BSC056 - Keep Out, Claudia! - Martin, Ann M.

    Chapter 1.

    "Claudia? Do you think Shea is playing that song right?" Jackie Rodowsky wanted to know. He gazed at me from under a fringe of red bangs.

    I listened carefully to the piano music drifting from the living room. "What's he supposed to be playing?" I asked.

    Jackie shrugged. " 'A doggie-o.' " " 'A doggie-o'?" I repeated. I had never heard of "a doggie-o." Then again, I don't know much about music, except that I like certain groups and singers. And that I have recently started to like Bach. No kidding. His music is awesome, if you really listen to it.

    From the other room I heard plink, plinkety, plink, plink, blam. (Oops.) Shea started over. Plink, plinkety, plink, plink, blam.

    "Bullfrogs!" Shea yelled.

    "I guess he isn't playing it right," said Jackie.

    "I guess not." "Duh," added Archie, who is Jackie and Shea's little brother.

    It was Monday afternoon and I was babysitting at the Rodowskys' for three freckle-faced redheads. Shea is nine, Jackie is seven, and Archie is four. Shea was practicing for his upcoming piano recital. I hoped he would be ready.

    Blam. "Bullfrogs!" Jackie and Archie giggled.

    Then Jackie looked up from the enormous rocket ship he and Archie were building with Legos. The Rodowsky boys have a Lego supply bigger than what you could find in most toy stores. "I wish I could play the piano. Or some instrument," Jackie said. He reached for a handful of Legos - and knocked a fin off the spaceship. The fin fell to the floor and split into pieces just as Bo, the Rodowskys' dog, tore into the rec room. He skittered on the Legos and crashed into the table on which the spaceship was being built.

    "Cowabunga!" shrieked Archie, as the table collapsed and the rocket ship slid to the floor and smashed.

    Jackie looked at me balefully. "Was that my fault?" he asked.