Irina Cleans Her Room

Irina sat gingerly on the fluffy gray computer chair. She loved to e-mail her best friend, Maxine, and play trivia games.

"Meow!"

Irina looked down. Her white kitty jumped aboard the computer table. Irina laughed. "Wanna play too, Annie?" Annie nuzzled the computer.

"Irina! Check the chore chart, young lady!"

Irina rose from the chair. She walked to the chore chart. Her name was listed, for cleaning her closet, at seven AM. It was nine Am. "Mom, I was on the compu- . . ."

Mom cut her off. "Chores come before fun and games, Irina. Now, shut off the Oscar and clean your closet."

Irina glanced at the Oscar. The game list was on. Just then, Annie slipped, and pressed the mouse. A trivia game of the show "Perfect Angel" appeared on the screen. "Mom, it's just a few lousy shirts, skirts, and pants! Besides, a trivia game is on for "Perfect Angel!"

Mom looked frustrated. "Irina Jess Lashoka! Turn off that darn Oscar, or I will do it myself!"

Irina didn't budge, so Mom, filled with rage, went to the Oscar and shut it off. Irina stormed upstairs. She could smell turkey roasting, and biscuits. She went to her closet and sighed heavily. "Stupid closet," she muttered. She took a shirt and flung it on the bed. "Hey!" Irina cried. My old paddleball! I lost it about a year ago!" She dug around and found her old sweater, toy boxcar, stapler, and colored paper clip box. She straightened her clothes and picked up her paddleball.

"Irina! The Oscar's free!"

Irina glanced at her messy dress drawer, then thought about the computer. Drawer. Oscar. Drawer. Oscar. She went to her dress drawer and straightened them. She looked in her scrunchy drawer. "That looks messy," Irina said aloud. "So does that headband rack. And my beanie babies!" She arranged all her scrunchies by color: dark to bright. She arranged her headbands by brand names: satiny to cloth, vinyl to plastic. She arranged her beanie babies by animal, by alphabetical order. She looked at her room, which was sparkling clean. She went downstairs, and Mom checked her room.

"See, honey? When your room is so clean like this, it's enjoyable."

Irina smiled as she sat by the computer. She smiled again. The trivia game for "Perfect Angel" was still on.