One True Friend by James Cross Giblin Read Free Book Online

put him swimming in it, even though he can't swim. He liked it more than I thought he would. While I was drawing him, I was thinking of a way to talk to him about his true family. And his real mother and father. But he was so excited sitting next to me on the bench and watching me draw, and even giving me helpful hints like "Amir, you made the water too
wavy." Or "Amir, you made me too small." Then he stood up and started posing as if he was swimming. He makes me laugh sometimes. I didn't want to see that blank look on his face when I talked about our real parents, so I didn't say anything. I'll wait for the right time.
    Anyway, I was going to give you the picture of Ronald swimming in the lake, but he wanted it, so I let him keep it. He's been showing it to his friends like it was a photograph and he was really swimming. Haven't gotten any answers yet from the letters I sent out. Mr. Smith thinks my aunt may have moved to another state. I hope not. I hope she lives in the Bronx or Manhattan—even Brooklyn or Queens would be better than another state.
    Answer soon.
    Love,
    Amir

    P.S. I promise—you will get a picture of the lake.
2 P.M.
Friday
July 31st
    My Dear Amir,
    I hope that you are very fine —just like the sugar.
I wait patiently for my picture. Put me swimming in the lake, too. Be sure and make my arms very long—to answer your question before you ask it, no, I do not know how to swim. I don't blame you for giving Ronald the drawing of himself swimming. Your drawings are like magic to him. You can make him be anything he wants to be.
    I've been thinking over what you said in your letter about telling Ronald about his real family. I guess you could say Ronald has his real family—the Smiths and you. Remember I told you about friends—soul friends and acquaintances. Family is like that too. Here's what I've been thinking: There's blood family and chosen family.
    Blood family is the people you are related to by blood—all of y'all look alike. Maybe everyone in the family has a square head or something. Like I am tall like my father's side of the family. Chosen family is like soul friends. People who really take care of each other even if they don't have to. The Smiths could send you and Ronald back to foster care if they wanted to. Now, the best thing is if you have blood and chosen family all in one—like me and my mother and father and Gerald (sometimes). But then again, maybe it doesn't even matter.
    When you find your aunt, everything will be perfect and Ronald will understand and your blood family and chosen family will be one. That's
One Girl's Opinion.
    My mother calmed down and will continue working. To tell the truth, even though Gerald is a pest, I like being the boss of the house and taking care of him until she gets home. My father is threatening to move us. But he's always been talking about buying a house and moving someday. I can't imagine living anywhere else but 163rd Street—I don't think I want to live anywhere else until I grow up.
    The block association and some other people in the neighborhood are getting together to "Take the Playground Back." Everyone got all worked up—said the television news programs only come to our neighborhood to report bad things and would never report anything good.
    Well, I'm going to change all that. The next issue of my paper will only have good news. I think I would like to be a reporter, but I'll only report the good stuff. I'm working on a new issue of The Bronx News. Guess I missed my deadline. If I don't do better, I'll have to fire myself.
    I ran into Charlene again this morning in the library. She's baby-sitting her sister Claudette like I have to baby-sit Gerald. Seems like her sisters have made her the one who always has to baby-sit. We read together while we waited for storytime to finish. As we read, Charlene changed right before my eyes. She lost her sad face and it was like she became a character in the story.