ring toss yet. The three of them hurried off to the booth. Those old, gold friends, Heidi and Gail, were back together at last.
Meanwhile, Marty seemed puzzled by the whole incident. He stood motionless, watching the other partygoers pairing off and having fun together. I guess Aldo was watching, because he marched over to him and said, “If you need something to do, I could use some help giving out prizes.”
Marty didn’t answer.
“Or would you rather be with your friends? You do have friends, don’t you, Marty?”
Marty stood like a statue, staring at Aldo.
“You know, Marty, if you stopped pushing everybody around, people might start liking you. So why don’t you come over and do something nice, like handing out prizes?”
Aldo didn’t wait for an answer. He put his hand on Marty’s shoulder and marched him to the Prize Booth.
Meanwhile, Richie and Seth cheered on Tabitha as she got three baskets in a row. Smiley the bear was nowhere in sight.
After Miranda and Sayeh had each earned a handful of pink tickets, they headed for the Prize Booth. But when they saw Marty there, they stopped in their tracks.
“I’m not going over there if he’s there,” said Miranda. “He’d probably steal my tickets.”
A.J. and Art were already at the Prize Booth, trying to choose from the assortment of little puzzles, paddles with balls attached, and funny cardboard glasses with eyeballs painted on them. Aldo and Marty stood behind the prize table.
“Hurry up and take something,” Marty said in a gruff voice. He tried to stuff the glasses in A.J.’s hand. “Move it along.”
Aldo nudged Marty. “Give them a chance to decide what they want, Marty,” he suggested. “How about a train whistle?” he asked, holding up a big wooden whistle in the shape of a train.
“Maybe,” said A.J.
“Paddleball is always good,” said Art. “I’ll take that.”
“Good choice,” Marty mumbled.
“I’ll take the whistle,” A.J. decided. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” It sounded strange to hear Mean Martin Bean say those words.
Kirk rushed to the Prize Booth with a handful of tickets.
“Well, if it isn’t Kirk the Jer—” Marty stopped himself before he finished.
“Kirk the Basketball King!” said Aldo. “Pick a prize.”
Kirk had enough tickets to get a flower with a bulb attached that could squirt water.
“Good choice,” said Marty. His voice sounded different. I guess he wasn’t used to saying nice things.
At last, Sayeh and Miranda, who had been watching Marty, finally came forward, clutching their prize tickets.
“Ladies, come get your prizes,” said Aldo. “Marty will help you. He likes to help. Right, Marty?”
“Here are some key chains,” Marty told the girls as they nervously stepped forward. “Or maybe you’d like this tic-tac-toe game.”
Miranda and Sayeh were obviously surprised that Marty was acting like a human being is supposed to act, but they handed over their tickets.
“Thanks, Marty,” said Miranda, taking the key chain.
Aldo grinned. So did Marty.
Everybody was having such a good time, I was tempted to open the lock-that-doesn’t-lock and join the fun.
While I was thinking it over, Aldo blew a whistle and asked everybody to come to the “center ring” for the big show.
As I watched my classmates rush for their chairs, I realized that I had an excellent hamster’s-eye view of the center of the ring. There was no need to plan an escape after all.
Once everyone settled down, Aldo took center stage and waved his top hat dramatically. “Ladiezzzz and gentlemen, get ready to be dazzled by the one, the only, the Amazing Magic Mitch!”
Amazing Magic Mitch turned out to be a tall, skinny man also wearing a top hat. His long blond hair touched his shoulders. He had on an oversized black jacket with a red-and-white striped T-shirt and wore huge red-rimmed glasses.
Aldo applauded and the rest of the audience joined in. Magic Mitch carried a table in one hand
Meanwhile, Marty seemed puzzled by the whole incident. He stood motionless, watching the other partygoers pairing off and having fun together. I guess Aldo was watching, because he marched over to him and said, “If you need something to do, I could use some help giving out prizes.”
Marty didn’t answer.
“Or would you rather be with your friends? You do have friends, don’t you, Marty?”
Marty stood like a statue, staring at Aldo.
“You know, Marty, if you stopped pushing everybody around, people might start liking you. So why don’t you come over and do something nice, like handing out prizes?”
Aldo didn’t wait for an answer. He put his hand on Marty’s shoulder and marched him to the Prize Booth.
Meanwhile, Richie and Seth cheered on Tabitha as she got three baskets in a row. Smiley the bear was nowhere in sight.
After Miranda and Sayeh had each earned a handful of pink tickets, they headed for the Prize Booth. But when they saw Marty there, they stopped in their tracks.
“I’m not going over there if he’s there,” said Miranda. “He’d probably steal my tickets.”
A.J. and Art were already at the Prize Booth, trying to choose from the assortment of little puzzles, paddles with balls attached, and funny cardboard glasses with eyeballs painted on them. Aldo and Marty stood behind the prize table.
“Hurry up and take something,” Marty said in a gruff voice. He tried to stuff the glasses in A.J.’s hand. “Move it along.”
Aldo nudged Marty. “Give them a chance to decide what they want, Marty,” he suggested. “How about a train whistle?” he asked, holding up a big wooden whistle in the shape of a train.
“Maybe,” said A.J.
“Paddleball is always good,” said Art. “I’ll take that.”
“Good choice,” Marty mumbled.
“I’ll take the whistle,” A.J. decided. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” It sounded strange to hear Mean Martin Bean say those words.
Kirk rushed to the Prize Booth with a handful of tickets.
“Well, if it isn’t Kirk the Jer—” Marty stopped himself before he finished.
“Kirk the Basketball King!” said Aldo. “Pick a prize.”
Kirk had enough tickets to get a flower with a bulb attached that could squirt water.
“Good choice,” said Marty. His voice sounded different. I guess he wasn’t used to saying nice things.
At last, Sayeh and Miranda, who had been watching Marty, finally came forward, clutching their prize tickets.
“Ladies, come get your prizes,” said Aldo. “Marty will help you. He likes to help. Right, Marty?”
“Here are some key chains,” Marty told the girls as they nervously stepped forward. “Or maybe you’d like this tic-tac-toe game.”
Miranda and Sayeh were obviously surprised that Marty was acting like a human being is supposed to act, but they handed over their tickets.
“Thanks, Marty,” said Miranda, taking the key chain.
Aldo grinned. So did Marty.
Everybody was having such a good time, I was tempted to open the lock-that-doesn’t-lock and join the fun.
While I was thinking it over, Aldo blew a whistle and asked everybody to come to the “center ring” for the big show.
As I watched my classmates rush for their chairs, I realized that I had an excellent hamster’s-eye view of the center of the ring. There was no need to plan an escape after all.
Once everyone settled down, Aldo took center stage and waved his top hat dramatically. “Ladiezzzz and gentlemen, get ready to be dazzled by the one, the only, the Amazing Magic Mitch!”
Amazing Magic Mitch turned out to be a tall, skinny man also wearing a top hat. His long blond hair touched his shoulders. He had on an oversized black jacket with a red-and-white striped T-shirt and wore huge red-rimmed glasses.
Aldo applauded and the rest of the audience joined in. Magic Mitch carried a table in one hand
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