“Maybe I should just quit the stupid talent show. Maybe I should collect baseball cards.”
There was a knock on his door. Then his mother hesitantly entered his room.
He glared at her.
“I know I’m not supposed to disturb you,” she said, “but your father and I were thinking about going to a movie, and we thought maybe you’d like to come.”
He sighed. “I have to work on my act,” he said. “The talent show is less than a week away!”
“We thought you might like to take a break for one night.”
“Fine! Okay, I’ll take a break! Is that what you want? I’ll quit the talent show! Are you happy now?”
“You don’t have to snap at me. We thought you might like to go to a movie, that’s all. If you don’t want to—”
“Fine! I said I’d go. If that’s what you want. Let’s go to a movie!”
“I just—”
“I said I’d go. What are you waiting for? Let’s just go!”
They ended up not going.
16.
Melissa Turbone was wearing a small round hat with straight sides and no brim. It was made out of fake leopard skin.
“It’s my brand-new leopard-skin pill-box hat!” she said, then laughed.
Gary didn’t get it.
It turned out that there was an old song called “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat.” Melissa did a little dance as she sang it for him, using her croquet mallet as a microphone.
“Well, I see you got your
brand-new leopard-skin pill-box hat!
Yes, I see you got your
brand-new leopard-skin pill-box hat!
Well, you must tell me, baby,
how your head feels under somethin’ like
that.
Under your brand-new leopard-skin pill-box
hat!”
Abel stared at her. “Is that the whole song?” he asked.
Melissa shrugged. “One verse anyway.”
“Not much to it, is there?” asked Gary.
“I thought it was great!” said Angeline.