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Bertie was moaning about her
room when she heard her friend call to her.“Can you come out to play?”
Jessica asked.
She dragged slow steps toward
her window. “I can't.” “I'm grounded.”
“Grounded?” “For What?”
“My room.” “I have to clean
my room.” Bertie looked back and around at her room. It was a total
disaster. “Oh yes.” “If I don't get it in order, I'm doomed.” “I don't
know what doomed means, but that is what Mother said.”
“Will your mother care if I
come up?” Bertie's friend was loyal.
“She won't care.” “I can't
see why you would want to be shut in here with me though.”
Jessica just grinned her wide
grin. “I think I can help you out of a jam.” “That is all.”
Jessica looked around her.
“Wow!” “This is kind of bad.”
“Don't rub it in.” Bertie
looked at her friend from lowered eyebrows.
“Oh, I'm not.” “I just
wanted to share a little plan with you.” “I call it, J.A.M.” “Not like jam
and bread but like J is for just, A is for around, and M is for me.” “That
is my formula.” For example, “Where you are standing now?” “There is a
half-eaten sandwich?”
“Hm, well yes, from last
night.” Bertie agreed.
“Just take it and toss it.”
“Now, that mobile phone off its hook there?”
“Well, yes.” “That is where
I was talking when I was eating my sandwich.” Bertie reached down and
picked it up and set it back on its hook.
“You see the crumpled up
pieces of note paper on the same table?”
“Yeah.” “That was for a note
I made while I was talking.”
“Well, if it is crumbled that
means you don't want it so toss it too.” “Now this one little area is neat
so you are on your way to a clean room.”
The girl's moved from one
area of the room while they visited and with each place they worked only on
that one little area. “You must not look at the whole room.” Jessica told
Bertie. “Just remember J.A.M. or Just Around Me and do that little bit just
immediately around.” “Soon you will have the whole room finished without
even having to worry about it.”
“If you can start remembering
my little formula while you are in an area then maybe you can keep
Completely Always Neat and the letters for that spell C.A.N.” “So you
might say, “I CAN stay out of a JAM.”
Both girls were giggling and
listening to music as they chatted. Bertie's mother felt she was probably
not taking care of the cleaning so she walked up to the girl's room. As
Bertie opened the door for her mother, the woman was so pleasantly
surprised. Everything was in perfect order. Her little girl was
entertaining her friend in a very fresh lovely room.
“Oh my.” The mother smiled.
“Your room is just beautiful.” “How ever were you able to get everything in
order?” “I just didn't really believe you would be able to do it in one
day.”
Bertie glanced over to
Jessica. “Well, you see, Mother.” Jessica has taught me her formula for
keeping tidy. I now know I CAN stay out of a JAM.” Both the girls giggled
and were so much more better for the sharing of Jessica's knowledge.
“Well, whatever you have
learned has helped you immensely.” “I really believe you can go out now to
play, since there is no longer any reason to ground you.”
“Oh, I don't know.” Bertie
signed with contentment. “My room is so pleasant now.” “I think maybe we
will just stay here.” “I love the CD of my favorite music Jessica brought
over.”
“You are very fortunate to
have such a good friend, Bertie.” “And, she has such a nice influence on
you too.”
Bertie's mother left the
newer more mature girl alone to enjoy her friend's company. |
