Free Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself by Judy Blume Page A

Douglas and Mom went down to the lobby to wait for Daddy’s phone call. The phone was too high on the wall for Sally to reach so she stood on a chair. This was her Sunday to answer.
    “Doey-bird!” Sally shouted, when the phone rang and she heard her father’s voice at last.
    Douglas hissed, “Will you shut up with that dumb name before everybody hears it.”
    Sally motioned for Douglas to shut up himself.
    “How’s my little gal?” Daddy asked.
    “Fine … but I miss you.”
    “I miss you too.”
    “Last night we went to the movies and nobody wanted to sit next to me because they say I ask too many questions … but if you don’t ask questions then you’ll never learn anything … isn’t that right? And did you hear about Halloween? There was this huge thunderstorm in the middle of the parade and all the lights in the park went out andyou should have heard all the screaming but I wasn’t scared because it was an adventure …”
    Douglas muttered under his breath, “Not much …”
    “Anyway, Doey … I wasn’t
that
scared … and we got home okay … just all my peanuts got soggy and we had to throw away my whole costume.” She paused for a breath. “And in school the music teacher lets me sing … she even likes the way I sing …”
    Douglas mumbled, “Ha ha …”
    “Well, she does … not like dumb old Miss Vickers who always made me be in the listener group …”
    Douglas tried to grab the phone away but Sally held on and told her father, “Douglas is trying to take the phone from me and I don’t know why because he never even has anything to say and I have a lot to say and listen, Doey … the goldfish in the pool in our courtyard are
so
big … you never saw goldfish
so
big in your life and …”
    Douglas grabbed again. “Okay, Douglas! Just one more thing, Doey … my friend Andrea has a cat … I wrote you about him … he’s so soft and he purrs when you pet him and I know he hasn’t got any worms. So will you please tell Mom it’s okay for me to play with him? And what about the bathhouse disease? Oh … well, don’t forget … okay, I’ll listen to her … yes, I promise … Douglas is practically
breaking
my arm … I love you too. Here, Douglas,” Sally said, shoving the phone at him. “I hope you have something important to say this time.”
    “Hi, Dad …” Douglas said. “I’m okay … they’re okay … it’s okay … yeah, I feel fine … yeah, I’m trying … yeah, I know … yeah … well, here’s Mom …” He passed the phone to his mother.
    “Oh, Arnold …” Mom said, sniffling. Douglas went outside. Sally stayed where she was, hoping to hear the rest of the conversation but Mom waved her away, saying, “Go play …”
    “Do I have to?”
    “Yes … hurry up … outside …”
    “Oh, all right!” Sally went outside, in time to catch Douglas, walking his bicycle from the storage room to the street. “Hey, Douglas, wait up …” she called. “I’ll ride with you.”
    “No, thanks …”
    “Where are you going, anyway?”
    “Exploring.”
    “Exploring where?”
    “All over,” he said and pedalled away.
    Sally sat on the edge of the goldfish pool. It was so quiet this morning. Where was everybody? Probably still sleeping. It was going to be hot today, areal sizzler, as Ma Fanny would say. Later they’d go to the beach. Sally watched a salamander work its way up a bush, changing its color to blend in with its surroundings. Lucky salamander! It would be nice to become invisible like that, sometimes. If she had been able to blend right into the sofa in the lobby she could have listened to Mom talking to Daddy. And what did Mom have to say to him that was so private anyhow? Yes, it would be very nice to be invisible whenever you wanted.
    Sally looked into the goldfish pond. I am invisible … I can see you, fish, but you can’t see me … She tossed a pebble at her own reflection