Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy (4 page)

After that, lots of children showed pictures of their dogs and cats.

Plus Jamal Hall showed us his lizard named Gizzard.

And a boy named Ham showed us his hamster named Elvis.

Finally, I raised my hand real calm.

“It’s nice to see you being so polite, Junie B. Would you like to go next?” Mrs. asked. “Did you bring a picture of your dog?”

I shook my head. “No,” I said. “’Cause I didn’t want to bring a picture, remember? I wanted to bring a real actual pet. Only too bad for me. ’Cause Mother said no raccoon. And then my Grandma Helen Miller stoled Sparkle. Plus also I lost my Noodle. And then we couldn’t find the orange juice. And so that’s how come my grampa moved the frozen vegetables. And boom! I saw a pet in
there! So I put him in my backpack! And here he is now!”

After that, I quick unzipped my zipper pocket. And I held up my pet for everyone to see.

“FISH STICK!” I said real delighted. “I NAMED HIM FISH STICK BECAUSE HE’S A FISH STICK, OF COURSE!”

Room Nine stared and stared.

Then all of a sudden, everyone laughed at once.

“YOU GOONIE BIRD!” yelled that meanie Jim. “Fish sticks aren’t pets! Fish sticks are
dinner!
”

I felt very shrinking inside.

“But…but fish sticks
have
to be pets. Right, Mrs.? Right?” I asked. “’Cause fish sticks are fish. Aren’t they? And fish are pets. Right?”

Mrs. was hiding behind her hands. She peeked at me between her fingers.

“Um…yes. Sure. Of course fish are pets,” she said.

I felt a teeny bit better.

“So then fish sticks can be pets, too. Right?” I said.

Mrs. hided a little while longer.

Then finally, she took a big breath. And she got up from her desk.

“Well, let’s see. Maybe we should see what the dictionary has to say about this,” she said.

After that, she took out her dictionary. And she looked up the word
pet.

She read us what it said.

“
Pet
,” she said.
“Any tamed animal that is kept as a companion.”

“Okay,” she said. “Now that we have
the definition, let’s see if Fish Stick fits the bill.”

She looked at me.

“Junie B., is Fish Stick tame? Or is he wild?”

“Tame,” I said. “Fish Stick is very,
very
tame. He won’t even peck your head into a nub.”

“Okay, good,” said Mrs. “And would you say that Fish Stick is a good
companion
, Junie B.? Can you take him lots of places? And does he behave himself pretty well?”

“Yes,” I said. “Fish Stick can even go more places than my dog, probably. ’Cause I can put Fish Stick right in my backpack. And he doesn’t even say a peep!”

Mrs. smiled real happy.

Then she walked to my table. And she shaked my hand.

“Well, then, congratulations,” she said. “According to the dictionary, Fish Stick is
definitely
a pet.”

After that, she took Fish Stick out of my hand. And she carried him to the pet table.

And guess what? She put him right next to Slicky!

“Grace! Hey, Grace! Now our fishes can be friends just like us!” I said real delighted.

Just then, I heard a croaking noise.

It came from Wendell the bullfrog, I think.

Then Wendell croaked even louder!

And that made Slicky the goldfish jump in his water!

And that made the rooster cock-a-doodle-doo!

And that made Slippers thump his loud foot!

And then his cage door accidentally came open. And he hopped right off the table!

“OH NO!” yelled Room Nine. “OH NO! OH NO!”

And then all of us chased Slippers all over the place. And he hopped and hopped until Mrs. caught him in the trash can.

It was the excitingest adventure Room Nine ever even had!

And that’s not even the bestest part of Pet Day!

’Cause at the end of school, Mrs. gave out special ribbons to all the pets.

And the rooster got
SCREECHIEST
!

And Pirate Pete got
TALKIEST
!

And Slicky got
BUBBLIEST
!

And Slippers got
MOST RASCALLY RABBIT
!

And Fish Stick got
MOST WELL-BEHAVED!!!!

I did a gasp at that wonderful thing.

Then I shaked and shaked Mrs.’s hand.

“Thank you, Mrs! Thank you, thank
you! ’Cause this is the proudest honor I ever imagined!”

Mrs. laughed.

She said me and Fish Stick made her day.

Then she gave me a hug.

And that is called a perfect ending!