Anna All Year Round Read online

Anna begins to cry. "I copied Rosa's long division and Miss Levine found out. She put me in the lower third. She says I have to stay there till I learn long division."

  Father pats Anna's hand. "Promise you'll never cheat again, Anna. If you need help, please come to me."

  Every night for two weeks, Anna and Father work on long division together. Mother sits nearby, embroidering. She doesn't know any more about long division than Anna does.

  When Anna is sure she understands, she asks Miss Levine to give her a long-division test at recess time.

  The problems are very hard, but Anna remembers Father's lessons. When she's finished, she sits quietly and waits for Miss Levine to check her answers. She hears the children shouting on the playground. They're having much more fun than Anna.

  Finally Miss Levine says, "Anna, you may gather your things and return to your desk in the front of the room." With just the hint of a smile, she adds, "And please stay there. All this moving about is distracting to the other children."

  When the boys and girls come back from recess, Charlie is happy to see Anna in her old place. "I told you you were too smart to stay in the low third," he says.

  Anna glances at Rosa. She doesn't look pleased to see Anna sitting beside her again. "You'd better not copy from me," Rosa whispers. "I'll tell if you do."

  Anna would like to pinch Rosa's plump arm but she keeps her hands to herself. It wouldn't do to make Miss Levine cross. "If you don't stop copying my spelling tests," Anna hisses, "I'll tell on you."

  Rosa hides her red face behind her reading book, but Anna raises her hand to answer Miss Levine's first question about today's story. She can hardly wait to tell Father she's back in the top third.

  3. Anna's New Coat

  ONE NOVEMBER MORNING ANNA WAKES UP AND SEES frost on her window. The bedroom floor is cold under her bare feet. She dresses quickly and runs downstairs to breakfast. At this time of year, the kitchen is the warmest room in the house.

  Anna holds her cup of cocoa with both hands, feeling the heat. "Brrr," she says.

  Father looks at Mother over the top of his newspaper. "I suppose it's time to order a wagonload of coal," he says."Winter's coming. We'll need the furnace soon."

  "Anna wouldn't be cold if she wore long underwear like a sensible girl," Mother says.

  Anna makes a face. She hates scratchy wool underwear. When the radiator in her classroom comes on, the heat makes her legs itch.

  Mother sighs. "Eat your oatmeal," she tells Anna. "Perhaps it will keep you warm."

  Anna makes another face. She hates oatmeal even more than long underwear.

  "Oatmeal's good for you," Mother says. "It sticks to your ribs."

  "Like plaster," Father adds, with a wink. "That's why it keeps out the cold."

  Before Anna leaves for school, Mother reaches into the hall closet and pulls out Anna's blue coat. "You'll need this today."

  When Anna puts on her coat, it feels tight across the shoulders.

  "My, my, Anna, you've grown," Mother says. "It's time for a trip to the tailor for a new coat."

  Anna looks at her sleeves. They are way too short. The shoulders are too narrow. Her dress shows below the coat's hem. It looks like she's wearing someone else's coat, someone much younger than she is. "I can't wear this," Anna says. "It's too small."

  Against Mother's wishes, Anna takes off her coat. But when she opens the front door, the wind roars into the house. Its icy breath makes Anna shiver. She must wear her old coat to school after all. Reluctantly she buttons it tight and runs toward school. If she's lucky, she'll get to the cloakroom and hang up her coat before anyone sees her.

  Unfortunately, Rosa and Beatrice catch up with Anna at the corner. They're both wearing brand-new coats. Beatrice's is a dull gray but Rosa's is bright red. It has black satin trim and a stylish little belt. Anna would love to have one exactly like it.

  "See my new coat?" Rosa asks Anna. She spins around to show off. "Isn't it beautiful?"

  Anna puts her hands in her pockets, hoping to hide her coat's short sleeves. "It's very nice," she says politely.

  Rosa smiles. She looks hard at Anna's coat. Even though Rosa says nothing, Anna knows what Rosa is thinking: Anna needs a new coat, too.

  ***

  On Saturday, Mother, Father, and Anna ride the trolley downtown. As they walk past Hutzler's department store, Anna sees a display of girls' coats in the window. One is just like Rosa's.

  Anna tugs at Mother's hand. "Look, Mother," she says. "Why can't we buy one of those coats? We could take it home today and I could wear it to church tomorrow. I wouldn't have to wait for the tailor to make it."

  Mother shakes her head and frowns. "Store-bought clothes are made of cheap material. They're not well cut or well sewn. Why, one of those coats would fall apart before you outgrew it."

  Anna thinks the coats are beautiful, but she knows better than to argue. Mother is an excellent seamstress. She makes dresses for Anna and herself, as well as all of Father's shirts. Sometimes she sews for other people, too. She made Aunt May's wedding dress. She makes christening gowns and caps for all her nieces and nephews.

  If Mother says the coats are no good, she's probably right. Maybe Rosa's coat will fall apart soon. Anna hopes it does. It would serve snobby Rosa right.

  Mr. Abraham meets Mother and Father at the door of his shop. "What can I do for you today, Mr. Sherwood?" he asks Father.

  "Nothing for me, thank you," Father says. "But Anna needs a new coat."

  Anna stretches out her arms to show Mr. Abraham how short her sleeves are. "I'm eight now," she says. "I've grown a lot since I was seven!"

  "My goodness, Anna, you're shooting up like a stalk of corn in July," Mr. Abraham says. "If you keep growing this fast, your head will go right through the ceiling!"

  Everyone laughs except Anna. She thinks Mr. Abraham is teasing her, but what if he's not? What if she grows and grows and grows like Alice in Wonderland? What if she ends up as tall as Uncle Frank? He's over six feet tall. Every time he visits, he bumps his head on the living-room chandelier.

  Mr. Abraham takes a measuring tape from his pocket and leads Anna to a low stool in front of a mirror."Stand here, please,"he says."And don't fidget."

  While Mr. Abraham measures Anna, she stares at herself in the mirror. She sees a tall, thin girl with a narrow face and long brown hair. She wonders if someday she'll get prettier. Or will she just get taller?

  When he's finished, Mr. Abraham smiles at Anna. "Would you like to look at the pattern books now?"

  Anna and Mother go through the books together. They look at page after page of coat patterns. Some are cut full, some narrow. Some have belts, some hang loose. Some are pleated, some are plain. Choosing the one that will look best on Anna is hard work.

  At last Anna finds the perfect coat in the Home Book of Fashions. Its dropped waist and pleated skirt are very stylish, Anna thinks, and she loves the satin collar, the cuffs, and the matching buttons. It's even prettier than Rosa's coat.

  Next Anna and Mother must pick the material from the huge bolts of fabric that Mr. Abraham lays on the table for them to admire. So many colors, so many textures. Does Anna want a solid color, a tweed, a plaid?

  Anna picks up a bolt of red wool, the same red as the coat in Hutzler's window, the same red as Rosa's coat. "This is what I want," she tells Mother.

  Mother shakes her head. "Red is too bright for you. It will make you pale." She shows Anna a bolt of brown tweed wool. "How about this? Brown is much more practical than red. It will be very smart with dark trim and silver buttons."

  Anna shakes her head and clings to the red wool. The practical tweed is drab and boring. It won't look smart with dark trim and silver buttons. It will look ugly. No one will notice Anna in a coat like that. She'll be a plain brown sparrow instead of a gorgeous red cardinal.

  Tears well up in Anna's eyes. "Please, Mother," she begs. "Please?"

  Mother frowns. "Absolutely not, Anna. Red is a cheap, flashy color. I
will not have a daughter of mine sashaying down the street in a common color like red."

  But that's exactly what Anna wants—to sashay down the street in a flashy red coat like Rosa's.

  Anna shows the bolt to Father. "Isn't this a beautiful color, Father? Don't you love red?"

  Father looks at Mother. Mother is still frowning. She shakes her head again, harder this time. "Anna will look terrible in red," she insists. Father looks at Anna. She's crying now. "Red's my favorite color," she sobs, stamping one foot for good measure.

  Mr. Abraham makes a little clucking sound with his tongue. "Red and brown aren't the only colors in my shop." He waves his hand at all the other bolts of fabric. "How about this nice forest green?"

  He holds the bolt under Anna's chin and smiles. "Just as I thought. It brings out the color of your eyes. Not every girl has eyes as green as yours, Anna."

  Mr. Abraham shows Anna her reflection in the mirror. "There. See how pretty you look?"

  Anna stops crying. Mr. Abraham is right. The green is even prettier than the red. She turns to Mother hopefully. "Do you like green?"

  Mother caresses the brown tweed. Father gives her a little nudge that Anna isn't supposed to see. "It's a nice shade of green," she admits. "Not as practical as the brown but much better than the red."

  Mr. Abraham winks at Anna. "What would you think of dark-red velvet for the trim?" he asks. "And those silver buttons your Mother likes so much?"

  Anna smiles and nods her head. She wants to hug Mr. Abraham but she's too shy. "Thank you," she whispers instead. "Thank you very much."

  ***

  For another long week, Anna must wear her old coat to school. She keeps her hands in her pockets as much as she can. She ignores the looks Rosa gives her.

  At last a parcel wrapped in brown paper and tied tight with string arrives at Anna's door. Inside is Anna's new coat. The green wool is even softer than she remembered. The red velvet trim and silver buttons look very smart indeed.

  When Anna wears it to school on Monday, Rosa touches the wool. "Your new coat is pretty," she says. "But it would be even prettier in red. Red's my favorite color."

  "Mine, too," Beatrice agrees.

  But Charlie says, "You look just like an Irish girl in that green coat, Anna."

  Anna smiles at Charlie. She knows a compliment when she hears one.

  "Red is all right," she tells Beatrice and Rosa. "But green is my favorite color."

  Winter

  4. Rosa's Birthday Party

  ONE DAY ROSA INVITES ANNA TO HER EIGHTH birthday party. It's the fourth invitation Anna has received this year. In February she went to Beatrice's party. In May she went to Patrick's party. In July she went to Wally's party. Now it's December and she's going to Rosa's party.

  Anna shows Mother the invitation. Rosa's name and address, the time, and the date are printed on a pretty flowered card.

  Mother wipes her hands on her apron and looks at the invitation. She is making dumplings to serve with the sauerbraten cooking in the oven. Her hands are crusted with flour.

  "Oh, dear," Mother says. "Not another party, Anna."

  Anna guesses Mother is tired of buying presents. "I can give Rosa a little thimble like the one I gave Beatrice," she says.

  "Yes, that's a good idea. Not too expensive." Mother sighs and goes back to her work. "Parents should put an end to these parties," she says. "Such foolishness."

  "I wish I could have a party," Anna says softly. She's asked Mother many times but Mother always says no. Birthday parties are too much trouble, they are expensive, they are foolish. Foolish is Mother's favorite word, Anna thinks.

  Mother shakes her head. "What have I told you, Anna? It may not bother Mrs. Schuman to allow a tribe of savage children to run through her house, but I refuse to open my door to barbarians. I take pride in my home."

  "But Mother—"

  "No buts, Anna. My mind is made up. I will have no birthday parties here."

  That is that. Anna knows better than to beg or plead or whine. When Mother says no, she means no. Father is no help. He always sides with Mother.

  On the day of Rosa's party, Anna wears her best white dress, trimmed with lace and tied below the waist with a wide sash. Mother pulls Anna's hair back and fastens it with a big white ribbon tied in a bow.

  "Remember to thank Mrs. Schuman for inviting you, Anna. When you leave, tell her you had a good time." Mother smoothes Anna's skirt and brushes a speck of dust from her sleeve. "And please don't spill anything on your dress," she adds.

  Anna walks up the hill to Rosa's house with Charlie. For once his red hair is combed, parted in the middle, and plastered to his head with what seems to be shellac. He wears his best knee-length dark pants and a starched white shirt with a stiff collar. He looks very handsome, Anna thinks, but not very comfortable.

  "I hate birthday parties," Charlie grumbles. "If it weren't for the cake and ice cream, I wouldn't go to Rosa's house today."

  "The games are fun, too," Anna says.

  "Pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. Drop-the-clothespin-in-the-bottle." Charlie snorts. "Silly girl games, that's what they are."

  Anna wants Charlie to like her as much as she likes him, so she says, "Ybu're right, Charlie. Rollerskating's much more fun, and we don't have to dress up to do it."

  Charlie grins at Anna."If my mother would let me have a party, we'd play outside and wear regular clothes. "

  He sighs and kicks a stone. "But I'll never have a party," he adds glumly. "Our house is too crowded. There's no room for anybody except us Murphys."

  "My mother doesn't approve of birthday parties, so I'll never have one either." Anna kicks a stone, too, just like Charlie did.

  "If I was allowed to have a party," she tells Charlie, "we'd have the biggest cake in Baltimore, covered with the sweetest, whitest frosting you ever saw. And mountains of strawberry ice cream. Nobody would get dressed up, either."

  By now Anna and Charlie are climbing Rosa's white marble steps. There isn't a speck of dirt on them. Mrs. Schuman has scrubbed and polished them in honor of the birthday party.

  Charlie lifts the brass knocker and lets it fall with a nice loud thump. Rosa opens the door so quickly, Anna almost falls into the hallway.

  "Happy birthday, Rosa," Anna and Charlie say together.

  Rosa grins and snatches her presents. She shakes Anna's little gift and says, "I know what this is. A thimble just like the one you gave Beatrice!"

  Anna is disappointed. It's no fun to give a present if the birthday person guesses what it is before she even opens it. Worse yet, Rosa doesn't look excited or pleased. Just bored.

  She tosses Anna's gift onto a table piled high with bigger, fancier presents and squeezes Charlie's gift. It's small and flat and not very well wrapped. The bow is lopsided. Charlie must have tied it himself.

  "I wonder what this can be," Rosa says, smiling at Charlie.

  "I guess you'll find out when you open it," Charlie says and walks away to find Wally and Patrick.

  Rosa giggles and pulls Anna aside. "We're going to play spin-the-bottle," she whispers. "When it's my turn, I intend to kiss Charlie Murphy. He's the cutest boy in Baltimore."

  Anna frowns. She has never heard of spin-the-bottle but she doesn't admit it. Rosa is the kind of girl who makes fun of people who don't know as much as she does. "I'll kiss Charlie, too," she tells Rosa.

  Rosa sticks out her tongue. "Charlie is my boyfriend," she says. "He likes me better than he likes you."

  "He does not," Anna says.

  "He does too!"

  "Doesn't!"

  "Does!"

  Just as Anna is about to pull Rosa's long blond curls as hard as she can, Mrs. Schuman calls the children in to the parlor to play pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. When it's Anna's turn, Mrs. Schuman ties a blindfold over Anna's eyes and puts a paper donkey tail in her hand. The tail has a sharp pin in one end.

  Mrs. Schuman turns Anna around once, twice, three times. "Now," she says, "go and pin the tail
on the donkey, dear."

  Anna takes a small step toward the donkey's picture. Mrs. Schuman has tied the kerchief too loosely. Anna can see out the bottom. She knows exactly where to pin the tail.

  Holding the tail before her, Anna walks toward the donkey's picture. Suddenly Rosa steps in front of her, blocking the way. Without hesitating, Anna pins the donkey's tail on Rosa in just the right place.

  Rosa shrieks. Anna pretends not to know what has happened. She staggers around the living room, her arms stretched out like a blind person's. "Where's the donkey?" she asks. "Where's the donkey?"

  Mrs. Schuman comforts Rosa. She doesn't guess Anna can see through the blindfold. She doesn't blame her. "That's enough of that game," she says, untying the kerchief.

  After the cake and ice cream, Rosa opens her presents. She yawns when she sees Anna's pretty silver thimble. She yawns when she sees the drawing pad Wally has given her. She yawns when she sees the colored pencils Patrick has given her. She even yawns when she sees the bottle of cologne Beatrice has given her.

  But when she opens Charlie's present, Rosa smiles. "Oh, look, Mother. Isn't this handkerchief the prettiest thing you ever saw?"

  Mrs. Schuman smiles and nods. Wally and Patrick make silly sounds and poke Charlie. Charlie scowls at the floor. Beatrice leans close to Rosa so she can admire the handkerchief, too.

  The look on Charlie's face tells Anna he doesn't give a hoot whether Rosa likes his gift or not.

  When Rosa has opened all her presents, she goes to the kitchen and comes back with an empty milk bottle. First, she tells the children to sit in a circle. Then she says, "I'm going to spin the bottle. When it stops, I get to kiss the person the bottle points to."

  "You're not kissing me," Wally says.

  "Who says I want to kiss you!" Rosa says, making a face.

  Beatrice giggles but Wally jumps up and says he's going home. Before anyone can stop him, he runs out the front door.

  Patrick and Charlie look at each other. Anna has a feeling they want to leave, too, but they stay in their places. Maybe their mothers told them it's rude to leave before the party is officially over.