10 The Slam Dunk

CHAPTER 10 THE SLAM DUNK Now the teachers start trying to sink me. Miss La Note, my music teacher, sings and misses. Then Miss Swamp, my art teacher, draws a blank when she throws. Even, Ms. Pluggins, the new computer teacher, takes a shot and short-circuits. I CAME CLOSE. I CAME CLOSER. I HIT THE TARGET, BUT NOT HARD ENOUGH.

Finally, Mr. Bender buys a chance. I think he remembered that I was the guy who hit him with the pie at the County Fair! He misses, too. PHEW! DETERMINED LOOK LOOK AT THAT WIND-UP. GREAT FORM SINCE YOU'RE THE PRINCIPAL, YOU CAN CROSS THE LINE.

I'm feeling really good. I've beat the system. No one is in line anymore. I do a little victory dance on my chair.

I have a big, dry smile. Just as I am getting ready to climb down, I see something moving by the mousetrap. Oh, no! A mouse! INTERESTING.

The little rodent puts one foot on the trap and —WHAM! I'm in the water, and so is the mouse! He's a pretty good swimmer. The water is not so cold. In fact, it's kind of fun. Everyone applauds as the mouse and I swim around. We're the hit of the school carnival and even get our picture taken for the paper. I hope we're on the front page. The headline will probably read: BIG AND LITTLE DIPPERS.

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! AWESOME! BRAVO! YEAH!