Joy had a great lunch and two Tootsie Roll pops. But five minutes later it didn’t make any difference. She couldn’t taste it anymore, and she was full. And at dinnertime she was hungry, just the same.
But a horrible thing happened. Joy couldn’t forget about filching Dameon’s lunch. And for the rest of the year, every turkey sandwich, piece of chocolate cake, apple, and Tootsie Roll pop tasted like Miss Mush’s porridge.
? Sideways Stories from Wayside School ?
28
Nancy
Nancy had big hands and big feet. He didn’t like his name. He thought it was a girl’s name.
None of the other children in Mrs. Jewls’s class thought that Nancy’s name was odd. They didn’t think of it as a girl’s name or as a boy’s name. Nancy was just the name of the quiet kid with the big hands and feet who sat over there in the corner next to John.
Nancy was very quiet and shy. He was ashamed of his name. He had only one friend, a girl who went to class on the twenty-third story of Wayside School.
They were friends for a good reason. He didn’t know her name, and she didn’t know his. They just called each other “Hey, you,” or just plain “You.”
Nancy was afraid to ask his friend what her name was because then he might have to tell her his name. He never could figure out why she never asked. But he was happy just to leave well enough alone.
One morning, Nancy and his friend were late. When they got to the twenty-third story, his friend’s teacher was waiting outside.
“Hurry up. You’re late, Mac,” said the teacher.
Nancy’s friend turned red. She didn’t move.
“Come on, Mac, shake a leg. Get the lead out,” said the teacher.
“Your name is Mac!” said Nancy.
Mac was very pretty. She had red hair and freckles. She covered her face and ran into the room.
“My name is Nancy!” Nancy called after her.
Mac stepped back outside. “I was ashamed to tell you my name,” she said.
“Me, too,” said Nancy. “Nancy’s a girl’s name.”
“Oh, I think it’s cute,” said Mac.
“I like the name Mac,” said Nancy.
“Mac is a boy’s name,” said Mac.
“My mother has a rich aunt named Nancy,” said Nancy. “That’s why she gave me the name.”
“My mother once had a dog named Mac,” said Mac.
“Hey, do you want to trade?” Nancy asked.
“Can we?” asked Mac.
“I don’t see why not,” said Nancy.
“Okay,” said Mac.
They both spun around one hundred times in opposite directions until they were so dizzy that they fell over. When they stood up, Mac was Nancy and Nancy was Mac.
They said good-bye. Then Mac raced up to Mrs. Jewls’s room. He was no longer shy.