A Friendship for Today

AUTHOR: Patricia C. McKissack Rosemary Patterson’s day hasn’t been going to good for her last day of school. 1st she has to wake up to her parents fusing, 2nd Rosemary’s school will close down for good because the stop of segregation, 3rd only J.J. and Rosemary shall go to Robertson Elementary and leave there old friends behind. When school ends J.J. and Rosemary meet Bevvy a friend of theirs, at Mr. Bob’s grocery store. They all show Mr. Bob their final grades gets then them one candy bar of their chose, J.J. stayed trying to chose from all the flavors. Then while walking home Rosemary saw a cat on the railroad tracks she ran straight toward her dad’s shop for help. They hoped into the car to get the cat when they got it they drove back to the shop, and that was when she realized Mrs. Jean was the reason of all the fighting. Rosemary had a feeling inside that Mrs. Jean liked her daddy and that she was seeing her daddy behind mamma and her back.

When the meeting before school had came Mr. Keggley the teacher Rosemary met with thought she was unable to attend Robertson Elementary. Soon before school started Rosemary was told that J.J. was diagnosed with polio disease though she didn’t know what the exact meaning was, she thought it was her fault. The first day of school came and Rosemary felt different, she was the only colored person in the entire

School. When she got to her home room she saw the unthinkable Grace the tasteless one of the Hamilton kids is in her class. Rosemary only needed about one week to get used to everything and everyone, now she was able to give everyone there new nicknames.
One day Rosemary’s dad came home he was trying to start all over since Mrs. Jean had left but her mama wouldn’t take him back. After her dad left something was happening to Rags mom knew what was happening Rags was having kittens. In the end Rosemary and Grace become friends and J.J. got better and all worked out with all Rosemary’s