Special Delivery! by Sue Stauffacher Read Free Book Online

interest in Big Bob, which Keisha
knew
, for a fact, because Grandma told her so as they sat on the porch looking at fireflies a few nights ago. Big Bob was Grandma’s special some—
    “Well, what do you think, Keisha?”
    “I don’t know,” Keisha said. “I think he wore it last Saturday.”
    “He knows I like it,” Grandma said. Grandma was talking and walking, but she had stopped seeing what was in front of her. Keisha had to tug her arm to keep her from running into a couple walking the other way.
    “Aren’t they sweet?” Grandma said. “I wonder how they met.”
    Then Grandma gave a big sigh and put her free hand against her cheek. They came to the last cross street before arriving at the center.
    Grandma took hold of Keisha’s shoulders. “Do you like these shoes with this dress?” she asked. “Now I’m not sure.”
    “Grandma!” Keisha said. “Look into my eyes. You. Are. Style.”
    “Thanks, sweetie.” Grandma pinched her cheeks to make them rosy as apples. “Let’s go get Razi inducted.”
    As they proceeded up the steps, Wen ran down to greet them. She was in one of the dresses her grandma Nei-Nei had sewed for her. It had a big bow in the back, and the ends of the bow fluttered around Wen as she ran toward them.
    “You look like a kite,” Razi told Wen.
    “That’s what I wanted to tell you, Razi. The box kite came! From my grandpa’s family in China. Mr. Sanders delivered it today!”
    “Ooh, can we go fly it, Grandma?” One of Razi’s favorite things to do in the park was fly kites with Wen.
    “Not now,” Grandma said, smoothing her hands down the front of her dress. “Heavens to Betsey Johnson, Razi. Let’s get your priorities straight. Bob is waiting in there.”
    Wen and the Carters were the first to arrive, but it didn’t take long until everyone was there: Aaliyah, Jorge, Marcus, Zack, Zeke and a dozen other kids. Animals were very popular as a club choice this year. Mama scooped up baby Carmelo as soon as she saw Jorge and took him to the back where Daddy had baby Paulo. They were soon joined by Mr. Sanders, who had told Razi that morning at breakfast that he always liked to be present when his colleagues were in special ceremonies.
    “What’s a colleague?” Razi wanted to know.
    “People who work together,” Mr. Sanders said. “I deliver the mail and you take it in the house.”
    “Oh. Can we get ice cream after at Jersey Junction? Can we?”
    Razi knew that Mr. Sanders
loved
Jersey Junction.
    As soon as everyone was settled, they recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
    Big Bob said, “The next order of business for our 4-H Wild 4-Ever Club is to recite the 4-H Pledge. But tonight we are inducting a new member into Wild 4-Ever, so first we’ll do our activity—building nest platforms for next spring—then we’ll have the business portion of the meeting, and we’ll conclude by having Razi recite the pledge at his induction.”
    Razi stood up, his arms straight as arrows at his sides. “I pledge my head—”
    “Not yet!” Keisha whispered, pulling him back down by his belt. Everyone giggled.
    Fortunately, the next part of the meeting was the activity—building a nesting cone for mourning doves—and Razi helped Big Bob draw circles on the hardware mesh. The older kids got to cut out the circles with special wire-cutting scissors. After they did that, they cut out a pie-wedge-shaped piece so they could bend the mesh into a cone. Then they had to putelectrical tape all around the sharp parts so the birds wouldn’t get scratched.
    Mourning doves were good at cooing, but they were not good at building nests. Their nests broke a lot. The children could take the cones home and put them in a good hiding place—a tree or a bush—six feet above the ground. That would help the mama’s nest stay together.
    As soon as the cones were stacked by the door and all the cleanup was done, Big Bob began the business portion of the meeting. Razi tried to stay still and quiet.