Part 2 (2/2)
”The kids could design them,” Claudia added, inspired. ”They could draw elephants on them and maybe put our Babar behind bars.”
”Then we could sell them,” I suggested. ”And donate the proceeds to help find Babar a new home.”
Dawn had been quiet during the meeting, except for when she mentioned that she wasn't crazy about zoos. Now she spoke up. ”The b.u.t.tons are a great idea but we need to think bigger in terms of fund-raising. You know, plan something that gets all of Stoneybrook involved.”
”Like a bake sale?” I asked.
Dawn shook her head. ”Bigger.”
”A walkathon,” Kristy whispered, staring intently at a spot on Claud's wall. We could practically see the gears turning inside her head. ”That would involve everyone. The mayor, the chamber of commerce, the YMCA. We could make the course wind all over Stoneybrook - through downtown and into all the neighborhoods. People who didn't partic.i.p.ate in the walk would at least see it pa.s.s by their house. We could call it an Elephant Walk.”
”Like the song, 'Baby Elephant Walk,' ” Jessi said.
Kristy grinned. ”Exactly.”
As soon as I heard 1^181/8 good idea, I kicked into gear. I flipped to the back of the notebook and tried to record what she had just said. ”We need to contact the chamber of commerce and the mayor,” I murmured as I wrote. ”What about the Humane Society?”
Dawn's head bobbed up and down. ”I'm sure they'd want to partic.i.p.ate. They could pa.s.s out fliers and wear those really cute T-s.h.i.+rts they just made up. The ones with the kittens on the front.”
”T-s.h.i.+rts!” Claud stood up. ”As long as we're making b.u.t.tons, why don't we make T-s.h.i.+rts, too?”
”Then we could wear them in the Elephant Walk,” Mallory said.
”Brilliant!” Kristy cried.
”We'll need to start on this right away,” I said. 'Tell me what you want to do and I'll write it down. Then we have to call the proper authorities.”
”I'll see if Watson will help us on this one,” Kristy said. ”He knows all of the town's officers.”
I nodded as I made a note of it. ”And I'll talk to the Free Babar people to find out just what they need.”
Claudia turned to Kristy. ”I'd like to help you plan a walking course. We can work from a map and design it together.”
Mallory raised her hand. ”I can write up a special interest story. Maybe the school newspaper will print it.”
”I could organize kid groups so they can help brainstorm fund-raising ideas, too,” Jessi said. 'I'll start with Becca and her friends.”
Kristy nodded. ”I'll follow up with Karen and her pals.”
”And I know seven kids I can talk to,” Mallory added with a grin.
”I'll talk to the kids at my school,” Shannon offered. 'This would be the perfect way to make it a town-wide project. Maybe we can do a carwash or something in addition to the walkathon.”
I shook my head in amazement. When the BSC decides to do something, we really go for it. Little Babar would be a free elephant in no time.
Chapter 5.
”Winners on my side!”
Alan Gray drew an imaginary line with the toe of his tennis shoe across the center aisle of the school bus. ”And losers over there.” He pointed to the seats behind the bus driver. ”Stay put, and you won't have any trouble.”
Logan rolled his eyes. ”I'm really scared. Come on, Mary Anne,” he said, taking my hand and deliberately pulling me across Alan's line. ”Let's sit here.”
It was Thursday, and we were leaving on our first zoo trip. We were off to an extremely bad start.
Alan and Logan had been making snide comments to each other in the halls, in the lunchroom, and in the yard in front of the school. I thought they were being pretty silly, but I couldn't say anything to either one of them, because I didn't want to be accused of taking sides.
”Are you going to let him sit in that seat?” Howie Johnson whispered to Alan.
”Of course he is,” I said. ”I'm on your team. And Logan's with me.”
Alan thought about that for a few moments, then huffed off to the back row of the school bus. After he sat down, he called to me, ”Once we hit the zoo, he's not coming with us. No way.”
Logan turned around and smiled at Alan. ”No problem. I'd much rather spend my time with some other animals - like James and Mojo.”
Alan turned to Howie and whispered, ”Who are they? Some guys from high school?”
Howie laughed so hard he snorted. 'James and Mojo are gorillas.”
Dawn and Claudia, who were sitting directly across from Logan and me, burst into the giggles, and Alan shot them a dark look. ”I knew that.”
Mr. Kirkwood, who taught shop, had volunteered to be the driver of our bus. He waited outside until all of the eighth-graders a.s.signed to our bus had boarded. Then he hopped into the driver's seat and pulled the door shut.
”All aboard!” Mr. Kirkwood shouted like a railroad conductor. ”Next stop, Bedford Zoo!”
We pulled out of the school parking lot, and followed the tree-lined streets to the edge of town. As we turned onto the highway, several spitb.a.l.l.s zinged over our heads. I didn't have to turn around. I could guess where they'd come from.
”Oh, gross!” Shawna Riverson cried from two seats in front of me. ”Alan and Howie are shooting spitb.a.l.l.s.”
Hannah Toce looked over her shoulder and snapped, ”Why don't you two grow up?”
Then Claudia and Dawn both turned around and said, ”Yeah. Grow up!”
Howie and Alan crossed their eyes and made faces at the front of the bus.
”Jerks,” Hannah said as a general announcement to the rest of the bus. A low murmur and bobbing of heads signaled that everyone agreed with her.
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