Read The Planet of Junior Brown for Free Online Page B

His tone was nearly a challenge. “It’s all right if you’ve got someone come to visit with you. I know how that is. My daddy, he had a cousin, he told me. And that cousin used to come around to borrow five dollars every time it snowed for more than two hours.”
    Junior forced a half-hearted smile. The last thing he wanted was for Miss Peebs to think he was minding her business.
    A look of warm affection passed between them. Lynora Peebs’ hands shook as she tried to pour tea for them. She spilled it and sank down into a chair. Finally Junior had to pour the tea. He was glad to have the chance. Miss Peebs’ cups were smooth and fragile, and cool to the touch. Awkwardly, Junior performed the task without spilling the tea.
    The two of them sat there, silent for a time. Miss Peebs’ hands shook every time she set her cup down. Junior listened for anyone moving around the living room. Whoever might be there surely knew how to keep quiet. Maybe whoever it was couldn’t stand a lot of sound, just like his mother couldn’t stand it.
    Fleetingly he wondered if Miss Peebs noticed that he wasn’t beating out his lesson.
    I won’t do it, he told himself. She is going to have to let me play her piano.
    Lynora Peebs sat, seeming to struggle with herself. Every other moment, she looked about to say something but would change her mind. Junior quickly understood he would have to give her time for whatever it was she was trying to decide.
    â€œI told you about the solar system we were making,” he said. “Mr. Pool and Buddy Clark. Buddy made a whole new planet. Now there are ten planets instead of nine and the tenth one they made just for me and named him Junior Brown.”
    Miss Peebs sighed. She shook her head disapprovingly. “Your Mr. Pool has no business keeping you from your school work. You should have no business with a man like that, nor with that boy who waits for you each Friday on the street. Oh, I’ve seen him,” she said, “your Buddy Clark.”
    â€œNo, ma’am,” Junior said, surprised by the meanness with which Miss Peebs spoke. “Buddy knows more math and science. Mr. Pool once was a teacher, see, and he taught Buddy a lot of it. Buddy’s my friend. I thought maybe he could come up one time while I have my lesson.” Junior was shocked to hear what he’d just said. He didn’t know why in the world he’d asked permission for Buddy to come to the lesson and, anxiously, he looked at his teacher. “Buddy could wait in the hall. He wouldn’t bother anything.”
    â€œI won’t have anyone here while you take your lesson,” Miss Peebs said.
    â€œThat’s what we need to talk about,” Junior told her. “I mean, how can you call it a lesson? I can’t keep on coming here and not even get a chance to show you how I am sounding.”
    â€œSo few students can become concert pianists,” Lynora said. “Perhaps one in a thousand musicians has the gift and stamina for it.”
    â€œMainly I just want to know the theory and composition,” Junior told her. “Then maybe I’ll be able to teach it in college or something.”
    Miss Peebs’ face twisted in a lopsided grin. “Then you won’t need to practice on my piano. It’s a concert piano for concert pianists!”
    Her smile changed into tight knots about her lips. “I didn’t mean that!” she whispered. “Junior, I’ve been so upset—I do have someone here visiting.” She leaned closer to Junior. “I don’t know what to do with him since he has no place else to go …”
    Junior looked around, wide-eyed. He felt frightened to think that somebody might have heard every word they had spoken. “I could get my daddy,” he said.
    â€œShhh!” Miss Peebs whispered. The sound rushed around them.
    â€œI mean, my daddy could come down and help you, if you