Mal is white. Her hair is red and curly, and her face is covered with freckles. Plus, she wears glasses and braces. Her braces are the clear kind that don't show up much. Even so, Mallory doesn't feel particularly attractive. At least she and Jessi were allowed to have their ears pierced. Now if Mal could just get contact lenses, but her parents say no; not until she's older.

    1 have a feeling that both Jessi and Mal spend quite a bit of time wishing they were older. They think eleven is the pits. They feel grown-up and want to be treated as adults, but their parents still see them as kids, even when they baby-sit. Oh, well. Everyone is eleven at one time. We all live through it.

    "Thank you . . . thank you . . . thank you ..." The Monday afternoon meeting of the BSC was underway, and Stacey was collecting our dues. She was being very polite, considering none of us particularly likes to part with our money.

    When she had finished, and had added our dues to the treasury (a manila envelope), the room grew quiet. We were waiting for the phone to ring. When it didn't, I decided to tell my friends about my afternoon with the Rodowsky boys.

    "And so," I said finally, "what I've been thinking is that maybe we should come up with some kind of project - planning a musical performance - with the kids we sit for. Whoever's interested." "That's a terrific idea!" exclaimed Jessi.

    "But what, exactly, should we do?" I asked. "I mean, we've helped the kids put on some plays and skits already." "And none of us is terribly musical," Kristy pointed out.

    "1 don't think that matters too much," said Mal. "We can help the kids organize and plan a show or something. They'll learn a lot just by experimenting. And don't forget. Some of them are pretty musical." "Like the Perkins girls," I said.

    "And Shea Rodowsky," added Mary Anne. "Remember his piano lessons. Other kids take lessons, too, like Marilyn Arnold. Plus, we can help them play simple homemade instruments such as drums - you know, oatmeal cartons? - and bells and tambourines." Ring, ring.