Dues day is Monday, and Stacey, the treasurer, is the one who collects the money. We use the money to pay Charlie to drive me to meetings (now that I live all the way across town), for special projects, and for our Kid-Kits. What are Kid-Kits? Well, they're these boxes we sometimes bring on jobs. We decorated them, and they're full of toys and games that kids love to play with. The things aren't all new, but they're new to the kids we sit for, so Kid-Kits are always

a hit. I hate to tell you who had the idea for them, since you might think I'm starting to sound conceited, but I'll admit that her initials are K.T.

Now that you know a little bit about how the club works, let me tell you more about the members.

Mary Anne Spier, who is, as I mentioned, the club's secretary, is also my best friend in the whole world. She and I have been friends as long as I can remember, and somehow I know that we always will be friends. I can just picture us at eighty-five, sitting in rockers on a porch somewhere and exchanging memories of the good old days. At eighty-five, I'll still be a loudmouth, and Mary Anne will probably still be her shy, sensitive self. Friendships are funny, aren't they? You'd never guess that Mary Anne and I would be friends, because we're so different on the surface. Mary Anne doesn't offer her opinion until it’s asked for; I never wait to be asked. Mary Anne will break into tears if she hears about a lost puppy; I can hardly remember the last time I cried. And Mary Anne always knows the right thing to say to someone who's feeling down, while I might not even notice that she's sad in the first place.

However, we are similar in looks. Mary Anne has brown hair and brown eyes, just

like me. Plus, she's on the short side. She cares a little more about clothes and stuff, though, so she dresses differently than I do.

Mary Anne is an only child. She was brought up by her father, since her mother died when Mary Anne was just a baby.