3. Capes and Lightning

3/ Capes and Lightning Mrs. hurried over to me. She said to please stop dancing. "Yeah, only I can't even control my feet that good. 'Cause they are excited about being Captain Field Day!" I said. I jumped up and down. "I've always wanted to be the boss of these people! And now I am the captain of everybody! Captain means the same thing as boss! Right, Mrs.? Right?" Just then, my whole mouth fell open. 'Cause I thought of something very

wonderful! "Mrs.! Hey, Mrs.! Guess what else captain can be? It can be the name of a superhero, I think!" I clapped my hands. "Yes! Yes! I heard of that before! I heard of a superhero named Captain somebody-or-other. And so that makes this job even better!" I said. I hugged myself real happy. "Maybe I can even wear a whole entire superhero outfit! Like a leotard and tights! And a cape! And a belt with lightning!" Just then, Mrs. held her hand in the air. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" she said. Then she quick took me into the hall. And she bent down next to me. "Junie B., you are very mixed up about being a team captain. Team captains are not superheroes. They're not even close, in fact."

I did a frown at that woman. "Why? Why aren't they?" I asked. "Captains are the bosses, right?" Mrs. shook her head. "No, Junie B. Not in this case, they aren't. In this case, a team captain supports the team. A team captain keeps the team united." She looked at me. "You know what united means, don't you? You've heard of that word before, right?" I thought and thought very hard. But I couldn't actually remember it. Mrs. explained it to me. "Unite means to join people together, Junie B.," she said. "A team captain keeps her teammates working together in good spirits. Instead of bossing them around, she cheers them on. Do you think you can do that?" I did a little frown. 'Cause this was not the

job I expected, that's why. Finally, I shrugged my shoulders. "I guess I can do it," I said kind of quiet. "But I still wish I could have a cape." I looked at her real serious. "I wish that really, really bad, Mrs.," I said. Mrs. stood up. "Well, I suppose if we looked around the room, we could find a towel to pin on your shoulders. How would that be?" she asked. My eyes got big and wide at her. Then I jumped way high in the air. "Perfect! A towel will be perfect, Mrs.!" I said. "'Cause then I will look like the real actual Captain Field Day! Plus also, I can dry my hands occasionally!" After that, I runned straight to the sink in the back of Room Nine. And guess what? Mrs. found a towel in the cabinet. And it was

a red one! She pinned it on my shoulders. I zoomed all around the room. "Look at me, Mrs.! Look at me! I am fast as lightning in this thing!" Finally, Mrs. grabbed my hand and she walked me over to the door. "Boys and girls, it's time to get things started," she said. "Let's all form a line behind our team captain." I spinned around and looked at them. "That's me, people! I am your captain! I am the one with the red cape! The cape will remind you that I am Captain Field Day!" Just then, Room Nine groaned and groaned. Only I don't actually know why.

After that, they lined up behind me. And all of us marched outside to the playground. Then we waited real excited for Room Eight to come out. 'Cause Field Day was ready to begin!