Read Online Otis Spofford by Beverly Cleary - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beverly Cleary
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wanted to know.
“It isn’t really pink,” said Otis.
“It is, too,” contradicted Stewy. “I saw it.” “Well, it isn’t supposed to be pink,” protested Otis. “My mother put one of my glow-in-the-dark socks in the washing machine by mistake, and it faded and dyed everything pink. Sheets and towels and everything.”
The boys laughed. Otis’s explanation did not change the color of his undershirt. They were not going to let him forget it.
And they didn’t, either. Word soon spread around Rosemont School that Otis was wearing pink underwear. Otis took off his jacket in the cloakroom and went to his desk, where he fastened his shirt with a paper clip and slid down in his seat with a scowl on his face. Every boy in Room Eleven stopped at his desk and asked to see his pink underwear. The more Otis thought about it, the more he didn’t like being chased. He didn’t like losing his buttons, either. And it was all Bruce’s fault for not minding his own business. And that Ellen…she’d be sorry!
As the boys and girls struggled out of boots, sweaters, jackets, coats, scarves, earmuffs, caps, and mittens they babbled not only about Otis’s pink underwear, but also about the snow and the coasting they were going to do after school. They could hardly wait.
Mrs. Gitler had to clap her hands several times for attention. Then she said, “I know we are all excited about the snow and are eager to go coasting, but that does not mean we may neglect our schoolwork. Let’s forget about the snow until school is out.”
The class exchanged glances. What a silly thing for Mrs. Gitler to say. How could they forget about the snow when it was falling past the windows this very minute?
“Who has something to share with the class during Telling Time?” Mrs. Gitler asked.
Stewy shot up out of his seat. “Otis Spofford wears pink underwear,” he announced in a loud voice, and sat down.
Instantly the class was in an uproar. Otis felt himself turn red. He glared at Stewy and drew back his fist to show Stewy he had better look out.
Mrs. Gitler rapped on her desk with a ruler. “Stewart, I’m disappointed in you. You know that is not the sort of thing we talk about in Telling Time. The class is not interested in the color of Otis’s underwear.”
That’s what she thinks, thought Otis.
Ellen was next to tell something to the class. “This morning the milk was frozen in the bottles on our front porch. The cream stuck way up above the tops of the bottles and the caps were sitting on top of the cream.”
“That’s nothing. Ours has been that way for a week,” said Tommy. The rest of the class agreed, and Ellen looked embarrassed because she had not noticed the frozen milk sooner.
“That means the temperature went down to freezing, doesn’t it?” Mrs. Gitler remarked, before she called on George.
“Last night my dad took my brother and me in the car over to Laurelwood Park to see if the lake had frozen over. There was ice all over it except in the very middle where the ducks swim around, so it can’t freeze. Some men from the fire department were looking at it. They said if it was as cold last night as it has been the last few nights, the ice would be thick enough to skate on.” George looked pleased to have brought this news to the class.
Boy, I’m sure going to the lake, thought Otis, as an excited murmur ran through the class. Not every winter was cold enough for outdoor skating.
“Thank you, George,” said Mrs. Gitler. “From what Ellen told us about the frozen milk we know that we had freezing weather last night. How many of you plan to go skating?”
Half the boys and girls raised their hands. Otis and the rest of the class buzzed with plans for skating and coasting until Mrs. Gitler told them to take out their arithmetic books.
Otis enjoyed the air of excitement, but Mrs. Gitler had a difficult time teaching arithmetic. Because of the weather, the class had to stay in during recess. Mrs. Gitler
“It isn’t really pink,” said Otis.
“It is, too,” contradicted Stewy. “I saw it.” “Well, it isn’t supposed to be pink,” protested Otis. “My mother put one of my glow-in-the-dark socks in the washing machine by mistake, and it faded and dyed everything pink. Sheets and towels and everything.”
The boys laughed. Otis’s explanation did not change the color of his undershirt. They were not going to let him forget it.
And they didn’t, either. Word soon spread around Rosemont School that Otis was wearing pink underwear. Otis took off his jacket in the cloakroom and went to his desk, where he fastened his shirt with a paper clip and slid down in his seat with a scowl on his face. Every boy in Room Eleven stopped at his desk and asked to see his pink underwear. The more Otis thought about it, the more he didn’t like being chased. He didn’t like losing his buttons, either. And it was all Bruce’s fault for not minding his own business. And that Ellen…she’d be sorry!
As the boys and girls struggled out of boots, sweaters, jackets, coats, scarves, earmuffs, caps, and mittens they babbled not only about Otis’s pink underwear, but also about the snow and the coasting they were going to do after school. They could hardly wait.
Mrs. Gitler had to clap her hands several times for attention. Then she said, “I know we are all excited about the snow and are eager to go coasting, but that does not mean we may neglect our schoolwork. Let’s forget about the snow until school is out.”
The class exchanged glances. What a silly thing for Mrs. Gitler to say. How could they forget about the snow when it was falling past the windows this very minute?
“Who has something to share with the class during Telling Time?” Mrs. Gitler asked.
Stewy shot up out of his seat. “Otis Spofford wears pink underwear,” he announced in a loud voice, and sat down.
Instantly the class was in an uproar. Otis felt himself turn red. He glared at Stewy and drew back his fist to show Stewy he had better look out.
Mrs. Gitler rapped on her desk with a ruler. “Stewart, I’m disappointed in you. You know that is not the sort of thing we talk about in Telling Time. The class is not interested in the color of Otis’s underwear.”
That’s what she thinks, thought Otis.
Ellen was next to tell something to the class. “This morning the milk was frozen in the bottles on our front porch. The cream stuck way up above the tops of the bottles and the caps were sitting on top of the cream.”
“That’s nothing. Ours has been that way for a week,” said Tommy. The rest of the class agreed, and Ellen looked embarrassed because she had not noticed the frozen milk sooner.
“That means the temperature went down to freezing, doesn’t it?” Mrs. Gitler remarked, before she called on George.
“Last night my dad took my brother and me in the car over to Laurelwood Park to see if the lake had frozen over. There was ice all over it except in the very middle where the ducks swim around, so it can’t freeze. Some men from the fire department were looking at it. They said if it was as cold last night as it has been the last few nights, the ice would be thick enough to skate on.” George looked pleased to have brought this news to the class.
Boy, I’m sure going to the lake, thought Otis, as an excited murmur ran through the class. Not every winter was cold enough for outdoor skating.
“Thank you, George,” said Mrs. Gitler. “From what Ellen told us about the frozen milk we know that we had freezing weather last night. How many of you plan to go skating?”
Half the boys and girls raised their hands. Otis and the rest of the class buzzed with plans for skating and coasting until Mrs. Gitler told them to take out their arithmetic books.
Otis enjoyed the air of excitement, but Mrs. Gitler had a difficult time teaching arithmetic. Because of the weather, the class had to stay in during recess. Mrs. Gitler
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