Kid Power Read Free Page B

the $7.50 I was going to earn on Saturday, that was $20.50 for just this month. And I was bound to get other jobs as well. If I earned just $1.00 a day extra for every day in the month, that would be another $31.00, which would put me at $51.50 for July. And if I made the same in August, I’d make over $100.00 in the summer, which would be more than enough for my bike. I was starting to understand why Carol never spent any of her money. It was more fun just running the figures through my mind and figuring out how much I’d be worth than buying a new comic book would be. Maybe I wouldn’t even get the bike. Maybe I’d just save and save until I had a huge amount of money saved, and then I’d do something spectacular with it. I couldn’t figure out just what I wanted all that much, but I was sure there would be something by the time I had the money saved.
    While I was at the library, I took out A Child’s First Book of Investments . It looked awfully dull, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to learn about tax shelters. I ran home and found there was nobody there. There was a note from Mom though saying “Carol’s out swimming. I’m checking out a possible job. Keep your fingers crossed.”
    I was kind of annoyed, even though I knew that was unreasonable of me. Suppose somebody had called with a job for me and there was nobody around to take the message? They might never call again, and then I’d be out the money.
    I spent the rest of the day waiting for the phone to ring, which it never did, and reading A Child’s First Book of Investments , which was even duller than it had looked at the library. When Mom came in, I ran downstairs, and asked her how the job interview had gone.
    â€œDon’t ask,” she growled.
    I thought of telling her about Mrs. Edwards right then to cheer her up, but I decided to let it wait until supper time, when Icould cheer Dad up with it, too. I helped Mom make supper and set the table for her. Carol had called saying she’d been invited to have supper at her best friend’s, so we made a big salad for the three of us. Carol doesn’t like salad as much as we do.
    â€œI got another job today,” I said, while we were serving ourselves. “I went over to Mrs. Edwards like Mom suggested, and for fifty cents a day, I’m going to run errands for her. That’s my senior citizen rate.”
    â€œThat’s very nice,” Mom said. She didn’t sound too cheered up.
    â€œMrs. Edwards even gave me some extra money today,” I said. “She said she was very impressed with my initiative and family spirit.”
    â€œWhat does family spirit have to do with anything?” Dad asked.
    â€œI told her about Mom getting laid off,” I said. “I guess she meant that.”
    â€œYou told her what?” Dad asked.
    â€œAbout how Mom got laid off and how you couldn’t afford my bike anymore,” I said, and bit noisily into a piece of celery.
    â€œGreat,” Dad said, disgusted. He put his fork down. “Now the whole town’s going to think we’re some kind of charity case.”
    â€œNow Art, don’t overstate it,” Mom said.
    â€œI’m not overstating it,” he said loudly. “Next thing you know Janie’ll dress up in rags and beg for contributions for her poor, needy family. Janie, when will you ever learn to keep your mouth shut?”
    â€œI just told Mrs. Edwards the truth,” I said. “I didn’t think we were keeping it a secret.”
    â€œWe’re not,” Mom said. “It’s just—well Dad thinks you might have made it sound like we need the money, and that’s why you’re doing these little jobs.”
    â€œWell, isn’t that why I am working?” I asked. “Because you can’t afford bikes for Carol and me anymore?”
    â€œI can’t see why you need new bikes anyway,” Dad said. “But if