Read Online Samantha's Talent by Darrell Bain, Robyn Pass - Free Book Online

the date and time of the trip listed. Your parents must sign them or you won't be able to go. There is also a space on the permission slip for parents to volunteer to help chaperone you. All they have to do is call the number listed and if they agree, then they should be here at the specified time on the slip."
    The last bell rang and the students filed past Ms. Smithers and were handed their permission slips. Samantha was excited. She read a lot about animals and wanted to see some of the more exotic ones up close.
    When she got home she had dinner, then quickly finished her homework in time to stay up and watch television with her parents. After living in Alaska they liked programs about animals as much as Samantha did. The program reminded her about the trip to the zoo. She had completely forgotten!
    "Dad, Mom, guess what? Our class is going to the zoo!" she said.
    "Oh? When?" Elaine replied, not very enthusiastically.
    "The Saturday after the coming weekend at ten o'clock, but you have to give permission first." She looked hopefully at her parents.
    Elaine started to say something then stopped and reconsidered, but finally decided she needed to speak. "Ron, do you think that's a good idea?"
    Ronald was reading the permission slip. "Elaine, honey, it says here that they need some parents to chaperone the class. I'll be off work and could volunteer. Sammie certainly can't get into trouble if I'm with her."
    "Well... "
    "Oh, please, Mom. I'd really love to go. I've read about zoos on the internet. They have lots and lots of animals from all over the world."
    "Alright," Elaine said hesitantly, "but promise me you won't try to talk to the animals while you're there."
    "If I do, I won't when anyone else is nearby, Mom. I promise."
    Elaine rolled her eyes. "Better if you don't talk to them at all."
    "I'll watch her, honey. Besides, there's usually no way she could speak to the animals anyway, without shouting. Remember, they're confined."
    Something about the planned expedition raised Elaine Douglas' hackles but she said no more about it. After all, Samantha had been really good since they moved from Alaska and the German Shepherd, Shufus, was a wonderful dog, as dogs went. He was so well behaved it was almost uncanny but she didn't let herself think about why. She still didn't want her daughter to be different from other young girls, not after the trouble in Alaska. It made her cautious. She just wished there was a way to get that fixation about being able to talk to animals out of her mind. She had thought once or twice about seeking psychiatric help for her but after some consideration, decided that wasn't a good idea. If she did consult a mental health expert and it got out, Samantha would really be thought strange then. About all she could do was wait and hope her delusion would go away on its own once she reached puberty and began thinking of boys like all young girls do. It wouldn't be long now, she knew.
    Besides being allowed to participate in the class trip to the zoo, Samantha also received permission to go by Betty's house each day after school for just a few minutes to say hello to the dog she was trying to help. Each day she faithfully told her Mother about her progress in amending Tuffy's behavior. On Friday, she stayed a few minutes extra just to reinforce Tuffy's improvement until she could come and stay longer.
    Samantha was up early Saturday morning and began doing her chores; cleaning her room, bringing the laundry to the washroom, sweeping out the garage and then helping her mother in the kitchen, preparing a meal that would do for both Saturday and Sunday as was their usual practice. Elaine liked to have one day free from cooking.
    Samantha had just finished flowering the roast that would be the mainstay of the weekend dinners. She placed it in the big skillet to brown before going into the oven, then the land phone rang. Elaine picked up the kitchen extension.
    Samantha couldn't help but overhear her