3 Extra Credit

Extra Credit

"Science time!" said Mrs. D. "Let's go over your tests." Stink took out his test. He tried to cover up the big red X on the Pluto page with his elbow, in case Nick, the new kid in front of him, turned around. Stink stared at the back of the new kid. His head looked a little like a small, almost-round planet. Just then, Mrs. D. got a call from the principal. "Okay, class. Everybody take out your math workbooks and open to page 101. Keep working while I go talk with Ms. Tuxedo." "Teacher got sent to the principal's office!" somebody snickered. Planet Head Nick turned around. Nick showed Stink his test. Nick had a big fat red X on the Pluto page, just like Stink.

"I got skunked!" said Planet Head. "Me too!" said Stink, lifting up his elbow. "At my old school," said Nick, "Pluto was still a planet. This is so not fair." "Tell me about it. I was with the nurse getting my ears checked when Mrs. D. told about the NO PLUTO rule. And nobody, not even my best friends, Webster and Sophie of the Elves, told me."

"You can call me Skunk, by the way," said Nick. "And you can call me Stink," said Stink. "I thought I was the only person on the planet with a smelly name."

"Nope. And guess what? I like smelly stuff, just like my name." "Me too!" said Stink. "I was in a smelly-sneaker contest at my old school," said Skunk. "No way!" said Stink. "I got to judge a super- smelly-sneaker contest." "I smelled a durian fruit one time," said Skunk. "It's like the way-worst smell in the world." "P.U.," said Stink. "I want to smell a corpse flower someday." "Freaky-deaky," said Skunk. "Double freaky-deaky," said Stink. "At my old school," said Skunk, "back when there were still nine planets in the solar system, my science book had this neat trick about how to remember them." "My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas!" Stink and Skunk said at the same time.

"Now they'll have to think up a new one," said Skunk, "without the P for Pluto." "Let's see...." said Stink. "How about, My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nothing!" Skunk cracked up. "My Very Excellent Mother Just Said U Nerd!" Sophie said, joining. "Many Vampires Eat Mothballs Just So U Know," piped up Webster. "Those aren't even the right letters!" said Skunk, chuckling. "Many Vampires—" said Webster. "Eat Macaroni Jelly Sandwiches—" said Sophie. "Unless Naked," Stink finished.