Diary of a Wimpy Kid Read Free Page A

in the CD player, but I could tell she didn't want to be interrupted. So I just waited until she was done, and then I said, "Yes, ma'am."
    But right when Mrs. Craig was about to let us go, Rowley started blubbering about how he doesn't want rock and roll to ruin his "brains."
    [Image: A cartoon showing a boy blubbering in front of his teacher.]
    Honestly, sometimes I don't know about that boy.
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    Friday

    Well, now I've gone and done it.
    Last night, after everyone was in bed, I snuck downstairs to listen to Rodrick's CD on the stereo in the family room.
    I put Rodrick's new headphones on and cranked up the volume REALLY high. Then I hit "play."
    [Image: A cartoon showing a boy listening to music with headphone.]
    First, let me just say I can definitely understand why they put that "Parental Warning" sticker on the CD.
    But I only got to hear about thirty seconds of the first song before I got interrupted.
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    It turns out I didn't have the headphones plugged into the stereo. So the music was actually coming through the SPEAKERS, not the headphones.
    [Image: A cartoon showing a man shouting at the boy because of loud music.]
    Dad marched me up to my room and shut the door behind him, and then he said---
    [Image: A cartoon showing a man talking to the boy.] The Caption Reads: "Let's you and me have a talk, Friends."
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    Whenever Dad says "friend" that way, you know you're in trouble. The first time Dad ever said "friend" like that to me, I didn't get that he was being sarcastic. So I kind of let my guard down.
    [Image: A cartoon showing father and son.] The Caption Reads: "Friend = good"
    I don't make that mistake anymore.
    Tonight, Dad yelled at me for about ten minutes, and then I guess he decided he'd rather be in bed than standing in my room in his underwear. He told me I was grounded from playing video games for two weeks, which is about what I expected. I guess I should be glad that's all he did.
    The good thing about Dad is that when he gets mad, he cools off real quick, and then it's over.
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    Usually, if you mess up in front of Dad, he just throws whatever he's got in his hands at you.
    GOOD TIME TO SCREW UP:
    [Image: A cartoon showing a boy creating a mess in front of his father.]
    BAD TIME TO SCREW UP:
    [Image: A cartoon showing a boy creating a mess in front of his father.]
    Mom has a TOTALLY different style when it comes to punishment. If you mess up and Mom catches you, the first thing she does is to take a few days to figure out what your punishment should be.
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    And while you're waiting, you do all these nice things to try to get off easier.
    [Image: A cartoon showing a boy talking to his mother.] The Caption Reads: "I just dusted the dinning room for the Heck of it!
    How thoughtful of you!"
    But then after a few days, right when YOU forget you're in trouble, that's when she lays it on you.
    [Image: A cartoon showing a boy being scolded by his mother.] The Caption Reads: "are you having fun?
    Yeah
    No video games for a week"
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    Monday

    This video game ban is a whole lot tougher than I thought it would be. But at least I'm not the only one in the family who's in trouble.
    Rodrick's in some hot water with Mom right now, too. Manny got a hold of one of Rodrick's heavy metal magazines, and one of the pages had a picture of a woman in a bikini lying across the hood of a car. And then Manny brought it into day care for show-and-tell.
    [Image: A cartoon showing children in day care.]
    Anyway, I don't think Mom was too happy about getting that phone call.
    I saw the magazine myself, and it honestly wasn't anything to get worked up over. But Mom doesn't allow that kind of stuff in the house.
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    Rodrick's punishment was that he had to answer a bunch of questions Mom wrote out for him.
    [Image: A cartoon showing a boy and his mother.]
    Did owing this magazine make you a better person
    No
    Did owning this magazine make you a better person?
    No.
    Did it make you more popular at school?
    No.
    How do you feel