Pleasing the Ghost Read Free

this was so important to Uncle Arvie. Was there something special about the book? Would Aunt Julia be able to see her husband?

4
D EESTER IN THE W IG P ASTA

    O n the way to Aunt Julia’s, I asked Uncle Arvie why he didn’t go to his house last night to see her. He spread out his arms and turned around and around and tripped and fell to the ground. “Pailandplop!”
    â€œYou couldn’t steer? But how did you end up at my house?”
    He tapped my nose with his finger. It felt as if a fly were flapping its wings at me. “Dinosaur foodle a doodle.” Then he tapped his chest. “Pin foodle a Dinosaur.”
    I couldn’t make any sense out of that . “Will Aunt Julia be able to see you?”
    â€œNod.” Uncle Arvie sniffed. “Nod fraggle.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œCreppit.”
    â€œToo old, huh? You think only kids can see ghosts?”
    â€œYin! Foodle a doodle.”
    â€œBut not all kids, right? Why just some kids?”
    â€œFoodle a doodle—”
    I still couldn’t figure out what that meant, so I said, “Couldn’t you show her the wig pasta—the book?”
    â€œNod.” Uncle Arvie shook all over. “Heartfoot twiggle a twiggle!” He trembled and looked afraid. He opened his mouth and screamed.
    Bo barked and hid behind me. “Oh, it would frighten her.”
    â€œYin, twiggle, twiggle,” Uncle Arvie agreed.
    When we arrived at Aunt Julia’s, Uncle Arvie leaped onto the porch. “Pin box,” he said. “Pin and Heartfoot box.”
    â€œDennis!” Aunt Julia said, opening the door. “Come on in—”
    Uncle Arvie put his hands to his chest. “Oh, Heartfoot! Good carpet, Heartfoot!”
    But she couldn’t see him and she didn’t hear him. She leaned down and kissed me and patted Bo. “I have company already,” she said. “We’re just having coffee.”
    Uncle Arvie smiled at everything he saw. He touched the walls and the furniture. He took a deep breath, as if he wanted to breathe in everything.
    In the kitchen was a tall, skinny man with greasy black hair. When he smiled, I saw two silver teeth.
    â€œHere,” Aunt Julia said. “This is Colin.”
    â€œNod!” Uncle Arvie said. “Nod a pin box! Nod beany booger—” Uncle Arvie did not like the looks of Colin. He apparently did not like another man being in his house.
    â€œWhat are you looking at, Dennis? Is something wrong?” Aunt Julia said. “And what on earth is wrong with Bo?”
    Bo was quivering beside me as Uncle Arvie shouted, “Nod beany booger a pin box!” I couldn’t believe that Aunt Julia couldn’t see or hear Uncle Arvie. He was flailing all around, shouting and waving his arms.
    â€œDennis? What are you staring at?” she repeated.
    â€œOh nothing—sorry,” I said.
    Aunt Julia sniffed the air. “What’s that smell . . . ? It reminds me of . . .” She stopped and shook her head. “No, it’s silly of me.”
    She offered me some cookies. Colin sat down and smiled his silvery smile at me and at Aunt Julia. I didn’t like the look of him either.
    She brought a vase of white flowers to the table. “Look what Colin brought me. Wasn’t that sweet? Don’t they smell lovely?”
    â€œNod!” Uncle Arvie shouted. “Nod!” Uncle Arvie pushed the vase off the table. It fell with a loud crash to the floor and broke into pieces. Bo barked.
    â€œOh!” Aunt Julia said. “How on earth—? What happened? My goodness!”
    Colin stared at the broken vase.
    â€œDennis, why don’t you and Colin go on into the living room while I clean up this mess? I can’t imagine how this happened.”
    In the living room, I went straight to the bookcase and looked at the titles. Which one did Uncle Arvie want me to show Aunt Julia?
    Colin stood beside me. “Do