Julian's Glorious Summer (5 page)

“Gloria,” I said, “I don't
like
bicycles. People fall off bicycles!”

“That's for sure!” Gloria said. “Look!”

She raised the corner of her skirt. Her knee was all scraped up and painted orange.

“I fell yesterday,” she said. “A dog ran at me. And to think I've always been afraid of cats, not dogs! We never know what to be afraid of in this life!”

“So you aren't going to ride your bicycle anymore?” I couldn't help asking. Maybe Gloria would stop riding her bicycle. I would take mine back to the store. Things would be just the way they used to be.

“Of course I'm going to ride it. I'm just going to be more careful, that's all.”

“But you hurt yourself,” I said.

“The fun of it is bigger than the hurting,” Gloria said.

She touched the white stripes on my bicycle.

“If you don't like your bike, I'll go with you to return it,” she said. “Even if you never ride a bicycle, we'll always be friends. But don't you want to try it?”

I stood for a long time. I remembered how much I used to like my tricycle. But I was too old for tricycles. I thought how I didn't want to do something silly, like smoothing out the street with my nose.

“All right,” I finally said. “I'll try it.”

“Okay!” Gloria said. “See those two cement
blocks? We'll move them and put the bicycle between them, and then you can get on.”

We hauled the blocks into place. I wheeled the bicycle over and got on. It didn't feel so bad.

“Now,” Gloria said, “take your feet off the blocks.”

I did. At first I kept my balance. Then the bicycle started to lean to one side. I put my feet back on the blocks fast.

“Try balancing a few more times,” Gloria said.

I did. It got easier.

“Now use the bike like a scooter,” Gloria said.

I moved away from the blocks. Then I skimmed down the driveway, holding on to the handlebar and the bike seat and putting just one foot on the near pedal.

“That was fun!” I said.

“Okay,” Gloria said. “Now use the blocks again.”

I put the bicycle between the cement blocks and balanced on it again. Gloria took hold of the side of the bicycle seat.

“When your bike leans one way,” she said, “steer and lean the other way. Pedal now!” she said. “Take off!”

I pushed the top pedal. I left the blocks behind.
Gloria ran beside me, holding the bike seat.

I balanced. I didn't fall—even though every time I pushed the pedal down it seemed like my whole body was dropping into the Grand Canyon.

Gloria let go of the seat.

I turned. I was out on the street. I was heading toward my house.

On the sidewalk I saw Huey.

“Julian! Wow!” he called. He took off toward our house.

I heard Gloria's bicycle bell ring. She pedaled up beside me.

I didn't dare look at her. I was scared I'd fall.

“Keep going!” she shouted. “If you think you're going to fall, just keep pedaling!”

It started to seem like I was standing still. Trees and houses floated by me, like green ships and like white ones.

I saw our big tree with our swing. I saw my mom and dad and Huey standing on the curb.

“Good going!” my mom called.

I saw a pothole. I steered and missed it.

“That's the way, Julian! You've got it!” my dad shouted.

Huey started running along the sidewalk. “There goes my big brother!” he shouted.

We left my house behind. We turned in at the park.

Gloria rang her bell. My flag flapped behind me. We rolled under big trees.

“Isn't it great?” Gloria called. “We can go exploring! We can go on picnics! Isn't it a glorious, glorious summer?”

Ann Cameron is the bestselling author of many popular books for children, including
The Stories Julian Tells, More Stories Julian Tells, The Stories Huey Tells
and
More Stories Huey Tells
. Her other books include
Julian, Secret Agent
;
Julian, Dream Doctor
. Ann Cameron lives in Guatemala.