Berta’s Snowsuit
Berta loved winter. She loved to make snowmen and snow angels and she especially loved to roll down snowy hills.
When the weather got colder, Berta’s father took her out to buy a brand new snowsuit.
Berta looked at a bunch of snowsuits before she settled on a bright pink one.
“Are you sure,” her father asked, “because pink will get awfully dirty. Maybe you should get a blue suit or a black suit?”
“No,” Berta replied, “pink is pretty. I would like pink.”
So the saleslady wrapped up the pink snowsuit and Berta took it home.
The next morning it snowed and snowed and snowed. Berta and her friends could hardly wait for the recess bell to ring so that they could go outside to play.
They caught snowflakes and counted to make sure that each one had six points. They made tracks in the snow and played follow the leader. Then they rolled down the small hill behind the school.
When the bell rang, Mrs. Johnson, who was very shortsighted, counted the number of students in her line.
She saw 3 blue snowsuits. That must be John, Nicholas and Katie.
She saw 1 orange snowsuit. That must be Patricia.
She saw 4 red snowsuits. That must be Julia, Karen, Tommy and Peter.
She saw 2 black snowsuits. That must be Gregory and William.
She saw 1 purple snowsuit. That must be Melissa.
She saw 1 bright, pink snowsuit. That must be a Berta.
12 snowsuits meant 12 children. Good.
That night it rained instead of snowed, and the snow turned to slush. Berta got to school early so that she could roll down the hill before the bell rang.
When the bell rang, Mrs. Johnson counted the number of students in her line.
She saw 3 blue snowsuits. That must be John, Nicholas and Katie.
She saw 1 orange snowsuit. That must be Patricia.
She saw 4 red snowsuits. That must be Julia, Karen, Tommy and Peter.
She saw 2 black snowsuits. That must be Gregory and William.
She saw 1 purple snowsuit. That must be Melissa.
She saw 1 brown snowsuit. That must be a new student.
Mrs. Johnson marked Berta absent.
Berta said, “Mrs. Johnson, I am here! I Am Berta!”
But Mrs. Johnson, who was also a bit hard of hearing, heard only the middle part of “I Am Berta!” In reply, Mrs. Johnson said “Welcome Amber. You can sit at the empty desk in the back of the room.”
That night Berta’s father washed her snowsuit.
The next morning, when the school bell rang, Mrs. Johnson counted her students.
She saw 3 blue snowsuits. That must be John, Nicholas and Katie.
She saw 1 orange snowsuit. That must be Patricia.
She saw 4 red snowsuits. That must be Julia, Karen, Tommy and Peter.
She saw 2 black snowsuits. That must be Gregory and William.
She saw 1 purple snowsuit. That must be Melissa.
She saw 1 bright, pink snowsuit. Berta must be back.
Mrs. Johnson was happy to see that Berta was back, but she was surprised that her new student had only stayed one day!
© 2008, Maureen Yorke.
