Totally Katy: Katy Is Always Planning, but Just How Well Do Her Plans Work Out?

By Garnett Reed Boggs

By now I was totally and I mean totally mad! You want some ketchup,
Gerald? I asked. Here have some! And I squirted him right in the face with
that ketchup and I squirted hard.
Geralds ears got bright red. Ill get you for this, Katy Parker.
Then saying some words he totally hadnt learned in church, he stomped out of
the lunchroom with all that ketchup driping down his chin.
Well I admit I was a little worried, but I cant say I stayed awake all night
worrying about what Gerald might do. I wasnt totally easy in my mind either.
But I fi gured I should be totally able to handle anybody as dumb acting as old
Gerald no matter what he came up with.
What plan will Katy come up with to get out of this? And will it work the way
she plans?
Not all of Katys ideas work out quite the way she plans, but she keeps on
trying. Until she meeets a problem that no plan of hers can solve.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781463432324

Garnett Reed Boggs

GARNETT REED BOGGS Garnett Reed Boggs has spent her life teaching children of all ages and grades; from first grade through middle school. Her experience in teaching expands fifty years. She received her two year teaching certificate from Glenville State Teacher's College in Glenville, WVA. When she moved to Florida, she received her BA from the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Later she returned to the University of Florida for her master's degree in elementary education. At this tme she became a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Highlights Magazine for Children has published one of Mrs. Boggs' short stories. Her story, Totally Katy, has seen great success with middle grade students with whom it has been shared. Mrs. Boggs is retired and living in Winter Haven, FLorida, where she continues to enjoy writing.

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© 2011 by Garnett Reed Boggs. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 07/20/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4634-3233-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-3232-4 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

This book is dedicated to my son, Jim, who encouraged me to write and to my daughter, Janie, without whom this book would not have been published.

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER ONE

Me, being sensible like I am, I figure there’s no use in taking unnecessary chances, so I totally plan things out before I take action. But I have to say my plan for getting rid of my pigtails didn’t turn out exactly the way I had planned.

When I was a little kid before I started to school, I liked to sit on a stool while Mom combed and braided my hair. But I’m in the fourth grade now and a fourth grader ought to be able to comb her own hair. I’ll never, and I mean never, be able to comb those pigtails. So it’s plain to see that it is time for them to go.

When I’d tell Mom that, she’d just say she liked pigtails and for me to hush about having them cut. But those pigtails were nothing but trouble.

For one thing boys thought it was funny to slip up behind me and give them a jerk. I mean a totally painful jerk! Then they’d run over where the teacher could see them so I couldn’t get even. Once I did catch old Joe Ostenburger because he was too fat to run fast. I kicked his shins so hard that he never bothered me again.

Mom totally didn’t sound sympathetic, so I tried something else. Besides, I said, I’m afraid with all that pulling, my hair might fall out when I get old like you.

Don’t worry, Katy, she said, maybe you won’t get too bald, and she slammed out of the room giving me a nasty look on the way out. I don’t know why she was so upset; it was my hair we were talking about.

But I wasn’t giving up. I decided to try walking all humped over. When Mom told me to straighten up, I sighed with a totally heart-rending sound. I can’t, I said. My hair is too heavy for my neck to hold it up.

Mom just said, Well, if you want to grow up looking like a hunchback, I guess I can’t do anything about it. Sometimes Mom can be heartless—I mean totally heartless!

But I gave her one more chance. On the day I knew she was giving a bridge party, I twisted and squirmed like I had itch powder down my back while she was combing my hair.

For heaven’s sake, Katy, sit still, she said. You know I have a million things to do.

That was what I had been waiting for. Just think, Mom, I said, If we got rid of my pigtails, I could comb my own hair. Wouldn’t that be totally super? Just think how much time you’d save.

I guess this wasn’t the right time after all because what Mom said was, Katy, if you mention cutting your pigtails one more time I think I’m going to scream.

I knew right then, it was going to be up to me to do something!

CHAPTER TWO

I had been patient with Mom long enough. It was the night before school was to start, and I still had pigtails. It was time for me to take over. I planned out all my moves before I took action. Right after my favorite TV show, I began to yawn. I’m kind of sleepy, I said. I think I’ll go on upstairs and get ready for bed. School starts tomorrow and I want to be sure to get enough sleep so I can do my best. I plan to make all A’s this year.

I must have laid it on a little too thick because Mom and Daddy both gave me a funny look, but they didn’t say much. Daddy said, That’s fine, Katy, and went back to reading his newspaper.

Mom said, Are you sure you’re feeling all right, Katy? That was her idea of a joke, so I just gave her a totally withering look and went upstairs.

So far, so good! I tip-toed into Mom and Daddy’s room and got Mom’s big sewing scissors and went into the bathroom in front of a big mirror. As I stood there, I could picture myself with my hair blowing in the wind like the girls on TV. I felt totally confident. Cutting hair should be easy; especially since I could cut just above the pigtails. That way both sides would be even. I had confidence in Mom; she’d be sure to have both sides the same.

Suddenly I had a super idea. I would shut my eyes until both pigtails were gone; then I could look at the totally new me.

With my eyes shut I began to whack. It was a little harder than I thought it would be; but by using kind of a sawing motion I finally heard one pigtail hit the floor with a thump. Without opening my eyes, I felt for the other pigtail. In a few seconds I heard it hit the floor. It was done! I felt light-headed and all happy inside. The big moment was here.

But as soon as I opened my eyes, something happened to that happy feeling in a hurry. It was a totally new me all right—a totally freaky looking new me. My hair hung long on one side and short on the other