Read The Waffler for Free Online

be finding the treasure.
    â€œI know a kid in Mrs. Calhoun’s class!” said Jasmine. “Can she be my Buddy?”
    Mrs. Tuttle shook her head, “I’m sorry, Jasmine. Nobody will choose a Buddy. Those assignments have already been made. Now, we will line up single file. As we walk through the school, our noise level will be
zero
. Let’s go.”
    Monty and his class trooped down the stairs, out through the big double doors, and across the playground. From the outside, a satellite classroom looked a lot like a double-wide trailer, which was what it actually was. But inside, the room looked almost exactly like his old kindergarten.
    There was a big
Today Is
sign.
    TODAY IS: WEDNESDAY . (If you were student of the day, Monty remembered, you got to change this at morning meeting.)
    THE WEATHER IS: SUNNY . (You could change this, too, but only if the weather changed.)
    THE SEASON IS: AUTUMN . (This was boring because it only changed four times a year.)
    THE NEXT HOLIDAY IS: COLUMBUS DAY .
    There was also a giant pad of lined paper propped on a big easel, and written on it in were the words:
Today we are going to meet our Big Buddies. Your Buddy wants to learn all about you, and read you a book.
    The kindergartners were so excited they were squirming and wriggling, like the puppies in the Pet Emporium. Monty remembered how excited he was when he got assigned a Reading Buddy, three years ago. They got to go to the library all by themselves to hang out in the Reading Nook and read stories on the beanbags. By now his Big Buddy would be in middle school, in the eighth grade. It was strange to think that he himself had been a Little Buddy once, and now he was a Big Buddy. And someday he would be in the eighth grade.
    â€œMonty,” said Mrs. Calhoun. “This is Leo, your Buddy.” She spoke in a soft, singsong voice, just like his old kindergarten teacher. “You and Leo may go find a spot to read.” She gave him a smile and put Leo’s hand in his.
    â€œMonty,” said Mrs. Tuttle, in a voice that was not soft. “Make good choices.” She gave him a piece of paper for writing down what he learned about his Buddy.
    Leo’s hand was warm in Monty’s. He followed alongside like a little puppy as Monty led the way outside, which turned out to be the best part of the Expedition so far. While the weather was warm, they would be allowed to read outdoors, staying in one corner of the playground where the teachers could see everybody. Monty picked a spot on the top step of the stone amphitheater. On the piece of paper, Mrs. Tuttle had helpfully written a few fill-in-the-blanks. Fill-in-the-blank was boring but easy. The first one was
My Buddy’s name is ________________.
    â€œWhat’s your name?” asked Monty.
    â€œLeo!” said the kid with a grin. He had a big smile and big brown eyes, and a buzz cut.
    â€œI know. What’s your whole name? Like mine is Montana Greene.”
    â€œLeonard Schwarz the third,” said Leo. “I can write it.” He grabbed the pencil and paper from Monty and worked until he had written LEONARD SCHWARZ III.
    â€œHow come you’re the third?”
    â€œMy dad is Leonard Schwarz Junior and my grandpa is Leonard Schwarz,” explained Leo.
    â€œOkay,” said Monty. One fact down, four to go. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
    â€œOne sister,” said Leo. “Do you?”
    â€œThree,” said Monty. “Sort of.” He told Leo all about Sierra, his twin sister, and Audrey, his older stepsister, and Aisha, his baby half-sister.
    â€œYou have a lot of sisters,” observed Leo.
    â€œTell me about it,” said Monty.
    This was turning out better than he had expected. They got to be outside, with no other kids on the playground, and no clouds in the warm, blue sky. And Leo was a pretty funny kid. He complained that his older sister had been in fifth grade last year, and her