Ann Martin - Baby-Sitters Club 056

When everyone had arrived, Kristy tapped my shoulder. "Okay, Claud," she said. "Let's get started." I clapped my hands and the kids gathered around me. "This is a dress rehearsal," I reminded the kids. "Remember what that means? It means we play every song, and we put on the program just the way we're going to put it on when we have an audience. We don't stop for mistakes because we won't be able to do that on Saturday. We keep on going no matter what. So now - you guys pretend that Stacey and Jessi and Kristy and Mal and Mary Anne and Dawn and I are your audience. In fact, we are your audience. And it's two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Everyone has arrived and they're sitting patiently, waiting for the concert to begin. Jackie? Are you ready?" Jackie stepped forward. Then he turned around and scrutinized the band. The children had arranged themselves as we had practiced - the kids playing "real" instruments in front, the kids playing kazoos and percussion grouped behind them, and the singers standing in a semicircle at one side. Jackie nodded to them. Then he faced his audience again.

"Welcome, parents and friends," he said loudly. He paused thoughtfully, then added, "And brothers and sisters and grandparents." Another pause. "Oh, and stepbrothers and . . . and, well, and stepfamilies." (He was covering all bases.) "And teachers . . ." (At this point I almost whispered, "Enough, Jackie!" but he was on his own.) "And aunts and uncles and cousins. Um, welcome," he said again. "Today I am proud to present All the Children. This is our new band and this is our first concert. We are playing music from . . . from . . ." "From Fiddler on the Roof!" hissed Karen.

"I know that\" Jackie hissed back. "From that ever-popular musical, which my brothers and I have actually seen in Stamford, Fiddler on the Roof. And now for our first song, 'Anatevka.' " Jackie pointed to Shea and Marilyn. "Hit it, boys!" he called, and Marilyn flashed him an angry look. "I mean, um, hit it, kids!" Jackie ran to the kazoo players, tripped over his untied shoelaces, fell over Mathew Hobart, the violin player, and lost his kazoo.

I closed my eyes briefly.

When I opened them again, the children had sorted themselves out and Jackie had located his kazoo. At the keyboard, Shea and Marilyn glanced at each other. Then Shea nodded and the first chords of "Anatevka" danced across the lawn. One by one, the other kids joined in and soon everyone was singing or playing.

When the song ended, the members of the BSC clapped loudly.

All the Children performed two more songs.

During the fourth number, "Tradition," Claire lost her place. In a rest (that was supposed to be silent, of course) she banged on her oatmeal drum. Then she clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Uh-oh!" said Suzy Barrett loudly. "You did a boo-boo." "I know it," replied Claire. Around her the music was starting up. But Claire's temper had taken over. "Quiet!" she yelled. "Quiet! . . . I said quiet! We have to go back!" "Claire did a boo-boo," Suzy said again.

The band was confused. Some kids continued to play, others had stopped, several had lost their places.

"What should I do?" I whispered to Kristy.

"See if they can fix it themselves," she replied.

"If they can't, I'll take Claire aside," added Mal. "Maybe I should be prepared to do that on Saturday, too." The band was nearly out of control when Jackie yelled, "START OVER! AND A-ONE AND A-TWO!" Claire pouted for one entire verse, then joined in again.

"Whew," I said under my breath.

After one more song, Jackie announced, "And now it is time for a station break. . . . I mean, for intermission." He glanced at me, then added, "By the way, the band is trying to buy cool red T-shirts for our uniforms. If you would like to help us, we'd be glad to take your money. Remember - this concert is free. You did not have to pay to get into the Newtons' yard." The kids relaxed for several moments, and I called Jackie over. Before I had opened my mouth he said, "I know we didn't rehearse that last part. It's new. I wrote it myself last night." "And you did a good job," I told him, trying to be tactful, "but I don't think you need to say that. On Saturday we'll leave out baskets for donations. Please don't remind the audience that they didn't pay to see the show. I'm not sure they'll appreciate that." "Okay, okay." Jackie walked away and I stifled a laugh. I noticed Jessi and Stacey doing the same thing. Across the lawn, Mallory was having a talk with Claire. When Mal joined us again, Jackie shouted, "Okay, everybody! That's the end of intermission. You can sit down now!" "Is that how he's going to talk to the audience on Saturday?" said Mary Anne, sounding horrified.

"Maybe the grown-ups will think it's funny," whispered Jessi.

"Maybe. But I have a feeling I better talk to him before tomorrow's rehearsal. I don't want anyone to be offended," I said.

When the dress rehearsal ended I had another chat with Jackie. I tried to explain the meaning of the word tact. I'm not sure I did a very good job. "Be polite, Jackie," I said finally.

"Polite," he repeated seriously.

"Say things you'd like to hear if you were in the audience. Make the audience feel good. Flatter them." "Flatter them." "Just use good sense." "Claudia?" "Yeah?" "I think maybe I was born without good sense." Chapter 14.

The time: 5:05 p.m.

The day: Friday.

Twenty-four hours from that moment the first public performance of All the Children would be over. I wasn't even going to be in the performance and I was nervous. I kept remembering Claire's temper tantrum and Jackie's guilt trip, which he hoped would bring in money for T-shirts.

"Oh, my lord," I muttered.

"What's the matter?" I whirled around. "Geez, Kristy, don't sneak up on me!" "I didn't sneak up on you," she replied indignantly. "I ran up the stairs like I always do. And I am not a quiet person." "I know." "Thanks a lot." "Well, you said it." Kristy made a face at me. "Oh, I'm sorry," I told her. "I'm nervous about the concert. I didn't mean to take it out on you." "The rehearsal went really well today," said Kristy, flopping onto my bed. "You don't have to worry." "Well, I'm worrying anyway. A little bit. I've been thinking about Claire's tantrum and Jackie's speech." "But Claire didn't have a tantrum today. And Jackie's speech was much better than yesterday's. Shorter, too." "You're right." "Come on. Leave the worrying to Mary Anne. She's a professional worrier." "I heard that!" exclaimed Mary Anne as she entered my room.

"Now you're sneaking around!" I accused her.

"What?" said Mary Anne. "And Kristy, I do not worry professionally." Jessi ran into the room then, grinning. "I wish you guys could hear yourselves," she said. "My mother would say you are sniping and griping." "Has anyone ever heard that saying about 'good dress rehearsal, bad opening night'?" I asked my friends.

"I have," Jessi answered.

"Do you believe it?" Jessi shrugged. "I don't know. It's a superstition." "Anyway, we can't do much about tomorrow now," said Kristy. "We've held millions of rehearsals. I think the kids are as good as they're going to get. We'll just hope for the best." The rest of the members of the BSC trickled in, and by five-thirty Kristy was ready to begin the meeting.

"Any club business?" she asked after she'd called us to order.

"Yeah," I replied. "The Lowells." Six heads turned slowly toward me. "The Lowells," Jessi repeated. . "I guess we could consider them unfinished business," said Kristy. "We haven't talked about them in awhile. Claud's right. We need to." "Why?" asked Stacey, sounding whiny.

"What are you complaining about, O Blonde-Haired, Blue-Eyed One?" I asked. "They didn't say you were funny-looking." "Exactly. How do you think I feel - being approved of by Mrs. Lowell? I don't want her approval. It's like, if she approves of me, then what's wrong with me? Something must be. See what I mean?" "I understand," said Dawn, "but how come you let Mrs. Lowell affect how you feel about yourself?" Stacey paused. "I don't know," she said. "Anyway, that isn't the point," said Kristy. "The point is - what if Mrs. Lowell calls the club again, wanting another sitter?" "Do you really think she's going to?" asked Stacey.