Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm

Author:Jennifer L. Holm [Holm, Jennifer L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2016-08-30T00:00:00+00:00

In pink paint.

There was even a pink crown.

Pork Chop chortled. “Isn’t that a riot, pal?”

“It’s a regular work of art!” Ira said.

I had to agree: the artist had talent.

—

Queen Dot’s Throne started showing up on outhouses all around town. Nobody knew who was doing it. Rumor was that the mysterious painter struck in the dark of night, like the mysterious Shadow on the radio show.

Me and the gang were playing marbles in front of my house when Dot came storming up. She was spitting like a cat.

“I know it’s you!” she shouted.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, all innocence.

“You’re the one who’s painting ‘Queen Dot’s Throne’ on outhouses!”

I looked at the fellas as if shocked. “It ain’t me. It’s probably one of them New Dealer artists.”

“It is so you! Freckles over on Pinder Lane saw you slipping out of a backyard with a paintbrush.”

I held out my hands. “You see paint on these hands? Must’ve been someone else. I’ve just got a familiar face.”

She shook with rage and then whirled around and marched away.

We burst out laughing.

—

A few days later, the gang and I were knee-deep in dirt, playing a game of marbles, when a barefoot girl with pigtails came running up to me.

“Beans Curry!” she said. “Your mama’s been hollering for you for the last half hour.”

“I didn’t hear her,” I said.

It was the truth.

The girl put her hands on her hips and cocked her head. “Well, she said you better get your bungy down to the kraals and pick up some turtle meat on credit, or you ain’t gonna have no supper.”

Then she turned and ran off.

I stood up. “Guess I better go, fellas.”

“Can I stay here? I don’t wanna do chores,” Kermit whined.

“Fine, stay. I’ll pick you up after.”

I ran down to the kraals as fast as my legs could carry me. When Ma hollered, you ran.

There was a little shack at the edge where you could put in your order. An older man stood behind a wooden counter.

“Hi, Mr. Thompson,” I said. “Ma sent me to get some meat on credit.”

“Sure thing, Beans. Give me a few minutes to butcher some meat for you.”

“I’ll wait outside,” I told him. I kind of liked the turtles; I didn’t really want to see one chopped up.

I sat near the turtle kraals, peering down into the water. The big creatures were swimming lazily, their shells appearing, then disappearing beneath the dark surface.

I felt someone push me. Before I could see who it was, I found myself flying through the air. I landed in the water and sank. When I came up, I was gasping for air, and turtles were bumping into me on every side. Now I knew how it felt to be tossed into the kraals.

Terrible.

I heard laughter and looked up. Dot was grinning down at me.

“You look like a turned turtle!” she hooted.

Standing next to her was…the girl with the pigtails?

“You!” I spit out. “Did my mother even call for me?”

She pretended to think hard for a moment, and then she looked at Dot.

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