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Authors: Gary Paulsen
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one?”
“No. Like I said, she was calling to invite me personally.”
“Right. You were explaining why you were flying around the room.”
“Oh yeah. The phone rang that Melissa-type ring I was telling you about and I started for it because you know how she likes for me to get it on that all-important first ring.”
That statment had always baffled Dunc. He could never figure out why Amoswas so sure Melissa wanted him to answer the phone on the first ring when as far as Dunc knew she had never called Amos.
“I figured if I climbed out of the chimney, ran across the roof, slid partway down the drainpipe, crawled up the trellis and through my parents’ bedroom window, I could answer it with plenty of time to spare. Only I didn’t count on the antenna breaking off when I was halfway out of the chimney. When it busted, I dropped like a rock to the bottom of the fireplace. The antenna’s still stuck in there.”
“Did Amy catch you?”
“No, but her boyfriend, who wrestles grizzly bears for a living, did. He grabbed the rope and swung me around the living room until I barfed up everything I’ve eaten since I was four. Then he tossed me in the broom closet and pushed the bookshelf in front of it. I’d probably still be there, except my dad needed his snow boots.”
“That’s rough. Did anybody answer the phone?”
“Amy did. She told my parents some ridiculousstory about the principal of our school calling to say I’d won two tickets to the Winter Junior Championships. She’ll do anything to get rid of me.”
“Amos, I entered your name in that ticket contest.” Dunc sat up. “You must have won!”
• 2
“This is so great.” Dunc stared out the window of the bus. “I’m glad my parents decided I could go with you. Almost every country in the world will be represented at the Junior Championships.”
“Hrummp.” Amos folded his arms and slid down in the seat.
“What’s the matter with you? This is the opportunity of a lifetime. Aren’t you happy you won the contest?”
“No. I would much rather be back home at Melissa’s skating party.”
“I hate to bring this up, Amos, but you never actually got an invitation.”
“Are you trying to make a point?”
Dunc decided to take a different approach. “Think of it this way, Amos. In the future, Melissa won’t wait until the last second to invite you like she obviously did this time. Maybe she’ll stop taking you for granted.”
Amos thought about it. “You think that’s what she’s doing?”
“I’m sure of it. Your going to the Junior Championships instead of her party will teach her a lesson. When you get back home, she’ll probably grovel at your feet for forgiveness.”
Amos’s face brightened. “You think?”
“No doubt about it. Now let’s forget about Melissa for a while and concentrate on having a good time. This pamphlet”—Dunc took a glossy white piece of paper out of the folder in his lap—“says you get an ice-skating lesson from a top athlete and your picture taken with the winning bobsled team.”
“That should impress Melissa.”
Dunc frowned. “I thought we were going to think about other things, like having a good time.”
“You have fun your way and I’ll have fun mine.”
Dunc looked back at the brochure. “We’re also invited to a get-acquainted party for all the athletes.”
“Did you bring your camera?”
“Sure. Why?”
“I thought maybe Melissa might like some autographed pictures of me and some of the stars.”
• 3
“What’s first on the schedule?” Amos was sitting in the freshly painted lobby of the winter sports complex trying to read over Dunc’s shoulder.
“Ice-skating.” Dunc folded the itinerary and stuffed it into his pocket. “I still can’t believe we’re here. And the best part is, they’re actually letting us stay on the same floor as the Canadians.”
Amos cocked his head to one side. “I worry about you sometimes.”
“Seriously, Amos. We’re
“No. Like I said, she was calling to invite me personally.”
“Right. You were explaining why you were flying around the room.”
“Oh yeah. The phone rang that Melissa-type ring I was telling you about and I started for it because you know how she likes for me to get it on that all-important first ring.”
That statment had always baffled Dunc. He could never figure out why Amoswas so sure Melissa wanted him to answer the phone on the first ring when as far as Dunc knew she had never called Amos.
“I figured if I climbed out of the chimney, ran across the roof, slid partway down the drainpipe, crawled up the trellis and through my parents’ bedroom window, I could answer it with plenty of time to spare. Only I didn’t count on the antenna breaking off when I was halfway out of the chimney. When it busted, I dropped like a rock to the bottom of the fireplace. The antenna’s still stuck in there.”
“Did Amy catch you?”
“No, but her boyfriend, who wrestles grizzly bears for a living, did. He grabbed the rope and swung me around the living room until I barfed up everything I’ve eaten since I was four. Then he tossed me in the broom closet and pushed the bookshelf in front of it. I’d probably still be there, except my dad needed his snow boots.”
“That’s rough. Did anybody answer the phone?”
“Amy did. She told my parents some ridiculousstory about the principal of our school calling to say I’d won two tickets to the Winter Junior Championships. She’ll do anything to get rid of me.”
“Amos, I entered your name in that ticket contest.” Dunc sat up. “You must have won!”
• 2
“This is so great.” Dunc stared out the window of the bus. “I’m glad my parents decided I could go with you. Almost every country in the world will be represented at the Junior Championships.”
“Hrummp.” Amos folded his arms and slid down in the seat.
“What’s the matter with you? This is the opportunity of a lifetime. Aren’t you happy you won the contest?”
“No. I would much rather be back home at Melissa’s skating party.”
“I hate to bring this up, Amos, but you never actually got an invitation.”
“Are you trying to make a point?”
Dunc decided to take a different approach. “Think of it this way, Amos. In the future, Melissa won’t wait until the last second to invite you like she obviously did this time. Maybe she’ll stop taking you for granted.”
Amos thought about it. “You think that’s what she’s doing?”
“I’m sure of it. Your going to the Junior Championships instead of her party will teach her a lesson. When you get back home, she’ll probably grovel at your feet for forgiveness.”
Amos’s face brightened. “You think?”
“No doubt about it. Now let’s forget about Melissa for a while and concentrate on having a good time. This pamphlet”—Dunc took a glossy white piece of paper out of the folder in his lap—“says you get an ice-skating lesson from a top athlete and your picture taken with the winning bobsled team.”
“That should impress Melissa.”
Dunc frowned. “I thought we were going to think about other things, like having a good time.”
“You have fun your way and I’ll have fun mine.”
Dunc looked back at the brochure. “We’re also invited to a get-acquainted party for all the athletes.”
“Did you bring your camera?”
“Sure. Why?”
“I thought maybe Melissa might like some autographed pictures of me and some of the stars.”
• 3
“What’s first on the schedule?” Amos was sitting in the freshly painted lobby of the winter sports complex trying to read over Dunc’s shoulder.
“Ice-skating.” Dunc folded the itinerary and stuffed it into his pocket. “I still can’t believe we’re here. And the best part is, they’re actually letting us stay on the same floor as the Canadians.”
Amos cocked his head to one side. “I worry about you sometimes.”
“Seriously, Amos. We’re
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