tight in that blanket and put you in a little box by the woodstove. And your papa
kept the fire all night for three weeks. Of course, you lived, all right," I said,
looking up at Shane. Shane was big. "And you hung on to that blanket for
years, until it was nothing but shreds."
“My blanket,” he whispered. “I thought I’d never see it again.”
He looked at his old rag like he wanted to touch it.
Then the others began discovering their old, favorite things
and crowded around me. They each wanted their story told, and I
remembered every one.
I even showed the piece of the woolen jacket Souci had let her
calf wear when it was sick. Lottie’s rag was a faded piece from
the fancy dress her aunt from New York had sent for her seventh
birthday. And Clyde had a scrap from the pants that he always
wore when he went fishing with his grandpa.
Souci said, “Minna, I sure am sorry we ever said anything bad
about your coat.”
“Me, too,” I heard the others murmur.
“I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t let us touch it.” Lottie said.
"I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to be our friend at
all!" said Clyde.
“Friends share,” I said, and I let them each touch their rag.
Then I showed them the feed sack inside my coat and told them
how it made me feel my papa’s arms again.
Shane put his hand on my shoulder and said. “Minna, I bet
you got the warmest coat in school."
“Well, it took a whole lot of people to make it warm,” I told
him, and we all laughed.
I have a lot of American friends, but also friends who have different
backgrounds. I have a best friend at school from England.
Her name is Rose. I have friends from Nepal, Mexico, and
Russia. I have a friend from Pakistan—Marium. She dresses in
her culture’s clothes almost every day. She tells me about her
country and her different holidays. I like meeting people from
other countries, how each one is different from each other. I
accept them for who they are.
Everyone at the Huas’ house uses chopsticks. Mei-Li, who is
only three and a half years old, can even pick up a single grain of
rice with her chopsticks! Mei-Li laughed at me when I tried using
chopsticks and dropped some vegetables. She said Anthony was
“bye-bye,” so I decided to try our backyard neighbors, the Bleus.
Adeline and Jeanne-Marie Bleu came home for dinner on
their break from their after-school jobs at the grocery store. They
helped themselves to bowls of rice and beans from the pot and
gave some to me. I thought my mouth was on fire! Jeanne-Marie
teased me when I gulped some water.
It was getting late, and I still hadn’t found Anthony. Adeline
said she had seen him with a kitten in his arms, climbing the
fence to our yard. I said thanks and au revoir—that means
good-bye—and hurried home.
When I walked into the house, Anthony was showing the kitten
to our baby sister, Anna. He was explaining to Mom that he was
only borrowing the kitten.
Mom was putting dinner on the table. Her grandmother, from
northern Italy, taught our grandmother, who taught Mom how to
cook risi e bisi—rice with green peas. Mom puts butter, grated
cheese, and some nutmeg on it. It smelled so good, but my
stomach wasn’t grumbling anymore. I told Mom that I was too full
to eat. Anthony said he wanted to eat his dinner, even though he
was full, because he loves rice, and that afternoon he found out
that everybody cooks rice.
cool breezes. When it gets hot in the summer, Jody and her parents
stay inside their air-conditioned apartment with the windows
shut. Sometimes they go to an air-conditioned movie.
For summer vacation, Ben is eager to go to Camp Eagle Ridge
to canoe, build campfires, and meet new friends. Jody is excited
about her first time at Camp Eagle Ridge. She looks forward to
swimming, hiking, and learning to ride a horse.
After meeting their counselors and checking out their cabins,
Jody and Ben join the other campers in the main hall. Ben and
Jody are paired as buddies for a scavenger hunt, and they are
very excited when they find a four-leafed clover for their list.
Ben helps Jody climb on and off a horse, and Jody helps Ben
braid his lanyard. Both of them have lots of fun swimming in the lake
and learning how to paddle a canoe. They win second place in the
team canoeing competition.
On the last night of camp, the two new friends sing with the
others around the campfire. They promise to keep in touch until
they meet at camp again next year. They make plans to send
each other e-mails, swap photos of their pets, and share favorite
mystery stories.
As soon as Ben returns to his home in the country, he’s going
to draw a map of the constellations that he can see from his
bedroom window to send to Jody. When Jody returns to the city,
she is going to send Ben a street map of the city bus routes and
mark where her favorite places are.
Country kid, city kid—miles apart but two of a kind.
T.R. TOC
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