Ways to Make Sunshine

Ryan and Ray’s father reminds them to “be who we named you to be” (129) and to take care of each other as they leave for school the next morning. On the way to school, Ryan and Ray are quiet until Ryan apologizes, sincerely, for tricking Ray with the hot chicken wings. Ray forgives her and says that it was kind of funny even though his tongue is still numb.

At school, Ryan’s teacher tells her that she cannot make elephant ears for the talent show because she cannot use a deep fryer in the school. Ms. Barnes tells Ryan that she should be able to think of something else to make for the talent show that does not require cooking or frying, but Ryan still is unconvinced. Ryan shares her concerns with Ray that she will not be able to take part in the talent show and Ray helps her brainstorm other talents.

Feeling defeated, Ryan does not want to think about the talent show anymore, but once they get home Ray insists that Ryan should try out recipes that she could make at school. Ryan considers making her Blackberry-Lime Extravaganza smoothie and Ray suggests that Ryan add a vegetable to the smoothie to impress the adult judges. Ryan and Ray spend the evening taste-testing her smoothie with added spinach. When Ryan laments that she is not good at anything and has no talents, Ray corrects her: “You’re good at lots of things. It’s just that things you’re good at aren’t so easy to put on a stage” (133-134). He reminds her that she is good at sharing, helping, and being nice to others. As their mother tells them to get ready for bed, Ray makes up a rhyme about Ryan having “talent that matters the most” (134): her heart.

The next Saturday market falls on a rare sunny day in Portland which brings hundreds of people to the market. Ryan’s mom parks far away from the market and on their way in she and Ryan walk past a man begging for change or food. Ryan’s mom gives the man two dollars and tells him about a nearby shelter and another place that gives out free meals. The man explains that the soup kitchen only ever serves “lukewarm soup and rock-hard bread” (136) and thanks her for the money before walking away.

Amanda and Ryan help her mom set up her booth and then do a lap around the market. Ryan leads Amanda back to Scarves & Things so that Ryan can talk to the woman about the hairpin and see whether their families are connected. Ryan sees the woman and calls out “Did your grandmother live on Twenty-Third and Alberta Street?” (137). The woman, who introduces herself as Laura, tells Ryan that she does not know anyone who has lived there. Ryan shows Laura the hairpin and tells her about the canister. Laura explains that the hairpins were fairly common in the 1940s, but that she is sure the hairpins are in good hands with Ryan.

Disappointed at not getting any further towards solving the mystery, Ryan and Amanda walk away. Ryan tells Amanda that she has decided not to take part in the talent show because she feels she has no talent, which Amanda refutes. Amanda asks what she is going to do if she will not take part with a talent and Ryan says that she will act as an usher.

When Ryan gets home, she is surprised that Ray is disappointed to learn she did not solve the mystery and does not rub it in her face. He suggests that maybe Ryan should consider throwing the tin away or put it back in her closet. Ryan goes to bed wondering about the woman who left the tin behind, thinking that maybe she left it behind on purpose as a welcome gift to the next occupant of the house, and wondering if she should add to the tin herself.

Ryan looks forward to Rose Festival Month every year, but this year it looks like the Harts, Amanda, and her younger sister Zoe will not be attending the Grand Floral Parade because “none of us want to sit under a crying sky” (143). When Ryan asks her mother why they cannot buy tickets to sit inside the coliseum to see the parade begin, Ray cuts in saying that “We don’t have money for that, Ryan. You know that” (143). Their mother does not disagree, and states that the tickets are probably sold out anyway.

Ryan’s mother tells her to use her imagination to have fun inside the house. Back in her room, Ryan tells Amanda and Zoe that they will just have to have a parade inside. Ryan instructs Zoe to get her bin of stuffed animals out and to line them up against the wall while Ryan and Amanda go to the kitchen. Once there, they get all the food Mrs. Hart put away and place it in the picnic basket. In Ryan’s room, she tells Amanda and Zoe that they “need to make some sunshine” (145). Using construction paper, the girls cut out colored suns and clouds in every shade and tape them around Ryan’s room. Ryan turns on her lamp and adds Ray’s lamp as well.

Ryan then suggests they use Ray’s scooter for them to use as a “float” in the parade. Amanda tells Ryan that she should ride the float first as one of the Rose Festival Princesses, Ryan’s favorite part of the parade. Ryan explains her desire to one day be a princess in the Rose Festival Court alongside other public high school girls. Aside from exciting opportunities like visiting Pendleton and horseback riding, Ryan wants to be a princess so that she can talk to the mayor about creating a program that feeds the hungry of their community: “food that is healthy and so good, everyone will want to eat it. Not just starving people” (150). Ryan goes to her closet, pulls on her Easter dress, and puts one of the hairpins in her hair. All three girls take turns riding the float around Ryan’s room and break into dancing and singing until Zoe notices that the rain has stopped. Instead of explaining that they did not make the rain stop, Ryan continues dancing and singing to the next song.