The Sky’s the Limit: My Journey with Maryellen

Carolyn places a record on her turntable. It’s titled “Rock Around the Clock,” by Bill Haley and the Comets. My grandmother listens to the oldies station on the radio, so I recognize this song. But my grandmother wouldn’t recognize me right now. I’m feeling so happy and free that I dance around all wild and rowdy with Maryellen and her sisters. We sing so enthusiastically that Scooter hides under her bed, and Tom and Mikey come barrelling in just as the song ends. When Mikey sees my watch, he shouts, “Tick-tock!” And before I can get my arm away, he touches the watch.

But nothing happens. Apparently the watch only works for me. It seems like I can “rock around the clock” with it, but no one else can. Maryellen says that Mikey is crazy about watches. One time she cut a picture of a wristwatch out of a catalog and taped it on his wrist, and he wore it around until it fell apart. Mikey nods and taps his wrist where the watch used to be.

I wish that I could tell the whole truth about my watch to Mikey, but I know that I have to be tricky with this one. My heart lurches. I don’t have any younger brothers or sisters. There’s only Emma, who is one minute older than me. And we look so alike that even our parents confuse us.

One time, before we understood how serious Coach Stanislav is, we pulled a twin-switcheroo on him. It was Emma’s idea. We’re truly identical when we’re both wearing our ski team uniforms. So one day, Emma wore my eyeglasses and we pretended to be each other. We were joking around, but Coach Stanislav got really mad. He’s always slightly distrusted us since, so I’ve learned the cost of fooling people. I’m afraid to tell Maryellen the truth: that I come from more than sixty years in the future. She won’t believe me, and she might even think I’m crazy and not want to be my friend.

When we go back to the kitchen, Mrs. Larkin says that I look much better. And that would be a good time for me to call my parents. She points to a phone as big as a shoebox. I’ve never actually used a phone dial before, but I’ve seen people use them in the movies, so I know that you spin the dial with your fingertip. Although I’m pretty sure that I won’t be able to call my parents on this phone. However, I dial our phone anyway. The line gets crackly and goes dead. I tell Mrs. Larkin that I can’t call my parents.

Mrs. Larkin says they must’ve cut off their phone service. They’ll probably call when they have their new number. I don’t have to say anything in response though, because Maryellen asks if we can go outside. Mrs. Larkin nods and says to come back when the streetlights go on. Dad will be a little late, so he’ll miss dinner.

Maryellen shoots out the door, and she says that she usually plays hide-and-seek with her friends. I’ve only ever played hide-and-seek indoors, so Maryellen’s game sounds like fun. Maryellen hollers out and a bunch of kids run over to the Larkins’ front yard, coming from other yards and houses. I hang back, feeling shy, but Maryellen introduces me to everybody and says that we should all play.

Even though it’s November, it feels like summer. The weather is warm, and we all seem to have all the time in the world to play. At home, Emma, and I do homework before dinner. If we’re not doing homework, we’re at a club meeting or team practice. For us, every minute is scheduled, and every activity is organized and run by grown-ups. Here, some grown-ups are mowing lawns or chatting, so they’re around, but otherwise they leave us alone. It’s nice.

When the streetlights come on, Mrs. Larkin calls us inside for dinner. She orders us to wash our hands, and we sit at the table in a little nook in the kitchen. Mrs. Larkin gently corrects Maryellen’s grammar and manners. We all sit up very straight with our hands in our lap while Mrs. Larkin serves dinner. It’s spaghetti and meatballs out of a can, with cheese to sprinkle on top. I thank her as she hands me a plate. I tell her that we never have it with meatballs and cheese on top. My grandma is a vegetarian, and my sister is lactose intolerant.

Everyone stares at me. Tom forks a meatball onto my plate, understanding that I’m meatball deprived. Mrs. Larkin, after a moment of silence, says that she hopes I’ll like it. And everyone goes back to eating. In the middle of dinner, Mr. Larkin comes home. He reminds me of my dad. He’s tall and cheerful, with his suit jacket over his shoulder and the newspaper tucked under his arm. He greets his wife with a kiss, and then looks at me and asks where I came from.

All the kids talk at once. They’re loud, and it’s hard to be heard in the tumult. Somewhere, somebody introduces me as Sophie, Betty’s niece. Mr. Larkin welcomes me, and says that it’s a good thing that I’ve come. It’s been quiet around here with only five children. I chuckle and thank him. In truth, the Larkins have had a way of making me feel special just for being me. They all have this “the more, the merrier” attitude that makes me feel genuinely welcome. Emma and I certainly could’ve been more welcoming to my grandmother. She’s trying to get us to know us better, but we haven’t responded.

Mrs. Larkin bustles around fixing a plate for her husband. When Mr. Larkin finally sits at the table, he says that it’s a good thing I’m going to be a Washingtonian. I can keep an eye on how the government is doing. Maybe I can check in on President George Washington. The kids laugh and Beverly says that George Washington isn’t the president anymore. Eisenhower is. Mr. Larkin nods his head in recognition, and says that he must live in the Pink House. Everyone laughs and Maryellen corrects him and says it’s the White House. Mr. Larkin mischievously winks at me and says that if Ellie got her hands on the house, it’d be pink.

I turn to Maryellen for an explanation, and she blushes and says that she tried to paint the front door red. Aunt Betty was coming to visit, and Maryellen wanted to impress her by making their house look different from everyone else’s. Carolyn says that Ellie likes to stand out. Maryellen finishes the story and says she was wearing roller-skates, and when Joan knocked into her, red paint went flying, and it ruined Jerry’s tennis whites, and the brownies burned, and Mikey painted red stripes on Scooter. And even after everything was cleaned up, the front porch was pink. It’s still pink!

We all burst into laughter, and I can see that Maryellen is not at all embarrassed about how everyone is laughing at her expense. She likes to be the center of attention. Clearly, Maryellen’s family has forgiven Maryellen’s mistake. I wonder if my family will forgive me. Will I ever be able to laugh about my mistake?

Maryellen turns to her father, and says that she would like to see the White House someday. Maybe they can go see all the art museums in Washington. Can they go someday? Mr. and Mrs. Larkin exchange a look, until Mr. Larkin finally announces that they are going on a trip.