My Brother Made Me Do It

Chapter One

September 12

Dear Mrs. Kaplan,

Hi. My name is Julie Welsh. My teacher, Mrs. Lumbard, assigned me to be your pen pal.

Here is what I know about you:

1. You are eighty-nine years old.
   
2. You live in Kansas at the Shady Villa Care Center.
   
3. You never get any mail, which is why you are in our fifth-grade pen pal project.
   

You will probably be sorry that I got assigned to you because I am not a very good letter writer. Mostly I like to read, do crafts, and play with my cat, Itty Bitty Kitty. I used to roller-skate a lot, but lately my legs have been achy, so I don't skate much anymore. Mom says I have growing pains.

Oh, yes, I also hide from my little brother, Frankie.

Now, don't jump to conclusions and tell me I should not hide from people. You don't know Frankie. He is the sneakiest, most devious boy in the world, and if I do not stay away from him I end up in a heap of trouble and get blamed for tons of things that are not my fault. Any time I am in hot water with my parents, you can bet it's because Frankie made me do something wrong.

My dad is an engineer. My mom works part-time as a dental technician. Yuck. I would not want to scrape tartar off people's teeth, but Mom says she likes to meet new people and help them stay healthy.

We are supposed to ask questions in these letters, so here goes. What is your favorite food? Where did you live when you were my age (eleven)? Do you have any kids?

Mrs. Lumbard said you never get mail. Does that include junk mail? If so my mother would like to know how you manage that. Every day she gets a bunch of letters that go straight in the recycle bin, and every day she complains that they are a waste of time and trees.

Please write back. I never get any mail, either.

Your new pen pal,

Julie

Copyright © 2000 by Peg Kehret