How could a seven-year-old make Claudia feel so dumb?

"Now," Mrs. Wilder said, "Mrs. Wood usually comes at four o'clock to give a piano lesson, but she has the flu today so Rosie is using this time to practice. Wednesday is her ballet class and her violin lesson - which naturally won't concern you, Claudia - but on Thursday, her voice teacher and tap instructor both come at five-fifteen. Normally it's just her voice teacher, but Rosie has an important dinner-theater audition coming up. Her agent says she needs a solid song-and-dance number under her belt, so we decided both teachers should be present. And, let's see...Friday is science club, which meets after school, so you don't have to be here until a quarter to five."

"Wow!" I said. "What a lot of talents."

Ah-ha! A smile! It was faint, but Rosie's lips were turning up slightly.

Mrs. Wilder laughed. "Oh, that's not the half. There's also math club on Mondays and the advanced reader's group at the library every other Saturday. Not to mention our trips to New York for commercial auditions and tapings, modeling calls, agent meetings..." She rolled her eyes and wiped her brow. "Whew It's a full-time job. Right, honey?"

"Yeah," Rosie said, grinning.

Mrs. Wilder looked at her watch. "Oh dear, Come, Claudia, let me show you around the house. Then I've got to go."

I felt numb as I followed her. Math, science, tap dance, ballet, voice, violin - was there anything this girl didn't do? Was there anything we'd even be able to talk about? I wouldn't know Mozart if I fell over him in the street.

Somehow, I didn't think I'd be needing the Kid-Kit I'd brought along.

Mrs. Wilder gave me all the usual instructions. Being a trained baby-sitter, I made sure to ask about emergency phone numbers, spare keys, and a bunch of other things.

Then she left in a hurry, waving good-bye and blowing kisses to her daughter. And there I was, alone with Rosie Wilder, the genius of Elm Street.

Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street
Published by Scholastic Inc. 1996
ISBN: 059044970