Grumbie’s marmalade. It’s sticky.”

Mrs. Quimby slipped into the kitchen to

see if the coffee was ready. “Ramona, it’s

time to take Willa Jean to your room and

give her your present,” she whispered.

“I changed my mind,” said Ramona.

Mr. Quimby, refilling the muffin basket,

overheard. “Do as your mother says,” he

ordered in a whisper, “so that kid will give us a little peace.”

Ramona considered. Should she make a

16

fuss? What would a fuss accomplish? On the other hand, if she gave Willa Jean her present, maybe she would have a chance to hold that

lovable bear for a little while.

“OK,” Ramona agreed without enthusi-

asm.

Mrs. Quimby followed Ramona into the

living room.“Willa Jean,” she said.“Ramona

has a present for you. In her room.”

Willa Jean’s attention was caught.

“Go with Ramona,” Mrs. Quimby said

firmly.

Willa Jean, still clutching her bear, went.

“Here.” Ramona thrust the package at

Willa Jean, and when her guest set her bear

on the bed, Ramona started to pick him up.

Willa Jean dropped the package.“Woger’s

my bear,” she said, and ran off to the living room with him. In a moment she returned

bearless to pull and yank and tear the wrap-

ping from the package.“That’s not a present.”

17

Willa Jean looked cross. “That’s Kleenex.”

“But it’s your very own,” said Ramona.

“Sit down and I’ll show you what to do.”

She broke the perforation in the top of the

box and pulled out one pink sheet and then

another. “See.You can sit here and pull out

all you want because it’s your very own. You can pull out the whole box if you want.”

She did not bother telling Willa Jean that

she had always wanted to pull out a whole

box of Kleenex, one sheet after another.

Willa Jean looked interested. Slowly she

pulled out one sheet and then a second.And

another and another. She began to pull faster.

Soon she was pulling out sheet after sheet

and having such a good time that Ramona

wanted to join the fun.

“It’s mine,” said Willa Jean when Ramona

reached for a tissue. Willa Jean got to her

feet and, pulling and flinging, ran down the hall to the living room. Ramona followed.

18

“See me!” Willa Jean ordered the grown-ups as she ran around pulling and flinging

Kleenex all over the room. Guests grabbed

their coffee mugs and held them high for

safety.

“No-no, Willa Jean,” said Mrs. Kemp.

“Mrs. Quimby won’t like you wasting her

Kleenex.”

“It’s mine!” Willa Jean was carried away

by the joy of wasting Kleenex and being

the center of attention at the same time.

“Ramona gave it to me.”

Ramona looked around for the bear,

which was sitting on Mr. Grumbie’s lap.

“Would you like me to hold Roger?”

Ramona asked, careful not to say Woger.