Big Bad Beans Read Free Page A

stacked up a pile of baseball cards between her money and his. Abby’s Mother’s Day money was on the left and his money was on the right.
    Super good!
    Now . . . he needed to find another used bike to buy. Everything would behoo-ray good, if he could.
    Quickly, Jason emptied his other pocket. Big, bad garbanzo beans were inside. He’d sneaked them off his plate at lunch.
    Surely Mom could come up with something better than yucky bean salads. But if not, he’d have to hide them in his junk drawer. They’d be fine there until trash day.
    Wednesday!

SIX
    It was Monday.
    Jason’s class lined up for art. They were making pop-up heart vases from construction paper. For Mother’s Day.
    Eric put glue bottles on each table. When he passed Jason’s table, he bragged about his new mountain bike. “I’m getting it in two days,” he said.
    Jason felt sick again. All the Cul-de-sac Kids had cool bikes. Even Dee Dee Winters.
    Abby sat across from him at the table. She was helping the new girl follow thepattern, fold, and cut the pages.
    Jason watched her do what she did best—help others. He wanted to thank her for helping him raise money for Eric’s bike. Eric’s dumb old mountain bike. The one he never bought!
    The word was out by morning recess. Eric had double-crossed Jason. Everyone knew about it. Even the little kids!
    Bossy Dee Dee warned Jason about eating chocolate bars with his leftover bike money. “You’ll spoil your mother’s plans for your health,” she teased.
    â€œMind your own business.” He turned away to find a soccer game.
    â€œIt’s not the only bike in the world,” Dee Dee said.
    Maybe to her it wasn’t. But Dee Dee hadn’t felt the smooth, shiny frame, its golden flecks smiling through the blue. She hadn’t heard the whir of its jazzy tire spokes.
    Br-ring! The bell rang.
    Everyone raced to the school. Everyone except Jason. He dragged his feet.

    After school on Wednesday, Jason went straight home.
    He tossed pieces of lettuce and three wrinkled garbanzo beans from his lunch into the junk drawer. His money and Abby’s money was safely hidden in the corner.
    Then he headed to Dunkum’s house. Time to help him practice Bible verses.
    Dunkum stood tall beside his desk.
    Jason sat on the bed, checking the words in the New Testament.
    â€œGalations 6:2: ‘Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.’”
    â€œYou said it perfectly!” said Jason. “Now what?”
    â€œLuke 3:11: ‘The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.’”

    â€œThat’s correct.” Jason handed the New Testament back. “Wow, I didn’t know the Bible said stuff like that.”
    â€œMe either,” said Dunkum. “Not till I found out at Abby’s church.” He headed for the garage.
    Jason followed. “So are you gonna do it?”
    â€œDo what?” Dunkum reached for his basketball.
    â€œYou know, share some real food with me. Like it says in the Bible,” Jason said.
    â€œOh, no, you don’t.” Dunkum shot two baskets. “I won’t be responsible for messing with your mom’s diet.”
    â€œBut it’s a real yucky diet. Garbanzo beans and lettuce—junk like that. Nobody knows how horrible it is.” Jason sat on an old bench in the corner. He watched Dunkum do his fancy footwork.
    Zing! The ball went right in. Perfect shot.
    â€œYour turn,” Dunkum said.
    â€œAre you gonna win the grand prize at church on Sunday?” Jason asked.
    â€œHope so,” Dunkum answered. He whirled around and swished the ball through the hoop.
    â€œWhat’s the prize?” Jason asked.
    â€œHot new Rollerblades,” Dunkum said, out of breath.
    â€œReally?” He bounced the ball and took a shot. In!
    â€œThat’s what