Free Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself by Judy Blume

guess for twenty years. But I think I know who you are. I think you are a person people hate. I think you are a person who is wicked and evil. I think you are worse than a regular murderer or kidnapper. I think you are a person with the initials A.H
.
    She folded that letter and put it in her keepsake box, under the day bed. Tomorrow she might mail it.
    Sally got a special letter from her father. It was written in red ink on a yellow balloon. She had to blow it up before she could read it.
    Dear Sally
,
    How’s my gal? Thought you might like to get a different kind of letter so here it is. I saw Christineyesterday. She asked for your address so she can write to you. I miss you too! Soon it will be Thanksgiving and I’ll be there for my treatment. Stay well. Take good care of Mom for me
.
    Love and kisses
,
    Doey
    Dear Doey-bird
,
    Hi! I loved your balloon letter. I’m saving it in my keepsake box, along with my marble collection, some shells from the beach and a very pretty flower I picked up on my way home from school. I’m glad the balloon didn’t pop when I blew it up. You didn’t answer my question about the bathhouse disease. Please tell me what you know. It’s
very
important! I have a new friend. Her name is Shelby and she lives at the corner. Don’t get her mixed up with Andrea, who lives across the hall. Andrea is in sixth grade and has a cat called Omar. Don’t get her mixed up with Barbara either. Barbara is my friend from my class. Shelby is in fifth grade too but not in my section. Her classroom is in a portable. She lives with her grandmother and has a neat game called Jolly Roger. I sure wish I had it too. We met because she goes home for lunch every day, like me. We both got special permission because we are allergic to the food at school. Well, not really allergic, but that’s what we said. Finally we decided to walk back and forth together. When I’m done eating lunch I callfor her and if there’s time we play some Jolly Roger before heading back to school. Shelby’s mother and father are getting a divorce. That’s how come she’s here. They’re having a big fight over who gets her and she’s not supposed to know about it. She hates them both. I don’t blame her
.
    Next week is Halloween. There’s going to be a parade in Flamingo Park at night. A flamingo is a tall pink bird with skinny legs. Or did you already know that? Anyway, Andrea is going to dress up like one. She’s tall enough!
    Mom came up with an idea for my costume. I’m going to be a peanut girl. She is sewing peanuts all over my old green dress. And she’s making me a crown out of cardboard that will have peanuts glued to it. Even my socks have peanuts on them. Mom has two infected fingers from pushing the sewing needle through the peanuts, but don’t worry. Ma Fanny knew just what to do and Mom is soaking her fingers right now
.
    I am still blotchy red from the sun, but Douglas is already very tan. The pimples on his chin are clearing up. Mom says the Miami Beach sunshine is really
some
medicine. But she is worried that Douglas isn’t making new friends here. At home he didn’t have that many either so I think she should just leave him alone. He likes to explore by himself. He is also busy inventing a coconut catcher. He wantsto get coconuts off the trees when they are just ripe enough, but before they get rotten. He loves to eat them and drink their milk. I tried one the other day but
yuck
 … I spit the whole thing out. Does that mean I’m not adventurous? I hope not! When you take the shell off a coconut it looks like it has a face. Or did you already know that?
    I miss you very, very, very much! I can’t wait until Thanksgiving either. I will give you such a treatment then. Say hello to Aunt Bette and Uncle Jack and Miss Kay and anyone else you think might miss me
.
    Your loving daughter
,
    Sally F
.
    P.S. Jolly Roger is the best game I’ve ever played!

On Sunday mornings, at exactly ten o’clock, Sally,