Rosie Swanson: Fourth-Grade Geek for President (11 page)

“Oh yeah … and there’s something else I need to tell you about, too. It’s about what happened with Alan Allen and the notes and stuff. I mean, I’m sure you guys know that I wrote those notes about how he stole that soccer ball. And it was wrong of me to do that, I guess. Because I understand
that Alan was only six when he took it. And I’m sure that he won’t ever steal another soccer ball in his whole entire life, probably.”

I paused a second. “But, see, here’s the part that’s still kind of confusing to me. Because, even back
then
—when I was only six—I never would have stolen that ball. And it just seems like that should count for something, you know? That I’ve been honest
all
my life. And that I’ve always tried to obey the rules. So if you vote for me, I swear I’ll be the best, most honest fourth-grade president you ever saw. And I’ll try really hard to get us better lunches, too. And I’ll do other good stuff, too. I mean it. I will.”

A lot of kids clapped. Way more than I expected. In fact, I was just about to take bow number two when Summer Lynne Jones pushed past me to get to the microphone.

She didn’t look one bit nervous, either. Mostly, she just seemed in a hurry to begin.

“Hi,” she said. “My name is Summer Lynne Jones.”

She waited until the room was completely quiet. Then she leaned into the microphone.

“I only have two things to say …

“First, I’ve never stolen anything in my life.

“And second, I’m not a snitch.”

She looked around the room and shrugged.

“It’s your choice,” she said.

Then—without another word—she sat back down.

At the end of the day, Summer Lynne Jones was president of the fourth grade.

11
SOME STUFF
I’VE LEARNED …

I’m still not exactly sure what happened that day. I mean, I know that Summer Lynne Jones got the most votes and all. But I’m not positive it’s because everyone thought she would make such a great president. After what happened with Alan and me, I just don’t think the voters had much choice.

Nic and Vic Timmerman lost, too. So did Roxanne Handleman and Louise the Disease. I saw Louise in the girls’ room after school. She was blowing her nose on a paper towel.

Maxie wasn’t very sympathetic about my loss. “You did it to yourself, you know,” he told me. “You messed up your whole image by writing those tattletale notes.”

I tried not to show my disappointment. “Yeah, well, whatever,” I said. “It’s not the end of the world or anything. I mean, the three of us aren’t
any worse off than we were before, are we? You’re still smart, right? And Earl can still draw. And I still … well, I still …”

“Wear glasses,” teased Earl.

I hit him.

One thing I know for sure. Running for president doesn’t get a person much respect. Like the other day, the three of us got twirled around on the swings again by those same sixth-grade bullies.

“Wait! Hold it!” I yelled while they were twisting my chain. “Don’t you guys even recognize me? I ran for president of the entire fourth grade.”

“Whoa, I’m impressed,” said one of them. “Aren’t you, Frankie? Aren’t you impressed?”

After that, they spun me twice as fast as they spun Maxie and Earl.

I got twenty-two votes. Judith Topper told me that. She overheard Mrs. Munson talking about it in the office. Alan Allen got thirty.

“Twenty-two votes was the worst,” said Judith. “I guess you know what that makes you. That makes you the big loser … L-O-O-S-E-R.”

The girl can’t spell worth beans.

The truth is, though, I actually think that
twenty-two votes is pretty darn good. I mean, after everything that happened, I still convinced twenty-one people besides myself that I would make the best president.

I’m almost positive that Norman Beeman was one of them. He came up to me after school and watched me while I buttoned my sweater. Then all of a sudden, he swooped his ball cap off his head and covered his heart with it.

“My sincere condolences,” he said.
Condolences
are sort of like heartaches or something, I think.

It was nice. But still, it creeped me out a little.

Another nice thing happened, too. The next day on the playground, two girls from Mrs. Munson’s class came up to me and said, “Too bad you lost. We were definitely going to vote for you before that snitch thing.”

I’m not sure that they meant it as a compliment, but that’s how I took it. ’Cause if two total strangers were going to vote for me, then maybe a lot of other total strangers were going to vote for me, too.

And so this is what I’m thinking. I’m thinking
that maybe one of these days I might try running for class office all over again. ’Cause my grandfather says that when life gives you a kick in the pants, you’re supposed to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and kick it right back again.

And anyhow, I think I’ve learned some stuff about being a better candidate. I mean, I know I’d do better the next time. I even made a list of things to remember about politics. I call it:

I put the list on my mirror. I look at it every day.

Last night I had a dream about my bullhorn. And my crown.

I woke up smiling.

I think it was a sign.

Barbara Park is one of today’s funniest, most popular writers for middle-graders. Her novels, which include
Skinnybones, The Kid in the Red Jacket, Rosie Swanson: Fourth-Grade Geek for President
, and
Dear God, Help!!! Love, Earl
, have won just about every award given by children.

She has also created the Junie B. Jones character for the Random House Stepping Stone Books list. Recent books about Junie include
Junie B. Jones Is (almost) a Flower Girl, Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentime
, and
Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket
.

Ms. Park earned a B.S. degree in education at the University of Alabama and lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband.

If you liked
Rosie Swanson: Fourth-Grade Geek for President
, then don’t miss the other two books in the Geek Chronicles trilogy!

Geek Chronicles 1:

Maxie, Rosie, and Earl—Partners in Grime

Meet Maxie, Rosie, and Earl—three kids who unite as they await their doom at the principal’s office. Shy Earl is there because he refused to read out loud in class. Nosy Rosie is in trouble because her teacher is sick of her tattling. And then there’s Maxie, who finally got tired of being teased and took matters into his own hands. Now they wait like sitting ducks. But no matter what the outcome may be, these three bumbling outlaws have just begun the start of a memorable friendship …

Geek Chronicles 3:

Dear God, Help!!! Love, Earl

Wimpy Earl Wilber has just met death, and his name is Eddie McFee. Eddie is the meanest, toughest kid in the fifth grade, and Earl has to pay him one dollar a week to keep Eddie from beating him up. Luckily, Earl’s pals, Rosie the Snoop and Maxie the Brain, have decided to help him out. Maxie has a great plan that should keep Eddie out of Earl’s life for good. Now all Earl has to do is pretend to be dead …