Gooney Bird Greene (8 page)

"You know what?" Mrs. Pidgeon said, standing up. "It's lunchtime already. Let's skip arithmetic today, class."

The students put the arithmetic books back in their desks. They reached for lunch boxes instead.

Gooney Bird took out a grapefruit, a cucumber, and some dill pickles. "I'm having a completely vegetarian day today," she explained. "But look at this! Dessert! For the whole class!"

She held up a bulky paper bag.

"What is it?" the children asked.

Gooney Bird grinned. "Sixty-three gumballs," she said. "And after I give them out, I am going to teach you all a wonderful whirling dance called the tarantella."

Suddenly Felicia Ann looked up from the floor. "Shouldn't we all hug and kiss first?" she said in a surprisingly loud voice.

"Thank you for suggesting that, Felicia Ann," Gooney Bird replied. "Of course we should." And so they did.

The End