Home Alone 2: Lost in New York pdfdrive com

December 22

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Oak Park

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Elementary School
7 P.M.
A little while later Kevin stood with the children's choir on the stage at his
school. Each member of the choir held a small glowing electric candle. Buzz
stood on a riser behind Kevin, and behind Buzz was a row of Christmas trees.
The auditorium was lit with holiday lights, and its walls were adorned with
wreaths, ribbons, and ornaments. The seats were filled with families of the choir
members, and Kevin spotted his parents sitting next to Uncle Frank and his wife,
Aunt Leslie.
Down in front of the choir, Ms. Wickersham, the silver-haired music teacher
who accompanied the choir on piano, smiled and nodded. The choir began to
sing:
"Christmas tree, my Christmas tree

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Lit up like a star
When I see my Christmas tree
Can loved ones be far?"
In the audience Kate watched Kevin and Buzz with great pleasure and pride. She
was especially excited for Kevin.
"Kevin's solo is coming up," she whispered to Peter. "Tell Leslie."
Peter leaned to his sister-in-law, who was even chubbier than Frank and had
frizzy bleached blonde hair. "Kevin's solo is coming up. Tell Frank."
Leslie leaned toward her husband, but saw that his head was tilted back, his eyes
closed, and his mouth agape as he snored loudly.
"Wake up!" she hissed, smacking him on the arm.
"Wha—?" Frank opened his eyes, startled.
"Kevin's going to do his solo," she whispered.
"Oh, great." Frank yawned and went back to sleep.
On the stage, the choir continued to sing:
"Christmas tree, I'm certain

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Wherever I roam

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The glow from your branches
Will light my way home."
Kevin swallowed nervously and straightened the knot of his tie. He'd never sung
a solo before such a large crowd before. Behind him, Buzz was also aware that
Kevin's big moment was approaching. As usual the little twerp was getting all
the attention, and it ticked Buzz off. If only there was some way he could mess
Kevin up . . .
Buzz had an idea, but it would take another electric candle. He grabbed one from
the kid singing next to him, and smiled to himself. This was going to be good.
In front of the choir, Ms. Wickersham nodded at Kevin and winked. Kevin took
a deep breath. This was it. His big solo. He began to sing:
"Christmas time means laughter Toboggans in the snow . . ."
Some of the audience started to smile and giggle, but Kevin tried to ignore them
and kept singing:
"Caroling together
With faces all aglow . . ."
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than a bunch of people burst out
laughing. Kevin's ears burned with humiliation. Even Ms.
Wickersham was grinning. Kevin forced the next lines of the song out:
"Stockings on the mantle,
A wreath on the door."
By now most of the audience was howling with laughter. Even the other kids in
the choir had joined in. Kevin couldn't believe how rude they were being. Could
his singing really be that bad? And why did his ears feel so hot?
"And my merriest Christmas

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Needs just one thing more . . .
People were laughing and pointing at him. Suddenly Kevin began to suspect
something and turned around. Buzz was holding two electric candles and
grinning like an idiot. Now Kevin knew why his ears felt so hot. That big jerk
had held the candles behind them, making Kevin's ears glow in the middle of his
big solo!
Wham! Kevin slugged Buzz in the stomach. The big dummy lost his balance and
fell into the other kids. The next thing Kevin knew, the whole choir started to
collapse like a bunch of bowling pins. The Christmas trees and wreaths crashed
down as kids grabbed for anything that would help them keep their balance.
Finally the entire chorus fell in on itself, forming a writhing mass of arms, legs,
electric candles, and Christmas trees.
In the audience Kate McCallister closed her eyes and shook her head in despair.
Why was it always her children who caused the worst scenes?

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