8. Lunchtime

8 Lunchtime Being a helper is not a breeze. After the lunch bell rang, big kids started coming into the kitchen. Two of them pointed at my hair net. They called me the name of Freak-a-zoid. I felt very crumbling inside. "Now I'm not even going to greet you," I said real quiet. After that, I tattletaled to Mrs. Gutzman. And she grouched at those boys. Plus also, she said I didn't have to greet people.

Instead, she said I could sponge the counter. I hurried over there my fastest. Then I sponged and sponged until the big kids were gone. Pretty soon, I looked at the door again. And guess what? I saw my friends from Room One! I saw Herb and Lennie and José and Shirley and Roger! They were at the counter with their trays! I ran over to them speedy quick. "Hello, everyone! Hello! Hello! Look at me! See me working in here? I am being a helper! See?" I said. All of them smiled and waved. "Hi, Junie B.! Hi!" they said. I skipped around in a circle.

"See my outfit? I am a real professional lunch maker! See? I look just like Mrs. Gutzman!" I showed them my sponge. "And look at this! I even have 'quipment!" After that, I ran back to the sinks. And I showed them how I wiped the counter. "Can everyone see me over here?" I asked. "I am the boss of this whole entire sponged area." After that, I zoomed to the napkins. "Plus also, I am the boss of the napkins," I said. "See how I stacked them? If I keep up the good work, someday I will be the boss of

this whole operation, probably!" Just then, May came in the door. She did a mean laugh. "You're not a real lunch maker, Junie Jones," she said. "They're just letting you pretend. Don't you know that?" All of a sudden, I felt steamy mad inside. 'Cause I am sick and tired of that dumb girl! I stamped my foot real hard. "Yes, I am, too, a real lunch maker!" I said. "Can't you even see my outfit, May? If I am not a real lunch maker, then how come I am wearing mitts and a hair net? Huh?" May did not answer. "I'LL TELL YOU WHY, SISTER!" I said. "'CAUSE I'M KEEPING HAIR AND GERMS OUT OF THE TUNA NOODLE STINKLE! THAT'S WHY!"

Behind me, I heard Mrs. Gutzman groan. I turned around to see her. Her face looked very sickish. I turned back to Room One. Their faces looked sickish, too. One by one, all of them put their lunch trays back. "I don't really feel that hungry anymore," said Herb kind of quiet. "Me neither," said José. "I had a really big breakfast." Then, very slow, all of the children started backing out of the kitchen.

I watched them from the door. They backed all the way to our lunch table. Mr. Scary was waiting for them there. He talked to them a minute. Then he came into the kitchen and talked to Mrs. Gutzman. They whispered to each other for a real long time. Also, they kept looking at me. And they wouldn't even stop.