Horrible Harry and the Ant Invasion (5 page)

When he saw Harry in his suit and Song Lee in her outfit, he said, “Ooh la la! Look who's getting married today!”

Everyone laughed and giggled.

Harry held up a fist. “I'm going to be a great scientist when I grow up. I'm not getting married.”

Song Lee kept looking at her sash.

“Well, you two make a great couple. You can hold the sign that says, MISS MACKLE'S SECOND GRADE CLASS.”

Sidney cackled so loud, he was hurting my eardrums.

“And you two gorgeous redheads can stand together!” the photographer said.

Then he moved Sidney and the teacher together.

Everyone laughed again. Except Sidney.

“Hey, good-looking,” the photographer said to me, “you get to stand between two lovely ladies.”

I made a face and stood between Ida and Mary.

“Okay, kiddies,” the photographer said. “Say hamburger with pickles and cheese!”

The photographer flashed his camera.

“Now say liver and onions!”

The photographer flashed his camera again.

I was hoping the pictures would be over really soon. I was surrounded by girls.

“Say spaghetti and meatballs!”

The photographer flashed his camera one last time.

“I hope I didn't close my eyes,” Miss Mackle said.

Harry put the sign down on the floor. Then he lined up by the ramp.

I could tell Harry was miffed about something. He took off his tie and stuffed it in his pocket.

When I stood next to him, he whispered. “I don't like that guy.”

“You mean the photographer?”

Harry nodded.

“Yeah,” I said. “I think he should open a restaurant and sell liver and onions, spaghetti and meatballs, and hamburgers with pickles.”

Harry looked at me and then at the photographer. “That guy was acting so dumb I wouldn't buy a picture or a pickle from him.”

Harry always tells the horrible truth.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Suzy Kline graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and received her elementary school teacher's credential from California State University at Hayward. She has been teaching for sixteen years and is the author of the popular Herbie Jones series (available in Puffin). Kline was selected Teacher of the Year in 1986 by the Torrington School District in Connecticut and in 1988 by the Probus Club of Torrington.