5 The Parent Problem

CHAPTER FIVE The Parent Problem Gas (noun). A gas has no fixed shape or volume. But when a gaseous state is under pressure, you sure will know. When you shake up a soda bottle and pop open the lid, tons of gas molecules fly into the atmosphere. Then they spread out quickly like first graders who have just been let outside for recess. NOBODY WANTS MY MOM to go on a field trip. She's the principal. Plus, our school is too small to have an assistant principal. So someone has to run the school. Since my little brother is a lot younger, my dad has always needed to be home to pick him up from preschool and watch him after that. So he couldn't go on field trips either. But this year is different. Liam is in full-time kindergarten so there's no reason my dad couldn't do it. I don't know why I hadn't thought about it. "I'm sorry I didn't ask," I said, starting to feel guilty. "Well, your dad is fine. But whatever you do, just don't ask your mom," said Jeremy.

第五章父母问题气体（名词）。 气体没有固定的形状和体积。 但是当气态在压力下，你肯定会知道。 当你摇动汽水瓶并打开盖子时，成吨的气体分子飞到大气中。 然后他们迅速散开，就像刚被放出去休息的一年级学生一样。 没人想让我妈妈去野外旅行。 她是校长。另外，我们学校太小了，没有副校长。 所以总得有人管理学校。 因为我弟弟比我小得多，我爸爸总是需要回家去幼儿园接他，然后照看他。 所以他也不能去实地考察了。 但今年不同了。 利亚姆上的是全日制幼儿园所以我爸爸没有理由不去。 我不知道为什么我没有想到这一点。 “对不起，我没有问。”我说，开始感到内疚。 “嗯，你爸爸很好。但无论你做什么，就是不要问你妈妈，”杰里米说。

"Otherwise, we won't be able to have fun," added Memito. "No paper airplanes on the bus." "Yeah, well, don't worry," I said in a defensive voice. I wouldn't ask her because she couldn't come anyway. "I'll ask my dad," I said in my most upbeat voice. "I bet he can do it! He used to go on field trips with Liam's preschool class all the time. I'm sure we'll find enough chaperones. I mean, really, has a trip ever been canceled because of not getting enough chaperones anyway?" "Yup," said Tala Campo, plopping down at the end of the table. "Sorry I'm late," she said. "But I had a dentist appointment." Tala was new at school, but she was already one of my good friends. She moved to Michigan from California in early December and was in Mrs. Que's fifth-grade class. She's in the chemistry club with all of us. "At my old school," explained Tala, "we had a trip canceled to Gold Rush country outside of

“否则，我们就不能玩得开心了，”Memito补充道。 “公共汽车上不能有纸飞机。” “是啊，好吧，别担心，”我用辩解的语气说。 我不会邀请她，因为她反正也来不了。 “我会问我爸爸的，”我用最乐观的声音说。 “我打赌他能做到！”他以前经常和利亚姆的学前班一起去实地考察。 我相信我们会找到足够的监护人。 我的意思是，说真的，有没有哪次旅行因为没有足够的监护人而被取消？”“是啊，”塔拉·坎波说着，扑通一声坐在桌子那头。 “对不起，我迟到了，”她说。 “但我约了牙医。” 塔拉是学校的新生，但她已经是我的好朋友之一了。 去年12月初，她从加州搬到了密歇根州，在阙老师的五年级班里。 她和我们都在化学俱乐部。 “在我以前的学校，”塔拉解释说，“我们取消了去郊外淘金热地区的旅行

Sacramento because we didn't have enough chaperones. We couldn't even reschedule it. I was so sad, because you get to dress up in old-fashioned clothes and pan for real gold. They tried to make us feel better by a having field trip to the bowling alley and saying it had math applications. But it wasn't the same. So yeah, it can happen." "Well, maybe in California," stated Elijah. "But not here at Rosalind Franklin Elementary in Michigan." "Don't worry," I said. "We'll figure it out." I held up my hand. "Scout's honor." I wasn't a Girl Scout now, but I used to be, so I figured the honor oath still held. "Kate's right," said Birdie. "It will be fine." "Well, I really want to see tiger sharks," said Memito. He popped a chip into his mouth. "Those dudes will sink their teeth into anything in the water. In their stomachs, fishermen have found license plates, money, cameras. Seriously, they'll eat anything." "Including you," said Elijah, grinning. "If you lean into the tank too far." "Nope." Memito waved his spoon in the air like he was stirring an imaginary kettle. "I'd eat those bad boys first. Make myself shark stew with plum tomatoes, cilantro, and onions. Mmm."

萨克拉门托，因为我们没有足够的监护人。 我们甚至不能重新安排时间。 我很伤心，因为你可以穿着老式的衣服去淘金。 为了让我们感觉好一点，他们带我们去保龄球馆实地考察，说那里有数学应用。 但这是不一样的。所以，是的，这是可能发生的。” “嗯，也许在加利福尼亚，”以利亚说。 “但在密歇根州的罗莎琳德·富兰克林小学却不是这样。” “别担心，”我说。“我们会想办法的。” 我举起手。“童子军的荣誉。” 我现在不是女童子军了，但我曾经是，所以我认为荣誉誓言仍然有效。 “凯特说得对，”小鸟说。 “会没事的。”“嗯，我真的很想看虎鲨，”梅托说。 他把一块薯片塞进嘴里。 “这些家伙会用牙齿咬水里的任何东西。 在他们的胃里，渔民们找到了车牌、钱和相机。 说真的，他们什么都吃。” “包括你。”以利亚笑着说。 “如果你靠得太紧的话。” “不。”梅托在空中挥舞着他的勺子，就像他在搅动一个想象中的水壶。 “我会先吃掉那些坏男孩。 给自己做个炖鲨鱼，配上李子番茄，香菜和洋葱。 嗯。”

"I can't believe you just said that." Phoenix puckered her face. She's been a vegetarian since second grade. "About cooking a shark." "I can," I said. "Memito eats everything! I really want to see the penguins. They have rockhoppers. My favorite." I smiled just thinking about them. "Oh, I saw them at the Shedd," said Tala in an excited voice. "They have these little bright yellow feathers on the top of their heads. They're so cute." "You've already been?" I asked, clearly surprised since she moved to the Midwest about a month and a half ago. "Yeah," said Tala, who opened up her thermos full of hot soup. A burst of steam shot out. I wasn't completely sure why it did that. Hmm, I'd have to look that up later. "We went to the Shedd after we were all unpacked after moving here in December," continued Tala. "My family is big into science museums and places like aquariums. Guess what T-shirt I got there?" "A seahorse," guessed Elijah. Tala shook her head. And I realized I had no idea since I hadn't known Tala that long. Plus, it was way too cold to be wearing T-shirts in January.

“我真不敢相信你会这么说。” 菲尼克斯皱起了眉头。 她从二年级起就吃素了。 “关于煮鲨鱼。”“我能，”我说。 “Memito什么都吃！”我真的很想看企鹅。 它们有跳岩企鹅。我最喜欢的。” 我一想到他们就笑了。 “哦，我在牛棚看见他们了。”塔拉激动地说。 “它们的头顶上有这些亮黄色的小羽毛。 它们太可爱了。”“你已经去过了？”我问，显然很惊讶，因为她大约一个半月前搬到了中西部。 “是啊，”塔拉说，她打开了装满热汤的保温瓶。 一阵蒸汽喷了出来。 我不完全确定它为什么会这样。 我得等会儿再查。 “我们12月份搬到这里，搬完行李就去了谢德，”塔拉继续说。 “我的家人非常喜欢科学博物馆和水族馆之类的地方。 猜猜我买了什么t恤？”“海马。”以利亚猜。 塔拉摇了摇头。我意识到我不知道，因为我认识塔拉的时间不长。 另外，一月份穿t恤也太冷了。

"Hey, I know what shirt you got," said Birdie with a smile. "A starfish. Since you're into astronomy." "Yes! Only they're officially called sea stars 'cause they're not actually fish," Tala explained. "When I went, I got the—" started Memito. "The shark T-shirt," I completed. "We know because we've seen it a bajillion times." "Yeah," said Memito. "But I also want to get an octopus T-shirt. 'Cause those things are cool. I just wish I had eight arms. I could cook a meal, do my homework, and wash my hair at the same time." "I have an octopus T-shirt," said Avery. "It's so soft," said Phoenix. "It's my favorite shirt to borrow when we have impromptu sleepovers." Elijah drummed his hands on the table. "And I've got a beluga whale one." "Oh, and Birdie, you have that jelly T-shirt with seaweed," I said. "Yeah, I love that shirt," said Birdie. "I got it when my cousins from Boston came to town and we went to the aquarium together." "Hey, I have an idea!" said Avery. "We should all wear our T-shirts to the aquarium." "That's an awesome idea," said Tala, and everyone nodded.

“嘿，我知道你穿的是什么衬衫，”小鸟笑着说。 “一个海星。既然你喜欢天文学。” “是啊!只是它们被正式称为海星，因为它们实际上不是鱼，”塔拉解释说。 “当我去的时候，我得到了——”梅托开始说。 “鲨鱼t恤，”我说完。 “我们知道，因为我们已经见过无数次了。” “是的，”Memito说。“但我还想买一件章鱼t恤。 因为那些东西很酷。 我真希望我有八条胳膊。 我可以一边做饭，一边做作业，一边洗头。” “我有一件章鱼t恤。”艾弗里说。 “太软了。”菲尼克斯说。 “这是我们临时在外过夜时我最喜欢借的衬衫。” 以利亚用手敲着桌子。 “我还钓到了一条白鲸。” “哦，还有伯迪，你有一件带海藻的果冻t恤，”我说。 “是的，我喜欢那件衬衫，”小鸟说。 “我的表兄弟从波士顿来到镇上，我们一起去了水族馆，我得到了它。” “嘿，我有个主意！”艾弗里说。 “我们都应该穿t恤去水族馆。” “这个主意太棒了。”塔拉说，大家都点了点头。

Everyone except for me, that is. Our family hasn't been to the aquarium in five years. Not since my little brother, Liam, was born. I got a stuffed animal penguin at the time, which was great, and a T- shirt. I've way outgrown it. I have a teddy bear that wears it now. Everyone was so happy and high-fiving, and I was feeling a little silly about feeling badly. So what? I'd stand out from my friends. No big deal. I tried to shrug it off. I tried to smile along with everyone else. But I guess I'm just not good at keeping my feelings inside. I felt like I was full of gas molecules under pressure. You know, like when you shake up a soda with the cap still on. So I wasn't that surprised when five minutes later, Birdie asked me, "What's up, Kate?" We were alone and heading to the bathroom, right before we had to be back in the classroom. She nudged my shoulder. Usually, I try to be positive and not a complainer. But there was no way I was going to hold back from my best friend. "I don't have a shirt. Well, one that fits," I admitted. "You know, from the aquarium. It's seriously not a big deal. But..." My words trailed off. Birdie gave me a hug by the water fountain. "You're feeling left out."

所有人，除了我。 我们家有五年没去过水族馆了。 我弟弟利亚姆出生后就没见过了。 当时我得到了一只企鹅毛绒玩具，非常棒，还有一件T恤。 我已经长大了。我现在有一只泰迪熊戴着它。 每个人都很开心，都在击掌庆祝，而我却觉得心情不好有点傻。 那又怎样?我会在朋友中脱颖而出。 没什么大不了的。我试图耸耸肩。 我试着和大家一起微笑。 但我想我只是不擅长把感情藏在心里。 我觉得我身上充满了压力下的气体分子。 你知道的，就像你摇汽水的时候盖子还没盖上。 所以当五分钟后，伯迪问我：“怎么了，凯特？”就在我们必须回到教室之前，我们独自去了洗手间。 她轻轻地碰了碰我的肩膀。通常，我尽量保持积极的态度，不去抱怨。 但我不可能对我最好的朋友有所隐瞒。 “我没有衬衫。“嗯，一个合适的。”我承认。 “你知道，从水族馆来的。 这真的没什么大不了的。 但是……”我的话越来越少了。 伯蒂在饮水机旁给了我一个拥抱。 “你觉得自己被冷落了。”