I found this old story written 20 years ago and rewrote just yesterday. This is the day before Thanksgiving. I hope you all enjoy. Just posting early before Thanksgiving. A friend helped out with the title suggestion. Enjoy

It is Thanksgiving Day. Hi, I am Sarah Surprise. I am in the second grade. I really don’t care if boys talk to me. I really don’t. But they do. When my brother Joel went to school when it was pajamas day, we were waiting for the bell to ring and we showed off our pajamas. Everyone liked Joel’s because it has pilgrims on it. I hated it, but Mommy told me that wasn’t very nice at all. She was just mad, that’s all.

I was at lunch, eating with Kathleen and Star, my friends and sisters. You want to know how we got to be sisters? Well, I’ll tell you. Sassy and her family were the first ones to live in a mansion in Denver, Colorado. Then she had babies. Then Mommy, Abigail, Joel and I came along. Then we lived by ourselves at first for a year, then we moved in with Sassy and her family. We got along great. Kathleen and I got along at first, and now Starlight Kathleen leave me out of things. That’s not nice to leave me out of things. Only three can play Ninetendo, but only the boys were playing it when I wanted to watch TV. Gullah Gullah Island was on. So I watched it. It was one of my favorite shows. Where was I? Oh, yes. When we were t school. Here’s the pajamas day I am going to share with you:

Flashback:

It was a week ago when my friends and I heard the news. The news was that there would be pajamas day before Thanksgiving came along. It doesn’t matter what you decide to wear to school that day. No, you weren’t getting ribbons or anything like that. I liked hearing that news. Just wait until I tell Mommy.

When school ended for the day, I met Joel outside the school. We sometimes walk home together, but not always. He’s one of my brothers. We live in a mansion because we have a huge family who are also friends. So I waited for him by the playground outside the school. Joel is older than me. He’s in the fifth grade, so he will be in sixth next year. Joel saw me and joined me for the walk home today. I started the conversation.

“Joel?”

“What’s that, Sarah?”

We put our backpacks on our shoulders as we left the playground. We weren’t very far from school, so this is why I said the word ‘walk.’

“What did you think of the idea to wear pajamas to school?” I asked him.

“It’s okay, but I’m getting a bit too old for that kind of thing,” he answered.

Today he was wearing a blue and yellow shirt with buttons. The yellow was flowers and the blue was for the sky. Yes, it’s a new shirt. Mommy bought for him on his birthday a couple months ago and now it’s turning out to be one of his favorite shirts.

“I think that should be fun. What do you plan to wear?”

“Probably just my clothes. My friends will probably laugh at me.”

“Why? I don’t laugh at you when you wear something different,” I told him.

Then I asked, “What makes you think your friends will laugh at you?”

“Do you remember my pajamas with the pilgrims on it?”

I nodded and answered, “Yes, I do.”

“That’s why I don’t want to wear it to school.”

“Just do it and see what people think. They probably won’t laugh at you.”

“Thanks, Sarah, but I think I’ll pass. I never told anyone I have that sort of pajamas and I plan to keep it that way.”

“I understand. If you won’t wear it for pajamas day, I’ll wear it.”

“Sarah, it doesn’t even fit you, for crying out loud!”

“I know, but I’ll do it for you anyway if you plan not to get involved in pajamas day. Wait until Mommy hears about this one.”

Our mother’s name turns out to be Louise Surprise. She is very good friends with Sassy and Priscilla. My sisters Kathleen and Starlight belong to Sassy.

I thought I’d share with you that Sassy is short for Sandra. She doesn’t like Sandra much, so she ended up changing the spelling from Sandra to Sassy. She likes it better.

Joel and I walked inside our mansion five minutes later. Yes, I said mansion a couple times before, but I’ll tell you why. We have a mansion because Priscilla moved in with her kids and there were several rooms in the mansion for them to sleep in, so they came along. We have twelve other brothers and sisters. Funny thing is that we have two other brothers, who have the names of Eric and Winslow. They are very close with Joel. The rest of the family is girls, but they don’t mind it. Even Winslow and Eric are fifth graders.

When I told you that I am in the second grade, you already have guessed on how old I am, so that’s why I didn’t mention my age before.

When we got to the house, Joel opened the front door for me. He is such a gentleman and is smart enough to know it’s ladies first. I walked into the house and said, “Thanks, Joel.”

“You’re welcome,” Joel said as he slammed the door behind us.

“Mommy, we’re home!” I yelled.

We were greeted by Priscilla instead.

“Hi, Sarah and Joel. How was your day at school today?”

“Hi, Priscilla. It was good,” Joel answered.

Priscilla and I watched my older brother head up the stairs to put his backpack in his room. He shares with Eric and Winslow, but we have too many rooms for everyone of us to have our own room.

“It was good,” I answered and then added, “guess what?”

“What, Sarah?”

Today Priscilla was wearing a new pair of khaki pants, new tennis shoes, pearl earrings, a read bow in her hair, and last, but not least an old pair of a shirt. It was losing buttons, I could tell. It was a light red with dark purple. It’s a favorite of hers. I didn’t bother telling her to throw it away. I’m sure she’ll do it another time.

“We’re doing pajamas day before school is out for Thanksgiving!” I said with a big smile on my face.

“I don’t think I did that when I was your age. It was something the schools wouldn’t let you do. Pajamas Day sounds like fun, but I think you and Joel are a bit too old.”

“That’s what Joel said. He wants to go to school without dressing up. I told him if he doesn’t wear his pilgrim pajamas on pajamas day, I will.”

“Sarah, that’s too big for you. It’s not even your size.”

“I know that. The teacher did say that there will be no prizes. If there were, I think that’ll be cool!”

“I think you will have to talk with your mother about pajamas day,” Priscilla told me.

“That’s what I’m going to do anyway. Where is Mommy?”

“She’s out getting a haircut and doing a few other errands,” she answered.

“Has Mommy said when she would be back? She’s usually here when I come home.”

“She didn’t say when she’ll be returning, but you can tell her then.”

“Okay.”

“I heard that you have homework for Thanksgiving break.”

“I don’t need to talk about that, Priscilla.”

I usually get homework over the holidays because I don’t get good grades and turn the assignments in on time. No, I’m not doing it this Thanksgiving. I’ll just fail anyway, and that doesn’t make anyone happy, but I’m used to it because it happens to me a lot, but not all the time.

When I finished talking with Priscilla, I head upstairs to use the bathroom and then went to put my backpack in my bedroom. I have my own room. I don’t like sharing with other people. It’s nice to have your own privacy.

Since it was only Tuesday, I had homework to do, and it’s very boring. I’m complaining because having homework takes forever for some of us, and I’m one of them.

It is now Wednesday. Since Thanksgiving is coming up tomorrow, I’m going to enjoy the time with my friends and family rather than doing my overdue assignments, even if Mommy tries hard to tell me to go to my room and study. Since it will be Thanksgiving break, I have all weekend to do that.

I heard Mommy pull into the driveway. I ran downstairs to greet her so I could tell her about pajamas day like I shared with Priscilla. Yes, Priscilla’s last name is also Surprise like the rest of us. Having that last name doesn’t mean we’re full of surprises, let me tell you. I waited in the kitchen for Mommy to come in. And she did.

“Hi, Mommy.”

“Hi, honey. How was school today?” she asked.

“It was awesome! Guess what’s happening tomorrow?”

“What’s that?”

“Pajamas Day! Joel said he’s not going to do it because of his pilgrim pajamas he has.”

“Both of you are getting a bit too old to participate in that sort of activity, Sarah.”

“I know, Mommy. I’m going to do it. Joel said he won’t wear that pajamas to school tomorrow because he finds that pajamas picture is too embarrassing. I said if he doesn’t wear it, then I will.”

“Sarah, you’re not going to wear that. You’re too small, but that pajamas that your brother has is for boys. It fits him and not you.”

“I’ve been hearing that a lot lately, Mommy, but it’s mostly today. Even Priscilla said the same thing.”

“Then you will not do it. You can do something else. It’s okay if your brother doesn’t want to be part of it if he doesn’t want to.”

“I know, but all the other kids are excited to have pajamas day tomorrow. Everyone was talking about it at lunchtime.”

“I tell you what, Sarah.”

“What, Mommy?”

“Why don’t you wear your pajamas that you wear tonight?”

“I was planning on doing it, Mommy. It’s getting old, you know.”

“Yes, I do know. We’re going shopping this weekend to buy you new ones,” Mommy told me.

“Okay. I have homework to do this weekend.”

I made a face when I mentioned that word.

“Sarah, I’ve known that for a while since your teacher calls me.”

“Oh,” I said.

That doesn’t surprise me because that happens once in a while and then Mommy tells me who calls.

Before I knew it, Wednesday finally came. I smiled when I woke up because it’s pajamas day! I’ve been excited all week and had been looking forward to it. Joel did get involved by wearing his pajamas and he felt embarrassed when we were walking in the school building.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed, Joel. It’s going to be fun!” I kept telling him.

“I’m sure Mom told you yesterday that we’re both too old for this sort of activity,” he reminded me.

“I know, but I want to do this. Remember we’re not getting ribbons for prizes,” I reminded him.

“Which is good.”

I didn’t say anything, but when I did, I said, “I’ll see you after school, Joel.”

“Same to you, Sarah. You’ll probably hear about me what people say about this one I’m wearing. When we go to bed tonight, I’m putting on a different one. I think you should do the same thing,” he told me.

“I’m not going to do that, Joel. Mommy said we’re going shopping this weekend to buy me a new pair.”

“I think she’s right, Sarah,” he told me as he looked at my pajamas.

So we went our separate ways when the bell rang.

I was one of the first kids to walk into the classroom. I had a smile on my face because today is my favorite activity. I might see Joel at lunch and he can tell me what the other kids thought about his pilgrim pajamas. I saw a lot of the other kids were wearing old pajamas themselves, so I know I’m not the only one who’s doing that.

School came and went. We had fun studying in the classroom with our pajamas on. I didn’t see Joel at lunch, but that’s okay. He didn’t say anything about having a ride to Cody Jackson’s place after school was out. I didn’t bother taking of my pajamas when I came home, and Mommy and the others didn’t bother telling me to change.

End Flashack

So that’s what I remembered. That is my favorite time of the school year was pajamas day. I might want to tell my children this story if I am ever going to be married in the future. They would like to hear this story when I’m older, I told myself.

“SARAH!” I heard Mommy call from the stairs.

When she called me, I ran down the stairs immediately.

“What’s that, Mommy?”

“I’m just reminding you that you have homework that’s due next week,” she told me.

“I did it at school,” I said.

“Honey, thank you for telling me. It’s time for dinner.”

I saw my mother was only joking, so I did the same thing back.

“Why so early? It’s only two o’clock,” I teased her.

When I said that, I was just joking,” I added.

“SARAH! I don’t like jokes.”

“I know, Mommy. I’ll get out of bed.”

I somehow slept most of the day. No wonder I forgot it was time to eat. I usually don’t sleep in, but today was a good day to do that. I’m still too young to stay up late, but I will when I get older. I’ll look forward to that.

“Be there in a minute.”

I went to the bathroom and came out when I was done and walked to the table. I looked at the clock: 4:08. Why dinner so early? I asked myself. I never asked Mommy why dinner was so early. I’m leaving now because Mommy’s calling me again. This should be a fun Thanksgiving break.