Science Fair Project
FIRST
EDITION, February 2004
Little People Press,
All
rights reserved. No part of this book may
be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means without the expressed permission
of the author. John Canivan
SNOW & SUN
Thick snow on our back porch roof reflected the sunlight that
heated my room. The hissing radiator was unnecessary. I opened the double hung
and slid back the storm to let in the fresh smell of new snow. Dad was
downstairs going through a stack of bills on the kitchen table. He was mumbling
something about the price of oil.
“God dam oil prices”,
he said as he thumped up the stairs and pushed open my door. “What
the hell you trying ta do boy, heat the universe? Close that window or sleep
outside on the snow you like so much. Maybe you could write about the
experience.”
Sometimes fire came out of Dad’s mouth when he got angry.
Just because my sister, Brenda, was a child genius and my brother Tom was war
hero I shouldn’t have to bare the brunt of parental disapproval. A second hand
copy of The
Hobbit slid from a pile books on my desk. It opened to that page toward
the beginning of the book where the dwarfs set out on a nasty adventure and
Bilbo reluctantly joined them. I continued to stare out the window wondering if
my friend, Bilbo Cassidy ever actually enjoyed the adventures I dragged him
into.
“You gonna spend the day gawking, Son?” asked Dad.
“Well somebody
has to gawk. Snow is something to
gawk at. If you were snow and nobody gawked how would you feel?”
“Your sister
Brenda is busy with her science fair project shouldn’t you be working on
yours? By the way, son, what have you prepared for the big night? Hope yar not
planning on heating the Universe?”
“What’s wrong
with that?”
“Nothing, as
long as I don’t have to foot the bill.”
“Actually, Dad, I have
no plans and no project.”
“Well I got an idea for you, son. How about this new decking material
they came out with that replaces pressure treated wood?”
“Hey that sounds
great. Maybe Brenda can help me put that kind of project together.”
Dad looked confused and a bit upset when I decided to seek
Brenda’s advice on a construction product. After all he’s the home
improvement contractor in the family with all the scars, tattoos and broken
bones to prove it, but then Brenda’s the child prodigy who happened to have
skipped three years of schooling. She is the one we all go to with our problems.
Her computer was on and her printer was humming when I entered her room.
Brenda’s
Room
“What ya doing
Brenda? Need any help?”
“Nice of you to
offer Rudy, but I can handle it. Now tell me the real reason that you’re here.
Bet you’re still undecided on a project.”
I
tried weaseling and said I had no problem with original thought, but she knew I
was lying. Brenda locked her door and made me sit under the west window sill
where our house cat, Captain Midnight, spread out in the afternoon sun. An
outsider may think it strange to be dominated by a 12 year old girl and her cat,
but if you were in my family you’d understand.
“What’s important to you Rudy,” she asked
“I don’t know. Dad said I should do a report on pressure treated wood
substitutes.”
“Is that what you’re into.”
“Well I don’t know.”
“That’s what I thought. Your heart’s not into it.”
“So what can I do?”
“You can just sit there till you come up with something you feel good
about. Keep an eye on him,
I closed my eyes and wrinkled my nose and still nothing came.
“What are you doing,” asked Brenda?
“Chewing gum. Is there something wrong with that?”
“Gum is good. Do you chew it often?”
“All the time.”
“That’s true, come to think of it, I rarely see you without gum in
your mouth. You must really like gum a lot.”
I could tell that Brenda had an Idea. It was as though a giant light
bulb was glowing above her head.
“That’s it, she said, chewing gum. You should do your report on
chewing gum.”
“That’s silly. How can I do a science fair project on chewing gum?
“What’s so silly about it? My report is on the importance of washing
food. Do you think that’s silly?”
“Well yes. Why is washing food so important?”
“Let’s just say I think washing food is important. If you could see
all the germs on an apple you’d understand. If chewing gum is important to you
it’s your job to show the world why.
“But I don’t know anything about chewing gum”
“The internet can provide all the information you need. I’ll do a
yahoo search, for JPGs and some historical blurbs, but you’ll have to put it
all together. I bet Bilbo could help with the chemical formula stuff. What’s
he up to anyhow?”
Brenda always seemed to perk up when Bilbo’s name came
into the conversation.
“Why do you ask? Do you have the hots for Billy?”
“Of course not. I’m just curious.”
“I think you like the little mad scientist.”
“I do not, and if you don’t stop teasing I’ll tell Dad.”
“Dad knows Bilbo and I think he’d agree that you two would be a
perfect match.”
When I said that Brenda pulled a pillow off her bed and hurled it at me. I ducked, Captain Midnight got broad sided, and a loud screech filled Brenda’s bed room.
“GET OUT!”
I carefully sauntered over to the door, opened the lock and
stood on the threshold, facing Brenda for awhile until she calmed down. Then I
said:
“Touchy, touchy.”
That did the trick. Captain
Dad was waiting at the bottom of the steps with a concerned
look on his face.
“What was that sound?”
“Captain
“No the other one?”
“The slamming door?”
“That’s the one.”
“Oh, Brenda got upset when I suggested that she might be attracted to
Bilbo.”
“Women can be a bit touchy about romance, son that’s just something
you have to learn. Did Brenda help you gather up information on that
construction material we talked about?”
“Actually I decided on chewing gum for a topic.”
Dad appeared more disappointed than ever. He had hoped I
would reconsider, but if I did Brenda would beat me to a pulp the next time our
paths crossed. I wanted to please both my father and my sister so I came up with
the title: Chewing Gum or Chewing Wood.
I wondered what Bilbo would think of that title.
“Let me think on it Dad, I said. Could you wake me about
So I can talk it over
with Bilbo. I need to lie down for awhile first and think”.
“You got It, son. What’s Bilbo up to these days?”
“Same old save the world from the Oil Barons.”
“Ya mean he’s working on a fossil fuel alternative?”
“That’s right.”
“I bet his father is rolling his eyes.”
“Actually Bilbo’s dad encourages him.”
“That’s something else. Tell Bilbo I’m rooting for him too.”
“I will if you wake me at
“You got it son. Just keep your dam window closed.”
I took a solemn oath to keep my window shut in exchange for
a wake up call. I thought about Bilbo’s father, Mr. Cassidy, the oil man who
worked with Dad ever since Mrs. Higgins broke the toilet Dad installed. Dad said
any toilet would brake under that weight, but Mr. Cassidy insisted that it was
installed improperly. He was a good plumber though Dad felt his labor charges
were a bit steep.
Bilbo’s
dad delivered oil for a living and did a little plumbing on the side. It may
seem strange that an oil man would help his son with oil alternative research
but such was the case. When asked to explain Mr. Cassidy would say:
“I hope Bill does discover a cure for the energy crisis. Oil is too precious to burn.”
This nicely bound fully illustrated 8.5 x 11, 51 page, 6 chapter book is about a child's struggle for identity in an uncertain world. Will Rudy really do a science fair project about chewing gum? Will Brenda's project on washing food be acceptable. How about Bilbo? Do you think he'll really find a solution to the Energy Crisis?... and what about Sharon? You haven't met Sharon yet. Come to think of it you haven't met Bilbo.
This beautiful childhood story can be yours for just $15
(shipping included) for US & Canada.
For other areas on our planet the book + shipping is $
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