Clementine

Clementine’s not-so-good week continues when Margaret’s mother writes to the school and asks them not to let Clementine play with Margaret. Clementine’s father is the manager of their apartment building. When Clementine gets home feeling mad, he lets her ride the elevator four times. She goes to the seventh floor to see the painters. When she gets back to the apartment, she hears her mother saying, “as if our daughter is a common criminal!” (31) in reference to Margaret’s mother’s note.

Clementine feels nervous that her parents might want to “trade her in for an easier kid” (32). She goes upstairs to confront Margaret’s mother. But when she gets to the front door and Margaret’s mother answers, Clementine doesn’t know what to do. She is only able to say “Hi” (33).

Upon returning to her apartment, Clementine finds her mother wearing overalls with a drawing table set up in the middle of their living room. Clementine wonders if she wants her mother to wear dresses. Her mother says she chooses to wear “comfortable” clothes so she can get messy. Even though Clementine understands this, she struggles with the fact that her mother is not the kind who “work[s] in a bank and w[ears] dresses” (37).