Shipwrecked (5 page)

Just then, the bell rang for school to start. And so I quick put away my journal. And I got ready to work on the play some more!

’Cause hurray, hurray!

Today we were making our costumes!

Mr. Scary got out costume supplies from boxes he brought from home.

He gave me and May cardboard to make our ships. Plus also, he gave us ship patterns!

He gave Sheldon a ship pattern, too.

Because guess what?

Sheldon was going to be the
Niña
!

He said he didn't even care that the
Niña
was the smallest ship. On account of he liked the little squiggle over the
n
!

“The little squiggle makes the Niña look special,” he said. “It looks like a little bird.”

Mr. Scary smiled at that comment.

Then he told us how to tape our ship pieces together. Plus he showed us how to make banners and sails.

“I'm going to color my ship banner red. ’Cause red is my favorite color,” I said.

May looked down her nose at me.

“I'm going to color
my
ship banner
gold
,” she said. “’Cause gold means you're the golden best. And the
Santa María
had to be the best. Or else why would Columbus choose it?”

I tapped on my chin very thinking. Then I did a little grin.

“Maybe he liked big old tubs,” I said.

After that, I laughed and laughed at my own joke.

I see nothing wrong with that.

Pretty soon, Mr. Scary went to help Lucille.

She was not working on her costume.

“My richie nanna is going to hire her sewing lady to make my costume,” she said. “Plus she's also going to buy me a crown of fake jewels.”

Mr. Scary said
no
. “We're
all
making our costumes in class, Lucille,” he said. “It's part of the project.”

After that, he got an encyclopedia from the shelf. And he found a picture of Queen Isabella.

Lucille did a loud screech.

“Eeeesh! She's not even
cute
!” she said. “And what is that ugly hat thing on her head? Look! It has ear flaps!”

Sheldon ran over to see the ugly hat thing.

“Maybe she just got back from snow-boarding,” he said.

Lucille started to cry.

Mr. Scary said to please calm down.

Then he brought her a fake velvet towel she could use for a robe. And he gave her gold glitter to make a paper crown.

Lucille stopped crying. “Glitter?” she said a little perkier. “I get to use glitter?”

After that, she got right to work on her golden crown.

A little glitter can turn your whole day around.

At the end of the afternoon, our costumes were almost done.

Mr. Scary let us go to the front of the room and show the other children what we made.

And what do you know?

Lucille's crown turned out very beautiful! She looked like a real alive queen in that thing.

Plus also, I liked Camille and Chenille's ocean costume. They cut roly-poly waves at the top of a long roll of blue paper. Then— when they held it near the floor—it looked like the real ocean, sort of.

Me and Sheldon and May went last.

We sailed to the front of the room in our ship costumes. And we introduced ourselves.

“I am the
Pinta
. And I'm the
fastest
ship,” I told them.

“I am the
Santa María
. And I am the
biggest
ship,” said May.

“I am the
Niña
. And I have a little bird on my
n
!” said Sheldon.

Then all of the children laughed and clapped. And me and Sheldon and May sailed back to our seats.

Only too bad for me. On account of May sailed way too speedy. And she got to her desk before I did.

She looked very smuggy at me.

“What took you so long?” she said. “Are you the poky little
Pinta
?”

Then she laughed and laughed at her own joke.

That is not good taste.

That weekend was the longest day of my life.

I kept on wanting to get back to school so I could work on the play some more!

That's how come on Monday morning, I ran to my desk as fast as I could. Only I couldn't even stay in my chair that good. ’Cause I had excitement in my seat, that's why!

Finally, the bell rang for school.

And then wowie wow wow!

Mr. Scary took us to the auditorium to
practice on a real, actual stage! And that is a dream come true!

My heart was thumping and pumping when I walked up the steps.

Then all of us sat down on the stage floor. And Mr. Scary got us started.

“Boys and girls, we're going to begin with the very first scene, where Queen Isabella meets Columbus,” he said. “Lucille and José? Will you come here, please?”

José and Lucille hurried to the front. Then Mr. Scary stood them on separate sides of the stage. And they walked toward each other until they met in the middle.

They said their lines.

“Hello, sailor. My name is richie Queen Isabella,” said Lucille.

José did a bow.

“Hola, Queen Isabella. My name is
Cristóbal Colón,” he said. “I would like to look for a new trade route to China. Can I please have some money to sail the ocean blue?”

Lucille pretended to think for a second. Then she fluffed her fluffy hair. And she pulled fake money out of her purse.

“Okay. Here's some money,” she said. “But please bring back the change.”

Mr. Scary quick raised his hand and hollered, “Hold it!”

“I don't really remember the line about bringing back the change, Lucille,” he said. “Is that something new you've added?”

Lucille nodded. “Yes. My nanna and I thought of it over the weekend,” she explained. “Nanna says that rich people
always
ask for the change. Or else how do you think they got rich?”

Mr. Scary stared at Lucille a real long time.

Then finally, he said, “Let's move on.” And he called for the actors in Scene Two.

Scene Two is where Columbus picks out the sailors for his trip.

All of the sailors ran speedy quick to the front of the stage.

Then José stood on a box in front of them. And he said his next line.

“Who would like to sail the ocean blue with me? Please call out your names,” he said.

And so the sailors called out their names.

And guess what?

One was named Sinbad! And one was named Popeye! And another one was named Captain Hook!

I clapped my hands very happy.

“This play is turning out better than I thought!” I said.

After that, it was time for the three ships.

I quick grabbed Sheldon's hand. And I pulled him behind me to the front of the stage.

And what do you know? I got there first! And Sheldon got there second! And May was last!

I skipped all around her very springy. And I sang a happy ship song.

It was to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.”

Mr. Scary made a mad face.

“Junie B., that's enough,” he said. “For the very last time … this is
not
a race.”

May stuck her nose in my face.

“Yeah, Junie Jones. This is
not
a race,” she said. “Not, not, not a race!”

Mr. Scary bent down between us.

“I'm talking to you, too, May,” he said. “If you two can't get along, I'll find someone else to do your parts. Do you both understand?”

May kept looking at me.

“
I
understand. Do
you
understand, Junie Jones? Huh? Do you? Do you? Do you?”

Mr. Scary stood back up.

Then—very silent—he took May to the back of the stage. And he made her sit down.

I laughed and pointed and waved to her back there.

Then bad news.

I had to sit down, too.