7 Shortcut to a Good Place

7 SHORTCUT TO A GOOD PLACE As Jack and Annie started down the sidewalk, the wind picked up. But the wind didn't matter anymore, Jack thought miserably. "That wasn't fair," said Annie. "We worked hard." "Who cares?" said Jack. He felt sick. A wonderful day had turned terrible. Morgan's plan was a big failure. They hadn't learned anything about being great baseball players.

"We can't just leave now," said Annie. "What about Morgan's rhyme? We have to give Fly Ball away—and we can't do that until we hear the final score." Jack looked back. The guard and the manager were still watching them. "Well, we can't stay here," he said. "Or anywhere near here. Come on." They rounded the stadium at the corner of Sullivan Place and Bedford Avenue. At that moment, two kids were racing down Bedford. They bumped right into Jack and Annie. "Ow! Oops!" the kids cried, nearly falling down on the pavement. "Oh! Sorry!" said Jack. "Olive! Otis!" said Annie. "I can't believe it!" said Jack. "Crashing into you by accident!" said Annie. "No accident!" said Olive. "We came to

look for you!" "We saw you from under the gate!" said Otis. "Jack changed before our eyes!" said Olive. "One minute he's tall! Then he's short! One minute he can throw the ball! The next, he can't!" "One minute Andy's a big boy!" said Otis. "The next—he's a little girl!" "Not that little!" said Annie. The twins laughed so hard they nearly fell down again. Annie started laughing, too. Then Jack joined in—he couldn't help it. "What happened to you?" said Olive. "It's hard to explain," said Annie. "Really hard," said Jack, still laughing. "You changed like magic!" said Otis. "You're right," said Jack. "Just leave it at that." "What are you going to do now?" said Olive.

"I don't know," said Annie. "We can't stay around Ebbets Field. But we need to hear the final score." "Oh! We know a good place to hear the game!" Olive said as she looked at Otis. "Don't we?" "We sure do!" said Otis, as if he'd read his twin's mind. "We promise you'll hear the final score there!" said Olive. "Where?" said Jack. "You'll see!" said Olive. "Hold hands while we cross the avenue!" She grabbed Jack's hand. Otis grabbed Annie's hand. "Let's go, girl!" he said. "You can call me Annie," said Annie. "Come on, Annie girl!" said Otis. The twins pulled Jack and Annie away from Ebbets Field. Crossing the avenue, they all dodged a streetcar and jumped onto the

sidewalk. "That was risky!" said Jack. "That's how the Dodgers got their name!" said Otis. "Fans have to dodge streetcars to get to the ballpark!" "Really?" said Jack. "I didn't know that." "So where are you taking us?" asked Annie. "To a good place to hear the game," said Otis. "We know a shortcut," said Olive. "Of course you do!" said Jack, grinning.

The twins led Jack and Annie down a street with a fish shop and a bakery. They passed a candy store and headed into a maze of alleys. They ran under clotheslines strung high between buildings. Laundry flapped overhead in the spring breeze.