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“True,” Joy agreed.
There was one jumper left.
Whummph.
“Sixteen minus eleven?”
Whummph.
“Five,” said Maurecia.
Maurecia used only one rope. Miss Mush and Mr. Pepperadder turned it for her.
She jumped with both feet at the same time, and held her breath every time she jumped.
Whummph.
“Nine times eight?”
Whummph.
“Seventy-two.”
Whummph.
Joy continued to lie on the blacktop as she listened to the slow whummphing. She imagined the solid gold trophy with her name on it. Her picture would be in newspapers all around the world. She’d go on TV, where famous people would ask her questions about jumping rope and arithmetic. Maybe they’d put her in a movie.
When she came out of her daydream, she was surprised to hear the jump rope still whummphing.
“Zero times a thousand.”
Whummph.
“Zero.”
Joy sat up to see that a circle of kids had surrounded Maurecia. They cheered every one of her answers.
Whummph.
She headed over and poked Todd in the back of his neck. “What’s her score so far?”
“Sixty-six,” he told her.
Joy wasn’t too worried. She was sure her best friend would whummphraaaappp at any moment.
She didn’t start to worry until Maurecia reached eighty.
Whummph.
“Sixteen times seventeen.”
Whummph.
“Two hundred and seventy-two.”
Whummph.
Well, sure, Joy thought bitterly. Sixteens and seventeens were a lot easier than sixes and sevens.
