Melonhead by Katy Kelly

Author:Katy Kelly [KELLY, KATY]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-375-89192-2
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2009-08-17T04:00:00+00:00

“You're right. I don't,” I said. I did not say that my goatee came off when it stuck to a rosebush so I ate it. This was no time to bring up the thought of germs.

“Dr. Bowers said he doesn't know much about fungi but he did recognize your navy blue jacket with one sleeve splattered with yellow paint. He also mentioned your homemade haircut,” she said. “But the big giveaway was that you have been to see him three times in the past two months.”

“He sure did a great job fixing my teeth after they hit the jungle gym,” I said. “You can't even tell where they were busted.”

My mom ignored that compliment.

“He said Sam was with you,” she said.

Right then a taxicab stopped in front of our house and my dad got out. There were two bad signs about that. The first was that he only takes taxis when it's serious. The second was that the Capitol dome light was on.

“It seems like I always get in trouble when Congress is voting,” I told him.

“Sport,” my dad said. “What were you doing on the roof?”

“Being responsible,” I said.

“How is roof-walking responsible?” he asked.

“ Roof-RUNNING,” my mom said.

“Remember, last time you said ‘No excuses.’ I had to take the shortcut so I'd get home on time.”

“How is the roof quicker than the sidewalk?” he asked.

“I don't know,” I said. “It just is. Sam and I have timed it lots of times.”

That was not a good answer.

“I mean, that's a great thing about row houses,” I explained. “Since the roofs are attached you can run for a block without having to slow down be-cause there are no red lights or people or strollers or dogs in the way.”

My mom sucked in air.

“Don't worry,” I said. “We NEVER go near the edge. Not even when someone dares us.”

“How did you get on the roof?” my mom asked.

“We climbed up the apartment building fire escape,” I said in a mumbling voice.

“How did you get down?” she asked.

“The Walkers' house is the last tall one so we jump down onto the Pulanskis' roof,” I said. “The triangle thing that holds up their rosebushes makes a great ladder to the ground. And don't worry, it's sturdy.”

“You have been JUMPING off the Walkers' roof?” my mom said. Her voice was squeaking.

“It's a short jump,” I said.

My dad pulled off his tie and undid the top button of his shirt. “Let's finish this talk inside,” he said.

Since everything in our living room is white, I keep clear of it. But our living room is always where we go for serious family talks. I sat on the floor by the fireplace. My dad used the chair that's for company.

My mom sat on the sofa and held her forehead. “ALL I could think was that you could have FALLEN straight through the skylight and landed on the examining chair,” she said. “My ONLY comfort was knowing that the patient would have broken your fall but, Adam, YOU could have BROKEN your LEGS.

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