The Ghost in Apartment 2R by Denis Markell

Author:Denis Markell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2019-11-11T16:00:00+00:00

“If you hum that one more time, I swear I’m gonna throw you in the freezer,” grouses Gus.

I’ve already hummed the tune for my mom and dad, who have no idea what it is. It’s driving me crazy, because it’s so familiar, but I have no idea where I heard it. I was hoping maybe we sang it in kindergarten or something, but Nat and Gus clearly don’t know it either.

We’re walking Gus to Baublitz’s—his dad has sprung an unexpected shift at the store on him. He’s in a lousy mood and I can’t blame him. It’s not like he wants to work there. Unlike Nat, Gus is expected to help out, and even worse, his father has made it clear that he’s going to take over the business one day, and that’s how it is.

Nat tries to be supportive. Like her dad before her, she’s been told all her life that it’s her choice if she wants to work at the store, that she can be whatever she wants. So if she wants to be a doctor, she can.

But Gustave Baublitz is going to be a butcher because Baublitzes have been butchering meat in Brooklyn since 1915, and some traditions are too powerful to simply walk away from.

“It would break my dad’s heart,” Gus says. “Besides, it’s nice to be part of history. Like being Prince William or something. It’s my inheritance.”

I don’t mention that Prince William probably doesn’t have to spend his whole day in a bloody apron chopping up animal parts, but then again, Gus’s dad, Emil, is kind of like royalty in the neighborhood. He knows everyone’s order, just like Sammy. And Joe.

Emil grew up in the neighborhood and has watched it change and grow. He began stocking fancier cuts of meat as his clientele started asking for them. Sure, people can buy meat at the supermarket or at expensive stores like Whole Foods, but a lot of them still love the idea of the neighborhood butcher.

“You’re doing it again,” Gus says.

I didn’t even realize I was humming. “Sorry,” I say.

Nat tugs at the straps on her backpack. It looks heavier than usual, which is saying something since she’s always got books in there to read. “It sounds like it is some song, but I don’t know what.”

She looks at me. “Was that Mrs. Sarah What’s-Her-Face the kind of lady who would do something like that for a joke? You know, to weird you out?”

“First of all, I don’t think she’s ever made a joke in her life,” I say. “And second of all, that thing the night before was weird enough.”

Gus takes three pieces of gum out of his pocket and pops them in his mouth. “Phoo gurgle abow—”

“Gus, for crying out loud, chew first!” Nat exclaims. “You are totally grossing us out here.”

She and I watch Gus’s jaw working furiously to wrestle the gum into submission. Not a pretty picture, I can tell you.

Finally he is able to push the wad into his cheek and he tries again.

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