Last Night at the Blue Angel Read Online Free Page A

here .
    He’s looking at me like he feels sorry for me.
    Can you spend the night? I ask.
    Jim laughs. No .
    It would be fun! says Mother. We could watch Ed Sullivan and eat popcorn .
    He says, Well , all right , because no matter what Jim thinks, Mother can change his mind. We cook hamburgers and watch TV and make a bed for him on the couch, and while Mother tries to sing me to sleep in my bed, Jim leans in the door and listens.
    I tiptoe into the living room in the middle of the night. He is snoring on the couch with all his clothes on, even his shoes. I cover him up with a blanket and pretend he’s my dad. He stops snoring and opens one of his eyes.
    You the tooth fairy? he says.
    Yes .
    He sits up slowly. I’m fresh out of teeth . Will you take a cigarette? He tugs one out of his shirt pocket.
    No way .
    He lights his cigarette and leans back. Sit down, you dumb fairy .
    I sit next to him and we stare at the dark, still room.
    How come you sleep on the couch when you spend the night? The others sleep in Mother’s room .
    He sucks on his cigarette; the end goes bright for a moment. Because we’re friends , your ma and me .
    You’re my friend , too?
    Of course , he says. When you were a little baby , I said to you , “Kid , I’m gonna look after you whether you like it or not.” Know what you said?
    What?
    You said , “Gla , gla , gla.” He rolls his eyes around and waves his arms in front of him like a baby.
    He puts out his cigarette. May I please go back to sleep now?

CHAPTER 3
    W HY ISN’T YOUR homework done? asks Sister Eye while the other kids are out on the playground.
    I don’t know .
    Is Mama okay? she asks.
    I nod.
    Is there something you’re not understanding?
    I shrug.
    Sister Eye sighs. She puts her hand on my head.
    We had sleepovers all weekend , I say, trying to come up with something.
    Who?
    Jim last night. Some lady Saturday night .
    I see , says Sister.
    Don’t be mad .
    I’m not , peanut . She looks at the clock. Let’s work on your math for just a few minutes and then you can go outside for the rest of recess .
    I want to stay with you .
    You spend an awful lot of time with adults , she says, erasing the board.
    Did you give me my name? I love this story. I could hear it a hundred times.
    Yes , she says. Your mother wanted to call you Pearl . She picks up bits of paper along the aisles. “Let’s call her Sophia,” I said. And Jim was there. He said , “Much better,” and Rita said , “I’ll say.”
    We always laugh at that part.
    Why did you want to call me that? I ask.
    Sophia was the name of my friend. She was smart and strong and a leader. She always knew exactly who she was .
    She sits in front of me and folds her hands on my desk. I’ve known Sister Eye my whole life. And Rita. We all used to live together when we were poor. They’re my best friends.
    After all the kids are settled back in after recess, we bow our heads and say the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love. When we’re done, Sister says, Please take out a clean sheet of paper . But just then the civil defense drill siren sounds and we all get into balls under our desks. I cross my fingers and hope it’s just practice. There are so many things not on my list. I just know it.
    S ister Eye and Jim talk when we get out. It was Sister’s idea for Jim to start picking me up from school. Because Mama can be forgetful , was what she told me. And Jim is always on time. He says punctuality is one of the few things a man can control.
    He takes me all the way up to the apartment. He says it’s so he can be sure I’m safe.
    Oh, good , you’re home! Mother says when we walk in. She’s wearing a white dress with yellow and red flowers on it and a red apron. The Good Mom Costume , she calls it.
    She talks while she walks to the coffee table in the main room. The funniest thing happened today . I was just minding my own business