The Great Penelope Kate #1: The Great Penelope Kate

"You put your shoes on the wrong feet again."

The Great Penelope Kate looked down, irritated, at the feet of her third-grade little sister Daisy.

"No I didn't," Daisy retorted.  "I like them better this way."

Penelope Kate, a fifth-grader, knew better.

"Mom always checks before we get on the bus.  How did you get them backwards?"

"Because I had gym."

Penelope Kate did not have time to compute that nonsensical information.  She and her sister Daisy had to find their little brother Arthur and make sure he got on the school bus on time.  It was time to go home.

"Let's just go."

As they walked down the hall, two of the Nasty Girls from fourth grade brushed by.  They knew better than to try anything with Penelope Kate.  She was a fifth-grader, they were not.

But then she and Daisy witnessed them spouting hurtful comments towards another fourth-grade girl.  Her name was Joan.

"Bye, loser," one said.

"You suck, loser," the other said.

Joan turned towards the wall and tried hard not to cry.  Other kids were staring.

Penelope Kate felt very bad for Joan, but wasn't sure what to do.  Daisy froze up.  She had witnessed this sort of situation before but did not feel comfortable getting involved.

"Those girls are mean," said Penelope Kate.

Joan did not make eye contact and continued as hard as she could to not cry.

"You are not a loser," said Penelope Kate.

"yes I am," said Joan, a tear running down her cheek.

Penelope Kate was not sure what to say.  She wanted so desperately to be nice.

"Would you like to come and play at my house after school?"

"i can't," said Joan.  "i have to go home."

Joan walked away, towards the exit and her bus, and Penelope Kate grabbed Daisy by the hand in search of Arthur.

That night at dinner, Mom noticed that Penelope Kate was not quite herself.

"What's wrong, Penny?  You're so quiet."

Daisy was playing with and SOMEWHAT eating her food.  Arthur, a 6-year-old, was poking at his macaroni and cheese but hardly eating at all.

"Mom, a girl at school is getting picked on," said Penelope Kate.

"Well maybe you should stand up for her and be her friend," said Mom.

"She's a fourth-grader, though.  I'm a fifth-grader."

"Well THAT doesn't matter."

a fourth-grader friends with a fifth-grader?  How unheard of.

Mom offered, "Just offer her a chance to sit with you at lunch and talk.  It will brighten her day.  It will...ARTHUR, will you EAT already?"

"I don't want it," little Arthur said.

"You SAID you wanted macaroni and cheese."

"It's not good.  Not cheesy enough."

Mom was irritated.

"They only give you one packet of powder...Penny, I'm very proud of you because you always do the right thing, and I know you're gonna do the right thing again."

"I do the right thing TOO!," Daisy shouted.

"Of course you do," Mom replied.  "Continue to do so by finishing your carrots."

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