, but I wanted to let you know that I got your letter and thanks for writing. It was a nice surprise to get a letter so soon after leaving home, I'm the only guy in our berth who got one already.
    Will write again when I'm feeling better. Sorry.
    Your friend Jim
    Treecie laughed. "Kinda short," she said.
    "Yeah, but at least he wrote," Maggie said. She put the letter back in the envelope as they walked on.
    "We should bake cookies and send them to him," Treecie said. "My mom told me about it once, it's called a CARE package. I forget what the letters stand for, but when you send food to army guys, that's a CARE package." During World War II, Treecie's mom had helped look after injured soldiers.
    "That's a good name for it."
January 24, 1952
    Dear Jim,
    I was so sorry to hear that you were sick on the boat! I really really hope you're feeling better now.
    I didn't even know where Korea was but I looked it up in the atlas at school. Wow, it's really far away, almost exactly on the opposite side of the world from Brooklyn.
    Treecie and me made cookies for you, I hope they're not all crumbs by the time you get them....
    Maggie wrote to Jim every week, sometimes even twice a week.
The new guy started this week. His name is Charlie. He's nice and everything, but I asked Dad and he said that you'll get your old job back when you come home and
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