Karen's Prize Read online

  Ring! Ring!

  “Your mom’s on the phone, Karen,” called Charlie a moment later.

  I dashed for the upstairs phone.

  “Hi, Mommy! … Yes. I’m all ready. And I love my new dress. Are you leaving now? … Okay. I’ll see you there!” I said.

  Everyone in the big house was ready. They were very dressed up. I was gigundo glad because I knew the reporters would want to talk to them after I won the contest. They would want to ask my family how I got to be such a great speller.

  We had to drive two cars to the state capital because there were so many of us. I rode with Daddy, Elizabeth, Kristy, David Michael, and Andrew. Nannie took Sam, Charlie, and Emily Michelle in her old, clunky car, the Pink Clinker. (Sam and Charlie think the Pink Clinker is so, so embarrassing. I like it!)

  It was a long drive. Daddy said it would take about an hour and a half to get to Hartford. That is where the state spelling bee would be held.

  Elizabeth tried telling stories and singing songs in the car. But that did not help. I was nervous the whole time. And I was worried that the Pink Clinker would not make it.

  But it did!

  “Hi, Ms. Colman!” I called when we entered the TV studio. Boy, was I glad to see her.

  “Hi, Karen. Come on. I’ll show you where to go,” she said.

  “Good luck, honey,” said Daddy. “I know you’ll do your best, and that’s good enough for us.”

  Everyone gave me lots of hugs and kisses. Then they went to find seats. I did not have time to look for Mommy and Seth. Ms. Colman said I had to hurry. I would find them later.

  We went to a place called the greenroom. That is what they call the room in a television studio where all the important guests wait. And I was a very important guest!

  A man named Mr. Gregory was in charge of the spelling bee. He seemed nice. He reminded us what the rules were. I already knew them by heart. So I studied the competition. Four boys and three girls. Too bad they were all going to lose. But only one person could win this contest. And that person was going to be me!

  We waited in the greenroom while everyone in the audience got settled. For once in my life, I did not feel like talking. I wanted to practice spelling in my head.

  I was in the middle of spelling independence (four e’s, no a’s) when a girl came up to me and introduced herself.

  “Hi, I’m Melissa. What’s your name?” she said.

  “Karen. But I can’t talk now. I’m studying,” I said. I did not mean to be rude. But I really was studying.

  “I’ve been studying hard, too. I want to win this contest so much,” said Melissa. “Spelling is just about the only thing I’m good at. And now the kids in school think I’m really important. So I’ve just got to win tonight.”

  I wondered why she was telling me this. Didn’t she know that I was going to win?

  “And the Winner Is …”

  It was eight o’clock sharp. We were all onstage. There were cameras and lights everywhere. It was really hot under the lights. And they were so bright. At first I could not see the audience.

  But then my eyes got used to the lights. I picked out both my families right away. They were all smiling at me.

  I was wearing a banner that said, FAIRFIELD. (That’s the county in Connecticut where I live.) I felt like I was in a beauty pageant or a talent contest.

  “Good evening ladies and gentlemen in our audience. Television viewers. Welcome to the Junior State Spelling Bee!” said Mr. Gregory. “Before we begin, I would like to tell you how our spelling bee is going to work….”

  Oh, good, I thought. I could figure out how long it would take me to win. There were seven other spellers. I would give them each about three chances to make a mistake. If each mistake took a minute or so, in about twenty minutes, I would be the true Queen Bee!

  “Are you ready, spellers?” asked Mr. Gregory.

  We were ready. A boy named Stanley had the first turn.

  “Stanley, please spell stallion,” said Mr. Gregory.

  “Stallion. S-T-A-L-L-I-O-N. Stallion,” said Stanley.

  “That is correct,” said Mr. Gregory.

  That was just the beginning. Everyone got the first word right. My word was royalty. That is what I was going to feel like when I won.

  Then everyone got their second word right, too. And their third. It was twenty minutes before anyone made a mistake. These kids were good!

  Stanley missed management. (He left out the first e.) A girl named Michelle missed pumpkin. (She forgot the second p.)

  Melissa did not miss any words. And neither did I. Finally, we were the only ones left. It was just like Nancy and me in the very first spelling bee. Back and forth, back and forth for ten minutes straight. Melissa spelled thermometer. I spelled galoshes. Melissa spelled magician. I spelled proudly.

  I knew it would not be long now before Melissa made a mistake. Just like Nancy. I started thinking about my acceptance speech. And the trip to Washington I would take in six months to be in the national contest! Ms. Colman had told me about that in the greenroom.

  “Karen, please spell convertible,” said Mr. Gregory.

  “Convertible. C-O-N-V-E-R-T-A-B-L-E. Convertible,” I said.

  “I’m sorry, Karen. That was incorrect,” said Mr. Gregory.

  What?! No way. I knew that word! I went back over what I had said. C-O-N-V-E-R-T-A — Oh, no! It is spelled with an i, not an a!

  “Melissa, if you can spell convertible correctly, you will be our state winner,” said Mr. Gregory.

  “Convertible. C-O-N-V-E-R-T-I-B-L-E. Convertible,” said Melissa.

  She got it right! She had won!

  “Congratulations, Melissa,” said Mr. Gregory. “You are our state champion!”

  Consolation Prize

  “Thank you! Thank you so much!” said Melissa. I could see how excited she was.

  Melissa turned to me. “I’m sorry you missed,” she said. And she shook my hand. I think that is what Ms. Colman would have called being gracious.

  I decided it was time for me to try being gracious, too.

  “Congratulations,” I said.

  I watched Melissa accept the check for $250. And she got a certificate signed by the governor.

  I got a certificate also. “Thank you,” I said. I shook Mr. Gregory’s hand. I even managed to smile.

  The next thing I knew, the television cameras were rolling in for close-up pictures of Melissa. The reporters were crowding around her.

  “Will you be able to come to the national contest in Washington, D.C.?” asked one of the reporters.

  “Oh, yes!” said Melissa.

  There was no reason for me to be onstage anymore. I saw Ms. Colman in the wings. I saw Mommy and Seth in the auditorium.

  “Karen, I hope you don’t feel too bad. You did very well,” said Ms. Colman, when I had left the stage.

  Mommy and Seth put their arms around me.

  “We’re sorry you didn’t win. We know how much you wanted to be the best state speller,” said Mommy.

  “But we’re very proud of you,” added Seth.

  “I’ll pick you and Andrew up on Sunday night,” said Mommy.

  Then everyone from the big house crowded around me. They hugged and kissed me just as much as when I had been the winner of the county contest.

  “Can we go home now?” I asked Daddy.

  “Sure,” said Daddy. “Do you feel like stopping for ice cream on the way?”

  “I don’t think so. I’m pretty tired,” I said.

  “Maybe we’ll have a treat tomorrow, then,” said Elizabeth. “You came so far in the spelling bees. We have to celebrate sometime.”

  “You looked great up there, Karen,” said Kristy. “I was so proud of my little sister.”

  All of a sudden I felt like crying. My eyes started to fill up.

  “We’ll talk more when we get home,” whispered Kristy. She knew I did not want everyone to see that I was upset.

  “I still think you’r
e an S-T-A-R,” said Andrew, looking proud of himself.

  “Nice going, Professor,” said David Michael.

  Everyone had something nice to say. Even Emily Michelle.

  “Yea!” she cried again.

  She did not understand at all.

  Winner, After All

  By the time we got back to the big house it was almost midnight. Elizabeth brought a glass of milk and some cookies to my room. I think she knew I did not want to sit downstairs in the kitchen.

  I put on my pajamas quickly and called Kristy to come tuck me in.

  I sat up in bed, with Moosie next to me. Kristy sat down beside us.

  “How are you feeling?” Kristy asked.

  “Okay, I guess. On the way home, I was thinking hard. I decided maybe I deserved to lose. Because I was such a sore winner. But I really do hate being a loser.”

  “First of all, you should not call yourself a loser,” said Kristy. “Tell me, how many spelling contests were you in?”

  “Let’s see,” I said. I counted on my fingers. “There was one in class. One in school. One at the high school. The country spelling bee. And the one tonight. That’s five.”

  “And how many did you win?” asked Kristy.

  Again, I counted on my fingers. “One, two, three, four.” I said. “Hey! That’s pretty good!”

  “Now, how many kids were in this last contest?” asked Kristy.

  I was starting to get the idea. “Eight!” I said. “And I won second place! Second place in all of Connecticut!”

  “So, remember, you are not a loser,” said Kristy. “And you have your prize to prove it — a certificate from the governor.”

  Kristy was right. I was a winner after all. I decided that feeling like a winner was a pretty neat prize, too.

  “Now, tell me how you were a sore winner,” said Kristy.

  “Well, I’ve been acting like I was better than everyone. I called myself the Queen Bee. I went around spelling things all day. And I wouldn’t listen to anyone else, not even my best friends,” I said.

  “That’s being a sore winner, all right!” said Kristy. But I could see she wasn’t mad. She was smiling. “What are you going to do about it now?” she asked.

  I had to think for a moment.

  “Apologize?” I suggested.

  “That sounds like a good idea,” said Kristy.

  “You know what makes me mad, though?” I said. “I knew how to spell convertible. I really did.”

  “I know. I’ve heard you spell it before. But that’s all right. Maybe you’ll get another chance next year. And I’ll help you practice,” said Kristy.

  “Promise?” I asked, yawning.

  “Promise,” said Kristy.

  I snuggled down under the covers with Moosie. Kristy gave both of us butterfly kisses with her eyelashes. “Good night, Karen,” she said.

  “Good night, Kristy. That’s K-R-I-S-T-Y. Kristy,” I said. We both started giggling. Then Kristy left and my room was quiet.

  I practiced on Moosie what I was going to say to Hannie and Nancy.

  “So, Hannie and Nancy. Do you think you can forgive me for being a show-off?” I asked.

  I made Moosie nod his head to say yes. I really did think they would forgive me. Maybe not right away. But soon.

  After all, we are the Three Musketeers!

  About the Author

  ANN M. MARTIN is the acclaimed and bestselling author of a number of novels and series, including Belle Teal, A Corner of the Universe (a Newbery Honor book), A Dog’s Life, Here Today, P.S. Longer Letter Later (written with Paula Danziger), the Family Tree series, the Doll People series (written with Laura Godwin), the Main Street series, and the generation-defining series The Baby-sitters Club. She lives in New York.

  Copyright © 1990 by Ann M. Martin

  All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. SCHOLASTIC, BABY-SITTERS LITTLE SISTER, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  First edition, 1990

  e-ISBN 978-1-338-05572-6