The Last Straw Read Online Free PDF Page A

skateboard.] The caption reads: "SO LONG, SUCKERS!
    "WHIRRRR
    BUS STOP"
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    Well, I got the package today, but there wasn't a hovercraft inside. There was just a blueprint for how to BUILD a hovercraft, and I got stuck on Step One.
    [Image: A boy taking out the post from the box.]
    The caption reads: "Step One:
    Acquire an industrial twin-turbine engine."
    I just can't believe the people who write those ads can get away with lying to kids like that. I thought about hiring a lawyer to sue those guys, but lawyers cost money, and like I said before, the Cash Machine was a piece of garbage.

    Thursday

    Today, when I got home from school, Mom was waiting for me, and she didn't look too happy. It turns out the school sent home mid-quarter report cards, and she got the mail before I could intercept it.
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    Mom showed me the report card, and it wasn't pretty. Then she said we were gonna wait for DAD to get home to see what HE thought.
    [Image: A lady talking to the boy.,]
    Man, waiting for Dad to get home when you're in trouble is the worst. I used to just hide in the closet, but recently I figured out a better way to handle it. Now, whenever I get in trouble, I ask Gramma to come over for dinner, because Dad's not gonna act mad at me if Gramma's around.
    [Image: A lady and a boy talking on the phone.] The caption reads: "WHY, AREN'T YOU A DEAR?"
    At dinner, I made sure I sat in the seat right next to Gramma.
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    [Image: A man walks into the dinning room towards his family.]
    Luckily, Mom didn't mention my report card during dinner. And when Gramma said she needed to leave to go to Bingo, I tagged right along with her.
    [Image: The boy runs out of the dinning room leaving the man at the table alone.] The caption reads: "CATCH YOU GUYS LATER!"
    Escaping Dad wasn't the ONLY reason I went to Bingo with Gramma. I also went because I needed a surefire way to make some money.
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    I figured spending a few hours with Gramma and her Bingo friends was a pretty fair price to pay for a week's worth of snacks from the vending machine in the school cafeteria.
    Gramma and her friends are EXPERTS at Bingo, and they're real serious about it, too. They have all sorts of gear like lucky blotters and "Bingo Trolls" and stuff like that to help them win.
    One of Gramma's friends is so good that she memorizes all her cards, and she doesn't even NEED to use a blotter to mark them off.
    [Image: A man.]
    For some reason, tonight Gramma and her friends weren't winning like they usually do. But then on the "Cover All" game, I got every square. I yelled out "BINGO" real loud, and the clerk came over to check my card.
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    It turns out I messed up and covered a couple of squares that I shouldn't have. The clerk announced that my win was no good, and everyone else in the room was pretty happy that they could keep playing.
    Gramma told me not to call so much attention to myself if I called out "Bingo" again, because the regulars don't like it when a newcomer wins.
    I thought Gramma was pulling my leg, but sure enough, the regulars sent one of their ladies over to intimidate me. And I have to admit, she did her job really well.
    [Image: A lady , a boy and an old lady.]

    Friday

    Well, today wasn't exactly my best day ever. For starters, I flunked my Science test. So it probably would've been a good idea to have studied last night instead of spending four hours at Bingo.
    80
    I fell asleep in sixth period today, and this time I was out COLD-Mr. Watson had to shake me to get me to wake up. As a punishment, I had to sit in the front of the room.
    That was just fine with me, because at least up there I could sleep in peace.
    [Image: A boy sleeps on his chair behind the teacher in a class room.] The caption reads: "SNORE"
    I just wish someone woke me up when sixth period ended, because I didn't wake up until the NEXT period started.
    [Image: The teacher stares at the boy as the others laugh in the class.] The caption reads: "SNORK?"
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    The class I woke up in was