Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary Page B

expected, was swarming with boys and girls in raincoats, most of them too big, and boots, most of them new. The girls wore various sorts of raincoats and red or white boots—all except Susan, who carried her new white boots so she would not get them muddy. The boys looked alike, because they all wore yellow raincoats and hats and brown boots. Ramona was not even sure which boy was Davy, not that he mattered to her this morning. Her feet felt too heavy for chasing anyone.
    Part of the class had lined up properly by the door, waiting for Miss Binney, while the rest ran about clomping, splashing, and stamping. “Those are boys’ boots you’re wearing,” said Susan to Ramona.
    Ramona did not answer. Instead she picked up a smooth pink worm that lay wiggling on the playground and, withoutreally thinking, wound it around her finger.
    â€œLook!” yelled Davy from beneath his big rain hat. “Ramona’s wearing a ring made out of a worm! ”
    Ramona had not thought of the worm as a ring until now, but she saw at once that the idea was interesting. “See my ring!” she shouted, thrusting her fist toward the nearest face.
    Boots were temporarily forgotten. Everyone ran screaming from Ramona to avoid being shown her ring.
    â€œSee my ring! See my ring!” shouted Ramona, racing around the playground on feet that were suddenly much lighter.
    When Miss Binney appeared around the corner, the class scrambled to line up by the door. “Miss Binney! Miss Binney!” Everyone wanted to be the first to tell. “Ramona is wearing a worm for a ring!”
    â€œIt’s a pink worm,” said Ramona, thrustingout her hand. “Not an old dead white worm.”
    â€œOh…what a pretty worm,” said Miss Binney bravely. “It’s so smooth and…pink.”
    Ramona elaborated. “It’s my engagement ring.”
    â€œWho are you engaged to?” asked Ann.
    â€œI haven’t decided,” answered Ramona.
    â€œNot me,” Davy piped up.
    â€œNot me,” said Howie.
    â€œNot me,” said Eric R.
    â€œWell…a…Ramona…” Miss Binney was searching for words. “I don’t think you should wear your…ring during kindergarten. Why don’t you put it down on the playground in a puddle so that it will…stay fresh.”
    Ramona was happy to do anything Miss Binney wanted her to. She unwound the worm from her finger and placed it carefully in a puddle, where it lay limp and still.
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    After that Ramona raced around the playground with a worm around her finger whenever her mother made her wear Howie’s old boots to school, and when everyone asked who she was engaged to, she always answered, “I haven’t decided.”
    â€œNot me!” Davy always said, followed by Howie, Eric R., and any other boy who happened to be near.
    Then one Saturday Mrs. Quimby examined Ramona’s scuffed shoes and discovered that not only were the heels worn down, the leather of the toes was worn through because Ramona stopped her lopsided two-wheeled tricycle by dragging her toes on the concrete. Mrs. Quimby had Ramona stand up while she felt her feet through the leather.
    â€œIt’s time for new shoes,” Mrs. Quimby decided. “Get your jacket and your boots, and we’ll drive down to the shopping center.”
    â€œIt isn’t raining today,” said Ramona. “Whydo I have to take boots?”
    â€œTo see if they will fit over your new shoes,” answered her mother. “Hurry along, Ramona.”
    When they reached the shoe store, Ramona’s favorite shoe salesman said, as Ramona and her mother sat down, “What’s the matter with my little Petunia today? Don’t you have a smile for me?”
    Ramona shook her head and looked sadly and longingly at a row of beautiful shiny girls’ boots displayed on one side of the store. There she sat with Howie’s dingy old brown boots