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"Ready?" Gooney Bird said "Everyone got that left sock off?"

The children nodded They wiggled the toes on their bare left feet and waited for their instructions

"At the count of three, pass your left sock to the person on your left That will be the person beside your bare foot Malcoleon will help you One Two Ready? THREE"

Each child handed a sock to another child

"I got a girl sock," Tyrone said "I don't want no girl sock"

"A sock is a sock," Gooney Bird said "Anyway," she added, "you happen to have Chelsea's sock, and Chelsea is one of the sirls in this class Some of her smarts may still be in that sock and they ot a very lucky sock there

"Now You can all guess what comes next, on the count of three You put on your new sock One Two THREE"

In auninal pair of one red, one yellow, had become a pair of one red, one white with a blue stripe

They all looked down and adle pair of boring feet in this classroom now," Gooney Bird announced

"Except h

"Except Mrs Pidgeon's," Gooney Bird agreed "Now, class, on the count of three"

"Do itch socks again?" Beanie asked

"Nope We get to work on this Muriel, because it needs to be done by the pageant One Two

"THREE"

Very shortly after the count of three, when all the children had picked up their crayons and gone to work, the intercom squealed and a deep voice spoke

"This is your principal, John Leroy Good ," the children said to the intercom

"We should have done this last ot busy with the selection of crossing guards, and I had to deal with certain issues and probleround behavior, as you know"

Gooney Bird and the Roouiltily Malcolround behavior problem

"but now it is definitely time to select room mothers We will need a room mother for each classroom Teachers, please ask your students to inquire at hoh the interco to Mr Leroy Then he returned to the microphone

"I have been rerade Bailey Stevenson's father did an admirable job, his cupcakes were unusually fine, and we're sorry that he has found a job and is not available again this year Well, we're not sorry that he found a job That's not what I hed and cleared his throat "I meant that ill miss Mr Stevenson's cupcakes Now back to work, students And teachers? By Friday I would like you to turn the names of the room mothers in to Muriel Holloway in the office

"Have a good day"

The intercom squealed, buzzed, and turned silent Carefully Gooney Bird began to color Squanto's second feather red, just beside the blue one

Felicia Ann looked over at the one red, one blue feathers and smiled "Like my socks," she pointed out in a whisper

3

Gooney Bird and the Room Mother

"My mother says absolutely not, no way, no how," Tyrone announced "Not unless it pays hed "Afraid not," she said "Room mother is a volunteer job No pay"

She looked around the room "Did everyone ask? What did your"MyNicholas's stinky dirty sock again, she's going to call Mr Leroy and complain And no, she won't be room mother She already did the bake sale and she's treasurer of the PTA Enough is enough"

"My sock was not stinky dirty!" Nicholas bellowed

"No, it wasn't," Mrs Pidgeon said "Those were just grass stains on your sock, Nicholas Anyone else?" She looked around "Keiko? Maybe your mom?"

Keiko shook her head "My mother says she is very sorry but she has to work in our store My father needs her there"

"Yes, of course he does," Mrs Pidgeon said "I've been in your family's store, Keiko Yourmoms, I know," she said with a seon?" Beanie asked

Mrs Pidgeon's smile turned to a sad look "Not any home I visit her every Sunday afternoon at the Misty Valley Elderly Care Facility I always take her a bouquet of flowers She seems to like that"

She looked around "Malcolm? Did you ask your mom?"

Malcoloodness, of course she does How could I forget that? Someone who has brand-new triplet babies at ho else, and we shouldn't even have asked"

"When I asked her, she screamed," Malcolm said

"How are those babies, Malcol?"

"Bad," Malcoloodness No wonder she screaeon "Beanie?"

Beanie shook her head "Mylessons on Monday afternoon, and ballet on Tuesday, and horseback riding on Wednesday, and confirmation class on Thursday, and violin on Friday, and she says if I ask her to do one "

"I understand completely Anyone else? Felicia Ann?"

Felicia Ann looked at the floor and shook her head

"Barry?"

Barry said no

"Nicholas?"

Nicholas was scowling "My socks are not stinky dirty," he said loudly "Chelsea's socks are stinky dirty Chelsea's underpants are stinky dirty"

Chelsea hit Nicholas over the head with her spelling book