Claudia is a junk-food addict. She buys candy and Twinkies and Yodels and other things and hides the stuff all over her room. She eats it at any time (and eats her meals, too) and never seems to gain an ounce, or to get so much as the hint of a pimple.

She handed us each a Ring-Ding, but I turned mine down. Dad gets upset if I don't eat a proper dinner (or breakfast or lunch), and I don't have a very big appetite. Claudia tossed the Ring-Ding back in her pajama bag. She wasn't going to offer it to Stacey when she

arrived, since Stacey has diabetes and can't eat most sweets.

"Any calls yet?" I asked. It was just barely5:30 , but sometimes our clients called early.

"One," replied Claudia. "Kristy's mom. She needs someone for David Michael on Thursday."

Kristy nodded. "Our regular two-day-a-week sitter finally quit. Mom'11 be calling more often for a while."

Kristy has two brothers in high school, Sam and Charlie, and a little brother, David Michael, who's six. Sam, Charlie, and Kristy are each responsible for David Michael one afternoon a week. Mrs. Thomas had had a baby-sitter lined up for him for the other two days, but I knew the sitter had been canceling a lot.

"Hey, everybody!" called a voice. Stacey entered Claudia's room, looking gorgeous, as usual.

If you ask Stacey, she'll tell you she's plain, but that's crazy. Stacey is glamorous. She moved toStoneybrook,Connecticut , fromNew York City last summer. She's very sophisticated, and is even allowed to have her hair permed, so that she has this fabulous-looking shaggy blonde mane, and she wears the neatest clothes — big, baggy shirts and tight-fitting pants — and amazing jewelry, like parrots and

palm trees. She even has a pair of earrings that consist of a dog for one ear and a bone for the other ear.

I'd give anything to be Stacey.