Mr. Docker Is Off His Rocker! Read Online Free PDF Page A

feet away, and he was holding a big, sharp knife. I looked at Ryan. Ryan looked at Michael. Michael looked at me. Andrea and Emily ran away.
    â€œAre you going to swap our b-b-brains?” I asked Mr. Docker.

    â€œWhat are you d-d-doing with that knife?” asked Ryan.
    â€œI’m peeling potatoes,” Mr. Docker said. “What’s that smell?”
    â€œI made a stink bomb,” Ryan said.
    â€œExcellent!” said Mr. Docker. “I’m glad you’re doing science projects at home.Welcome to my laboratory.”
    We looked around Mr. Docker’s garage. It was filled with lots of test tubes, jars of chemicals, and other stuff. But the thing that stood out was his car. It didn’t have a metal covering like a normal car. The whole thing was covered with…potatoes!
    â€œWhat’s that ?” Michael asked.
    â€œYou’re just in time,” Mr. Docker said. “I’ve been working on it for months and it’s finally done. Behold the Spudmobile!”
    The car was covered with rows and rows of potatoes. Each potato had wires attached to it that went to the engine. It was the weirdest-looking car I ever saw.
    â€œYou built a car powered by potatoes?” Ryan asked.
    â€œIt can also run on pickles,” Mr. Docker replied. “But I thought a Picklemobile would sound silly. Do you want a ride?”
    â€œSure!” we said as we climbed in.
    â€œIt has that new potato car smell,” said Michael.
    â€œWhat kind of mileage does this thing get?” asked Ryan, who knows a lot about cars.
    â€œAbout five miles per potato,” said Mr. Docker.
    He turned the key. The engine started up with a quiet hum. Mr. Docker pulled out of the driveway. It really worked!
    â€œMaybe someday all cars will run on potatoes,” Mr. Docker said. “They won’t have gas stations anymore. They’ll have potato stations.”
    â€œAnd if you’re out driving and you get hungry,” I said, “you can eat your car.”
    â€œThe possibilities are endless!” said Mr. Docker. “We could heat our houses with potatoes! Someday we’ll have potato-powered computers and TV sets.”
    â€œThey could have potato-powered toys,” I suggested. “Potatoes not included.”
    Mr. Docker let out one of his cackling laughs. That’s when I realized that he’s not an evil mad scientist at all. Mr. Docker is the coolest nerd in the history of the world!
    We turned the corner, and there were Andrea and Emily on the sidewalk.They were staring at the potato car with their mouths wide open, like they were looking at a ghost.

    â€œCheck it out!” Ryan shouted out the window. “We’re riding in the Spudmobile!”
    â€œPower to the potato!” shouted Michael.
    â€œNah-nah-nah boo-boo on you!” I shouted.

11
My Buzzing, Bubbling Brain
    I could hardly sleep that night. My brain wouldn’t stop thinking about Mr. Docker and his amazing potato car. Lots of why questions were buzzing around in my head. I decided that science isn’t nerdy after all. Science is cool! I don’t want to be a football player anymore. When I growup, I want to be a scientist like Mr. Docker.

    By the time I got to school, my brain was bubbling over with why questions.
    â€œMiss Daisy,” I asked as soon as shewalked in the class, “why do some people have curly hair and other people have straight hair? Why is grass green? Why is it called a pair of pants when you only have one of them?”
    â€œI have no idea,” said Miss Daisy, who doesn’t know anything. “I’m surprised to hear you asking all these questions, A.J. Didn’t you say science was for nerds?”
    â€œCool nerds,” I said.
    â€œWe have science this morning,” she said. “Maybe Mr. Docker can answer your questions.”
    I couldn’t wait to get to the science room. Mr. Docker was in there, eating potato