Read Online Rosie Swanson: Fourth-Grade Geek for President by Barbara Park - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara Park
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men.
“How long ago did he steal it?” she asked. “And how old was he when it happened?”
I shrugged my shoulders. Where was she getting all these annoying questions?
“I don’t know, Mother,” I said. “What difference does it make?”
“It could make a
lot
of difference, Rosie,” she said. “Maybe this guy is not really a thief at all. Maybe he just made a mistake, and it was a long time ago, and he learned his lesson. In fact, maybe it made him feel so bad, he’s just as honest—or even
more
honest—than anyone else on the moon.”
I threw my head back. “No, Mother. No, no, no. That’s just stupid. How can somebody who’sstolen something be more honest than someone who’s never, ever stolen anything in her whole entire life?”
My mom stared at me curiously. Then she took one of those long, deep breaths that mothers always take when they’re trying to brace themselves for bad news.
“Okay, kiddo,” she said. “Let’s have it. What’s this all about?”
I stood up. “Nothing. It’s not about anything. It was just a stupid question about a stupid moon man, and I don’t want to talk about it any-stupid-more.”
Then, before she could ask anything else, I hurried out the door and headed toward the stairs. Halfway there, I looked back over my shoulder. I couldn’t believe she wasn’t following me. Usually when I act like that, she’s right on my heels.
As soon as I got to my room, I locked my door again. Sometimes adults don’t make any sense at all. I mean, who the heck cares how old Alan was when he stole the soccer ball? Even a baby thief is still a thief, isn’t he? And besides, it was pretty clear that Alan hadn’t learned his lessonabout stealing. He’d stolen my poem right out of Maxie’s mouth.
Just then, there was a knock on my door. I knew it! I knew she’d follow me!
“Rosie? Can I come in? What’s wrong? Did one of the other candidates steal something? Was it Alan?”
I forced my voice to sound normal. “No. It’s nothing. Just never mind, okay? I’m taking a nap.”
There was a pause.
“Rosie.”
“I’m asleep.”
I listened closely. Mom sat down on the floor and leaned her back up against my door. “Suit yourself, but I’m not going away until you tell me what’s going on,” she said.
I made a loud snoring sound.
“Come on, Rosie. I mean it. Let me in. I want to help.”
I covered my head with my blanket. “You can’t help, Mother,” I said. “Nobody can. You don’t have a magic wand, do you? Do you have a magic wand that will make me pretty and popular?”
I knew what she would say. It’s the same thingevery mother in the world says at times like this. It must be in the official
Mother Manual
or something.
“But you already
are
pretty, honey,” she said. “You’re as cute as you can be. And at school I bet you’re—”
I put my hand over my ears. “No. I’m not, Mother! I’m a four-eyed, geeky girl! And I never should have been in this election in the first place. No one in their right mind would ever vote for me.”
“That’s
not
true, Rosie,” she argued back. “I’m sure there are plenty of kids who will—”
I started to cry.
“No, there aren’t, Mother! I know better than you do, and there aren’t!”
My mother waited a minute. “Please, Rosie. Open up,” she said quietly.
Finally, I wiped my eyes with my blanket and I opened my door.
My mother didn’t say another word.
We just sat on the edge of my bed. And I let her hug me.
9 LIKE WILDFIRE
The next morning, Neil McNulty saw my note as soon as he pulled out his chair. I was still feeling mixed up about stuff, but I didn’t try to stop what was about to happen. I just peeked at Neil through a crack in my three-ring binder and waited.
When he first saw the note, he brushed it onto the floor. I was afraid he might just leave it there. But he must have seen the writing on it, because he leaned over and picked it up again.
He read it. “Whoa!” he
“How long ago did he steal it?” she asked. “And how old was he when it happened?”
I shrugged my shoulders. Where was she getting all these annoying questions?
“I don’t know, Mother,” I said. “What difference does it make?”
“It could make a
lot
of difference, Rosie,” she said. “Maybe this guy is not really a thief at all. Maybe he just made a mistake, and it was a long time ago, and he learned his lesson. In fact, maybe it made him feel so bad, he’s just as honest—or even
more
honest—than anyone else on the moon.”
I threw my head back. “No, Mother. No, no, no. That’s just stupid. How can somebody who’sstolen something be more honest than someone who’s never, ever stolen anything in her whole entire life?”
My mom stared at me curiously. Then she took one of those long, deep breaths that mothers always take when they’re trying to brace themselves for bad news.
“Okay, kiddo,” she said. “Let’s have it. What’s this all about?”
I stood up. “Nothing. It’s not about anything. It was just a stupid question about a stupid moon man, and I don’t want to talk about it any-stupid-more.”
Then, before she could ask anything else, I hurried out the door and headed toward the stairs. Halfway there, I looked back over my shoulder. I couldn’t believe she wasn’t following me. Usually when I act like that, she’s right on my heels.
As soon as I got to my room, I locked my door again. Sometimes adults don’t make any sense at all. I mean, who the heck cares how old Alan was when he stole the soccer ball? Even a baby thief is still a thief, isn’t he? And besides, it was pretty clear that Alan hadn’t learned his lessonabout stealing. He’d stolen my poem right out of Maxie’s mouth.
Just then, there was a knock on my door. I knew it! I knew she’d follow me!
“Rosie? Can I come in? What’s wrong? Did one of the other candidates steal something? Was it Alan?”
I forced my voice to sound normal. “No. It’s nothing. Just never mind, okay? I’m taking a nap.”
There was a pause.
“Rosie.”
“I’m asleep.”
I listened closely. Mom sat down on the floor and leaned her back up against my door. “Suit yourself, but I’m not going away until you tell me what’s going on,” she said.
I made a loud snoring sound.
“Come on, Rosie. I mean it. Let me in. I want to help.”
I covered my head with my blanket. “You can’t help, Mother,” I said. “Nobody can. You don’t have a magic wand, do you? Do you have a magic wand that will make me pretty and popular?”
I knew what she would say. It’s the same thingevery mother in the world says at times like this. It must be in the official
Mother Manual
or something.
“But you already
are
pretty, honey,” she said. “You’re as cute as you can be. And at school I bet you’re—”
I put my hand over my ears. “No. I’m not, Mother! I’m a four-eyed, geeky girl! And I never should have been in this election in the first place. No one in their right mind would ever vote for me.”
“That’s
not
true, Rosie,” she argued back. “I’m sure there are plenty of kids who will—”
I started to cry.
“No, there aren’t, Mother! I know better than you do, and there aren’t!”
My mother waited a minute. “Please, Rosie. Open up,” she said quietly.
Finally, I wiped my eyes with my blanket and I opened my door.
My mother didn’t say another word.
We just sat on the edge of my bed. And I let her hug me.
9 LIKE WILDFIRE
The next morning, Neil McNulty saw my note as soon as he pulled out his chair. I was still feeling mixed up about stuff, but I didn’t try to stop what was about to happen. I just peeked at Neil through a crack in my three-ring binder and waited.
When he first saw the note, he brushed it onto the floor. I was afraid he might just leave it there. But he must have seen the writing on it, because he leaned over and picked it up again.
He read it. “Whoa!” he
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