BSC in NYC!

Dear Hannie,

Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for your text message! My last day in New York City was one of the best days of my life! Everybody at our school will be so jealous that I got to meet the one and only...HANNAH MONTANA! I will tell you all about it when I get back home to Stoneybrook.

Your best friend forever,

Karen

It was our last full day in New York and Daddy and Elizabeth told Andrew, David Michael, and me that we could do anything we wanted as long as we all agreed on it and it was in reason. Andrew and David Michael wanted to visit the zoo, and F.A.O. Schwarz, then have a treat at Rumpelmayer's, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. I was fine with this arrangement, but that was before I received this text from one of my best friends, Hannie Papadaski, on my pink cell phone:

OMG, K, ges wut???! MILEY CYRUS will b n NY 2morow filming a scene 4 HM n C. park! U shuld go and b a extra!!! BYE!!!

I was too busy being excited by the message that I did not even cringe over Hannie using text speak and spelling a few words wrong. I take pride in that I am the only student at Stoneybrook Day School who always spells out every word when typing a text. But, oh my goodness! Miley Cyrus would be in Central Park tomorrow? I love Miley Cyrus! She plays Hannah Montana, my most favorite show in the entire world! I found out more information by logging onto her fansite on Daddy's laptop. She and the other stars from Hannah Montana were filming a special episode in New York and they needed extras between the ages of seven and fourteen to be a part of the audience Hannah gives in Central Park! I had to meet her and be an extra on the show! Everybody at my school would be so jealous.

At dinner that night, I tried to persuade Andrew and David Michael to change their plans.

"You can always go to the zoo in Stoneybrook," I told them. "Wouldn't you rather have the chance to be on the most popular show in America?"

"I don't care about that dumb Hannah Montana," David Michael replied, flicking a pea at me with his fork. "Hannah Montana is for girls."

"Yeah," Andrew agreed, even though he watches the show with me (because I make him). "And we've already been to Central Park, Karen."

I continued to whine. I usually get what I want if I whine.

"Karen, what are you griping about?" Daddy asked me at the other end of the table.

"Daddy, can we please go to Central Park tomorrow so I can meet Miley Cyrus and be an extra in an episode of Hannah Montana?" I pleaded.

"Watson, no," Elizabeth said to Daddy firmly. "The kids have already decided what they want to do on their last day and Karen cannot always get what she wants." She glared at me.

Hmph. Elizabeth only said that because she loves that dummy, David Michael, more than me.

"Did somebody say Miley Cyrus?" asked Sam. "She's going to be at Central Park tomorrow?"

"She's pretty hot," Charlie added.

I nodded furiously. Sam and Charlie love Miley Cyrus because she is their age; though they would never admit that they watch her show.

Charlie grinned at Sam. "What do you say, Sam? Should we take Karen to meet her idol so we have an excuse to get close to Miley?"

"Oh, please, please, please, please with a cherry on top!" I begged clasping my hands together.

Sam laughed. "I don't know, Karen. I think you may need to get on your knees for us."

I was about to do just that when Elizabeth gave Sam a warning tone.

"Well, Karen, if Sam and Charlie want to take you to Central Park tomorrow to meet Hannah Montana, then that's fine with me," Daddy said.

"Oh, thank you, Daddy!" I got up and hugged him, then for good measure, I hugged Sam and Charlie too. They are the best step-brothers in the world!

It turned out that Mallory and Jessi were both Hannah Montana fans too and wanted to go with us. I was not so sure how Charlie and Sam thought of this idea because I have eavesdropped on them many times when they were talking about Kristy's friends from the Baby-Sitters Club.

They both thought Mallory tried too hard to be grown-up and it only made her look pathetic. They did not think Jessi was that bad, but maybe just a little conceited when she talked about her good a dancer she was. They also both felt a little bad for her because Kristy and her other friends always had to bring up the fact that Jessi is black when they are talking about their friends to somebody they have just met. And they both agreed that they would never let an eleven-year-old baby-sit their kids if they had any.

Oh, and in case you were wondering what they have said about Kristy's other friends, they think that Claudia is an idiot who dresses like she is blind; that Mary Anne is too young to have a steady boyfriend and that her boyfriend must be the most whipped teenaged boy in the world (whatever that means); that Dawn is going to end up joining a cult when she gets older; and while Sam likes Stacey, Charlie called her a ho. I did not know what that word meant, so I asked Daddy. He spanked me and I had my mouth washed out with soap. I still do not know what a ho is to this day.

Charlie, Sam, Mallory, Jessi, and I took the subway to Central Park the next day to see Miley Cyrus! I was so excited; I could not wait!

"I am surprised you like Hannah Montana," I said to Jessi who was sitting across from me and next to Mallory. Sam and Charlie were standing up, holding on to the railings.

"Why?" Jessi asked me.

I shrugged. "I just never met a black person who watched Hannah Montana."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Karen! Don't be rude."

"It's just an observation!" I replied truthfully.

"I really don't understand why people make such a big deal that I'm black," Jessi said. "I'm just like everybody else."

"I am sorry, I did not mean to hurt your feelings," I told her.

Jessi smiled at me. "No, it's okay, Karen."

Mallory just smiled tightly at us. She has been in a bad mood lately, but I do not know why. Hopefully meeting the one and only MILEY CYRUS will cheer her up!

We got to the park before Miley and her crew had arrived, but there was already a huge group of young girls gathering around. The casting agent was going around, selecting the ones he liked.

We stood in line and had to wait FOREVER until he finally reached us.

"Hmm," he said looking us over. "Yes, I like your look, very pretty face you have, you're in." He nodded at Jessi.

"Oh my gosh!" she squealed.

Mallory and I looked at each other. We know she only got in because she is black.

He next looked at Mallory and slightly shook his head. "You just don't look like someone who would be at a Hannah Montana concert, sorry."

I had to agree with the guy. Mallory was wearing this weird outfit that looked like a tuxedo.

"What are you talking about?" exclaimed Mallory. "This is my most chilly outfit! My friend Stacey wore an outfit like this once and she's from New York!"

"Sorry," the guy told her. He had already moved on to me.

"Oh, please, mister, please let me be an extra!" I cried. "I love Hannah Montana more than anything in the world! More than I love chocolate ice cream, more than I love my pets, more than I love my mommy and daddy!"

"Alright, alright, alright!" He held up his hands. "You're in!"

The man let Charlie go with Jessi and me so he could keep an eye on us, while Sam and a very glum Mallory watched from the sidelines.

More time went by and as we waited for Miley and the rest of the crew to show up, the guy explained to us what he wanted us to do.

"Just act like you're at the best concert of your life," he explained simply.

That was going to be easy to do!

Finally, after waiting for what seemed like an eternity, MILEY CYRUS arrived! Jessi and I started screaming and we were joined in by the rest of the extras.

The camera started rolling and the director motioned to us to cheer. I screamed with all my might. I wanted to be sure that everybody at my school would know that was Karen Brewer's scream! They would be so jealous!

Once the director was happy with the shots they got of us, they shot a few scenes of Miley waving to the audience.

"Okay, that' a wrap, thanks for your time, everybody!" the director said to us.

Wait? What about the concert? I voiced my concerns to Charlie.

"Karen, there's not going to be a concert," he explained patiently to me. "They'll probably film that later on. They were just getting the shots of the audience reactions."

I bursted into tears. I could not help it. Here I thought I was going to tell everybody that I was at a Hannah Montana concert when it was all a LIE!

Charlie sighed. "Why are you crying, Karen? You're going to be on an episode of that dumb show. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yes, but I wanted to see Miley sing!" I cried, stamping my foot.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Why don't you ask your Dad to take you to her concert the next time she tours Stamford or New York? I'm sure he would."

Yes, what a wonderful idea! Daddy always lets me have whatever I want! Already, my mood had started to brighten.