Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great (11 page)

   
"Do you think I'm ugly?" I asked Mouse.

   
Betsy answered, "Yes. But I love you just the same. And so does Ootch."

   
"Oh, Betsy!" Mouse said. "Sheila's not ugly and you know it."

   
"Okay," Betsy said. "You're not ugly."

   
"Libby says I am," I told Mouse. "She says I look just like her and that she is one of the ugliest people on earth!"

   
"She's stupid!" Mouse said.

   
"I know that . . . but do you think she knows what she's talking about when she says I'll look just like her some day?"

   
"Definitely not," Mouse told me.

   
I was happy to hear that.

   
The next day Libby decided to learn every part in the play. She says this is just in case someone gets sick at the last minute and she has to play another part-like maybe Wendy!

   
I asked her if she plays Wendy, then who will be Captain Hook, and she says I am very dumb to even ask such a question. I don't understand Libby at all.

   
Me and Mouse have finished painting six huge trees and now we are starting on the archway. When Wendy and the other kids walk through it that means they are in Never-Never Land. They aren't going to fly across the stage like they're supposed to. They're just going to pretend by flapping their arms.

   
The problem is the archway won't stand up by itself. Every time we put it on the stage it falls to one side. So Mike, the counselor in charge of scenery, says that me and Mouse are going to have to stand behind it and hold it up while the play is going on. Mouse doesn't want to. She says she's too embarrassed. But I think it will be great fun to be on the stage holding up such an important piece of scenery.

   
All of our parents are invited to the play, plus anyone else who wants to come. Daddy is tacking a note about the production on the bulletin board at college. He is sure some of his students will want to see the show.

   
The girl who is playing the part of Wendy is Maryann Markman. I think her name is very good for an actress. It sounds better than Libby Tubman. I wonder why my mother and father didn't think of that when they named my sister. Sheila Tubman doesn't sound much better, but at least I don't want to be a famous actress or ballerina. And, anyway, I could always call myself Sunny Tub or something like that.

   
The one thing I have noticed about Maryann Markman is that when she's rehearsing she sings very nice and loud and is pretty good at her part. But as soon as anyone who isn't in the play sits down to watch she sings so soft you can hardly hear her. I wonder what will happen the night of the play.

   
Libby is still hoping Maryann will get sick and that she will have to play the part of Wendy. Since I'm always on the stage holding up the scenery I'm learning all the parts too. That way, if Libby winds up playing Wendy, maybe I can be Captain Hook.

   
Finally the night of the play came. Daddy gave Libby a rose in honor of the occasion. "Oh, Father!" Libby cried. "You are too thoughtful!"

   
I'm glad this play will be over tonight. I'm sick of my sister, the actress.

   
Me and Mouse had to dress in blue and yellow so we would blend into the rest of the scenery in case either one of us shows through.

   
Maryann Markman got there in plenty of time and she wasn't sneezing or coughing or acting sick. Libby looked stupid in her Captain Hook suit. But Russ was a perfect Peter Pan. It's too bad he can't
really
fly.

   
Everybody did fine during the first act except Mouse coughed once, when Russ was singing. He stopped right in the middle of his song and waited for her to finish. Maryann's voice was low but very sweet. When she ran through the archway she almost knocked me over. But I hung on and the archway stayed up.

   
Libby came on in the middle of the second act. Shesang her song very loud and when she was done the audience clapped for her. I guess sometimes it is better to sing loud and be heard than to sing very nicely like Maryann, who nobody could hear but me and Mouse. Hearing Libby sing so loud seemed to make Maryann forget her lines, because she just stood there and didn't say anything. Finally, I whispered her next line to help her remember. When she still didn't say anything I said her lines for her. I don't know if the audience noticed this or not, because Maryann did move her lips. I said her lines for her all during that act. Libby looked over at me once and made a terrible face, but Maryann needed me. What else could I do? Mouse was laughing all this time and neither one of us remembered about holding up the archway. So the next time Russ ran through, it fell to the side.

   
But I don't think we ruined the play, like Libby says, because we managed to get it up again in just a few seconds. All in all I think it was a very successful show even though Libby says she is never speaking to me again.

   
I AM down to three swimming lessons a week. Marty says I am ready to learn to put my face in the water because there is nothing else he can teach me until I do. I told him, "I can't put my face in the water and there's a very good reason why I can't, which you don't even know about!"

   
"I'm listening," Marty said. "What's your reason?"

   
"Something very important that you probably never even considered."

   
"Well. . . ."

   
"You really want to know my reason?"

   
"I'm waiting," Marty said.

   
"Okay. I'll tell you. The reason I cannot possibly put my face in the water of this pool is that I am scared!"

   
"Sheila!" Marty practically shouted. "I'm proud of you!"

   
"You are?"

   
"Yes. Do you realize this is the first time you've been honest with me?" Marty asked.

   
"It is?"

   
"Yes, it is. You've finally admitted it . . . you're scared. That's the first step in the right direction. From now on everything will be a snap!" Marty jumped into the pool. "Come on, Sheila. I want to show you something."

   
I walked down the steps and stood next to him.

   
"Watch this," Marty said, putting his face in the water. Big bubbles came to the surface. He turned his head to the side and took a breath. Then he stuck it back in and blew some more bubbles. He did that ten times. He made it look easy.

   
When he was done I clapped my hands. "That was very good, Marty," I said.

   
"Okay, wise guy. Now let's see you do it."

   
"I can't," I said. "I'm too scared."

   
"I'll hold your hand."

   
I looked at Marty and thought about what my mother told me. That if I can't swim with my face in the water by the end of the summer Marty will give back all the money from my swimming lessons. I hate to think of Marty having a hard time because of me. But he never should have made such a silly deal with Mom.

   
"Please, Sheila," Marty said. "Give it a try."

   
"Oh, all right," I said, grabbing Marty's hand. I put my face down into the water. I nearly choked to death! Marty had to whack me on the back until I stopped coughing.

   
"What were you supposed to do, Sheila?" he asked.

   
"I was supposed to blow bubbles," I answered.

   
"And did you?"

   
"No, I breathed regular."

   
"And what did you find out?"

   
"That I can't breathe regular in the water."

   
"That's right!" Marty said. "So let's try it again. And this time take a breath first and
then
blow it out."

   
"Okay." I took a breath, but I started to laugh. Sometimes I do that when I'm really scared. And nothing stops me from laughing. Nothing! I laugh until my side feels as if it is going to split open. Usually I wind up with bad hiccups.

   
"Sheila . . . Sheila . . ." Marty said. "What am I going to do with you? You're impossible!"

   
"I told you I was, didn't I?" I giggled.

   
"I should have believed you," Marty said. "Calm down now. Let's get to work."

   
"I'm calm, I'm calm," I told him. I took a big breath and put my face into the water. I think Marty was yelling something at me but I don't know what. When I felt ready to explode I lifted my face and said, "Well, how was that?"

   
"You forgot to let it out, Sheila."

   
"Let what out?"

   
"The air . . . you took a big breath but then you didn't let it out."

   
"Oh." I knew something was wrong. I took a bigger breath, put my face in the water, and blew out. I made bubbles. Just like Marty!

   
I lifted my head and smiled.

   
"That's it!" Marty shouted. "You did it . . . you really did it!"

   
"I did, didn't I?" I could hardly believe it myself. "I really did do it!"

   
"Yes, and now I want you to try it ten times in a row."

   
"Oh, Marty . . . do I have to? Isn't just once enough?"

   
Marty shook his head.

   
I took a breath and did what he told me to. I blew very nice bubbles. Then I turned my head to the side, took another breath, and put my face back into the water. I did this four times before I forgot to blow the air out. That time I think I breathed in while my face was under the water. I wound up with a mouthful. When I stopped coughing I gasped, "No more. Please no more. Don't make me do it again." I climbed out of the pool and ran for a towel. The chlorine really stings my eyes.

   
Marty followed me. "Okay, Sheila. That's it for today. But I want you to practice swimming with your face in the water. I'm going to give you the Beginner's Swimming Test before the end of the summer. I think you'll be able to pass it."

   
"Me? Me pass a swimming test?" I asked.

   
"Yes . . . you!"

   
I always knew Marty was sick!

   
I'M going to have a slumber party. I've never had one. How could I when I have shared a room with Libby all my life? I just can't wait until Saturday night. Mouse, Sondra, and Jane are coming, and Mom says we can all sleep in my room if my friends bring sleeping bags with them. I even have new pajamas to wear. They are red-and-white striped. Mouse has the same ones. She promised to wear them so we can be twins like Sondra and Jane. My slumber party is going to be the best slumber party that ever was!