"Hi, Leslie," said Paul.

"Hi, Paul," said Leslie.

They were friends now. Paul hadn\'t pulled either of her pigtails for a long time.

Paul sat in the desk behind Leslie. Once, a long time ago, he had pulled Leslie\'s pigtails. It felt great!

That is-Paul thought it felt great. Leslie didn\'t think it felt too good.

But that was earlier in the year, when Paul was younger and immature. Now he knew better.

31

Still, her two long brown pigtails hung in front of his face, all day, every day.

The bell rang for recess.

"Leslie," said Paul. "Can I talk to you a second?"

"Sure, Paul," said Leslie.

They were alone in the room. All the other kids had rushed down the stairs. Mrs. Jewls had run to the teachers\' lounge.

"I\'ve been good, right?" asked Paul. "I haven\'t pulled one of your pigtails in a long time, have I?"

"So what do you want, a medal?" asked Leslie.

Paul chuckled. "No, well, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," said Leslie.

Paul took a breath. "May I pull just one of your pigtails?" he asked. "Please?"

"No!" said Leslie.

"Please?" Paul begged. "I won\'t pull it hard. No one will have to know. Please? Please? I wouldn\'t ask if it wasn\'t important! Please?"

"You\'re sick!" exclaimed Leslie.

Paul lowered his head. "I\'m sorry," he said. "You\'re right. I don\'t know what came over me. I won\'t ask again."

"Good," said Leslie. She shook her head in disgust.

Paul watched her pigtails waggle. "Can I just touch one?" he asked. "I won\'t even pull it. I promise."

"No!"

32

"What\'s wrong with just touching one?" Paul asked.

"Yuck, you\'re gross!" said Leslie as she turned and marched out of the room.

As Paul watched her go, her pigtails seemed to wave good-bye to him.

He slapped himself in the face with both hands. What\'s wrong with me? he wondered.

He walked to the side of the room and leaned over the counter. He stuck his head out the window to get some fresh air. Down below, he could see the kids playing on the playground. They looked like tiny toys.

Leslie stepped back into the classroom. "I\'m getting my hair trimmed tomorrow," she announced. "If you want, I\'ll save the pieces for you. It\'ll just be some split ends."

Paul was so excited he forgot where he was. He quickly raised his head. It bashed against the window frame, then he bounced forward and toppled out the window.

Leslie stared in horror at the open window, then rushed toward it. She leaned over the counter and looked down.

"Help!" gasped Paul.

There was one brick on the side of the building that stuck out a little farther than the others. Paul desperately held on to it with both hands.

"Ill go get Louis," said Leslie. "He\'ll save you."

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"No, don\'t go!" cried Paul. "I can\'t hold on. My fingers are slipping!"

Leslie reached down for him. "Try to grab my hand," she said.

Paul made a grab for it, but missed, then quickly clutched the brick. "I can\'t! Help, I\'m scared."

"Just don\'t look down," said Leslie as she tried to stay calm. She pulled her head back in through the window.

"Where are you going!" cried Paul. "Help! Don\'t leave me."

Leslie looked around Mrs. Jewls\'s room for a rope or an extension cord or something for Paul to grab, but she couldn\'t find anything.

She returned to the window, sighed, then leaned out backward. Her hands tightly held the edge of the counter as she looked up at the sky. "Grab my pigtails," she said, then winced.

A big smile came across Paul\'s face. "Really?" he asked.

"Just do it!" said Leslie.

The pigtails hung about a foot above Paul\'s head. He let go of the brick with his right hand and grabbed her right pigtail.

"Yaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" Leslie yelped.

He grabbed her left pigtail with his left hand.

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" she screamed.

"Okay, pull me in," said Paul. His legs dangled beneath him.

34

Leslie\'s eyes watered in pain as she tried to step away from the window. "I can\'t!" she groaned. "You\'re too heavy."

Paul swung his legs up against the side of the building. "Try now."

Leslie groaned, then took a small step away from the window as Paul took a small step up the wall. Then they each took another small step. At last Paul managed to get one foot on top of the brick that jutted out.

Leslie pulled her head inside the window. As she took another step, Paul let go of one pigtail and grabbed the windowsill. Leslie took another step, pulling Paul the rest of the way through.

They both collapsed on the floor, tired and sore.

"Ooh, my head hurts," said Leslie.

"Wow, you saved my life," said Paul. "Well, don\'t worry, someday I\'ll save yours."

"You don\'t have to," said Leslie. "Just don\'t pull my pigtails anymore."

"I won\'t," said Paul. Suddenly he laughed.

"What\'s so funny?" asked Leslie.

"This time your pigtails pulled me."