Sharon Creech - Absolutely Normal Chaos

Then she told me that she was going to another GGP pajama party on Saturday. I pretended I didn’t hear.

Then she told me she had seen Derek-the-Di-viiiiine. Remember him? Her old gorgeous boyfriend? She saw him at the A&P. He was with a “tacky” girl in a “tacky” pink sweater and a “tacky” pair of slacks.

I had this terrible feeling that Beth Ann is the kind who would drop Carl Ray in a minute and go back to Derek-the-Di-viiiiine. She’d better not, that’s all I can say.

Oh, dreary day. Raining and pouring outside. Carl Ray and Dennis are gone. Mom made me go through all my old school clothes so she could figure out what I would need for, ugh, school in September.

I finished the Odyssey today. Sort of a strange ending.

Of course, Odysseus sacks all the suitors and hangs the maids who didn’t conduct themselves very well in his absence. Odysseus’s dog recognizes him before his wife does (honestly!). In fact, Penelope is going to make him sleep by himself until he goes on and on about their bed that he made with his own two hands and all. He goes into every single detail about how he made it, and finally Penelope believes that he is really Odysseus, her husband, and she goes all soppy over him.

Then, just when you think everything’s happy and peachy again, a bunch of the suitors’ relatives come to battle with Odysseus. More bloody battles, until Athene swoops down and says, basically, “Quit fighting or Zeus is going to be mad,” and so they stop and that’s the end.

I was sort of sorry it was over, to tell you the truth. No more rosy-fingered Dawn and swooping Athene and one-eyed monsters and disguises and revelations. Sigh.

I’ve started calling Alex “Poseidon (King of the Sea),” because of his fishing lures and all. The only thing is, ole Poseidon doesn’t have a girlfriend (like Antony and Cleopatra, etc.), so Alex was having trouble trying to think up a nickname for me. I told him I wouldn’t mind being called “Athene,” because, after all, she is a goddess. Heh.

My brain is three hundred percent mush—partly from being with Alex and partly from being with the Cheeveys all day. I’ll tell about it tomorrow.

So. I’ll start with yesterday. Lordie, Lordie.

We all went to Windy Rock. Alex and I took a long walk and climbed up to the actual Windy Rock. We found a place in the grass, and it was so nice there just sitting in the grass, with this little wind blowing all around us and the sky real clear and the sun warm on our arms and legs.

Sighhhhh.

So, let’s see. Carl Ray and Dennis got back from their trip. You should have heard Dennis talking about it. He liked the outhouse just about as much as I did, and while he was there, he went swimming in the swimming hole and Lee Bob scared him talking about the “snapper,” and sure enough, John Roy took Dennis up Booger Hill, and sure enough, John Roy took him all the way up to the cabin, and sure enough, when they got there John Roy started screaming, “Convict!” and took off and Dennis got lost. Dennis also said that Carl Ray drove like a maniac and they were lucky to get home alive. Does all of this sound familiar?

I asked Carl Ray about his father (the Uncle Carl Joe one). He said everything was much, much better. Carl Ray told Uncle Carl Joe what he had told us about being lucky that he still had a real father. And Uncle Carl Joe said he was happy to hear that and he would always be there when Carl Ray needed him.

Then Carl Ray wanted to know if Beth Ann had called, so I told him all about her eight million calls. Carl Ray went to the cemetery again last night, and he must have come home very late, because I didn’t even hear him come in.

At dinner tonight, Carl Ray casually mentioned that Mrs. Furtz had asked him if he would like to live with them.

DAD:What???

MOM:What???

MAGGIE:What???

DENNIS:What’d he say? I missed it! What’d you say, Carl Ray?

ME:Mrs. Furtz wants to know if you’ll go live with them? With the Furtzes?

DENNIS:What??? Is that what he said?

ME:Well, you’re not going to do that, are you, Carl Ray?

DOUGIE:You’re going to leave?

TOMMY:NO! NOT LEAVING! (Starts crying like mad.)

DAD:Why don’t you all just give Carl Ray a chance to answer?

MOM:Now that’s a good idea.

ME: (to Carl Ray) Well?

DENNIS:Well?

DOUGIE:Well?

CARL RAY:I told her I’d have to think about it. She said she’d like to have a man around the house, and I could kill spiders and help out and get to know my sort-of-brothers and my sort-of-sister.

DAD:Oh.

MOM:Oh.

TOMMY:NOT LEAVING! NOT LEAVING!

Now, you know what? A month ago, if someone had asked Carl Ray to leave our house and go live elsewhere, I would have jumped up and down for joy; I would have turned cartwheels; I would have been as happy as a clam in seaweed. But the funny thing is when Carl Ray said that about Mrs. Furtz asking him to go live there, I was mad at her. Who does she think she is, all of a sudden deciding to take Carl Ray like that? And what about Uncle Carl Joe? How would Mrs. Furtz feel if somebody decided to just up and take Cathy or Barry or little David away?

People just don’t think sometimes.

1) I didn’t see Alex. He had to work all day.

2) Carl Ray broke up with Beth Ann!

3) I found out what GGP means: Girls Going Places. Imagine. How dumb.

Christy called me today and asked me if I’d like to come to a GGP pajama party on Saturday night. She said it was only for members and a few girls who were “under consideration.” I said I was busy. I don’t think I would have said that two months ago, but something has happened to me this summer.

I didn’t see Alex today because he and his father went fishing after work.

I LOVE ALEX CHEEVEY!!! He sent me a red rose with a card that said, “To Athene, from Poseidon.”

I think I am losing my brains.

Carl Ray still hasn’t decided about moving in with the Furtzes.

Went to the movies with Alex. That’s what I call heaven.

Sighhhhhh.

Beth Ann went to the GGP pajama party. Big deal.

Carl Ray told Mrs. Furtz today that he wasn’t going to move in with them!

Beth Ann called to tell me that Derek-the-Di-viiiiine came over to her house after dinner. She also said to be sure and tell Carl Ray. I didn’t.

Oh, nooooooo.

I’m dyyyyying.

Alex and I broke up (I think).

It happened like this (groannnn): We went to the park after dinner. Then we walked home to my house. Then he said good-bye. What? No kiss? He started walking away.

That’s why I think we broke up.

I’m dyyyyying.

No word from Alex. I am truly dying. I can’t breathe.

And stupid ole Beth Ann wormed her way back into Carl Ray’s heart. They’re back together. Lucky them. I’m realllll happy. I really am.