Read Online Winter According to Humphrey (9781101591222) by Betty G. Birney - Free Book Online Page B

year!”
    â€œYou do have a point,” Mrs. Brisbane said. “I certainly don’t want to make Aldo’s job harder.”
    Aldo works hard. I know—I watch him every night of the week as he sweeps, dusts and mops our room. I didn’t want him to have extra work, either.
    But I hated to see the girls looking so unhappy.
    â€œThank you for your cooperation,” Mrs. Wright said. “I’m sure we can have a perfectly nice glitter-free program.”
    After Mrs. Wright left, the girls all started talking.
    â€œIt’s not fair!” Be-Careful-Kelsey complained.
    â€œWe
need
glitter to make our snowflakes shiny,” Rolling-Rosie said.
    â€œ
I’ll
sweep up the gym,” Helpful-Holly said. “I’ll make sure there’s not one single piece of glitter left behind.”
    Mrs. Brisbane smiled. “Mrs. Wright has a point. There are other ways to make your snowflakes shiny. I’ll think of something. Now . . . back to learning.”
    The girls didn’t seem convinced, but soon, Mrs. Brisbane was talking about something coming up called the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year! Since I’m usually wide awake at night, I thought an extra-long night would be FUN-FUN-FUN!

    On Friday, the girls were a lot happier as they glued shiny shapes made of tinfoil on their snowflakes. And they were as sparkly as could be.
    That afternoon, Do-It-Now-Daniel said, “Humphrey, it’s my turn to take you home for the weekend!”
    People like Fridays. I guess it’s because they have a whole weekend ahead of them. I love Fridays, too, because I get to go home with a classmate and learn something new about humans.
    What I don’t like about Fridays is having to leave Og behind. He stays alone in Room 26 because he doesn’t have to be fed. And transporting his tank is more difficult than carrying my cage.
    While Daniel waited for his grandfather to pick him up, I told Og I’d see him soon. “Have a good weekend!” I said.
    â€œBOING-BOING,” he answered. It sounded as if he was going to miss me.
    Mrs. Brisbane stood looking out the window at the gray sky.
    â€œYou know what ? ” she said.
    I wasn’t sure who she was talking to, but I squeaked anyway. “What ? ”
    â€œI’m taking you home for the weekend, Og,” she continued. “It feels like snow and I don’t want you to get stuck here in case school is closed on Monday.”
    I guess she remembered the time Og and I got snowed in. It was SCARY-SCARY-SCARY to be alone at school with no one to feed us or give us water.
    I was HAPPY-HAPPY-HAPPY for Og. Now I could enjoy the weekend knowing he’d have fun, too.
    After the rest of the class had gone home, Daniel’s grandfather arrived.
    â€œGrandpa, meet Humphrey,” Daniel said as the old man came in.
    Mrs. Brisbane introduced herself to Mr. Popwell, which was Grandpa’s real name.
    Grandpa Popwell wore a heavy plaid jacket and a funny hat with flaps that came down over his ears.
    Maybe those flaps kept him from hearing too well, because he said, “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Bizzbane.”
    Mrs. Bizzbane—I mean Mrs. Brisbane—helped Grandpa Popwell cover my cage with a blanket and carry it out.
    â€œBye, Og! Have a great weekend,” I squeaked to my friend. I already knew he would, since he was going home with Mrs. Brisbane.
    â€œBOING-BOING!” he answered happily.
    â€œIt looks as if we’ll have the house to ourselves for a few days,” the old man said as we drove away from school. “Your mom has a conference.”
    â€œI know,” Daniel said. “And Dad’s out of town.”
    â€œJust you and me,” Grandpa said. “The boys.”
    â€œJust you and me and Humphrey,” Daniel reminded him. “He’s a boy, too. But not Lulu. She’s a girl.”
    I heard Grandpa chuckle.
    I wasn’t sure who