Peggy Gifford_Moxy Maxwell 02 (6 page)

chapter 48

5 Reasons Moxy Isn't Allowed to Touch Another Can of Spray Paint Until She's Twenty-one

Mark took this
close-up picture of the list of reasons Moxy wasn't allowed to touch another can of spray paint until she was twenty-one. This list has been sealed to the refrigerator door (with the aid of spilled grape juice and a magnet that says
THE VOLVO DOCTOR MAKES HOUSE CALLS
!) for just over a year now—ever since Moxy's mother made Moxy write it.

Here is the picture Mark took of it.

chapter 49

In Which Moxy Keeps On Shaking the Can

But Moxy kept
on shaking the can.

“Pansy,” she said, “I need eleven more copies of my new thank-you notes.”

Pansy disappeared into Ajax's office. As she went in, another thank-you note flew out.

“Moxy's going to use the gold spray paint,” Pansy announced to Mark and Sam.

Mark wrapped his camera back around his neck and rushed into the kitchen.

Pansy, however, was not in a terrific hurry to go back. Even though she had liked being a princess, which was the reason they had spray-painted her hair gold in the first place, she had not liked the haircut that followed it. It was too short, for one thing—one person had even thought she was a boy.

That was a long time ago, of course—back when Moxy was nine and hadn't had much experience with spray paint.

chapter 50

3 Things Experience Has Taught Moxy About Gold Spray Paint

Now, Moxy knew
a good deal more than the average ten-year-old about the uses and abuses of spray paint. Such as:

1. A little spray paint goes a long way.

2. Always put something you don't care about behind the thing you are spray-painting in case the spray paint misses its target.

3. Don't spray-paint your sister's hair.

As she shook the can (she did love the sound of that ball), Moxy mulled over the second rule. It meant she would have to lean the thank-you notes against something that wouldn't be ruined if she accidentally missed her target.

It occurred to her that the Christmas tree might be the perfect thing to lean the thank-you notes against while she spray-painted “Thank You” on the front of them. It was, after all, almost time to throw the tree out anyway. The tree was also almost dead. Plus it had gold ornaments on it, which meant that if a little gold spray paint accidentally hit the tree, it would hardly be noticed.

The plan had one small flaw: How would the thank-you notes stay on the tree while Moxy spray-painted them? She was wrestling with this problem when Granny George's cell phone began to play “Rock Around the Clock.”

It was Uncle Jayne. His car was stuck in slush and other snow-related stuff and he would be there soon but not right away.

“He's going to walk over,” Granny George told Moxy after she hung up.

But Moxy wasn't listening.

chapter 51

In Which Moxy (Once Again) Saves the Day

“Thank goodness I'm
me,” said Moxy. “Otherwise where would we be?”

“Pansy!” Moxy called.

There was no reply.

“Pansy!” Moxy called again. Pansy always came when Moxy called—but not this time. This time she stayed in Ajax's office.

“PANSY!” Moxy called for the third and final time. But Pansy didn't appear.

chapter 52

In Which Moxy Is Forced to Stop What She's Doing and Look for Pansy

If I were
Pansy and I thought I was a turtle, where would I look for me?
wondered Moxy.

Moxy looked everywhere she could think of for her sister—in both of the bathtubs and under all the beds. Finally, she tried Ajax's office. There she found both of Pansy's feet and what looked like part of her elbow under Ajax's chair. The rest of Pansy was covered in thank-you notes—and the copier was still firing away.

Here is the photograph Mark took of Pansy's feet. Note the untied shoes.

Both of Pansy Maxwell's feet.

Moxy shouted to Sam to turn off the copier. “I think I have enough thank-you notes now,” she added.

chapter 53

In Which Pansy Starts to Sort of Cry

Moxy very politely
invited Pansy into the living room. She also invited her to stand in front of the Christmas tree and hold the thank-you notes while Moxy spray-painted “Thank You” on them.

But Pansy started to sort of cry.

“I'm not allowed,” she sort of cried.

More than anyone, Sam understood why Pansy was sort of crying. He couldn't imagine saying no to Moxy.

Which was why he said yes when Moxy turned to him and asked if
he
would hold the thank-you notes in front of the Christmas tree while she spray-painted “Thank You” on them.

Naturally, Sam didn't want to leave the copier unattended. But since he couldn't figure out how to turn it off, he decided it didn't make much difference whether he stood in front of the copier that he couldn't turn off or in front of the Christmas tree holding a thank-you note while Moxy shot gold spray paint at him.

So Sam followed Moxy into the living room.

chapter 54

The First Shot

Here's a picture
Mark took of Sam holding a thank-you note in front of the Christmas tree while Moxy continued to shake the gold spray paint. He called it “BEFORE.”

“BEFORE,” by Mark Maxwell.

Moxy closed her right eye. She took careful aim. She changed her mind. Maybe she was supposed to close her left eye and keep her right eye open. The eye doctor who had told her she didn't need glasses had also told her that one eye was stronger than the other. But she couldn't remember which was which. So she stood there closing one eye and then the other for so long that Sam thought he might faint, and Moxy started to get a headache.

Finally, she just sprayed away.

Here is the picture Mark took of Sam when Moxy was through spray-painting him.

“AFTER,” by Mark Maxwell.

It is obvious to even the casual viewer why Mark called this the “after” photograph. You don't need glasses to see the big gold “T” on Sam's new red Christmas shirt.

Granted, Sam was a little surprised to look down and see the big gold “T.” But, as Moxy pointed out, it did look like he had just gotten a letter for achievement in sports—kind of.

chapter 55

The Big “HANK YOU”

While Pansy and
Sam were admiring Sam's new shirt, Moxy was staring at the big “HANK YOU” she had just sprayed on the living room wall beside the Christmas tree. I can't describe Moxy's expression, but Mark took this picture of her so you can see for yourself:

Moxy Maxwell first sees the big “HANK YOU.”

And here is a picture Mark took of the big “HANK YOU” looking at Moxy.

The big “HANK YOU” looks at Moxy.

chapter 56

In Which Mrs. Maxwell Walks in the Door Carrying a Cute Little Pink Dress with Gobs of Glitter for Moxy to Wear to the Big New Year's Eve Star-Studded Hollywood Bash Her Father Is Taking Her To

“I'm home,” called
Mrs. Maxwell.

There was no answer.

“Uncle Jayne? Granny George?” she called.

Then she sniffed the air. “Is that spray paint I smell? Granny George, are you making more bracelets out of tuna fish cans?”

Granny George had just developed a new product: she took the top and bottom off tuna fish cans (even though sometimes they were still full of tuna and no one was in the mood for a tuna fish sandwich), spray-painted them gold, and turned them into big gold bracelets to sell at the annual Save the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Fund-raiser.

Mrs. Maxwell stayed in the hall stomping her boots. Granny George came out to greet her.

“He's stuck in slush,” said Granny George.

“Uncle Jayne is stuck in slush?” asked Mrs. Maxwell.

“His car is stuck in slush. He went home to put the turkey in,” Granny George explained.

“He did the right thing,” said Mrs. Maxwell. She would never forget the turkey Aunt Margaret had made last Thanksgiving—it had been such an odd shade of gray.