Iggie's House (10 page)

“We'll see about that!” Winnie told them. “I already have my plans. I know how to do it. All you have to do is stow away on a ship. People do it all the time.” Winnie jumped up off the wagon. She started to walk.

Sherbrooke Road was quiet today. No hammering, digging, or any of the usual building sounds. Winnie stopped in front of the first new house. She
shaded her eyes from the sun and wondered who was going to live in it. “Want to go in and have a look around?” she asked.

“I don't think that's a very good idea,” Glenn said. “Suppose we get caught?”

“It doesn't belong to anybody yet,” Winnie said. “No one's working. And we're not going to do anything wrong anyway.”

Glenn agreed. “Okay, but leave the wagon here, under the trees. Hey Herbie! We're going exploring. Come on!”

The four of them stepped along the wooden planks that had been stretched out like a walk so people could inspect the new houses without stepping on the muddy ground. At the end of the planks was a ladder, propped up against the brick porch. They climbed up one at a time.

The house was partitioned into rooms, but had no inside walls. They prowled through the first floor arguing about which room was which until they came to the kitchen. There was no doubt about that—a kitchen was a kitchen no matter what. Even without things like a refrigerator, stove and sink, they could still tell a kitchen. Next to it was a hole, leading
to the cellar. They peered down into the darkness. There were no steps yet. Glenn held onto Tina's hand and motioned for them all to get away from the hole.

“Hey, let's play house,” Tina said. “Winnie, you be the mother and Glenn's the father and Herbie's the baby and I'm Woozie. Woof - Woof.”

“Okay doggie,” Winnie said, chasing Tina up the stairs. “You know the rules—no dogs in the bedroom!”

Herbie and Glenn followed the girls to the second floor where they continued their exploring. There were two bathrooms back to back. They could tell because of the pipes. Winnie sat down on the floor in the corner pretending she was taking a bath. Herbie made a loud gargling sound.

They all laughed together and Winnie felt mighty pleased with herself. She took the credit for getting everyone friendly again. She really was the good neighbor she started out to be, wasn't she? Wait until she got to Tokyo and told Iggie's folks the whole story. Wouldn't they be proud of her!

“Let's go,” Herbie called, after a few more minutes. “I'm hungry!”

“Me too,” Winnie agreed.

They scrambled down the stairs and back outside, to where they had left the wagon with the blanket and the food.

When they got to the park Winnie led them to a grassy area under some tall trees. She spread out the blanket and opened the bag of sandwiches, handing one to each of her guests.

“This blanket itches me,” Tina complained.

“Then sit on the grass,” Glenn suggested.

“That itches me too.”

“Then stand up,” Herbie said, his mouth full of peanut butter.

“I don't like to eat standing up,” Tina whined.

“Then don't eat!” Glenn hollered.

Tina plunked herself back on the blanket and picked up her sandwich. She finished it without another word.

“Peanut butter really makes me thirsty,” Winnie said.

“Peanut butter makes
everybody
thirsty,” Herbie agreed.

“And it sticks to the top of my mouth too,” Tina said.

“Well, we have to walk down to the stand for drinks. I didn't bring them with me.”

“Let's go,” Glenn said, collecting the garbage into the brown bag.

Winnie led them down the path. She hummed a marching song. The day was really working out well. She was glad because she would be gone soon and she wanted Herbie and Glenn to remember her like this.

“Hey, there's a lake,” Herbie called, when he reached the end of the wooded path.

“Yeah … and rowboats!” Glenn said.

“It's pretty isn't it?” Winnie asked, facing the round, blue lake. She looked around, admiring the flower beds. This was her favorite part of the park. Glenn, Herbie and Tina hadn't seen it the other day because the ball field was at the other end.

Herbie pointed. “Hey, look at those little kids fishing.”

“I used to do that,” Winnie said. “But I never caught anything. And they won't either.” She laughed.

“Where are
they?
” Tina asked.

“Where are
what?
” Winnie answered.

“The black people.”

Oh no! Tina was going to start
that
again! Winnie thought. “They aren't here today,” Winnie told her. Why did Tina have to go and spoil things? Just when everything was going great!

“That's what you said the last time,” Tina said.

“Tina, you dope!” Herbie shook his sister by the shoulders. “Don't you know by now? There just aren't any black people around here!”

“That's not true!” Winnie said. “There are some. And anyway, what's the difference?”

“The difference is …” Herbie let go of Tina
and faced Winnie. “How would you like it if you lived in a place where everybody was
black?
”

“I don't know.”

“Come off it Winnie!” Herbie looked around and lowered his voice. “You know all right. You know!”

They were going to ruin her day. It wasn't fair! “You're the one making such a big deal out of it! Just remember that,” Winnie said, walking toward the refreshment stand.

Herbie walked alongside her dragging his feet. “I'm not making a big deal. I'm just trying to be honest. That's what we wanted to be … remember? We all wanted people to be honest with us!”

“Four cokes,” Winnie told the man behind the counter. She thought about what Herbie had said. It wasn't easy to be honest all the time. It really wasn't. Even if you wanted to.

The counter man put the four drinks in front of Winnie. “That'll be eighty-six cents,” he said. “The six cents is tax.”

Winnie fumbled around in her pocket.

“I'm paying,” Glenn said, handing the man a dollar bill. “You brought the sandwiches,” he told Winnie. “I'm buying the drinks.”

Winnie looked up at him but didn't say a word.

When Glenn finished his soda he wiped off his
mouth and said, “You know what I feel like doing? I feel like going rowing!”

“I can't,” Winnie said.

“Why not? Why can't you go?” Herbie asked.

“I'm not allowed to go rowing if my folks didn't give me permission.”

“Man! You're really something.” Herbie took a long swallow of soda. “You're going to stow away on a ship to Tokyo but you're chicken to ride around the lake in a rowboat.”

“I'm not chicken!” But Herbie was absolutely right for once. What did she care if she didn't have permission to go rowing. What did it matter anymore! “Okay, let's go.”

They ran to the dock at the lake, pooled all their money and rented a boat for half an hour. Glenn rowed first. Winnie and Tina sat in the back. Winnie leaned over the edge, letting her fingers skim the water. It felt good.

When they were out in the middle of the lake, Tina announced, “I have to make.”

Glenn groaned. “Couldn't you have thought of that
before?
”

“I didn't have to before.”

“Man! We're out in the middle of the lake Tina!” Herbie reminded her.

“What do you want me to do? Make in the boat?”

“You can hold it, can't you?” Winnie asked.

Tina covered her face with her hands and stood up. The boat rocked from side to side.

“For crying out loud, Tina! Sit down. I'll row in.” Herbie changed places with Glenn and rowed in silently.

After Winnie took Tina to the ladies' room they decided to go home. They were out of money anyway and no one had brought a ball along. Somehow Tina and her complaints had spoiled the party mood. Herbie wasn't bad today, Winnie thought. Tina was impossible, but Herbie was okay. He even pulled the wagon home … without anybody asking him to. They stopped in front of Winnie's house.

“See you tomorrow,” Herbie said.

“No, not tomorrow,” Winnie told him. “Tomorrow, I've got to go shopping. I need new shoes for school.”

“What do you need new school shoes for if you're going to Tokyo?” Herbie asked.

“Well, I need new shoes anyway. It doesn't matter for what. My old ones are a mess.” Then she remembered about how she had asked them if their father looted stores to get shoes and her face reddened. But Herbie and Glenn laughed at her, and Winnie, feeling very foolish, laughed too.

“See you Tuesday then,” Glenn said.

“I don't know about Tuesday. My brother's
coming home from camp and we're going into the city to meet his train.”

“Oh. Well, okay. Thanks for the picnic.” Herbie, Glenn and Tina started out for home.

“Hey, you guys!” Winnie called. “I'll see you on Wednesday, okay?”

That night, after dinner, Winnie and her parents settled down in the den, in front of the T.V. After a while, Mr. Barringer put down the sports magazine he was reading and said, “We thought you'd want to know we're not moving.”

“We're not?” Winnie asked. She had been so sure her mother would get her own way.

“No. We decided this afternoon,” her father said.

“Great!” Winnie jumped off the couch. “Then maybe we can have the Garbers over for dinner or something.”

Mrs. Barringer put down the dress she was working on. It was Winnie's last year's plaid cotton and the hem had to be let down. “Now look Winnie … just because we aren't moving away right now doesn't mean that we're going to be best friends with the Garbers. After all, Iggie's family lived in that house for three years and Daddy and I never saw them socially.”

“Oh.” Winnie pushed her hair away from her face. “I thought you changed your mind.”

Mrs. Barringer threaded her needle. “Changed my mind about what?”

“Well, we're not moving so I thought you changed your mind about … you know.…”

“Moving is just too much trouble,” Mrs. Barringer sighed. She put the thread in her mouth and bit it off.

So, Winnie wouldn't be going to Tokyo after all! She was half disappointed. All those plans … down the drain. But if they weren't moving there wasn't any reason to run away! Winnie watched her mother sew the new hem. Then she looked at her father. He had fallen asleep in his chair. His mouth was half open and he was snoring. Winnie looked back at her mother … then back at her father … they didn't even notice.

They just don't care, Winnie thought. They don't care enough one way or the other … about
anything!
Too much trouble … that's what her mother said. It was
too much trouble!
They really took the easy way out.

Winnie got up without a word and went into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a handful of cherries. She was careful not to slam the back door on her way outside.

She walked down the block, spitting cherry pits into the street. When she got to Iggie's house she hid in the shadow of the tall elm tree. The house looked
cozy and inviting. But it really wasn't Iggie's house anymore. It belonged to the Garbers. Winnie remembered how Glenn said it the day they met. “This is the Garber house now.”

She spit out her last cherry pit and turned away from the house. There was Woozie, wandering down the street, sniffing at trees. He wasn't supposed to be running around loose like that. Somebody might report him. “Here Woozie,” Winnie called softly as she walked toward him. Woozie ran to her and licked her leg. Winnie bent down, resting her head against his soft fur. “Go on home now, Woozie. Go on … Glenn will be looking for you.”

She licked the stamp and placed it upside down on the envelope. She wondered how long it would
take to reach Tokyo. She jumped up onto her bed and studied her reflection in the dresser mirror. She threw her shoulders back and stood sideways. Still perfectly straight, but not
really
like a boy, she thought. She had given her mother the privilege of doing her hair. It wasn't every day that Matthew came home from camp. Winnie had to admit, her hair looked kind of nice. She smoothed out her dress and hopped off the bed.

“Winnie … are you ready? Daddy's in the car waiting,” her mother called from downstairs.

“I'm coming … I'm coming,” Winnie shouted back. She wondered how she would ever manage to tell Matthew everything that had happened this week. One week! Was that possible? It seemed like years. The Garbers should just see her now. They wouldn't even know her, all dressed up. Next week when school started she'd have to wear a dress every day. Yick!

Winnie spit the double wad of gum she was chewing into the waste basket and ran down the stairs.