Russell laughed It was a funny thought If he was too big for his old jacket and pants then Teddy would certainly be too big So some of Russell’s old clothing was put away for Elisa to grow into Elisa was only three years old but when she got bigger she could wear lots of his outgrown clothes including his old yellow rain slicker Russell was glad that his slicker didn’t fit him any more He wanted to get a new one that was red because red was his favorite color His favorite toy cars were red and his bike was red too He even liked to eat red things like spaghetti with lots of tomato sauce or hamburgers with loads of catsup Mrs Michaels took Russell shopping for a new red slicker They went to four different different stores but they couldn’t find a red one 12
How about blue Mrs Michaels asked finally No said Russell I want red Yellow is a very popular color said the saleswoman Then No said Russell Mrs Michaels sighed Next week we’ll go to some other stores she promised But if we can’t find a red one I’m afraid you’ll have to settle for another color something wonderful-awful happened Russell’s grandmother saw a red slicker in the children’s department of a store near her home She knew that Russell liked red things the best So when she saw the red slicker she bought it for him and put it in a package and mailed it to Russell When the package arrived Russell was 13
very excited He usually received packages when it was his birthday which was in the spring But this was September and his birthday wasn’t going to come around again for months and months The red slicker was just the way Russell imagined it At least that’s the way it looked until he tried it on The coat came down almost to his ankles and the sleeves were so long that his hands were hidden Oh Russell This is much too big said his mother laughing We’ll just have to ask Grandma to return it No no shouted Russell I like it big It will keep me extra dry You won’t be able to move in it said his mother It is really a shame but you look a little like a circus clown No I don’t Russell protested But when he peeked in the bathroom mirror 14
