Hold the Pickles Read Online Free PDF Page A

shrugged. “It’s sort of my fault that he’s hanging around. I should have been firmer with him in the first place, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I thought it would be mean to say I wasn’t interested in him. It might have been nicer to tell him that, though, than to hide every time he comes by now!”
    She laughed and fiddled with the green-felt relish sewn to my front. It reminded me of my mother fixing my father’s tie before he got his picture taken.
    â€œI guess that’s one thing you don’t have to worry about, eh?” she said.
    â€œHim being interested in me?” I said.
    Brooke laughed like I was making a joke, but I honestly didn’t know what she was talking about.
    â€œNo, silly! Having to hide!” She tried to look into my eyeholes. “You’re totally disguised in this big old thing. I don’t even know what you look like!”
    Now that really scared me. I stepped away.
    â€œOh, I’m nothing special,” I said. “Just your average ruggedly handsome movie-star type. You know.”
    She laughed again and gave me a little push. Then she paused like she was embarrassed.
    â€œWhat?” I said.
    She bit her lip, and her eyes lit up.
    â€œWhat?” I said again. “You can tell me.”
    â€œOh, I don’t know. I was just thinking it must be fun to wear a costume.”
    I was going to tell her that, in fact, it’s not. The costume is hot and sticky and awkward, and thanks to some unfortunate allergies, it was also covered in snot. But I decided against it. I didn’t want to gross her out. I also didn’t want to sound like I was whining.
    â€œOh, yeah!” I said. “It’s really fun. You get to try on a whole new personality when you wear one of these.”
    That at least was true.
    â€œAnd you see things from an entirely different point of view too.” Again true.
    â€œWow. Neat,” she said. I don’t think a girl had ever responded to me with either of those words. “You get to goof around and do those funny dances, don’t you?”
    â€œOh, yeah,” I said, although to me that seemed like a definite downside of the job.
    â€œShow us,” she said.
    I hoped she was joking.
    â€œCome on!” she said and clapped her hands. Kelsey joined in too. “Come on!”
    I’m not much of a dancer. I haven’t had a lot of opportunity. None of the girls ever lined up to boogie with me at the school dances. But Brooke wanted me to do it, so I did my best.
    I just shuffled my feet—the type of thing an itchy duck might do—but the girls laughed and laughed. That encouraged me to wiggle my bun and spin my hands around a bit too. It must have been funnier than I thought it was.
    â€œOh, my gosh. That’s hysterical!” Brooke had to wipe the tears from her eyes. “Mind if I try?”
    I wasn’t sure I heard her right.
    â€œCould I try on the costume?”
    She took one of my hands in both of hers and looked me right in the eyes—or at least what she thought were my eyes.
    â€œCould I? Please? You make it look like so much fun. Just for a minute? I won’t go far. Please?”
    Everything told me to say no. Uncle Hammy would get mad. I had no clothes to put on. The costume was wet and slimy inside. Brooke would find out that it wasn’t the least bit fun to be a mascot.
    But she smiled at me and clasped her hands in front of her and jumped up and down a bit too, so none of that stuff mattered.
    â€œSure,” I said. “Why not?”

Chapter Eleven
    It took me at least ten minutes to get out of the costume. It was slimy inside, so I couldn’t get a good enough grip to pull it over my head. I finally just lay facedown on the floor of the men’s washroom and slithered out backward. It must have looked like the birth of an earthworm.
    I stood up and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I actually looked