Justine McKeen, Walk the Talk Read Online Free

MORE WALKING, LESS DRIVING!

    Safdar was behind Michael. Safdar’s sign said, HELP US SET UP OUR FIRST WALKING SCHOOL BUS—THEN A BUNCH MORE!!
    And behind Safdar, another fifty students walked with signs too. All of them waved their signs at the drivers in their cars.
    Justine walked up to Jimmy Blatzo. “Hey, Blatzo,” she said. “What is going on?”
    â€œQuit calling me Blatzo,” he said. “And take this sign. We’ve been waiting for you to lead us.”
    He pulled out a sign that was hidden behind his own. The sign said, LET’S WALK THE TALK ABOUT GOING GREEN.
    Justine looked at Jimmy Blatzo. “I don’t understand.”
    â€œYou don’t understand how important it is to be green? Michael, Safdar and I worked for hours last night to make these signs. Then we called everyone.”
    â€œI don’t understand why you are doing this,” said Justine.
    â€œWe are your friends,” Jimmy Blatzo said. “We like you the way you are. You didn’t give us a chance to tell you that. So we decided to show you. Right, Michael? Right, Safdar?”
    â€œRight!” Safdar said.
    â€œRight!” Michael said.
    â€œDid I give you permission to talk?” Jimmy Blazto asked Michael and Safdar.
    Michael and Safdar mouthed the word Sorry .
    â€œMuch better,” Jimmy Blatzo said.
    Justine laughed. Everything was back to normal.
    â€œBy the way,” Jimmy Blatzo told her. “Nice hat.”
    â€œI like it,” Justine said. Justine took the sign and began to walk up and down the sidewalk with her friends.
    â€œDidn’t you tell me you were going to dress like everyone else from now on?” Jimmy Blatzo asked.
    â€œI did,” Justine said. “But when I looked in the mirror this morning, I decided it is more important to try to help the planet than it is to worry about what people think about me. So I changed, and I wore this instead.”

Chapter Twelve
    It rained on the first day of the walking school bus.
    But it didn’t matter. Justine McKeen had ten giant umbrellas. Each umbrella had Ice-Cream Heaven written on it. Mr. Tait had donated all the umbrellas so he could advertise.
    Mrs. Martin was at the front of the walking school bus. She felt bad for yelling at Justine. She had learned that Adam had been using lip balm on the cat for a long time. She didn’t feel good about all the times she had used the lip balm, but she felt good about apologizing to Justine.
    Mr. Free was at the back of the walking school bus. He had decided it would be a good idea to have a gold recycling bin after all. That way his neighbors who knew he cared about his lawn would also know he cared about the environment.
    The walking school bus was a lot of fun. Justine was somewhere in the middle. She had eight other kids to talk with and splash through puddles with.
    It was the first walking school bus at their school. A lot of drivers honked to say hello as they passed. Everyone thought it was great that kids cared about the environment enough to ask for a walking school bus.
    Justine thought the walking school bus was a success.
    It was even better when they arrived at the school. After all the walking school bus passengers shook off their umbrellas, the janitor walked up to them.
    â€œHello, Mr. Barnes,” Justine said. “We will do our best not to make a mess with the wet umbrellas.”
    â€œThat’s okay, Justine,” Mr. Barnes said. “I just came to say thank you. I think the idea you gave me yesterday to stop the girls from putting lipstick on the bathroom mirrors is going to work. How did you think of it?”

    â€œI saw what happened with a little boy, a cat named Snuggles and a tube of lip balm,” Justine said. “Maybe someday I will tell you about it.”
    â€œWell, your idea to stop the lipstick on the mirrors is so good, I’ll be very surprised if I ever have to clean off any more smooch