2 FRIGHT AND EARLY

CHAPTER 2 FRIGHT AND EARLY Alexander's dad drove slowly down Main Street. "I'll look on this side, and you look on that side. This town must have a breakfast place." Alexander looked out his window. They passed a park, a bank, a comic-book shop... and then someone dancing like crazy on the sidewalk. Wait, it wasn't a person. It was one of those bendy balloon guys that businesses put out to attract customers. It was yellow, and it was

wiggling beside a sign that said NOW SERVING BREAKFAST! "Hey, Dad," Alexander said. "Here's a place." They parked next to the dancing balloon guy. NOW SERVING BREAKFAST!

SMACHK!

"Whoa!" Alexander jumped in his seat. The balloon guy had flopped right onto the windshield. It snapped back up and continued to dance. Alexander's dad shook his head. "You're jumpy today, Al. That's just a big bag of air." "I know," said Alexander, uncovering his eyes. "In fact," said his dad, "we should be happy to see this goony-balloony. Otherwise we might have missed this diner." He made a dopey face and wiggled his fingers at the balloon figure. "Thanks, balloon goon!" Alexander smiled. Then he walked the long way around the balloon and into the diner.