"We will be performing a play about Peter Rabbit," Miss Barlow announced one day. "How many of you are familiar with the story?"

Almost all the children raised their hands.

"I'll choose the children who will play each character, and starting tomorrow, we'll practice every day after lunch," the teacher continued. "Gene, you'll play Peter, and Mary Lou, Susie, and Betty will play Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail. Ellen, you'll be Mrs. Rabbit, and Roy will be Mr. McGregor. The rest of you will be cabbages, peas, radishes, or carrots."

As it turned out, Anna was to be a carrot, and so was Dasan. The two friends grinned at each other.

"I wish you were Cottontail instead of Betty," Mary Lou told Anna as they walked home from school together that afternoon. "I don't like Betty that much."

"At least me and Dasan both get to be carrots," Anna replied. "I'm glad Mike and David and Steve are radishes, so they're faaar away from us!"

Both girls giggled.

When rehearsals started the next day, Anna was glad to learn that, although they didn't have a speaking part, the vegetables did get to sing a song: Zippity Doo Dah.

The girl carrots would all need orange dresses, and the boy carrots would need orange shirts. All the carrots would wear cardboard hats made to look like the tops of carrots.

Miss Barlow sent a letter home to all the parents that day, telling them about the play and what each child would need.

"We'll go to the fabric store for material to make your dress this weekend," Anna's mother promised.

"My Mommy said we'll have to go to the thrift store this weekend," Dasan told Anna as they were waiting in line for the slide the next day. "She said we can't afford the material for my orange shirt."

"My Mommy said we're going to the fabric store this weekend for the material for my dress," Anna replied. "I'll ask her if we can get enough for your shirt, too."

"That would be even better than a shirt from the thrift store," said Dasan. "I hope your Mommy wouldn't mind."

"I don't think she will," said Anna. "I'll ask just to be sure."

While the family was eating dinner that night, Anna told her parents about her conversation with Dasan.

"Of course we will buy the extra material," said her father. "Tell your friend not to worry about that."

"Tell Dasan to come home with you tomorrow, so I can take his measurements," Anna's mother added.

Dasan and his family were appreciative of the offer and accepted it, and Saturday morning after breakfast, the family went to the fabric store.

They were walking between the tables in the middle, looking for orange fabric, when they came upon the Brimmer family.

"Hi, Anna," said Laura.

"Hi," said Anna.

"I'm sorry I missed your party," said Laura. "Was it nice?"

"Uh huh. We had a lot of fun." Anna was watching Simon, who in turn was scrutinizing the passersby. "Did you have fun at the horse show?"

"Oh, yes!" Laura grinned. "I didn't know there were so many different kinds of horses. The Shetland pony was my favorite. His mane was so pretty!"

"That's a pony, not a horse." Anna still felt a little miffed that Laura had chosen the horse show over her party.

"A pony is a little horse," Laura explained. "Mom's making me some new dresses for summer. The ones from last summer come way up over my knees."

"My Mommy's making me an orange dress for our school play," said Anna. "It's about Peter Rabbit, and I'm one of the carrots. So is Dasan. Mommy's gonna make his orange shirt too, 'cause his family can't afford it."

"They're kind of poor, aren't they?" Laura played with her bracelet.

"Yeah, and so is Mary Lou's family."

"That's probably because they have so many kids," said Laura. "Want to spend the night with me tonight? We're having shrimp for dinner."

"Sure! If it's OK with my Mommy." Anna's mother was with the saleswoman, measuring the cloth. Anna waited until she was finished.

"Can I spend the night with Laura, Mommy?" she asked.

"Well, I suppose so, if it's all right with her parents."

"It's all right," Laura assured her. "Pack something nice," she told Anna. "We're going to church in the morning."

Anna had been to the Lutheran church with her father a few times, so she knew what to expect. When the family returned home, her mother helped her pack her pajamas and her nicest dress, and then her father drove her to Laura's house.

She entered the house to smell the delicious aroma of the shrimp broiling. Mr. Brimmer sat in the living room with Max and Laura, watching a nature show about animals that live in the jungle. Anna joined them.

"Where's Tarzan?" she asked.

Max rolled his eyes.

"It isn't that kind of show."

The program was just going off when Mrs. Brimmer called everyone to the table.

There was corn on the cob and coleslaw to go with the shrimp. Anna ate until she could hold no more.

After dinner, she and Laura played in Laura's room until it was time to shower, put on their pajamas, and go to bed.

After Mrs. Brimmer turned out the light, Anna and Laura lay wide awake in bed.

"I haven't spent the night with you in a long time," said Anna.

"I know," said Laura. "I think the last time must have been when Simon was born."

"That's so long ago I can't even remember!" said Laura.

"I remember it just a little bit," said Laura. "It was back when I used to play with dolls. I'm much too big for that now, of course."

Anna was silent. She didn't want Laura to know she still played with dolls.

"Do you still play with dolls, Anna?"

"'Course not!"

"I did when I was seven."

"Well - not very often, anyway."

Both girls were soon fast asleep.