Free Friendship According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney Page B

years, I still have my bad days.”
    Aldo shook her hand about ten times before leaving.
    Mrs. Brisbane gathered together her things, and when she was ready to leave for the day, she turned to Og and me. “Hope you’re satisfied, guys,” she said.
    I don’t know about Og, but believe me, I was HAPPY-HAPPY-HAPPY.
     
    I wasn’t surprised that Mrs. Brisbane helped Aldo. It happened just the way I planned it. But the next day, I had a big surprise I never could have planned.
    My classmates were all hurrying out of Room 26, heading for the lunchroom. Usually, Sit-Still-Seth would have raced out of the room. But on this day, he hung behind the others.
    “Coming?” Kirk asked impatiently.
    “Meet you there,” said Seth.
    Seth was the only student left in the room except for Tabitha, who was trying to stuff Smiley into her pocket as Seth approached.
    I couldn’t imagine what he was doing. Tabitha had given the girls the cold shoulder when they tried to be friends. And Seth is a boy. Everybody knows boys and girls can’t be friends. At least, that’s what I heard Art and Richie say.
    “How’d you know all that sports stuff the other day?” he asked her.
    Tabitha shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I just like sports. And I remember things I hear about sports.”
    “Me, too,” answered Seth. “What sports do you like best?”
    Tabitha thought about it. “Basketball and baseball. Football. Tennis.”
    “Me, too,” Seth agreed.
    Mrs. Brisbane was in the doorway. “Are you two coming?”
    “Right away,” said Seth. But he turned back to Tabitha. “Listen, I’ve got to ask. Why do you keep that dumb bear with you? Aren’t you too old for that?” he asked.
    Tabitha shrugged again.
    “When I was little, back in first grade, I had a truck I used to bring to school with me. I couldn’t stand to be without it,” Seth told her.
    “Do you still have it?” asked Tabitha.
    “It’s in my closet. Sometimes I take it out, but I don’t bring it to school anymore.”
    Mrs. Brisbane waited at the door. Now she didn’t seem to be in such a hurry to get to lunch.
    “My mom gave me Smiley,” Tabitha explained. “My real mom. I haven’t seen her for four years.”
    “Oh,” said Seth. “I get it.”
    “You two are going to miss lunch,” Mrs. Brisbane reminded them.
    “Okay.” Seth rushed out the door, but Tabitha stayed in her seat. Mrs. Brisbane came toward her.
    “Tabitha, I know you’ve been moved around a lot. Your foster mother told me you’ve been with five families in four years. But she also told me that she wants you to stay with her forever,” the teacher told her.
    Tabitha stroked Smiley’s fur. “They all say that. It just never works out.”
    Mrs. Brisbane sat in the chair next to Tabitha so they were eye to eye. “I don’t mind having Smiley in class. But I think you’d make more friends if you left him at home. He’d be waiting for you there. You can make new friends without giving up the old ones. Don’t you know that little song?”
    Now, Mrs. Brisbane has surprised me many times, but I almost fell off my ladder when she started to sing.
    Make new friends, but keep the old,
One is silver and the other’s gold.
     
    What a beautiful song! And Mrs. Brisbane had a nice voice, too. We were all quiet afterward until Tabitha asked, “What’s the good of making friends if you’re not going to stay?”
    “A person can have many friends in her life. Even if you move on, a friend can be forever. At least in your memory.”
    Oooh, I felt a little pang somewhere close to my heart. Ms. Mac was the teacher who brought me to Room 26. Although she had to move on without me, she was a forever friend who would always be in my memory. Ms. Mac was pure gold.
    “Listen to her! She’s right!” I squeaked.
    Mrs. Brisbane smiled. “Sounds like Humphrey wants to be your friend, too. How would you like to take him home with you this weekend?”
    “I’d have to ask my mom. My foster