Ireentje Learns the Hard Way

Chapter 16: Yummy Bubble Gum

It was Fall. The leaves were orange and red and yellow and the air was crisp. Mommy told Ireentje that, at six, she was now old enough to go to big girl’s school. No more nursery or kindergarten.

She bought her a new shirt and skirt, knee socks, new shoes, pencils, paper, a lunch box with Minnie Mouse on it, and a school bag. It was so exciting! 

On the first day of school, Mommy, Robbie, and Ireentje set out. The school was a long way away, about two miles, so they had to leave early. Since the town was small, there was no school bus. They walked down the road, turned right past the high school, turned left, and walked and walked and walked. Finally, Ireentje heard happy shouting and she knew that they were there. 

Just then, the whistle blew. Mommy told Ireentje that meant the children should line up by the door to their classroom. She helped Ireentje find the right door, kissed her good-bye, and left. She said she would come back to pick Ireentje up for lunch.

Ireentje was a little nervous. Although the other children her age were going into first grade, because Ireentje could read, the teachers had decided she would be happier in second grade. That meant she would be leaving all her friends behind. 

Besides, she wondered, were the teachers right? Would she be able to do second grade work? Daddy had told her that she was smart and should be able to get most of the answers right in math. But, what if she couldn’t? What then?

Finally, the line was allowed to go in. The teachers told the children where to hang their coats and made them sit in alphabetical order. Ireentje found herself next to a girl with skin the color of milky coffee, a round face, and straight black hair, Debbie. The girl smiled at her, and her black eyes sparkled. The teacher passed out paper and pencils, and the day started. Ireentje often felt a little nervous, but every time she looked at Debbie, she felt better. 

At the first recess, Debbie reached out and grabbed Ireentje’s hand. “Come on, let’s get the teeter totter (see-saw) before anyone else does!” The girls ran and got there first. Then, they played on the jungle gym. By the time the bell rang, Ireentje and Debbie were best friends. Whenever they could, they played together, sat together, ate together, and giggled together.

But, I need to tell you something bad. Are you ready? They also got in trouble together. Shall I tell you about it? Are you sure?

Well, one day, Ireentje and Debbie were talking about how much they wanted to try bubble gum. Their parents wouldn’t buy gum, so they were planning how they might get some themselves.

They’d seen other children chewing it, but their mommies and daddies told them that it was a “disgusting habit” and wouldn’t even let them try. Can you imagine that? How unfair! Ireentje’s daddy even said that people chewing gum looked like cows. Ireentje didn’t agree. She thought they looked cool.

Just then, Ireentje and Debbie looked down and saw a piece of gum stuck to the ground. No one had stepped on it, so it looked pretty clean. It was pink and looked delicious.

Debbie bent down and pried it off the ground with her fingernail. Ireentje remembered that her mommy never let her pick up gum. She said it was germy.

“No problem,” said Debbie, “We’ll take it into the washroom and wash it.”

Ireentje was a little worried about if that would work. But, after they had stretched it and washed it, and stretched it again, and washed it again, she figured that it’d be ok. They divided the gum in half and each girl began to chew.

It tasted so good and Ireentje knew, just knew, that they looked really cool. She chewed with her mouth open, so that people could see just how cool she was. 

The bell rang, and the girls went in to class. They remembered that gum was against the rules, but figured that, if they didn’t chew, but just sucked, the gum, the teacher wouldn’t know. They were wrong.

Only a few minutes had passed when the teacher asked Ireentje what she had in her mouth. “Nothing,” she lied.

“Open your mouth,” said the teacher.

Ireentje quickly pushed the gum under her tongue and opened her mouth. “Lift your tongue,” said the teacher.

Ireentje quickly closed her mouth, and did something very bad. She said, “No!” to her teacher. 

One of the boys, who had seen her chewing in the playground, told the teacher what Ireentje was hiding. The teacher held out her hand, “Spit it out.”

Ireentje did. The boy then told the teacher that Debbie had some, too, so the teacher took hers, as well. 

Ireentje was so sad. She and Debbie had talked about keeping the gum on their bedposts, so it would last for a week. Now it was gone.

Ireentje and Debbie were sent to the principal’s office. There, they had to tell the whole story of how they were breaking school rules by chewing in class and where they got the gum. The principal told them that, not only were they going to be punished for chewing in class, their parents were going to be called! 

When their mommies arrived, poor Ireentje and Debbie got in trouble again. And, when their daddies got home, they got in trouble again.

They went to bed very sorry about chewing gum in class, and even more sorry about getting it off the ground. Yuck!! You can be sure that they never did that again.