11 Ch11-My Buzzing, Bubbling Brain

Chapter 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 grow

up, I want to be a scientist like Mr. Docker. By the time I got to school, my brain was bubbling over with why questions. "Miss Daisy," I asked as soon as she

walked 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?" "I 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?" "Cool nerds," I said. "We 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 salad.

"Mr. Docker," I asked. "Why don't eggs break under a chicken? How come heavy boats can float but light rocks sink? Do cats have belly buttons?" "Whoa!" said Mr. Docker. "Slow down, A.J.!" "Why does my dad have hair grow- ing out of his ears?" I asked. "How do microwave ovens work? What would happen if I dropped a watermelon off the Empire State Building?" "A.J., I think I'm getting a headache," said Mr. Docker. "Where do babies come from, Mr. Docker? Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Why is water wet? How many toothpicks

can you make out of one tree?" "That's enough, A.J.!" said Mr. Docker. "Why do clocks go clockwise, Mr. Docker?" I asked. "Why do leaves change color? Why is ice slippery? If you don't milk a cow, will the cow explode?" "Stop, A.J.!" shouted Mr. Docker. "Why are bubbles round, Mr. Docker? Why do we sneeze? What's the difference between jelly and jam? How come when cartoon characters run off cliffs, they don't fall right away? Why do grown-ups like vegetables? How come some people can roll their tongues and other people can't? Where did Mr. Klutz's hair go? Why does the moon look bigger than the sun?"

"I can't take it anymore!" Mr. Docker shouted. Then he ran out of the room. His head wasn't even on fire but it was cool anyway.