Read Online The Stupendous Dodgeball Fiasco by Janice Repka - Free Book Online Page A

his glasses. In one hand, he held the scratched lenses; in the other, the bent metal frames. Without his glasses on, Phillip was lucky he could even find his way to the courthouse after school. Twice he went down the wrong street and had to turn around.
    “Dodgeball?” Aunt Veola asked when she saw his bruised nose. Phillip nodded and handed her the broken glasses.
    “Uncle Felix can fix them,” she said. “He worked at an optical shop. One time he forgets to lock the door and, wouldn’t you know, burglars took all the inventory.”
    When they got home, Uncle Felix used a pair of pliers to straighten out the twisted metal.
    “It’s all a matter of holding the frames while you twist back with the pliers,” Uncle Felix said.

    Crack!
The left earpiece snapped off.
    “Or was it a matter of holding the pliers while you twist back with the frames?”
    Uncle Felix used a piece of red electrical tape to reattach the earpiece. He forced the plastic lenses back into the mangled frames and carefully set the glasses on Phillip’s nose.
    Plop!
The right lens fell out.
    Uncle Felix put the right lens back in and used the electrical tape to secure it to the metal of the frame. When he placed them back on Phillip’s nose, the only place to see through was a peephole in the middle.
    “You’ve got more red tape here than city hall,” said the lady at the optical shop as she unwrapped Uncle Felix’s handiwork to evaluate the damage. “Better look for a new pair of frames. These are beyond repair. We’ll have to replace the lenses, too.”
    When she gave them a price for the new glasses, Aunt Veola exclaimed, “Two hundred and forty-nine dollars! You can buy a lawn mower for two hundred and forty-nine dollars.”
    “True,” said the optical lady, “but he won’t be able to see a blackboard with a lawn mower on his nose.” Aunt Veola reached for her checkbook.
    “Do I have to pay it all up front?” she asked.
    “I’ll need at least fifty dollars down,” said the lady.
    Phillip squirmed. He wished he could tell Aunt Veola not to bother, that he could do without his glasses. The optical lady began filling out a form.
    “I’ll find a way to pay you back,” Phillip told Aunt Veola. “I promise I will.” It didn’t seem fair that Aunt Veola had to pay for his new glasses because B.B. Tyson broke his old pair. On purpose.
    The optical lady finished the paperwork and said, “It will take three or four weeks to get them.”
    Phillip was as disappointed as a ticket holder to a canceled show. He picked up the broken glasses and began rewrapping them.
    The next day at school, he tried to hunch slightly and walk with his head toward the wall. But it was hopeless.
    “Nice look, Coleslaw,” teased a boy.
    “You should have tried the back block,” said a girl.
    B.B. and Carmen spotted him going into science class. “You look like a clown,” said Carmen. “Why don’t you go back to the circus?”
    “Beat it,” B.B. told Carmen. “I want to talk to him alone.” As Carmen slithered off, Phillip felt a shudder run through him.
    “It’s about your glasses, Coleslaw. I—”
    “What’s going on?” asked Coach, who was suddenly behind them.
    “Nothing, Daddy,” said B.B.
    “Then you’d better get to class,” he said.
    In science class, Phillip kept hearing B.B.’s friend telling him to go back to the circus. Miss Castapio was talking about the Periodic Table of Elements, but Phillip wasn’t paying attention. Lulled by her hypnotic voice, his mind wandered back to his circus days.
    “Mr. Stanislaw,” called a woman’s voice. “I’m talking to you, Mr. Stanislaw.” It was Miss Castapio.
    Phillip shook his head to bring himself back. The kids laughed.
    “Didn’t you hear the message on the loudspeaker?” she said. “You’re wanted in the vice-principal’s office.”

I t’s difficult for a human cannonball to keep his cool while waiting to get blasted over a crowd of spectators. The temperature is