7 Chapter 7

Chapter 7 "Oh no!" he cried. "I'm disgusting! I'm as gross as everyone says I am!" He went into the bathroom and wiped his finger with a tissue. Then he washed his hands using plenty of soap and water. He stayed in his room all afternoon. He stared at his report card, then turned to General Jackson, his pet lizard. "Well, at least it's true now," he told the General. "I'm the most disgusting kid in the whole world."

General Jackson stuck out his tongue. Marvin took his report card downstairs. His family was in the den watching TV.

"Here's my report card," Marvin said, then threw it on the floor. He walked out. "Wait a second!" said his mother. He stopped. "Come back here." He dragged his feet back into the den. "Now what did I do?" he asked. "Pick it up," said his father. The report card lay on the blue and white rug. "No," said Marvin. "Your father asked you to pick it up," said his mother. "You pick it up," said Marvin. His mother stared at him. He stared right back at her. He didn't know why he was doing this. He got his

parents mad at him before they even saw his report card. But what could you expect from the most disgusting kid in the world? Linzy picked it up. "Here, Marvin," she said. He took it from Linzy and handed it to his mother. Jacob looked at Marvin and slowly shook his head. "Can I go now?" Marvin asked. "No," said his father. He watched his mother read the report card. Then she handed it to his father. "What happened, Marvin?" his mother asked. His father was still reading it. "Nothing." "Something happened," his mother said. "I know you got in some sort of fight with Nick and Stuart. I thought it would pass. I figured you'd be friends again by now." "We didn't get in a fight," said Marvin. "They just don't like me." "Why not?" asked his father. "Because I'm disgusting. I'm the most disgusting kid in school!" His father read aloud from the report card. jmkfho. "Anti-social

behavior … Unsanitary habits. What did you do?" "I picked my nose!" Marvin shouted. "I'm the world's biggest nose picker!" Jacob cracked up. "Sorry, Mar," he said. "It's okay," said Marvin. "Everyone at school laughs at me too." "Do you want to tell us about it?" asked his mother. "There's nothing to tell," said Marvin. "I'm nine years old, and my life is ruined forever. Just because Clarence hit the ball over the line." He told them what happened, from the wall-ball game up until his report card. "Now even Mrs. North thinks I pick my nose." "What about Nick and Stuart," said his mother. "Surely they must know—" "They're afraid that if they stick up for me, then everybody will say that they pick their noses too!" "Well, if that's how they feel, then they're not really your friends," said his father. "Great," said Marvin. "I have no friends." "Maybe we should talk to Mrs. North," suggested

Marvin's mother. "And tell her you don't pick your nose." "She won't believe you," said Marvin. "The more you say you don't pick your nose, the more everyone thinks you do!" His parents looked at each other. "Jacob," said his mother. "You're close to Marvin's age. Has anything like this ever happened to you?" Jacob thought a moment. "I remember when I was in the third grade," he said. "There was this new kid. Larry Clarksdale. Everyone used to pick on him." "What happened?" asked his mother. "Uh, never mind," said Jacob. "What?" asked Marvin. "Well, I used to pick on him too," Jacob admitted. "I remember I once told everyone that Larry still wore diapers. He had to show everyone his underpants to prove he didn't." "That's awful," said his mother. "I know," said Jacob. "I still feel bad when I think about it." "So what happened to Larry?" asked his mother.