"Why do you need a boy who's a brilliant reader?"Annie asked the man.
"Because I have just lost two fairies!" he said. Hepointed at Jack. "You can read both!"And you are nuts, thought Jack. "Well, bye, see youaround," he said. He nudged Annie to move along.
"Wait, wait," she said. She turned to the man.
"What do you mean, my brother can read bothfairies? Read them where?""Two boy actors didn't show up today to playfairies," said the man. "But your brother reads withsuch expression! He can save us all!"Jack stared. Was this guy saying what he thoughthe was saying?
"You mean you want Jack to be in your play?" saidAnnie.
"Indeed!" said the man. "There are three thousandpeople here today, waiting to see the play I havewritten! We cannot disappoint them, can we?""Three thousand?" said Jack.
"Yes!" said the man. "And one of them is the mostimportant person in the world!""No. No way. I can't do that," said Jack. He hadnever liked being onstage. He always got stage fright.
"Wait, wait, Jack," said Annie. She turned to theman. "You need two fairies, right?""Yes," said the man.
"Well.. ." Annie tilted her head. Her voice went up.
"I can read, too.""Yes! Let Annie do it," said Jack. "She's a greatreader. She can be both fairies!""Ah, but of course Annie cannot go onstage," theman said kindly.
"Why not?" asked Annie.
The man raised his eyebrows. "Surely you know it'sagainst the law for girls to go on the stage," he said.
"Boys must play all the girls' parts.""But that's not fair!" said Annie.
"Indeed, 'tis not. But we cannot change the lawnow" said the man. He turned to Jack. "So, Jack? Willyou join our players?""No thanks," said Jack. He tried to walk off, butAnnie grabbed his arm.
"Wait, I think I know what Jack wants," she said tothe man. "He will only be in your play if I can be in it,too.""No, that's not what I want, Annie," Jack said underhis breath.
"But, Jack, it would be so much fun," she whispered.
"And there's nothing to be afraid of. You get to readyour part. You don't have to memorize it."Jack could tell that Annie really, really wanted tobe in the play. And it was definitely a way to keepher mind off the bear.
"Uh, okay," he said, sighing. He looked at the man.
"I'll be in your play--if Annie can be in it, too."The man looked at Annie. She smiled eagerly athim.
The man smiled back.
"Why not?" he said. "But Annie will have topretend to be a boy. She can tuck up her hair, andwe'll call her Andy.""Yay, thanks!" said Annie with a grin.
A trumpet blasted inside the theater.
"Hark, the play begins!" the man said. He took Jackand Annie by the hand.
"My name is Will, by the way," he said. "Comealong, Jack and Andy! Be as swift as shadows!" |