Horrible Harry and the Christmas Surprise (2 page)

One of Miss Mackle's green sparkly earrings took a nosedive into the fish tank.

Three guppies took a quick look and then swam away fast!

Everyone got out of their seats and rushed to the teacher. We stood there in a circle with our mouths open.

“Are you okay?” we all asked.

Miss Mackle started to giggle. “Well, I'm glad I fell gracefully. I could be standing on my head.”

While the rest of the class was laughing, I covered my eyes. I didn't want to picture the teacher standing on her head!

After we helped her get up, we took the wood pieces and dropped them in the big wastepaper basket.

“That was a dumb old rocker!” Sidney said, slapping his hands clean.

“No, it wasn't,” Harry replied. “I liked that krikkity old chair.”

“You
just like horrible things!” Sidney replied.

“You
are just off your rocker!” Harry said, holding up a fist.

“Now! Now!” Miss Mackle said, limping back to her desk chair. “Christmas is only four days away. It's time for peace and goodwill.”

Just then the principal showed up at
the door. “Anybody in here need a world?” he asked, holding up the globe.

“We do!” Miss Mackle exclaimed. Everyone laughed as the principal returned the world to the globe stand.

“Miss Mackle, are you going to finish the story?” Mary asked.

“What story is Miss Mackle reading?” Mr. Cardini asked.

“The Night Before Christmas,”
Mary replied. “It's 168 years old.”

“That old, huh? Well, I haven't heard it yet this year! May I join you?” he said, pulling up a little blue chair from the library table.

“What do you think, class?” Miss Mackle asked.

“YEAAAAAASSSSSS!”

Miss Mackle opened her big heavy storybook and turned to the right page. “Why doesn't everyone help me read the story this time!”

Everyone sat up and waited for their cue.

“'Twas the night before ...”

“Christmas!” we called out.

“And all through the ...”

“House,” Mr. Cardini boomed.

“Not a creature was ...”

“Stirring,” we replied. Harry made monster hands.

“Not even a ...”

“Mouse!” Mr. Cardini twisted his moustache and squeaked.

Song Lee giggled.

Sidney laughed so hard he was snorting like a pig.

Room 2B is full of sounds. Some of them are horrible, and some of them are fun.

 

 

 

W
hen Harry and I got to the classroom the next morning, Miss Mackle wasn't at her desk.

“Where is she?” we asked.

Mary looked at the fish tank. “She's not putting in a new filter.”

Ida looked at the science table. “She's not making sugar water for the ant monitor.”

Song Lee looked at the plant corner. “She's not putting a bug in the terrarium for the Venus's-flytrap.”

Harry looked at the drama corner. “She's not trying on her Mother Goose costume for our Christmas skit.”

“She's not changing the clothespins on our monitor chart,” Sidney said.

“WHERE IS MISS MACKLE?” the class asked.

I held up a finger. “I'll go down the hall and see if she's still having coffee with the teachers in the teachers' room. The late bell hasn't rung yet.”

“I'll go with you,” Harry said.

As we walked down the hall, we saw the first-graders and kindergartners hanging up their winter jackets, and putting their caps and mittens carefully in their jacket sleeves.

The kindergarten teacher was standing by the door with her hands behind her back. “Hello, Harry and Doug. We're looking forward to your skit this afternoon, ‘Merry Christmas from Mother Goose.' ”

Harry and I smiled at Mrs. Chan. We had her in kindergarten.

“What happened to your teeth, Harry?” she asked.

Harry showed off his pink gums. “I rammed into a wall.”

Mrs. Chan took a closer look. “Hmmmmm. I also see some new ones coming in!”

Harry nodded. He was happy about that. “Did you see Miss Mackle?” he asked.

“No, I didn't. I've been mixing fingerpaint all morning.” Then she wiggled her red gooey hands at us! “We're painting Santa Clauses today!”

Harry and I took a big step back. “Let's get out of here!” I said.

When we got to the teachers' room, we knocked.

Mrs. Michaelsen, the librarian, opened the door. We could smell coffee and something buttery. “Good morning,
boys,” she said. “What can I do for you?”

Harry drooled when he saw the tray of frosted Christmas cookies on the table. I liked the big computer printout that hung from the lights. MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HANUKKAH! JOY TO ALL!

“We're looking for Miss Mackle,” I said.

“She's usually in her room by now. Go back and check. Maybe her car stalled. It was 15 degrees this morning!”

We rushed back down the hall and into the classroom just as the final bell rang.

Mr. Cardini was standing in front of the class. He was not smiling. Harry and I wondered if we were in trouble. Quickly, we rushed to our seats.

“Boys and girls,” he said. “I have some bad news.”

Room 2B was pin-quiet.

“Miss Mackle went to the emergency room early this morning about her knee. Remember how she fell yesterday?”

Everyone nodded their head slowly.

“She thought she would just get it checked and then limp back to class. She didn't want to miss all the special activities you had planned.

“Well, when the doctor had her knee X-rayed, he discovered she had torn a ligament. She's going to need special surgery and was just admitted to the hospital. She called me as soon as she could.”

Everyone groaned, “The hospital!”

I noticed Harry wiped his eyes with his sweater sleeve. I think he was trying not to cry. “When will she be back?” he asked.