Ethan looked worried as he came into Kids Central.
"What's wrong?" Jason asked.
"I forgot to feed Blue this morning."
Blue was Ethan's new pet parrot.
"He'll be okay until you get home," Jason said.
Ethan nodded. "He had some food left in his cage.
But it's my job to take care of him.
Mom said I can't keep him if I keep forgetting stuff."
"Guess what, Ethan," Miss Shelly said.
"We're going to play a memory game today."
"I bet I know this game!" Izzie said.
"Each person adds something to a list.
The next person repeats everything in order.
Then that person has to add something new to the list."
"Right," Miss Shelly said.
"There are lots of different ways to play.
We're going to play using school as our theme."
Ethan slid down in his seat.
"I'm going to stink at this game," he thought.
Just then someone came into the gym.
Ethan saw it was Ms. Folani, the principal.
"What are you kids doing today?" she asked.
"We're about to play a memory game," Bobby said.
"Want to play?"
"Sure," Ms. Folani said.
"I can be the recorder."
"Great." Miss Shelly slid a pad and pen across the table.
"I'll start," Jason said.
"Before I go to school, I'm going to . . ."
He thought for a second.
"Brush my teeth."
Izzie was next.
"Before I go to school, I'm going to brush my teeth.
Then I'll comb my hair."
"This is easy," Nina said.
"Before I go to school, I'm going to brush my teeth.
Then comb my hair and tie my shoes."
Ms. Folani wrote down each item, keeping her list hidden.
"No peeking!" she said.
"I'm going to brush my teeth."
Bobby held up one finger as he listed each item.
"I'll comb my hair and tie my shoes.
Then I'm going to put my baseball glove in my backpack."
Izzie slapped a hand against her forehead.
"That's four things. The game is getting harder!"
Ethan closed his eyes to help him remember.
"Your turn, Miss Shelly," Nina said.
Miss Shelly smiled.
"I'm going to brush my teeth and comb my hair.
I'll tie my shoes and put my baseball glove in my backpack.
Then . . . I'm going to finish my homework!"
"You should do your homework the night before!" Jason said.
Everybody laughed. "That's right, Jason!" Ms. Folani said.
Jason looked at Ethan. "Your turn."
"I'm going to school and . . ." Ethan tried to remember the first thing.
"You can do it!" Bobby said.
Ethan took a deep breath.
He had to learn to remember things if he wanted to keep Blue!
"I'll brush my teeth, comb my hair, and tie my shoes." He looked at Bobby.
"I'll put my baseball glove in my backpack, and . . ."
He looked at Miss Shelly.
"I'll finish my homework."
"Yeah! You did it," everyone yelled.
"And then . . ." Ethan grinned.
"I'll feed my pet parrot!"