6. Boss of Lunch

6 Boss of Lunch It was the funnest dream I ever had. I looked exactly like Mrs. Gutzman. Except I had my own face. Also, I had my own apron. And my own plastic mitts. And my very own hair net. I was a vision, I tell you! I worked my hardest in the kitchen. I washed all the carrots. And I made all the hoagies. Plus also, I ate all the sugar cookies. After a while, Room One came into the

kitchen with their trays. The children saw how hard I was working. They called me "Boss of Lunch." And they skipped around me in a happy circle. After that, they carried me all around on their shoulders. May did not participate. I waved at her when I went by. Then a duck flew in and chased her out of the room. That morning, I woke up laughing in my pillow. And guess what else? At school, my day kept on getting better and better. Because I gave Mr. Scary my permission slip. And he let me go to the cafeteria at ten o'clock A.M.! And so I hardly even did much work! Mrs. Gutzman was delighted to see me again.

She said I could start helping her very soon. But first she wanted to show me around the kitchen. It was the hugest kitchen I ever even saw. It was a kitchen a giant would have. "Look at how big everything is, Mrs. Gutzman," I said. "Look at that big dishwasher over there. And look at those big refrigerators! And whoa! Look at those big sinks! And that big giant freezer!" I kept looking. "And look at that big can opener. And look at this big floor we're standing on. And look at these big walls. And that big light switch. And those big—" Mrs. Gutzman interrupted me. "Okay, let's move on, shall we?" she said. "I'd like you to meet some of the other folks who work here, Junie B." After that, she took me over and

introduced me to six grownups. I waved at those people kind of shy. They waved back. Plus also, they said "welcome." But here is the bestest part of all! After I met all the people, Mrs. Gutzman opened a big drawer. And she handed me a giant white apron! My mouth fell open at that hugie thing! "You mean I get to wear this, Mrs. Gutzman?" I said. "I get to wear an apron just like yours? Wowie wow wow! This is my dream come true!" Mrs. Gutzman winked at me. "Well, we sure don't want you to mess up that pretty flowered dress of yours, do we?" she said. After that, she pulled the apron over my head. And she tied the straps around me.

I looked down to the ground. The apron came down to my shoes, almost. I twirled and twirled all around. "Oooh! I love this apron, Mrs. Gutzman!" I

said. "This apron makes me feel like a princess!" Mrs. Gutzman said I had a good imagination. After that, I put on my mitts that she had given me. And I twirled some more. "Now I have the whole complete outfit, practically!" I said real happy. And then, what do you know? All of a sudden, Mrs. Gutzman reached into her apron. And she pulled out a hair net! A hair net just for me! She put it on my head. "Oh boy! Oh boy! Thank you, Mrs. Gutzman! Thank you!" I squealed. Then I zoomed to the oven and stared at myself in the glass. "Look at me! Just look at me! I look like a real professional lunch maker!" I said.