“Are we ready or not?!” six-year-old Benny asked eagerly as he danced around the kitchen.
The Aldens’ dog, Watch, awoke from his nap and barked excitedly.
Benny’s older sister, Jessie, was making small round sandwiches. “Be patient, Benny,” she said. She was twelve years old.
“I don’t want to be late,” Benny explained. “It isn’t every day a famous orchestra comes to town.”
“That’s for sure,” Jessie said. “Greenfield is a small town. Usually, orchestras tour big cities.”
Benny hadn’t thought about that before. “Why are they coming here?” he asked.
“The Civic Center is a good place for them to play,” their fourteen-year-old brother, Henry, answered. “People will come from all over the area to hear them.”
“But they’re not only going to perform,” Jessie reminded him. “They’ve set up all those workshops to teach people about music, too.”
“The conductor lived here when he was a boy,” Violet added. She was ten years old and loved music. She played the violin and had been reading everything she could about the orchestra. “It was in Greenfield that the conductor first became interested in music. He wants to share his love for music with the people here.”
All this talk about the orchestra made Benny even more excited. “Could we please hurry?” he urged.
Henry poured punch into a gallon jug. “We won’t be late, Benny,” he said. “Besides, the reception can’t start without us — we’re bringing the food.”
“And the decorations,” Violet added. She stepped back from the kitchen table to look at the centerpiece she had made. Cardboard musical instruments circled colorful spring flowers. “There,” she said. “It’s finished.”
“It’s beautiful!” Jessie said. “You did a great job, Violet.”
“I cut out some of the instruments,” Benny reminded them.
“You were very helpful,” Violet told him.
“Not helpful enough,” Benny said, “or we’d be ready to go.”
Henry laughed. “You can help me,” he said.
Benny pulled a stool over to the counter and climbed on top. “What do you want me to do?”
“Put the tops on the jugs when I’ve filled them,” Henry told him.
Benny nodded and set to work. When he had screwed on the last top, he jumped down from the stool. “Now what can I do?”
“I’d ask you to put the sandwiches in the boxes,” Jessie teased, “but I’m afraid you’d eat them all.”
Benny turned up his nose. “Cucumber sandwiches?” Even though they weren’t his favorite, he took one and popped it into his mouth.
“Stop that,” Jessie said, “or I’ll have to make more and we’ll be late.”
“Is that the only kind you made?” Benny asked.
“No. There are other kinds,” Jessie told him, “but they’re all packed.”
Benny looked in the boxes. Sandwiches of all kinds and shapes were stacked inside. They were all small. “I like big sandwiches,” he said.
Jessie began putting the lids on the boxes. “These are tea sandwiches,” she said, “to serve at afternoon parties.”
“They look pretty on the plates,” Violet added.
“I don’t care how they look,” Benny said. “Just so they taste good.”
Everyone laughed. They knew how much Benny liked to eat.
“That does it,” Jessie said as she covered the last box.
“So what are we waiting for?” Benny asked.
“Grandfather,” Henry answered.
Mr. Alden had gone to pick up Soo Lee. The Aldens’ cousins, Joe and Alice, had adopted her from an orphanage in Korea. The Aldens were orphans, too. They had lived alone in a boxcar until their grandfather had found them and taken them in. They were very happy living with him.
Just then, Grandfather Alden came in from outside. Seven-year-old Soo Lee was with him.
“You look pretty, Soo Lee,” Violet said to the girl. She was wearing a pale lavender dress with a purple sash. “Those are my favorite colors.”
Soo Lee smiled. “I like these colors, too,” she said.
“Are we ready?” Mr. Alden asked. “We don’t want to be late.”
“Wait a minute,” Benny said. “The cookies! Soo Lee, where are the cookies?!”
They had spent the previous afternoon baking at Soo Lee’s house. Benny did not want to forget the cookies.
“They are in the car,” Soo Lee told him.
“Great!” Benny ran to hold the door open. “Let’s go,” he said.
The others gathered up the boxes and jugs and ran out. Watch stood looking after them.
“We’ll be home soon,” Jessie told him.
He wagged his tail and went back to lie down on his rug.
Once the boxes were stacked in the back of the station wagon, the Aldens climbed inside.
“Off to the Civic Center,” Mr. Alden said as he headed out the driveway.
Violet sighed. She had been looking forward to meeting the musicians — especially the violinists. Secretly, she hoped one of them would ask to hear her play. She had been practicing extra hours just in case. “I am so nervous,” she said.
“Think of it as being excited, not nervous,” Mr. Alden told her.
Violet laughed. “Well then, I am very excited,” she said.
“Me, too,” each of the other Aldens agreed. |