Free Someday Angeline by Louis Sachar Page A

Bone’s class,” she announced.
    “Okay, fine,” said Abel.
    Miss Turbone told Angeline that she might have to wait a couple of days before all of the administrative stuff could be completed. In the meantime, she would have to return to Mrs. Hardlick’s class.
    “Okay, fine,” said Angeline.
    It didn’t occur to any of them, at the time, that Angeline might have been better off waiting at home or at the aquarium or anyplace else except Mrs. Hardlick’s class, until the administrative stuff could be completed.
    They didn’t think that one or two days would matter.

Fifteen
Otherwise Known as Mr. Bone
    Abel offered to walk Melissa out to her car. She said it wasn’t necessary but he insisted. “I don’t know how safe the streets are this time of night,” he said.
    They didn’t speak, or even look at each other, as they rode down in the elevator. Elevators do that to people. But once outside in the cool night air, Abel finally asked the question he had wanted to ask all night.
    “Melissa, why do you call yourself Mr. Bone?”
    She wasn’t sure she understood his question. “At school,” she replied, “the students are not supposed to call their teachers by their first names, although I really wouldn’t mind if theywanted to call me Melissa.”
    He wasn’t sure he understood her answer. “No. Why
Mister?”
he asked.
    “What?”
    “Why Mr. Bone? Why not Miss Bone?”
    “Miss Bone?” she questioned. “Mr. Bone?” She looked at him with utter astonishment. “Mr. Bone,” she repeated. “Mr. Bone!” she exclaimed. She laughed so hard she had to grab his arm to steady herself.
    Abel didn’t know what to think.
    “Does Angeline call me Mr. Bone?” she asked. She couldn’t believe it.
    “Yes,” said Abel. He felt embarrassed but didn’t know why.
    “And you call me Mr. Bone, too?” she asked.
    He shrugged. “I guess. You answered to it.”
    She laughed again and buried her face in his shoulder.
    He wished he knew what was so funny.
    Just for a moment she felt like kissing him. Instead, she squeezed his arm. “Abel,” she said, “my name is Melissa Turbone, otherwise known as Miss…” She paused for emphasis. “Turbone.” Her mouth dropped open. Just then, when shehad said her name, even
with
the pause for emphasis, it did sound to her like she said “Mr. Bone.” “You know, you’re right!” she remarked. “No matter how you try to say it, it still comes out Mr. Bone!”
    “See?” said Abel.
    “I never noticed that before. Now I’ll never be able to say Miss Turbone again. Ahhh!” she screamed and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. “What I just said, Abel. It sounded like Mr. Bone, didn’t it?”
    He smiled and nodded.
    “Oh my,” said Melissa.
    They reached her yellow car with the bumper sticker on the back that said SAVE THE WHALES . She got in. “Well, it was very nice meeting you, Abel.”
    “Nice meeting you,” Abel smiled, “Mr. Bone.”
    She winked at him, then drove off.
    He walked back to his apartment, whistling. “Melissa Turbone,” he thought. “That’s a nice name, too.”
    When he got upstairs, both he and Angeline suddenly realized that they were starving!

Sixteen
Crazy Driver
    It was a clear crisp fall morning, splashed in sunshine, and although most of the birds had already headed south for the winter, there were still a few to be seen, chirping above the garbage truck. The fallen leaves crackled under its wheels as it rolled down the road, lined on both sides by trees, red and gold and brown, and by garbage cans, silver and bright, billowing with garbage.
    The truck stopped and both Abel and Gus got out and walked to the nearest garbage. Abel, smiling as he had been all morning, like the cat that ate the canary, breathed in the fresh scent of fallen leaves mixed with old coffee grounds and crusty eggshells. “Well, I met Mr. Bone last night,” he said.
    “And?” questioned Gus.
    “She’s beautiful,” said Abel, grinning foolishly. He