My　mom　took　an　hour　off　work　to　be　one　of

them。

Tim　Pello　was　basket　boy　number　five；　and　his　mom　actually　bid　on　him。　No　kidding。　She

jumped　up　and　down；　yelling；　“Twenty！　I'll　give　you

twenty！”　Man；　that'll　brand　you　for　life。　Lucky　for　Tim；　Kelly　Trott　came　up　with　twenty…two　fifty

and　saved　his　sorry　self　from　everlasting　torture　as　a

mama's　boy　—　one　of　the　few　fates　worse　than　basket　boy。

Caleb　Hughes　was　up　next；　and　he　fetched　the　Boosters　all　of　eleven　fifty。　Then　came　Chad

Ormonde；　who　I　swear　was　ready　to　pee　his　pants

when　Mrs。　McClure　made　him　step　forward。　She　read　his　card；　pinched　his　cheeks；　and

raked　in　fifteen　even。

At　this　point　what　stood　between　me　and　the　auction　block　was　Jon　Trulock。　And　I　wasn't

exactly　interested　in　what　he　had　in　his　basket　or　what

his　hobbies　and　favorite　sports　were。　I　was　too　busy　scanning　the　crowd　for　Jumbo　Jenny；

sweating　my　pits　off。

Mrs。　McClure　calls　into　the　microphone；　“Do　I　hear　ten？”　and　it　took　me　a　minute　to　tune　in　to

the　fact　that　no　one　said　“Ten！”　No　one　said

anything。　“e　on；　out　there！　The　lunch　is　delicious。　Strawberry　tarts；　um　…”　And　Mrs。

McClure　goes　back　to　reading　off　the　three…by…five　about

Jon　Trulock's　lunch。

Talk　about　embarrassing！　This　was　worse　than　being　a　mama's　boy。　Worse　than　lunch　with

Jumbo　Jenny！　How'd　he　get　voted　basket　boy　if

nobody　wanted　to　have　lunch　with　him？

Then　off　to　the　right　of　the　crowd　I　hear；　“Ten！”

“Ten？　Did　I　hear　ten？”　Mrs。　McClure　says　with　a　fluttery　smile。

“Twelve！”　came　a　different　voice　from　the　same　area。

The　first　voice　came　back　with　“Fifteen！”　and　all　of　a　sudden　I　recognized　who