frowned.
“How come we have to do more than the guys who can’t swim?” said Roger. “That’s not fair. If we can swim already, we should just get our badge free.”
“To get this water badge,” said Mrs. Peters firmly, “everyone should learn something new. Swimming is the first and most important skill for water sports and water safety.”
Some of the Pee Wees wished they had not told Mrs. Peters they could swim. Now it meant they would have to do something extra.
Mrs. Peters went on to explain that they would read about water activities, learn about water safety, and study pool rules. Then they would go to the public pool on their own to practice. When they wereready, each Pee Wee would swim alone across the pool while Mrs. Peters watched, to qualify for his or her badge. And some would dive and show the new swimming strokes they had learned.
When the meeting ended, everyone was talking at once about what fun it would be. Everyone Molly talked to seemed to know how to swim.
“I’m going to work on the swan dive,” said Ashley.
“I’ll get in more practice than anyone,” said Rachel. “Well, except Jody. Because I can get up in the middle of the night if I want to and swim. I’ll be able to do a really graceful dive by the time we get our badges.”
Forget about diving, thought Molly.
Molly could not dive.
And she could not float.
Worst of all, she could not swim! Molly was afraid of water. Every time she went tothe beach, she got water up her nose, and it didn’t feel good. Once, she got water in her ears and couldn’t hear. She hated to get her head wet. Sometimes mean kids like Roger pushed other kids underwater.
Molly loved badges. She loved earning them, and she loved wearing them.
But this was a badge she did
not
want to earn. She did not want to put her head underwater. She knew if she tried to float or swim, she would sink. The summer had looked like so much fun. Now suddenly it was a summer she dreaded.
Would she be the only one who didn’t have fun at Jody’s pool party?
Would she be the only one afraid to get her head wet?
And worst of all, would she be the only one who did not receive a swimming badge?
CHAPTER 3
The Bumblebee
Swimsuit
M olly was in no hurry to get home. Her mother would ask what the Pee Wees had done and what new badge they were going to work on. Molly didn’t want to talk about it.
But after Mary Beth turned the corner to run an errand, there was no place to go but home. Mary Beth was on the way to the drugstore to get some new noseplugs.
Mrs. Duff was home from work early.
“I heard about the new swimming badge!” she said. “And on my way home I stopped at Carson’s and got you a new swimsuit. Wait till you see it! I knew you’d outgrown last year’s suit, and besides you need something special for earning a badge!”
Her mother put down the carrots she was peeling and dried her hands. She motioned for Molly to follow her to the living room. There she picked up a bag with summer flowers all over it, and opened it.
“Look!” she said. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
Mrs. Duff held up the suit. It had a cluster of tags hanging from it. It looked tiny. And it was bright yellow with bumblebees all over it!
“It will stretch,” said her mom. “It’s spandex.”
Molly stared at the suit. She knew she should be grateful. But she wasn’t. Maybe her mother could take it back.
“It was on sale, so we can’t return it, but I know it will fit,” her mother said. “It was a lucky find. Swimsuits can be very expensive.”
Now Molly felt worse. She looked at the suit dangling from her mother’s hands. It was very bright. In fact, it was blinding. It was the kind of suit she could never hide in. She could not be at the pool and not be noticed.
If she wore a swimsuit that was pale blue maybe she could be pool color.
Or if it was green she could blend in with the nearby trees and no one would notice her. She had heard about lizards that turned
“How come we have to do more than the guys who can’t swim?” said Roger. “That’s not fair. If we can swim already, we should just get our badge free.”
“To get this water badge,” said Mrs. Peters firmly, “everyone should learn something new. Swimming is the first and most important skill for water sports and water safety.”
Some of the Pee Wees wished they had not told Mrs. Peters they could swim. Now it meant they would have to do something extra.
Mrs. Peters went on to explain that they would read about water activities, learn about water safety, and study pool rules. Then they would go to the public pool on their own to practice. When they wereready, each Pee Wee would swim alone across the pool while Mrs. Peters watched, to qualify for his or her badge. And some would dive and show the new swimming strokes they had learned.
When the meeting ended, everyone was talking at once about what fun it would be. Everyone Molly talked to seemed to know how to swim.
“I’m going to work on the swan dive,” said Ashley.
“I’ll get in more practice than anyone,” said Rachel. “Well, except Jody. Because I can get up in the middle of the night if I want to and swim. I’ll be able to do a really graceful dive by the time we get our badges.”
Forget about diving, thought Molly.
Molly could not dive.
And she could not float.
Worst of all, she could not swim! Molly was afraid of water. Every time she went tothe beach, she got water up her nose, and it didn’t feel good. Once, she got water in her ears and couldn’t hear. She hated to get her head wet. Sometimes mean kids like Roger pushed other kids underwater.
Molly loved badges. She loved earning them, and she loved wearing them.
But this was a badge she did
not
want to earn. She did not want to put her head underwater. She knew if she tried to float or swim, she would sink. The summer had looked like so much fun. Now suddenly it was a summer she dreaded.
Would she be the only one who didn’t have fun at Jody’s pool party?
Would she be the only one afraid to get her head wet?
And worst of all, would she be the only one who did not receive a swimming badge?
CHAPTER 3
The Bumblebee
Swimsuit
M olly was in no hurry to get home. Her mother would ask what the Pee Wees had done and what new badge they were going to work on. Molly didn’t want to talk about it.
But after Mary Beth turned the corner to run an errand, there was no place to go but home. Mary Beth was on the way to the drugstore to get some new noseplugs.
Mrs. Duff was home from work early.
“I heard about the new swimming badge!” she said. “And on my way home I stopped at Carson’s and got you a new swimsuit. Wait till you see it! I knew you’d outgrown last year’s suit, and besides you need something special for earning a badge!”
Her mother put down the carrots she was peeling and dried her hands. She motioned for Molly to follow her to the living room. There she picked up a bag with summer flowers all over it, and opened it.
“Look!” she said. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
Mrs. Duff held up the suit. It had a cluster of tags hanging from it. It looked tiny. And it was bright yellow with bumblebees all over it!
“It will stretch,” said her mom. “It’s spandex.”
Molly stared at the suit. She knew she should be grateful. But she wasn’t. Maybe her mother could take it back.
“It was on sale, so we can’t return it, but I know it will fit,” her mother said. “It was a lucky find. Swimsuits can be very expensive.”
Now Molly felt worse. She looked at the suit dangling from her mother’s hands. It was very bright. In fact, it was blinding. It was the kind of suit she could never hide in. She could not be at the pool and not be noticed.
If she wore a swimsuit that was pale blue maybe she could be pool color.
Or if it was green she could blend in with the nearby trees and no one would notice her. She had heard about lizards that turned
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