Someday Angeline (Someday Angeline 1)

“So?” asked Gary. “You can go to school with green socks.”

Angeline looked at her father again. She wished he’d leave. “My father is right here,” she said. “He’s not wearing any socks. He’s wearing slippers.”

Abel turned and looked peculiarly at Angeline.

“Oh, I get it!” said Gary. “You can’t talk because your father is right there, right?”

“Yes,” said Angeline.

“He doesn’t know you haven’t been in school?” Gary asked.

“No,” said Angeline.

“Wow,” said Gary, “that’s really something. Well, maybe I’ll see you at school tomorrow and then you can tell me.”

“I doubt it,” said Angeline.

“There’ll be Smalayoo,” said Gary.

“What’s Smalayoo?” Angeline asked.

“Nothin’s Smala me,” laughed Gary. “What’s Sma

la you?”

Angeline laughed. She thought it was the funniest joke she’d ever heard over a phone.

“Well, good-bye, I guess,” said Gary.

“Bye.”

They hung up.

Abel couldn’t stand it any longer. “Why did he want to know what color socks you were wearing?” he asked.

Angeline had to think fast. “Well, see, he lost his socks, except his were blue.” She quickly walked out to the living room and picked up her book.

“Did he think I took his socks?” Abel asked out loud, but not loud enough for Angeline to hear him.

The next day Gary walked aimlessly across the school yard, hoping that Angeline would show up. “Will you get outta the way, Goon!” someone said as he walked through their hopscotch game. “Hey! Get off the field, Goon!” as he walked across the baseball diamond. “Come on, Goon, walk around!” He went back to his classroom.

“Hello, Gary,” said Miss Turbone.

“Hi, Mr. Bone,” muttered Gary. “Have you seen Angeline?”

“No, I’m afraid not.”

He took off his shoe, then put it back on.

“What did you do that for?” Miss Turbone asked him.

“Do what?”

“Take your shoe off, then put it back on?”

“Did I do that again?” Gary asked.

Miss Turbone smiled and put her arm around Gary. “Angeline will be back,” she assured him.