Chapter 3

Chapter three I don't want to brag, but of all the kids in our class, I'm sure Fred liked me best. When it was feeding time, three kids got to drop a live cricket into his tank. I didn't get a chance to feed him, but when I put my hand into his tank to change his water, he'd jump into my palm and sit there for a long time. On Thursday, when I put my face next to the glass, he hopped out from underneath the leaves. He jumped onto the glass next to my face and shot his tongue out, just like my dog, Cheerio, does when I come home from school. On Friday, I took over the job of misting his tank with water. When I did it, he hopped off his log and let the drops of water fall down on him

like a shower. People don't usually think of frogs as cute. But I'm telling you this: Fred was the cutest. Before lunch on Friday, Ms. Flowers told us it was time to pick who would get to take Fred home for the weekend. Katie Sperling raised her hand. "I nominate Hank," she said. "Everybody can see how much Fred likes him, and how well Hank takes care of him." "That's because they both have webbed feet," Nick McKelty shouted out. "And slimy skin." "Okay, that's enough, Nick," Ms. Flowers said. "Does anyone else have a nomination?" "Yeah," McKelty called out. "I nominate myself." Ms. Flowers wrote both our names on the board. "Boys, can you each tell us what would make Fred's visit to your house special?" Ms. Flowers asked. "Yeah," McKelty said. "I'll teach that slimy frog to dance. I'll show him some of my

awesome moves." "Like tripping over your own big feet?" Katie Sperling said. McKelty stuck his tongue out at her. It still had some of his yellow breakfast on it. "Hank," Ms. Flowers said. "Your turn." "Well, I don't know if I could teach Fred anything," I said. "But I sure would try to be his friend." "Very good," Ms. Flowers said. "Now can we take a vote?" Ashley asked.

Ms. Flowers hesitated for a minute, and I noticed she looked a little worried. "Before we vote, I want to remind you what a big job it is to take care of another living thing," she said. "Especially when you are in charge twenty-four hours a day." I could tell that Ms. Flowers was talking directly to me. I'm not always as responsible as I should be. I mean to do the right thing, but sometimes my brain takes a vacation and forgets. "Hank, if you win, are you sure you want to take on this responsibility?" Ms. Flowers asked. Frankie's hand shot up in the air. "Ashley and I live in the same apartment building as Hank," he said. "We will be right there if he needs any help." "Thank you, Frankie," Ms. Flowers answered. "That's being a good friend. So... all in favor of having Hank take Fred home, raise your hand." ( Every hand went up except one. I think you can guess who didn't vote for me. That's right.

Nick McKelty. He only got one vote and that was his own. Maybe next time he calls me a loser, he'll think about that!

When everyone else left for lunch, I stayed with Ms. Flowers to go over all the rules for taking Fred home. She called my mom at our deli, the Crunchy Pickle, and got her permission for Fred to spend the weekend with us. My mom even told her that my grandfather, Papa Pete, would come after school and bring one of our delivery carts from the deli so we could roll Fred's tank home. "It may smell a little like pickles and pastrami," my mom said. "I hope the frog doesn't mind." "Oh, he won't," I shouted into the phone. "Fred and I like the same things... except crickets. I'm not a fan of crunchy crickets." I could hardly wait for school to end. When the bell rang and all the kids filed out of class, Nick McKelty hung around just long enough to make a final nasty comment. "I bet you and the frog get married this