Jonno studied the tree stump – he’s always on the lookout for weevils. Bee stared at the rest of the kids mucking about in the playground while Fifty talked to himself. I got the sponsor form out to convince myself that a day of zipped-up mouths was worth the effort. Including the Head’s contribution we’d got forty-three pounds. Lily came over and brought out a present from behind her back. ‘Happy Birthday, Bee.’ It was about the size of an apple, wrapped in silver paper. I almost spoke, but stopped myself just in time. Why hadn’t Bee reminded us it was her birthday? Bee mouthed ‘Thank you’ and took the silver apple. Jonno stood up and made a no-one-mentioned-a-birth-day face. (I realised that someone else had remembered – Miss Walsh gave Bee a special ‘Good morning’ but I was too busy being silent to notice.) Inside the silver paper was a lime-green rubber ball with a hole with jagged edges attached to a keyring. Bee held it up and made what-is-it? signs. Lily laughed.
What do You think about Labradoodle On The Loose (2011)?
