The Big Pile of Dirt

the big pile of dirt ELEANOR CLYMER .•

by

Pictures by

TW 1707 50^

BEN SHECTER

Digitized by the Internet Archive in

2009

http://www.archive.org/details/bigpileofdirtOOclym

i3-v^

the big pile of dirt by

ELEANOR CLYMER

Pictures by

BEN SHECTER

SCHOLASTIC BOOK SERVICES

New York

•

Toronto

.

London . Auckland

.

Sydney

book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not be resold, lent, or otherwise circuin any binding or cover other than that in which it is published — unless prior written permission has been obtained from the publisher — and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. This

lated

©

Text copyright c

1958 by Eleanor Clymer. Illustrations copyright 1971 by Ben Shecter. This published by Scholastic Book Services, a division of Scholastic Magazines, Inc., by arrangement with Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.

edition

is

1st printing

February 1971 Printed

in

the U.S.A.

the

big pile of dirt

sQ^H#^ vwv

\Jn

our street there was an empty

was

It

small, but

it

was

full of junk.

was an armchair with the out.

stuffing

lot.

There

coming

There was an old mattress. There were

bottles

and automobile

and other

tires

things that people didn't want.

middle was a big

pile of dirt.

And

But

I

in the

better

not start telling you about that yet. First I

will tell

It

was

how we got

like this.

started with the

lot.

1 See,

me.

we

live in this old building. There's

My name is

family.

I

Mike.

have a

Fm the oldest in my

sister Arleen,

and two

brothers, twins, five years old. Their

names

are Billy and Sam. After school Arleen

minds them, when I

have

act up. 6

my

mother

to help her sometimes,

is

working.

when they

-§:r^>?

I

have some friends that

building.

Russ.

We

My

live

in

the

two best friends are Joe and

go to school together and we're

on the basketball team. After school we go somewhere and play. That's where the trouble started. There

We

wasn't anywhere to play.

couldn't

all

play in somebody's apartment. There's no

room. The apartments have too in

them — beds and If

we played

much

things.

ball in the street, the little

kids would run out after the ball.

could get killed that way. tells

them not

They

listen to

them

all

stuff

to,

Arleen

they don't listen to her.

me all right,

the time.

When

They

but

I

can't

mind

we played on

the steps, somebody

would come out and

say, ''You kids get off

If

those steps. You're blocking the door." If

we played

handball, they said, ''No

handball against that wall." They put up a sign,

NO ball playing allowed.

Sometimes we went up on the

was

nice there.

You

the sky.

You

felt

high up, close to

could see the

way downtown, and

roof. It

tall

buildings

the boats on the river

and the Ferris wheel over on the other side.

You

around.

I

could liked to

But there's

see

white birds

flying

watch them.

this lady, Mrs.

Crane, her

laundry got stolen once. So after that they

10

made

us get

off

the roof.

"All right, you kids go on this is

down now,

no place for you." So we had to go

down, even

if

Mrs. Crane was sitting there

watching her laundry.

And

besides,

was no place

it

and Sam. They might it,

I

for Billy

fall off. Let's

face

couldn't get rid of those kids. Arleen

couldn't handle them.

There was a good place behind the

stairs.

I

in

the hall

went there a few times

11

with Joe and Russ and

we played

But

cut his head, and

Billy fell

down and

cards.

Arleen came running for me, and the kids

were his

yelling-,

and the Super came out of

apartment and

said,

'What's going on

here? All you kids-out!^'

We Casey,

played in the upstairs

who

hall.

lived in 4D, the

But Mrs.

minute she

hears a sound she pops her head out and says, ''No playing in the hall." ly couldn't

hurt the

hall,

We certain-

the floor

broken already, but never mind.

12

is

all

Then we played

in the side court.

But

Mrs. Giotto, she Hved in 2 A on that side, she was her,

mad

at us because

we laughed

because she was fishing.

I'm not

She really was.

fooling.

See,

at

it

was a windy day, and she had

some towels or something on a

line outside

her window, and they blew down.

And

she leaned out of the window with a ball of string

and a fishhook and

let

down the

hook and fished one of them up, and when she

let

down the hook again we put an old

sock on

it.

She was a fat lady and she

^^3^^

Mi

looked pretty funny fishing out the window

when she saw the

especially

sock.

We

couldn't help laughing. So then she

was

mad

at us,

and always

told us to get out

of the court.

Once we went down It

was warm

to the furnace room.

and the furnace was

there,

like a

monster with one big eye and a

mouth

full of fire. It

But

was no

it

said,

We

'This

had

use.

The Super came and

to find a place.

way

scary, but nice.

no place for

is

be a place where the only

was

I

all

you.''

And

it

had

to

of us could go. That's

would have any peace.

Well, right next to our house there

another house. Nobody lived it

wasn't safe.

It

was

all

in

it,

ready to

was

because

fall

down,

and the doors and windows were covered with boards. One day some trucks and knocked

it

men came

down.

We

around and watched. They kept to get away, but

all

with

stood

telling us

we kept coming

back.

15

They put up boards

big wooden

like

shelves to stand on, and the

men

climbed

up and knocked pieces out of the

You

could see inside where the bedrooms

were, painted pink and blue. see

walls.

the

and

stairs

the

You

could

kitchens

and

bathrooms.

They took

dumped

it

it all

away, and

somewhere.

I

I

guess they

wondered

people that used to live there

was

their house

Well,

in a

that

dump somewhere.

left

but an empty

bricks and old boards in

it.

lot

things in

and

it,

all

with some

Then

to get full of junk. People

16

knew

the

when they got through there was

nothing

cans,

if

it

started

would throw

broken dishes and bottles and the things people don't want.

Or

else they

would come out at night when

they thought nobody was looking. They

put

this

old

automobile

and other

armchair

tires,

out

there,

and

and a great big old can,

stuff.

17

Every day

my

and see what was for treasure, things. left.

old

I

friends and there.

We

I

would go

used to look

and we found some good

found a hammer that the

And Johnny was

men

lucky, he found

an

baby carriage with four good wheels.

He made

a scooter with the wheels, and

the girls played with the carriage. This was in summer, so

we played

there

i**^«* tit/

18

y

and Russ and

day. Joe

all

made a

We played we were

out of bricks.

flaming arrows at

We

I

it,

only

we

fort

shooting

didn't really.

to be careful on account of the

had

Arleen had to watch that the

little kids.

twins didn't get hurt with the broken glass

and her

Her friend Margie came with

nails.

and she would put things

little sister

in her

mouth

if

But

still it

was a pretty good

made a swing old tire.

We

you didn't look

for the

hung

little

out.

place.

We

kids out of an

from some posts we

it

drove in the ground.

And

somebody did.

the time

all

we were waiting

to tell us to get out, but

Even

our

Super

attention to us. But

something

didn't

for

nobody

pay

any

what happened was

else.

19

One day when we were ladies came.

They came

man, and they looking at our

lot.

heard what they

One lady all

all

said,

in

got

We

playing,

some

a car with a

out

and stood

watched them, and

said.

^This

is

a mess. Look at

that broken glass and junk.''

Another lady

said,

'That

is

no place for

these children. They ought to be sent out of there."

20

A

third lady said,

"How

can we have a

beautiful city with places like this? Mr.

Mayor, you must do something." I

thought to myself, "Could that be the

Mayor?" And

got ready for him to chase

I

us out.

But he you are

He

didn't.

just said, "Yes, ladies,

right. I will give orders for

some-

thing to be done." Then they went away. Joe said, "Now what? Will they make us get out?"

"No," it

I said,

up."

Arleen I

"they just want to clean

said,

"That means we get

knew it/' "Well, wait and see/'

afraid she find a

22

out.

new

I said.

was right and place.

I

But

I

was

would have to

But that

is

not what happened. Some-

thing different happened. One day a truck

came.

It

of dirt.

was a big truck and

Two men

it

was

full

got out. They stood and

looked at our empty

lot.

They scratched

their heads.

One

said, "Is this the place, Mac?''

The other The

first

said,

one

'Tep. This

said, ''We're

deliver this dirt here?"

is it."

supposed to

The other

said,

"Yep, those are the

orders."

The

first

one

said, ''Okay, let

They backed up the truck on

Then they

let

her go/'

to our

her go. They dumped

dirt right in the

middle of our

all

lot. It

lot.

that

made

a roar like thunder. Then they went away.

Joe asked, "What's I said,

it all

about?"

"It beats me. I don't

know."

We waited for something else to happen. But nothing happened.

my hand It

in the dirt. It

was clean

dirt.

It

I

went and stuck

was

nice

seemed

and like

soft.

they

to give us a present.

wanted

we might So

as well enjoy

I said,

said,

''I

behind

it.

playing.

We

pile of dirt. I stood

am

the

President."

me and gave me

down and

thought

''Come on, kids."

Then we started up the big

I

slid to

climbed

on top and Joe came

a shove.

I

sat

the bottom.

25

The

girls

played supermarket. They put

a board across some bricks for a counter.

They

filled

up cans with

believe to sell them. It

dirt

and made

was funny the way

they talked.

''How much for the beans, Mrs. Jones?''

'Two cans

for a quarter."

"That's too high. Everything

is

too high

these days."

You that

sure could do a lot of things with

dirt.

We

didn't

go home

till

it

got

nearly dark.

The next day we went back. almost afraid to go.

would be gone. But I

had a great

can cover.

26

I

I it

idea. I

I

was

thought the dirt

was

there.

found a garbage

climbed to the top and

slid

down. Pretty soon

all

down. They got a

the kids were sliding

little wild.

Johnny and

Pete got in a fight and started throwing dirt.

But

could get

I

said, ''No

it

in

throwing

your eyes. That's an

So then nobody threw

My

little

brother

that's so wild

he piled

dirt.

and

is

dirt inside

order.''

dirt.

Billy,

he's

the one

always getting hurt,

an old

tire.

Then he

got in himself and sat there. "This boat," he said,

You

is

my

and he sat there for hours.

27

Then we started shovels but

we

and some cans were busy

We

digging".

got some pieces of board to dig with.

filling

The

and Russ, we hadn't dug

little kids. It

was

Sam found screamed, but funeral."

we

did

I

and Joe

in the dirt for too, just like

it,

a

the

fun.

a dead pigeon. I

kids

little

up old pots and dishes

with dirt and making cakes.

long time, but

had no

said,

The

girls

''We can have a

So the girls brought flowers

that they found in an ash can. After the

funeral they planted the flowers in the dirt,

be

and Margie

like a park.

Arleen

said,

^This

going to

Don't pick the flowers."

said, "If it's

a park there should

be benches for people to

28

is

sit

while they

mind the

kids/' So the girls

out of old boards. Joe and idea.

We

made benches I

had a better

dragged the old armchair up to

the top of the pile and took turns sitting in

it.

I said,

sit in it."

'Whoever

is

the President can

So every day another kid was

President.

He

could

sit in

the chair and

give orders.

One

day,

when

I

was

President, two of

the kids started throwing stuff at the dirt.

They threw rocks

to see

how

far in

they would go. Then one of them threw

a piece of glass.

29

I

No

said, ''Quit that.

g-lass in

the

Somebody could be digging with hands and get

it

was our

it

will

be

all

wasn't. It

was

rained.

it

I

like sand.

and

it

was better than

things out of

any more. After

thought, ''Now

mud and wash

of ran through It

it

dirt.

Then one day it

it.

I

You

Some

a

little

sort

wet.

could shape

made a man's head and it.

We started making houses We made streets and walls. city.

away." But

The water

left it

ever.

stuck an old hat on

a

their

cut."

So they didn't do all,

dirt.

in the dirt. It

was

like

kids brought toy cars and

trucks and ran them in the streets. Well, to

30

we kept waiting

happen

for something

to our pile of dirt, but

nothing

did, so

as

it

It

we

if it

We

forgot.

was

ours.

got to be winter, and the dirt got

hard as rock.

We played we were mountain

dimbers. Then

it

snowed.

We

for sliding down.

on

just thought about

was

It

built a

swell

snowman

top.

Then spring came and

One day Margie Stuff

is

it

started to

got warm. yell,

"Look!

growing!^'

31

m

'^m^m^M We

looked,

and there was green grass

on one side of the

Margie

Keep

off

dirt.

said, ''Don't

touch

it,

you

kids.

the grass." The kids took care

not to step on Margie's grass.

Then Arleen trees."

said,

''We ought to have

But where could we get trees?

One day Johnny found a can

He

painted

trees

on the wall

building next to the

lot.

It

was almost too good

is

what

32

my

to

It

of paint.

of

the

looked good.

be true, which

mother says sometimes.

Well, one day when we were playing, a car stopped, and some ladies got out.

A man I

was with them, the same Mayor.

said to the kids, ''Hide, quick." So

hid and watched. pile of dirt.

She

have

One

said, ''Mr.

The of

we

ladies looked at our

them got mad.

Mayor, you promised to

this place cleaned up,

but nothing

has been done." as

;>2M^

The Mayor gave orders

said,

''Yes,

to clean

it

I

remember.

I

up but somebody

delivered a pile of dirt instead by mistake. I

bet somebody else

that pile of

playing

allowed. It

is

The Mayor

We

will

have

put around

still

waiting for

dirt.''

Another lady still

is

said,

there.

"Those children are It

should

not

be

dangerous." said, it

"Yes, you are right.

cleaned up and a fence

it."

Joe whispered, "Are they going to take

away our

34

pile of dirt?"

Arleen

Two I

stuff

"Keep

said,

The

and

can't."

kids started to cry.

little

think."

'They

said,

you

still,

me

were pointing at our

ladies

arguing.

shaking his head.

Let

kids.

Mayor

The

kept

thought, "I have to

I

do something."

Then before I

marched

I

could think any more,

out. I felt as if

somebody was

pushing me, only nobody was. right in front of

them and

me, but please leave our

They said,

all

is

Who

walked

said, ''Excuse

stuff alone."

looked surprised. The

"What's this?

I said,

I

I

Mayor

are you?"

"I'm just one of the kids. This

our pile of

don't take

it

dirt.

We

play here. Please

away."

35

The Mayor

said, "Is it all right if

we

look at it?" I

and looked at

we want

said,

''You

"We

awfully scared. arrest

me

to say

it.

like I

it

we had

there.

children,

see,

this

way."

for talking like that. But I

was

I

thought maybe he could I

had

thought, "They are going to

away from

it

in the lot

to clean this place up."

said,

take

the stuff

all

The Mayor

I

So they went

said, ''Sure."

us,

nothing we can do. There

and there

is

nobody

to

is

help us."

But

all

"What

is

of a sudden

we heard a

voice.

the matter? Did the kids do

something?"

We all looked up leaning

36

out

of

and

it

was Mrs.

her window.

Giotto,

She

said.

It

"Wait, ril be right down." She slammed the window and in a minute she was

down. She had her apron on, and flour on her hands, as

She

said,

anybody. 38

if

she was making ravioH.

"Those kids are not bothering

You

leave

them

alone."

I

sure was surprised. She wasn't

at us after

all!

were surprised

One lady is

The Mayor and the

mad

ladies

too.

said, ''But don't

you

see, this

dangerous." Mrs. Giotto said, ''Nobody got hurt here

yet.

Those kids have no place to

You

should leave them alone."

Suddenly we heard another she's right.

play." It

play.

voice. "Yes,

The children need a place

to

was Mrs. Casey from 4D. Then

another lady came out of the building and said,

"The children were getting along

fine here."

Then the Super came ''Since

out.

He

said,

they have that dirt they don't

bother anybody.

It's

a

good thing for

them." 39

Then

I

my When

saw

from work.

mother coming- home she

saw the crowd

she got scared and ran to us. happened?'^

she asked.

"Was

"What

there an

accident?''

Arleen

said,

"We're

all

right,

Mama,

but they want to clean up our pile of dirt."

:^^^SjS<^H

Mama It's all

said,

''Clean

right the

And

suddenly

know!

They're

way I

it

up?

What

for?

it is."

thought, ''What do you

on

our

side!

They're

fighting for us!"

The Mayor looked

Then he looked smiled

all

at us standing there.

at his ladies.

And

then he

over his face.

x^^

He

"You know what?

said.

great idea. We'll

make

have a

I

a park here for

the kids."

Then

all

the grownups began to smile,

and nod their heads, and Mrs. Giotto

too,

said,

"Now

you're talking."

The Mayor

said, "We'll clean

it

up and

put in benches and swings and things to climb on. How would

you

like

that,

We stood there and couldn't say a

word.

children?"

It

was too sudden. But

said,

"What about our

The Mayor It's

gets

42

said,

hard to keep a all

Billy

spoke up.

He

pile of dirt?"

"Well, I don't know. pile of dirt clean. It

over everything."

Then care.

I

We

got brave and said, like it."

And

nodded their heads

all

'We

don't

the other kids

yes.

while and then So the Mayor thought a

he

said, "I tell

pile of dirt

you what. We'll move the

over to one side and put some

a fresh dirt on. We'll build

around

it,

and you can

'^And we'll to

wade and It

Margie

have

fence

it.

a wading pool for you

make

sail boats.

was our turn

still

little

How's that?"

to think a while.

Then

"What about the grass on And Johnny said, "What about

said,

the pile?"

the painting on the wall?"

The Mayor

said,

grass over, or

we

"We

could

move the

could give you some

43

seeds to plant

new

grass.

And

the painting.

We

could

even give you

we'll

more paint and you could paint the of the

keep

rest

wall.''

So we said okay. Well, the next

week the men got

work. They cleaned bulldozer

the

lot.

move the

Some

They put

it all

up.

They had a

dirt into the

of us got a ride on

in

to

back of it.

benches and swings, just

they said, and they put concrete pipes to crawl through, and big concrete animals like

hollow places underneath to climb on, with

where you could

just sit

They

and think

planted

wanted

to.

flowers,

and Margie put a

if

bushes little

you

and fence

planted her around her grass and even

own

flowers.

45

And we

painted the walls.

palm trees and all

kinds of

It is is

it

stuff.

it.

All the people on our block

to a party,

and they take care of

and don't throw junk

keep

46

and mountains and

a very good park, and everybody

proud of

came

lions

it

We made

clean.

We

in the park,

but

sure needed that park.

But sometimes

I

go there by myself,

or real early in the morning,

when

it

has

because that's just rained, or in winter,

when there around. I

And

pretend

aren't so I

make

it's

the

many

other people

believe.

way

it

used to be,

middle of just a big pile of dirt in the

empty

an

lot.

^/r o^ a.#

47

What can you do with a big pile of dirt? Climb up Slide

down

on

it.

Jump

in

Sit

it.

it.

it.

Have a lot of fun.

>v«k^

What can you do when someone wants to take your big pile of dirt

Fight for

away?

it.

And that's just what Mike docs.

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