“Whatcha (你在幹)  doin’, Bradley?”  asked  Ronnie.

---

“He’s  reading,”  Bartholomew

replied  nastily (惡狠狠地).

---

“He  says  he

doesn’t  want  to  be

disturbed (被打擾).

---

He  thinks  he’s

too  good  for  us

now  that  he  does

his  homework.”

---

“Oh,  be  quiet

and  let  him  read

if  that’s  what  he

wants  to  do,”

said  Ronnie.

---

“Thanks,  Ronnie,”

said  Bradley.

---

“I  knew  you’d

understand (了解).”

---

“I  knew  you’d

understand,”  mimicked (模仿)  
Bartholomew.

---

Ronnie  understood.

---

She  knew  about  Carla.

---

Bradley  returned (回到)

to  his  book.

---

Uncle  Boris

and  Aunt  Ruth

are  married.

---

I  bet  you  thought

you  already  knew  that,

except  you’re  not  
as  smart  as  you  think

you  are.

---

They  were
my  uncle  and  aunt
even  before

they  got  married.

---

Uncle  Boris  is  my

mother’s  brother  and  Aunt

Ruth  is  my

father’s  sister.

---

They  didn’t  even  know

each  other  until  my

parents  got  arrested (逮捕)

for  stealing  the  elephant.

---

Then  they  both

came  here

to  take  care (照顧)

of  me.

---

Hah!

---

They  fell  in  love

and  got  married

a  week  later.

---

It  was  sickening (噁心)!

---

You’re  lucky  you

weren’t  here.

---

I’ve  been  cheated (被欺騙)

out  of  an  aunt

and  an  uncle.

---

If  they  had  each

married  somebody  else,

then  I’d  have  two

aunts  and  two  uncles.

---

Now  I  only  have

one  aunt  and  one  uncle.

---

Page  124

---

I  wonder  what  happened

to  the  aunt  and

uncle  I  don’t  have.

---

I  wonder  if  they

married  each  other,  too.

---

Bradley  looked  up.

---

He  tried  to  make

sense (有道理)  out  of

that  last  paragraph (段落).

---

It  made  him  think.

---

A  lot  of  parts

in  the  book  made

him  think.

---

That  was  one  of

the  things  he  liked

about  it.

---

It  made  him  think

about  his  father,  too.

---

About  why  the  man

who  shot  him wasn’t

in  jail.

---

There  was  a  knock

on  the  door.

---

His  mother  entered

holding  a  piece  of  paper.

---

“Oh,  you’re  reading,”

she  said.

---

“That’s  good.”

---

“It’s  a  good  book,”

he  replied.

---

“I  just  got  this

letter  from  the  Concerned

Parents  Organization,”  
she  said.

---

“There’s  going  to  be

some  sort  of  meeting

about  Miss  Davis,

your  counselor.”

---

Bradley’s  heart  fluttered (顫動).

---

“It  says  if  I

have  any  complaints (抱怨)

I  should  come  to

the  meeting.”

---

She  shrugged  her  shoulders.

---

“I  don’t  think  I

have  any  complaints.

---

She  seems  to  be

helping  you.

---

Do  you  have  any

complaints?”

---

“Oh,  no!

---

He  doesn’t  have  any

complaints.”

---

Claudia  laughed,  coming

in  behind  her  mother.

---

“He’s  in  love

with  her.

---

I  heard  him  say

it  to  his  animals.”

---

“What?”  
Bradley  exclaimed (驚呼)

in  a  very  high  voice.

---

Claudia  snickered (竊笑).

---

“Look,  Mom,  he’s

blushing!

---

That  proves  he

loves  her.”

---

Bradley  wished  he  could

crawl  under  his  bed

and  hide.

---

“It  doesn’t  prove  anything,”

said  Mrs.  Chalkers.

---

“Quit  teasing  your  brother.”

---

“Where’d  you  get  the

book,  Bradley?”

Claudia  asked,

---

like  she  already  knew

the  answer.

---

His  heart  was  beating

very  fast.

---

“Carla  gave  it  
to  me.”

---

“Carla  gave  it  to

him,”  Claudia  repeated.

---

“Well,  I  don’t  care

where  he  got  the  book,”

said  Mrs.  Chalkers.

---

“I’m  just  happy  to

see  he’s  reading  it.”

---

“The  only  reason  he’s

reading  is  because  he’s

in  love  with  his

teacher,”  said  Claudia.

---

“She’s  not  my

teacher,  she’s  my

counselor,”  said  Bradley.

---

Claudia  roared  
with  laughter.

---

His  mother  laughed,  too,

but  she  quickly  covered

her  mouth.

---

“I  didn’t  say  I

was  in  love  with

her!”  Bradley  insisted.

---

“We  were  just  talking

about  my  counselor,  not

my  teacher,  that’s  all!”

---

“Are  you  going  to

let  him  marry  her,

Mom?”  asked  Claudia.

---

Mrs.  Chalkers  smiled.

---

“Well,  I  don’t  know.

---

She  seems  like  a

very  lovely  girl.”

---

Bradley  felt  like  he

was  going  to  die.

---

His  sister  
was  hysterical (歇斯底里).

---

“So  you  don’t  have

any  complaints  
about  Miss  Davis?”  
his  mother  
asked  seriously,  
getting  back  to

the  letter.

---

“She’s  okay,”  he

said  without  emotion.

---

Claudia  snickered.

---

“Well,  then,  I  won’t

go  to  the  meeting,”

said  his  mother.

---

---

Page  126

---

“C’mon,  let’s  leave

your  brother  alone.”

---

“The  Concerned  
Parents  Organization

never  likes  anything,”

said  Claudia.

---

“They’re  always  
causing  trouble

at  my  school,  too.

---

They  want  to  turn

kids  into  robots.”

---

Bradley  watched  his  sister

and  mother  walk  out

of  his  room  and

shut  the  door  behind

them.

---

He  lay  down  on

his  bed.

---

His  face  was  on

fire.

---

“So,  I  love  her?

---

What’s  wrong  
with  that?”

---

“Nothing,”  said  Ronnie.

---

“They  just  
don’t  understand

about  love.”

---

The  door  opened  again.

---

Claudia  stuck  her  face

inside  and  said,

---

“If  the  Concerned  
Parents  Organization  
ever  found  out

Carla  kissed  you,

she’d  be  fired  for

sure!”

---

“Whatcha  doin’,  Bradley?”

asked  Ronnie.

---

“He’s  reading,”

Bartholomew  replied

nastily.

“He  says  he

doesn’t  want  to  be

disturbed.  He  thinks

he’s  too  good

for  us

now  that  he  does

his  homework.”

---

“Oh,  be  quiet

and  let  him  read

if  that’s  what  he  wants

to  do,”

said  Ronnie.

---

“Thanks,  Ronnie,”

said  Bradley.

“I  knew  you’d

understand.”

---

“I  knew  you’d

understand,”

mimicked  Bartholomew.

---

Ronnie  understood.

She  knew

about  Carla.

---

Bradley  returned

to  his  book.

---

Uncle  Boris

and  Aunt  Ruth

are  married.

I  bet  you  thought

you  already  knew  that,

except  you’re  not

as  smart

as  you  think

you  are.

They  were  my  uncle

and  aunt

even  before

they  got  married.

Uncle  Boris  is

my  mother’s  brother

and  Aunt  Ruth  is

my  father’s  sister.

They  didn’t  even  know

each  other

until  my  parents

got  arrested

for  stealing

the  elephant.

Then  they  both

came  here

to  take  care

of  me.

Hah!  They  fell

in  love

and  got  married

a  week  later.

It  was  sickening!

You’re  lucky

you  weren’t

here.

---

I’ve  been  cheated

out  of  an  aunt

and  an  uncle.

If  they  had

each  married

somebody  else,

then  I’d  have

two  aunts

and  two  uncles.

Now  I  only  have

one  aunt

and  one  uncle.

I  wonder  what

happened  to  the  aunt

and  uncle  I

don’t  have.

I  wonder  if  they

married  each  other,

too.

---

Bradley  looked  up.

He  tried

to  make  sense

out  of  that

last  paragraph.

It  made  him

think.

A  lot  of  parts

in  the  book

made  him  think.

That  was  one

of  the  things

he  liked

about  it.

It  made  him  think

about  his  father,

too.

About  why  the  man

who  shot  him

wasn’t  in  jail.

---

There  was  a  knock

on  the  door.

His  mother  entered

holding  a  piece

of  paper.

“Oh,  you’re  reading,”

she  said.

“That’s  good.”

---

“It’s  a  good  book,”

he  replied.

---

“I  just  got  this

letter  from  the

Concerned  Parents

Organization,”

she  said.

“There’s  going  to  be

some  sort  of  meeting

about  Miss  Davis,

your  counselor.”

---

Bradley’s  heart

fluttered.

---

“It  says  if  I  have

any  complaints

I  should  come

to  the  meeting.”

She  shrugged

her  shoulders.

“I  don’t  think  I  have

any  complaints.

She  seems  to  be

helping  you.

Do  you  have

any  complaints?”

---

“Oh,  no!  He

doesn’t  have

any  complaints.”

Claudia  laughed,

coming  in

behind  her  mother.

“He’s  in  love

with  her.

I  heard  him  say  it

to  his  animals.”

---

“What?”

Bradley  exclaimed

in  a  very

high  voice.

---

Claudia  snickered.

“Look,  Mom,

he’s  blushing!

That  proves

he  loves  her.”

---

Bradley  wished

he  could  crawl

under  his  bed

and  hide.

---

“It  doesn’t  prove

anything,”

said  Mrs.  Chalkers.

“Quit  teasing

your  brother.”

---

“Where’d  you  get

the  book,  Bradley?”

Claudia  asked,

like  she  already

knew  the  answer.

---

His  heart  was

 

Whatcha  doin’,  Bradley?

asked  Ronnie.

---

He’s  reading,

Bartholomew

replied  nastily.

He  says  he  doesn’t  want

to  be  disturbed.

He  thinks  he’s  too  good

for  us  now

that  he  does  his  homework.

---

Oh,  be  quiet

and  let  him  read

if  that’s  what

he  wants  to  do,

said  Ronnie.

---

Thanks,  Ronnie,

said  Bradley.

I  knew  you’d  understand.

---

I  knew  you’d  understand,

mimicked  Bartholomew.

---

Ronnie  understood.

She  knew

about  Carla.

---

Bradley  returned

to  his  book.

---

Uncle  Boris

and  Aunt  Ruth

are  married.

I  bet  you  thought

you  already  knew  that,

except  you’re  not

as  smart  as  you

think  you  are.

They  were  my  uncle

and  aunt

even  before

they  got  married.

Uncle  Boris

is  my  mother’s  brother

and  Aunt  Ruth

is  my  father’s  sister.

They  didn’t  even  know

each  other

until  my  parents

got  arrested

for  stealing

the  elephant.

Then  they  both

came  here

to  take  care

of  me.

Hah!

They  fell  in  love

and  got  married

a  week  later.

It  was  sickening!

You’re  lucky

you  weren’t  here.

---

I’ve  been  cheated

out  of  an  aunt

and  an  uncle.

If  they  had  each

married  somebody  else,

then  I’d  have

two  aunts

and  two  uncles.

Now  I  only  have

one  aunt

and  one  uncle.

I  wonder  what  happened

to  the  aunt

and  uncle

I  don’t  have.

I  wonder  if  they

married  each  other,

too.

---

Bradley  looked  up.

He  tried  to  make  sense

out  of  that  last  paragraph.

It  made  him  think.

A  lot  of  parts

in  the  book

made  him  think.

That  was  one  of  the  things

he  liked  about  it.

It  made  him  think

about  his  father,  too.

About  why  the  man

who  shot  him

wasn’t  in  jail.

---

There  was  a  knock

on  the  door.

His  mother  entered

holding  a  piece

of  paper.

Oh,  you’re  reading,

she  said.

That’s  good.

---

It’s  a  good  book,

he  replied.

---

I  just  got  this  letter

from  the  Concerned  Parents

Organization,

she  said.

There’s  going  to  be

some  sort  of  meeting

about  Miss  Davis,

your  counselor.

---

Bradley’s  heart

fluttered.

---

It  says  if  I  have

any  complaints

I  should  come

to  the  meeting.

She  shrugged

her  shoulders.

I  don’t  think

I  have  any  complaints.

She  seems  to  be

helping  you.

Do  you  have

any  complaints?

---

Oh,  no!

He  doesn’t  have

any  complaints.

Claudia  laughed,

coming  in  behind

her  mother.

He’s  in  love

with  her.

I  heard  him  say  it

to  his  animals.

---

What?

Bradley  exclaimed

in  a  very  high  voice.

---

Look,  Mom,

he’s  blushing!

That  proves

he  loves  her.

Claudia  snickered.

---

Bradley  wished  he  could

crawl  under  his  bed

and  hide.

---

It  doesn’t  prove

anything,

said  Mrs.  Chalkers.

Quit  teasing

your  brother.

---

Where’d  you  get

the  book,  Bradley?

Claudia  asked,

like  she  already

knew  the  answer.

---

His  heart  was  beating

very  fast.

Carla  gave  it

to  me.

---

Carla  gave  it

to  him,

Claudia  repeated.

---

Well,  I  don’t  care

where  he  got  the  book,

said  Mrs.  Chalkers.

I’m  just  happy

to  see  he’s

reading  it.

---

The  only  reason

he’s  reading

is  because  he’s

in  love

with  his  teacher,

said  Claudia.

---

She’s  not  my  teacher,

she’s  my  counselor,

said  Bradley.

---

Claudia  roared

with  laughter.

His  mother  laughed,  too,

but  she  quickly

covered  her  mouth.

---

I  didn’t  say

I  was  in  love

with  her!

Bradley  insisted.

We  were  just  talking

about  my  counselor,

not  my  teacher,

that’s  all!

---

Are  you  going  to  let  him

marry  her,  Mom?

asked  Claudia.

---

Well,  I  don’t  know.

She  seems  like

a  very  lovely  girl,

Mrs.  Chalkers

smiled.

---

Bradley  felt  like

he  was  going  to  die.

His  sister  was

hysterical.

---

So  you  don’t  have

any  complaints

about  Miss  Davis?

his  mother  asked

seriously,

getting  back

to  the  letter.

---

She’s  okay,

he  said

without  emotion.

---

Claudia  snickered.

---

Well,  then,

I  won’t  go

to  the  meeting,

said  his  mother.

C’mon,

let’s  leave  your  brother

alone.

---

The  Concerned  Parents

Organization

never  likes  anything,

said  Claudia.

They’re  always

causing  trouble

at  my  school,  too.

They  want  to  turn  kids

into  robots.

---

Bradley  watched

his  sister  and  mother

walk  out  of  his  room

and  shut  the  door

behind  them.

---

He  lay  down

on  his  bed.

His  face

was  on  fire.

So,  I  love  her?

What’s  wrong

with  that?

---

Nothing,

said  Ronnie.

They  just  don’t

understand

about  love.

---

The  door  opened

again.

Claudia  stuck  her  face

inside

and  said,

If  the  Concerned  Parents

Organization  ever  found  out

Carla  kissed  you,

she’d  be  fired

for  sure!