6. Something in Common

6 Something in Common Mr. Scary roamed his eyes around the circle. "Okay, let's get started again. Who has brought something so, so special that you can't wait one more second to show us?" "ME!" I shouted. "ME, ME, ME!" "NO, ME! ME! ME!" shouted May, even louder. Then she quick jumped up. And she reached into her Thankful Bag. And so I quick jumped up. And I reached into my Thankful Bag, too! And then BOOM! Both of us pulled out our thankful items at the very same time!

And I could not believe my eyeballs, I tell you! On account of me and May brought the same thankful item from home! And here is the shockingest part of all. They were the exact same stuffed elephants! It still takes my breathing away to think about that. 'Cause me and May are nothing alike. And so how can we be thankful for the same elephants? Both of us kept staring at this terrible situation. We could not even say any words. Mr. Scary leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Well, this is very interesting, isn't it?" he said. His smile got bigger. "I actually love this, girls," he said. "It just shows us that even when people are quite different from each other, they can still have

things in common." He stood up. "That's what happened with the Native Americans and the Pilgrims, remember?" he asked. "Even though they were different from each other, they were thankful for many of the same things. And that allowed them to become friends." I quick raised my hand. "Yeah, only May and I are not friends, Mr. Scary. Plus I don't even get Pilgrims," I said. "Their costumes look hottish and sweatish." May stepped in front of me. "Well, I love Pilgrims!" she said. "I wish I was wearing hot, sweaty Pilgrim clothes right now." I did a huff at her. "If I was an Indian, I would not eat squash with you," I said. Mr. Scary laughed. "See, girls? See how different you are?" he

said. "But look! You're both thankful for the same little toy." I frowned my eyes at that comment. "Philip Johnny Bob is not a little toy, Mr. Scary," I said, real annoyed. "Philip Johnny Bob is the bestest stuffed-animal friend I've ever had." May nodded. "And my elephant is my best stuffed-animal friend, too," she said. "His name is Police Sergeant Chuck. And I have known him since my mother brought him home from the store." She held him up for everyone to see.

"My mother made this little police uniform for him. See it, everyone?" she said. "He has a little police jacket. And a little police hat. And a shiny little police badge." She looked at Philip Johnny Bob and made a face. "Police Sergeant Chuck does not have patches sewed on him like Junie Jones's old elephant," she said. "Junie Jones's old elephant has been all torn and ripped." I made squinty eyes at her. "Yeah, only here is a news flash, madam," I said. "In Mother Nature, elephants do not wear police uniforms. In Mother Nature, Police Sergeant Chuck would look like a nitwit." Philip Johnny Bob laughed out loud. Ha! Good one, Junie B.! he said. Plus I LOVE my patches. Me and Philip have the same actual talking voice.

I hugged him real tight. "Yes, I know you do, Phil," I said. "Plus the only reason you have patches is because sometimes—when you and I wrestle—I accidentally throw you too high in the air. And then you land on the ceiling fan. And I have to turn up the fan speed to get you off. And then you fly across the room. And you land on the pointy living room lamp." Philip hugged me back. But I love riding on the ceiling fan, he said. It's fun. I smoothed his softy ears. "I know it is, Phil. That's how come I throw you up there whenever Mother is out of the room," I said. May did a gasp. "Friends do not throw friends on ceiling fans!" she said. "Riding on a ceiling fan is even against the law, I bet!" Police Sergeant Chuck nodded real fast.