r— *
«
i n JA M M HI Kl R
t started right when school
did — that first day
as
Mrs Rankin called the mil
I was hall dozing in my
seat missing the lost
summer, even though it had
gotten boring at the end
I
» “Keith Robinson?”
“ Here," I said and heard an
echo from the back of the nx»m
“ Keith Robinson." she called
again, frowning.
"Here," I said again, louder
I he echo answered just as loud
Puzzled I turned around to see
a small skinny kid raise his hand
There were two Keith Robin
sons in the class; and I can tell
you, that was one too many
l ater I found out that he was
Keith James Robinson I was
Keith Jason, but that didn't help
much
"M r Kreasy. you have to
change mv room' I pleaded with
the principal
"Change your ro o m ’ What s
wrong. Keith ’ he asked He put
his arm around my shoulder and
led me to the soil leather chair in
trout ol his desk
"There's another kid named
Keith Robinson in Mrs Rankins
class " Mv voice must have
sounded panicky
"I know that." said Mr Kreasy
"New boy m town Sure does
mess up the reconls
" I hat's it' I hat s u!" I cried
"W hat's it
"Well, it messes us up. too
And Mrs Rankin," I said ld id n t
want to be a snitch, but that other
Keith Robinson had been late
everv single day ol school I was
getting marked tardy lor it
"How so. Keith ’” Mr Kreasy
asked.
"Well, he has been late er.
once or twice and Mrs. Rankin
thinks it's me." Once or twice,
that was tunny Now I know how
twins must feel.
"Well explain it to her. Mr
Kreasy said
"I have I he other Keith
Robinson just laughed when I
tiled to explain who was late and
who wasn't "What am I going to
tell my father when he sees all
those tardies on my report card ’
He has a thing about being late'
" I’m sorry, Keith, bu, 1 can,
change your room ." Mr. Kreasy
said
My hear, sank. "W hy not I
groaned
"There isn't another tilth grade
class in the school Sorry"
"I'm sorry, too "
"Maybe you can wear s o u k 1
thing distinctive <)r talk to Mrs
Rankin and le, her ge, to know
you so that she won't hi- as likely
to mix the two of you up
"Yeah." I mumbled as I left his
office.
"Suppose we start using middle
names for you two boys ’" Mrs
Rankin said the next day Slit-
looked very disturbed The pages
in her attendance book were
beginning to look like Swiss
cheese from all the tiny eraser holt-
marks
So the next day Mrs Rankin
called Jason Robinson instead ol
Keith Robinson or Keith J Robin
son Only I had forgotten and
didn't realize she meant me
"He's here. Mrs Rankin.” the
other Keith answered
"Thank vou. Keith. Mrs Ran
kin said
"You're welcome." I said
"No, Y( )l
she screamed, and
I hail to stay after class for not pay
mg attention
So that didn't work, and Keith
James Robinson continued to
come in late which made it very
hard tor Keith Jason Ml
W hen I got home. I asked my
mother it she would mind it I
changed my name
"Change vour name. Keith ’
Why.*"
I tried to explain to her. bu, after
awhile her eyes got that glazed
llXtk
"I don't think your father would
like it Keiths have run in the
family tor generations Why your
granddad is Keith and so is your
uncle."
"I know." I said There w as one
Keith too many in the Robinson
family Ml
Then a tunny thing happened
Keith James Robinson got an A
on his math pajx-r. but I got credit
lo t it ' 1 have never gotten an A in
math
And you know what 'The other
Keith didn't like it one bi,
"Oh. it's all right when you
conx- in late, and I ge, blamed
But it's not so alright if our grades
get mixed up " I grinned evilly
"OK. O K ." he said "You help
me get the mark straightened out.
and I II never come in late again
I promise '
"How are you going to do
that I asked
"I have a plan You come and
get nx- every morning. That way
I'll be on tune You're never late
“So what do I get ’ 1 asked,
but suddenly I knew OK. I II
come by tor you ami
"And?"
"You help nx- get an A in
math "
“That’s impossible' he yelled
"Well. I'll settle for a B + or
even a B W hat do you say
We shook on it
The next morning 1 walked to
Keith's house in plenty ot time,
aixl he was outside waiting I his
was going to be easy. I thought
We started down the steps and
then ..."
"Hold up a minute." he cried
all of a sudden "I forgo, my btx>k
report, and it s due tixlay
( )K. go get it. but hurry it up
I looked at my watch
Alter awhile I lixiked again
Ami again I started to pace up
and down
Finally he came out "1 couldn t
find it at first. My little brother
must have moved it."
Even though we both ran all
the way to schixil. we were late.
BOTH OF CS' Boy. was Mrs
Rankin mad!
I'm thinking about dying my
hair or getting a Mohawk Mr
Kreasy said something about dis
tmetive. I looked that up in the
dictionary Yeah, bu, what would
my father say?
Anyway. I'll have to think of
something. SOON!
II XOII enjoxeil reading Keith and
Keith,” von might like load Ixxxl
and Measle Soup hx Christine
Mi Donnell or 4b Gix-s Wild hx
Jamie Gilson. Hath books are axail
able at the library