Anthony's Big Surprise (NEATE 3)

97 Pages·1998·1.35 MB·English

by  Wade Hudson

Anthony’s Big
Surprise
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All rights reserved.
copyright © 1998 by Wade Hudson
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher.
e-ISBN 1-59019-159-5
Library of Congress Number Cataloging-in-Publication data is available
ISBN: 0-940975-73-4
by Wade Hudson

u CHAPTER ONE u
“I’m home, Mom,” Anthony Young yelled as
he closed the door behind him. He took his school
books into his room and put them on
his desk.
Anthony’s mother would never tolerate his
throwing them on the sofa or on the floor. Patricia
Young believed everything should be clean and
orderly: throw paper in the garbage: wash the
dishes after every meal: hang coats and hats in
the closet: put books and school supplies on the
desk in your bedroom. But very seldom did she
have to remind Anthony to do those things, be-
cause he appreciated cleanliness and order as
much as she did.
As Anthony headed for the kitchen, he
bumped into his mother.
“What time is the game?” Ms. Young asked.
“Seven,” Anthony answered. “What’s for dinner?
I want to leave a little early so I can meet Naimah,
Liz, and Tayesha.”
“We’re doing Italian today,” said Ms. Young.
— 1 —
Anthony’s Big Surprise
“Spaghetti and meatballs. In fact, you can set the
table now. Everything is almost ready.”
It was Anthony’s job to set the table and to
wash dishes. He had his responsibilities and his
mother had hers. For as long as Anthony could
remember it had been just the two of them. Ms.
Young wasn’t married when Anthony was born.
His father was killed while serving in the army
in Europe before he was able to marry Patricia
Young. Anthony thought about his dad some-
times, wondering how he looked and what he
was like.
Ms. Young tried her best to provide Anthony
with a good and happy life. After Anthony was
born she started working for the Daily World
newspaper as a receptionist. Now she was a sales
manager in the advertising department, and one
of the company’s most valuable employees.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Ms. Young said as she
placed several ears of corn on a dish. “You have
a package. It came in the mail this morning.”
“A package?” Anthony asked quizzically.
“From who?”
“From whom?!” corrected his mother.
“From whom?” Anthony repeated, accepting
the correction.
— 2 —
Anthony’s Big Surprise
“There was no return address on it. It’s in the
living room on the coffee table.”
Anthony hurried into the living room and
picked up the large package. It was wrapped in
brown paper.
It’s not that heavy, Anthony thought. As he be-
gan to unwrap the package, Ms. Young walked
into the living room. She watched as he pulled
the brown paper from around the box.
“I don’t know what this could be,” Anthony
told her.
“Maybe it’s from Naimah, Tayesha, Liz, or
Eddie,” offered Ms. Young.
“But why would they send me a package?
It’s not my birthday.”
Liz, Naimah, Tayesha, and Eddie were
Anthony’s best friends. They all lived on Mary
Street. Sometimes, the kids at school called them
the Mary Street crew. But they called themselves
NEATE, a name they created by using the first
letter of each of their first names.
Anthony folded the brown paper and stared
at the box that the paper had covered. He was
almost too scared to open it, but he managed to
muster enough courage to pry open the flaps.
“There are three sweaters in here,” Anthony
— 3 —
Anthony’s Big Surprise
said softly to his mother.
He couldn’t figure it out. Why would some-
one send him sweaters? Why wouldn’t the per-
son put his or her name on the package? There
wasn’t a card or note either. Nothing!
“Maybe someone is trying to surprise you,”
his mother suggested. “It has to be one of your
friends. I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough.”
“But those are expensive sweaters, Mom.”
“I know.” Anthony’s mother was concerned,
too. But she didn’t want Anthony to know.
“You’d better get something to eat. You’ll have
to leave for the basketball game soon.”
Anthony headed into the dining room. Just as
his mother reached the dining room door, the
doorbell rang, and she went to answer the door.
It was Mrs. Delaney, Eddie’s mother.
“Hello, Pat. I’m sorry to barge in on you like
this, but I need a favor.” Mrs. Delaney talked very
fast, and moved almost as fast, too.
“What is it?” Ms. Young asked.
“You know our club is sponsoring a fund-
raiser next week. We’re trying to get as much
publicity as possible. One of the ladies on the
publicity committee submitted a press release to
the Daily World but they haven’t done anything
— 4 —
Anthony’s Big Surprise
with it. I was wondering if you could put a word
in for us.”
“Oh, sure, I’ll be glad to, Juanita. But I can’t
promise anything.”
“I know, but they respect you. They’ll listen
to you.”
“I’ll do the best I can, Juanita.”
“That’s good enough for me.”
Anthony hurried from the dining room
toward the front door.
“Hello, Mrs. Delaney,” he spoke.
“Hello, Anthony. You’re late for the game
aren’t you?”
“A little late.”
“Did you eat?” Ms. Young asked.
“Yes.”
“It couldn’t have been much. Not that
quickly.”
“I’m all right.” Anthony dashed out the door.
“I guess everybody is at the game,” Mrs.
Delaney said. “Floyd must have been the first
person at the gym. He’s so into basketball, he even
makes poor Eddie uncomfortable.”
“He’s very supportive of Eddie. He’s a good
father. I know Anthony respects him a lot.” Ms.
Young sounded a little envious.
— 5 —
Anthony’s Big Surprise
“I must admit Floyd is a good father, even if
he is a little overbearing.”
“Sometimes I wish Anthony had a father
around the house. A boy needs a male figure
around so he can learn to be a man.”
“You have done a great job with Anthony, Pat.
You ought to be proud. I think you have done a
better job than Floyd and I have done with Eddie
and Daisey.”
“I’ve tried my best. But you really never know
what a child has missed until later. And then it’s
too late.”
“That’s true even for families with a father
and a mother, Pat.”
“I guess so,” Ms. Young told her friend as
she walked slowly from the sofa toward the
dining room.
“Would you like dinner, Juanita? I’m hungry.”
“No, thanks. I’ve already prepared dinner at
home,” replied Mrs. Delaney. “In fact, I should
get back there now.”
Ms. Young escorted Mrs. Delaney to the door.
“See you later, Pat,” Mrs. Delaney said as she
walked onto the porch.
“O.K.,” Ms. Young said. She closed the door
gently behind her neighbor.
— 6 —