Remembering Mrs. Rossi (9780763670900) Read Online Free Page B

she is trying to sound wise and serious. “In honor of your birthday,” she says in a wise-and-serious tone of voice, “
I’m
in charge of breakfast, and
you
have to do everything I say.”
    “Everything?”
    “Yes”— Annie nods —“and you may now sit down.”
    Professor Rossi sits in his usual seat across from Annie at the table. Because it is such a
special
day (all birthdays are), Annie has already set the table and made breakfast — including toast and blueberry jam (her father’s favorite). She has even put his newspaper on the table (open to his favorite page, sports).
    “As you can see,” Annie says, “someone has been hard at work this morning.”
    “Yes, and I certainly am impressed.” (Her father is impressed!) “Looks good enough to eat,” he adds, passing the jam to Annie.
    “Also as you can see, someone is not wearing boring old school clothes today. Someone is wearing her
good
dress for your birthday.”
    “Yes, I noticed right away. And your good shoes, too.”
    “Did you notice anything else,” Annie asks modestly, “such as two chocolate milks on the table? Because someone made them before, when you were in the bathroom shaving.”
    “Well,
someone
must be a mind reader. Because if there’s one thing I’m in the mood for, it’s chocolate milk.” Professor Rossi takes a long and surprisingly noisy drink. “Outstanding!”
    “You may now tell me all about our Yankees.” From time to time — even when it isn’t her father’s birthday — Annie pretends to be interested in baseball. She likes to pretend she is a big Yankee fan. (Her father, a
genuine
Yankee fan, seems to appreciate this.)
    “Unfortunately”— big frown as he scans the headline —“our Yankees managed to lose again last night.”
    “Oh
dear.
” Annie drags her chocolate milk through a straw, inch by inch, to make it last.
    “It all fell apart at the bottom of the ninth.” Professor Rossi shakes his head and begins to explain exactly how it fell apart. “With bases loaded, the last thing you want, Annie, is a high pop toward center field —”
    “Okay, Daddy, now we should talk about something
happy.
” Annie cuts him off, but in the brightest possible way. “And I know just the thing that makes
everybody
happy — birthday presents!”
    “You’ve got to watch out for sloppy hitting,” her father informs Annie.
    “Daddy, we already stopped talking about baseball,” Annie reminds him sweetly. “Now, I’ve been thinking”— extra-sweet —“a
dog
makes a good birthday present, and I bet you want a dog!” (In fact, she has already practiced saying these very words — several times — in front of the bathroom mirror.)
    Professor Rossi slowly lowers the paper until it is face-down on the table.
    “I know a lot about dogs,” Annie rushes in. “If you want, I could even help you pick one out!”
    “Annie.
Must
we have this conversation again?” He sighs. “We’ve had it so many times already. Dozens of times over the years . . . no,
hundreds.
”
    “A dog is fun,” Annie says.
    “Yes, but —”
    “A dog is your friend,” Annie says. “Some dogs are brave!”
    “Yes, but some
people
aren’t that comfortable with dogs, and, as you well know, I happen to be one of them.”
    “That’s not fair!” Annie bangs her elbows on the table. “You
never
like my good ideas!”
    “Don’t pout, Annie.” Professor Rossi spreads extra jam across his toast and takes two big bites.
    “
Everyone
has a dog.”
    “Everyone does not have a dog, and you know it.”
    “Well, the super’s boy — that boy in Mommy’s class — he got a puppy, and I got to hold the puppy in the lobby. Did you know
that
?”
    “I seem to remember a nice long story about a puppy with silky ears.” Professor Rossi smiles.
    Annie does not smile back. He’s
supposed
to want a dog for his birthday! He’s
supposed
to be nice, not mean! “Your birthday’s not fun anymore”— Annie jabs at her toast