Read Online Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day by Gary Paulsen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Gary Paulsen
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into my room by now, because, in addition to giving them all jobs, I'm sure that room and board is the next offer you'll make to them.”
Irene moved as if to speak, but Molly raised a hand.
“Just so you don't think the day was a total waste, I did get to talk to the cutest boy in school. Too bad that every square inch of me was covered in spaghetti sauce and blue-black ink. Oh, yeah, and I was twitching from the coffee beans we had for lunch, so he probably thinks I'm clinically insane.
“The only bad thing that
hasn't
happened to me today is that I haven't been carried off by little trolls, but, hey, the day is still young.
“And it's all because I lost my notebook.” Molly was sobbing now, standing outside the locker room door. “You don't understand,” she sniffled. “Thatnotebook contained a list of all my life's goals and I'm just… lost without it.”
“I thought you had a wonderful day, Molly”
Molly didn't even bother to respond. She just dragged her sleeve across her nose.
“In any case,” Irene continued gently, “don't you think you're just a little too dependent on that notebook?”
“Well, yes, you could say that. But I can't rely on that computer diary you got me for Christmas. You know I don't have a laptop, and the success of my notebook system depends on constant access, an ongoing system of updating and refining …” Molly trailed off and looked up at Irene.
“Molly, Molly, Molly. Your life is much more important than what you put in that notebook.” Irene grabbed her bag from where Molly had dropped it, reached in and rooted around for a moment before pulling Molly's notebook out with a flourish.
“See, I told you I could carry everything I needed in my bag,” she remarked triumphantly.
Molly stared at the notebook in Irene's hand. “Did you take my clothes from the locker too?”
“Molly, I was manipulative today, not mean. Nope, that was just good old-fashioned bad luck.”
“You mean I've been carrying my notebook around all day?”
“I thought that had a nice
Wizard of Oz
touch— just like Dorothy, you had what you needed all along, only you didn't know it. I took the notebook from you yesterday when I saw that you never did anything without checking it off your to-do list. I worried that you wouldn't even scratch your a—”
“Is this some kind of joke?”
Irene shook her head. “Look, Molly, this is the kind of day that builds character.”
“Because if this is all some kind of sick joke, I'm not laughing.” Molly studied her borrowed clothes, picking at the blouse. It didn't quite fit, she thought, like her life. “I'm done, Irene. I'm all done and fed up and sick of it all, so if there's some kind of punch line coming for this hysterically funny joke, you'd better let it fly because I'm …I'm done.”
Irene smiled softly. “Dear one, there is no joke, only me loving you and wanting to help you. And maybe sometimes I'm a little heavy-handed andmaybe sometimes it seems to go sideways a little, but the truth is that everything I am is for you, to help you. If nothing else comes from this day, I hope you at least see that.”
Molly looked up, caught by the tone in Irene's voice, the softness, and felt her good eye tear up, and something inside her tore a little and all her anger left her and she reached over to throw her arms around Irene and they clasped each other tightly and stood that way for a long and wonderful time, until Molly was startled by a cheer that went up from behind them.
Looking over Irene's shoulder, she saw that their whole conversation had been closely followed by the entire membership of the detention squad, who were now hanging out the windows of the Detention Room, cheering and whooping.
Molly waved at them, gave them a thumbs-up and smiled. If you had to have new friends, she thought, they weren't so bad. It was kind of like being friendly with a bunch of pit bulls.
Irene gently pulled out of their hug and returned the
Irene moved as if to speak, but Molly raised a hand.
“Just so you don't think the day was a total waste, I did get to talk to the cutest boy in school. Too bad that every square inch of me was covered in spaghetti sauce and blue-black ink. Oh, yeah, and I was twitching from the coffee beans we had for lunch, so he probably thinks I'm clinically insane.
“The only bad thing that
hasn't
happened to me today is that I haven't been carried off by little trolls, but, hey, the day is still young.
“And it's all because I lost my notebook.” Molly was sobbing now, standing outside the locker room door. “You don't understand,” she sniffled. “Thatnotebook contained a list of all my life's goals and I'm just… lost without it.”
“I thought you had a wonderful day, Molly”
Molly didn't even bother to respond. She just dragged her sleeve across her nose.
“In any case,” Irene continued gently, “don't you think you're just a little too dependent on that notebook?”
“Well, yes, you could say that. But I can't rely on that computer diary you got me for Christmas. You know I don't have a laptop, and the success of my notebook system depends on constant access, an ongoing system of updating and refining …” Molly trailed off and looked up at Irene.
“Molly, Molly, Molly. Your life is much more important than what you put in that notebook.” Irene grabbed her bag from where Molly had dropped it, reached in and rooted around for a moment before pulling Molly's notebook out with a flourish.
“See, I told you I could carry everything I needed in my bag,” she remarked triumphantly.
Molly stared at the notebook in Irene's hand. “Did you take my clothes from the locker too?”
“Molly, I was manipulative today, not mean. Nope, that was just good old-fashioned bad luck.”
“You mean I've been carrying my notebook around all day?”
“I thought that had a nice
Wizard of Oz
touch— just like Dorothy, you had what you needed all along, only you didn't know it. I took the notebook from you yesterday when I saw that you never did anything without checking it off your to-do list. I worried that you wouldn't even scratch your a—”
“Is this some kind of joke?”
Irene shook her head. “Look, Molly, this is the kind of day that builds character.”
“Because if this is all some kind of sick joke, I'm not laughing.” Molly studied her borrowed clothes, picking at the blouse. It didn't quite fit, she thought, like her life. “I'm done, Irene. I'm all done and fed up and sick of it all, so if there's some kind of punch line coming for this hysterically funny joke, you'd better let it fly because I'm …I'm done.”
Irene smiled softly. “Dear one, there is no joke, only me loving you and wanting to help you. And maybe sometimes I'm a little heavy-handed andmaybe sometimes it seems to go sideways a little, but the truth is that everything I am is for you, to help you. If nothing else comes from this day, I hope you at least see that.”
Molly looked up, caught by the tone in Irene's voice, the softness, and felt her good eye tear up, and something inside her tore a little and all her anger left her and she reached over to throw her arms around Irene and they clasped each other tightly and stood that way for a long and wonderful time, until Molly was startled by a cheer that went up from behind them.
Looking over Irene's shoulder, she saw that their whole conversation had been closely followed by the entire membership of the detention squad, who were now hanging out the windows of the Detention Room, cheering and whooping.
Molly waved at them, gave them a thumbs-up and smiled. If you had to have new friends, she thought, they weren't so bad. It was kind of like being friendly with a bunch of pit bulls.
Irene gently pulled out of their hug and returned the
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