Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn by April Lurie

Author:April Lurie [Lurie, April]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-48352-2
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2004-11-15T05:00:00+00:00

The next day, Jacob convinced me and Roy to pay Mrs. Breuger a visit. I made sure I wore my Keds. I didn't want her examining my toenails.

“Come in, Jacob,” Mrs. Breuger called with her rattly voice. She hobbled to the door, and when she saw the three of us, not only her head, but her whole body shook. “Oh, what a surprise! Judy and Roy, I'm so glad you came.” A huge smile crinkled her face, and she used her leathery hands to pull us into the kitchen. The smell of mothballs wafted through the air.

“What's that smell?” Roy asked, wrinkling up his nose. I elbowed him in the ribs.

“Oh,” Mrs. Breuger said, “it's my cookies. You came just in time; they're still warm.”

“That's not what I'm—” Roy began, but I elbowed him again, harder.

We sat down at the table, and as Roy chewed his cookie, he gazed intently at Mrs. Breuger. “How old are you?” he asked.

I glared at him. “Roy, that's not polite.”

“Oh, I don't mind,” Mrs. Breuger said. “How old do you think I am?”

Roy stopped chewing, knitted his brows together, and said, “One hundred and fifteen.” I choked on my cookie and Jacob laughed.

Mrs. Breuger pounded her fist on the table and shook with laughter. “How did you know?” she said.

“You mean I guessed right?” Roy asked.

“Right on the nose,” she said, placing one of her bony fingers on the tip of Roy's nose. She looked over at me and Jacob and winked. I supposed she was kidding, but I wasn't quite sure.

Mrs. Breuger's kitchen was cluttered with all kinds of stuff. It made me think of the junk man in the city, pushing his cart up and down the streets, collecting everyone's junk to sell at the junkyard. He'd have a heyday at Mrs. Breuger's.

Plastered all over her kitchen walls were photographs, most of them tinged yellow with their edges peeling down. As we ate our cookies, I studied the photos. “Oh, you like my pictures!” Mrs. Breuger screeched.

I nearly jumped out of my skin. “Yes, I do. Who are the people in them?”

“Why, my family, of course,” she said. “Here, let me show you.”

“You have kids?” Roy asked with his mouth full of mashed cookies.

She smiled at Roy. “Yes, but none as ornery as you.” Mrs. Breuger yanked me out of my seat and showed me photos of her seven children, eighteen grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Her eyes filled with tears when we came to a picture of Mr. Breuger. “That's my Walter,” she said. “The good Lord saw fit to take him ten years ago, but he's right here—in my heart—as close as ever.” She pressed her hand to her chest.

We stayed with Mrs. Breuger for a good part of the day, and our visit made her rattle and shake with happiness. I felt bad about the way I'd shunned her in the past. I realized she was just a sweet old lady who needed some company. It took Jacob to show me how wrong I'd been.

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