Gooney Bird and All Her Charms by Lois Lowry Page B

Allegiance.
    â€œMrs. Pidgeon?” They recognized Mr. Leroy’s voice over the speaker.
    â€œYes?”
    â€œWe have a guest here who says he is delivering a gift for your classroom.”
    â€œA gift?” Mrs. Pidgeon looked puzzled. “I’m not expecting anything.”
    The children could hear Mr. Leroy laugh. “Well, it’s quite a large box. And it looks heavy! I’d bring it down myself but I’m not sure I could manage. Your guest— Just a minute.”
    They could hear the principal talking to someone else. “Your name again?” they heard him ask. Then he returned to his microphone. “Your guest, Dr. Walter Oglethorpe, says he’s happy to deliver it to the classroom. Shall I send him down?”
    â€œWell, I suppose so,” Mrs. Pidgeon said in a confused voice.
    â€œAll right. He’ll be there shortly.” They could hear Mr. Leroy click the microphone off.
    â€œGooney Bird?” Mrs. Pidgeon said. “Does this have something to do with the important announcement you were trying to make?”
    Gooney Bird nodded.
    â€œAnd this person—Dr. Walter Oglethorpe? He is—?”
    â€œMy Uncle Walter. Actually, he’s my mother’s uncle.”
    â€œThat makes him your Great-Uncle Walter.”
    â€œRight. My Great-Uncle Walter. He’s a professor at the medical school.”
    â€œAnd he has a gift for us? In a large box?”
    Gooney Bird nodded. “Don’t freak out,” she said.
    â€œWhat is it? And why is he bringing it?” asked Mrs. Pidgeon. She went to the closed classroom door and looked through its window.
    Gooney Bird sighed. “It will be very educational. And he doesn’t need it right now so we can borrow it. And it’s connected to what we’re studying.”
    â€œâ€˜THE HUMAN BODY’! HE’S BRINGING US A HUMAN BODY!” Chelsea shouted.
    â€œDon’t be silly, Chelsea,” Mrs. Pidgeon said. “Here he comes.” She opened the door.
    â€œPlease don’t freak out, anyone!” Gooney Bird said to the class.
    Keiko and Felicia Ann had both covered their eyes. Malcolm was standing up at his desk and flapping his hands the way he always did when he was nervous or excited. The class was whispering and giggling, but everyone fell completely silent when a tall, balding man entered, awkwardly carrying a very long, narrow box.
    â€œCoffin,” announced Barry in an awed voice. “It’s a coffin!”
    The man smiled and looked at Barry. “Good guess, young man,” he said. “But not quite.”

2
    Dr. Oglethorpe set his large carton on the floor at the front of the classroom.
    â€œWhew,” he said. “That was heavy.” Then he turned and shook hands with Mrs. Pidgeon.
    â€œGood morning,” he said politely. “You must be Gooney Bird’s teacher.”
    She nodded. “Gooney Bird?” she said. “Will you introduce your great-uncle, please?”

    Gooney Bird stood and came to the front of the room. “Class,” she said politely, “this is my Great-Uncle Walter. His real name is Walter Eugene Oglethorpe. He is a doctor so you should all call him Dr. Oglethorpe. Except you, Mrs. Pidgeon. You can probably call him Walter since you are both grownups. And I can call him Uncle Walter. But everyone else should call him Dr. Oglethorpe, okay?”
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    â€œOkay,” the second-graders said. They were all staring at the box.
    â€œIs that a dead body in there?” called Malcolm.
    â€œShhh,” said Gooney Bird. “I haven’t finished my introductions.
    â€œUncle Walter,” she went on, “this is my teacher. We all call her Mrs. Pidgeon, but you can probably call her Patsy, because you both are grownups.”
    â€œAre you finished now?” Malcolm asked loudly. “Is that a dead—”
    â€œShhh,” Gooney Bird said again.
    â€œClass,” Mrs.