Read Online Serendipity and Me (9781101602805) by Judith Roth - Free Book Online

though he still sleeps
    only on his own side.
    Maybe this is why
    he never makes his bed.
    Â 
    I place his pillow on his side
    and center a picture
    on the pillow.
    Â 
    The picture is of me—
    baby on a blue couch
    with a furry guardian angel.
    Â 
    He’ll wonder how I got the picture.
    Â 
    I wonder if he’ll be mad.
    Â 
    But he’ll know
    that I know
    Â 
    cats were not always
    forbidden.
    Â 
    Â 

 
    It seems pointless
    to hide the pictures now.
    I leave the pile in the middle of my floor
    and close my door
    against Serendipity
    so she can’t ruin them.
    Â 
    I have one picture
    in my sweatshirt pocket
    to have it near me.
    Â 
    It’s of me and the orange cat
    looking out the front window
    along with a reflection of my mom
    taking the picture.
    Â 
    I wave good-bye to Serendipity
    looking out the same window.
    Â 
    Mrs. Whittier is in her front yard
    doing something with flowers.
    I jog over to her.
    Â 
    Good morning, Sara!
    Â 
    I know something            I tell her.
    I pull out the picture
    and show it to her.
    But Dad’s still not talking.
    Â 
    Mrs. Whittier nods gently.
    Â 
    I turn and head for school.
    Â 
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    Miss Conglin tries to relate
    subject matter to our lives.
    So she brings back the thimble kiss.
    Â 
    A metaphor, she says during writing time,
    uses one word to stand for another.
    She steps forward
    grabs the thimble off of Ana’s desk
    and holds it up.
    Just like Wendy, some of you in class
    have been using a thimble
    to represent a kiss.
    She holds up her hand
    against the outburst of silliness.
    You’ve been using a metaphor.
    Â 
    Well             I haven’t used this metaphor,
    because I am thimble-less.
    Â 
    I glance at Garrett
    off to my left.
    He is doing some kind of magic trick
    where he can make his thimble
    disappear and reappear.
    Â 
    No one’s listening to Miss Conglin
    who’s moved on to similes.
    Â 
    Our minds are on metaphors.
    Â 
    Â 

 
    Taylor has a peasant assignment like me
    so we research together in class.
    Â 
    I slide the picture out of my pocket
    and show it to Taylor.
    Notice anything off in this picture?
    Â 
    She takes the close-up
    and says       Ha       look at that.
    A cat.
    I thought cats weren’t allowed.
    Â 
    I thought so, too, I say.
    My dad’s got some explaining to do.
    Â 
    Taylor hands me back the picture.
    New plan?
    Â 
    I don’t know.
    I’m just winging it
    right now.
    Â 
    She taps her pencil on her notebook
    ticking down the minutes.
    Time’s running out             she says.
    Â 
    Believe me—
    I don’t need reminding.
    Â 
    Â 

 
    Sitting too long is hard for Taylor.
    When Miss Conglin is busy,
    her back turned,
    Taylor stands up
    and holding the page
    she’s been working on
    in one hand
    she does a mini peasant
    dance and song.
    Â 
    I have no soap
    My bed is hard
    My bread is smeared
    with greasy lard
    I have no bath
    I’m full of fleas
    Someone, won’t you
    help me, please
    Â 
    Something nags at my mind
    as I’m laughing.
    Hey, Taylor, do you know
    any of the songs from Grease ?
    Â 
    Taylor shoves me.
    That’s not the kind of grease
    I was singing about.
    But yeah             I know them all.
    Â 
    I tell her why I want to know
    and she says
    Come over after school.
    I’ve got the DVD.
    Â 
    Â 

 
    Taylor’s house is the opposite of mine.
    There is honest-to-goodness life here.
    Â 
    First we visit
    the chickens and ducks in the coop
    and the bunnies in their cages.
    Then Taylor lifts Mandy
    by an arm and an ankle
    and swings her around like an airplane.
    Then Taylor’s mom gives us cookies
    fresh from the oven.
    Then we dance like hooligans
    in the family room
    to the great songs from Grease.
    Â 
    It’s awesome.
    Â 
    Until we get to the end of the last song
    the one Mom and I sang