Tarantula Toes (2 page)

Dunkum looked worried.

“I'll have Pinktoes by tomorrow,” Jason said. “Then you'll see how brave I am.”

“Tomorrow? That soon?” Eric said.

Before Jason could answer, Eric hopped on his bike and rode away.

Dunkum did, too.

Jason wasn't surprised. Some kids were just 'fraidy cats. But not him. He was going to be brave. He was going to be the bravest kid in the world.

Besides, no one else had a zoo in their bedroom.

No one else had a pink-toed tarantula. All the way from South America.

Not one single Cul-de-sac Kid did. Not one!

I'll be the only tarantula keeper around
, he thought.

He could hardly wait.

TWO

At last, it was Saturday.

Tarantula time!

Jason awoke early, even before his parents.

Rolling over, he found the newspaper ad. Right where he'd left it—under his pillow!

He burst out laughing. Dunkum and Eric would shake with fear. They'd shiver and shake if they knew. He was sure they would.

Whoever slept on a picture of spiders?

Kids with courage. That's who!

Just then his father called to him. “What's so funny over there?”

His dad was up. Yes!

Jason rushed into the hallway. He stood at his parents' bedroom door. “Ready for a visit to the pet store?” he asked.

His mother made funny little noises. She sounded half asleep.

The door opened.

Mr. Birchall was wearing a bathrobe. “You're up too early, son,” he said.

Jason pushed his glasses up. “Because I can't wait. Let's go get my spider!”

His father smiled and headed for the kitchen.

Jason was right on his heels. “C'mon, let's go NOW!”

“Are you really sure about this spider purchase?” Dad asked. “Have you thought it through?”

Jason couldn't believe his ears.

“Of course I'm sure,” he said. “The
tank's all set up. Everything's ready.”

“And you followed all the directions?”

Jason nodded. “I followed everything exactly right.”

Dad smiled. “And you'll be very careful if you decide to handle your new pet?”

“
If
I do? I KNOW I will!”

His father put a firm hand on Jason's shoulder. “You must be gentle, son. Tarantulas are delicate pets.”

“I'll be the best spider keeper ever,” Jason promised. “You'll see.”

Jason got dressed for the day. In a hurry. He heard his dad humming in the shower.

Bacon-and-egg smells floated from the kitchen.

“Today's tarantula day,” he told his mother.

“What a brave one you are,” she said. “I don't know how you even look at those
spiders. And to think one of those hairy things is coming to live in my house.”

“Pinktoes will live in
my
bedroom,” Jason reminded her. “He'll stay in his tank . . . most of the time.”

Mrs. Birchall's hand flew to her throat. “Most of the time? Don't you mean
all
of the time?”

“Oh, not when I'm showing him off,” Jason explained. “Sometimes he'll be on display.”

His mother's eyebrows arched. “Oh?”

“There's nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.”

“I hope not.” She wiped her forehead. “I really do.”

At breakfast, Jason and his parents talked even more. All about the spider.

“He needs cork bark to climb on,” Jason said.

“We'll buy some today,” Dad said. “Crickets too.”

“I'll dig for earthworms after lunch,”
Jason suggested. “A tasty treat for a tarantula.”

“Good thinking,” Mother said. She wrinkled up her nose. The subject of worms was a no-no at the table.

“Uh . . . sorry, Mom,” Jason said.

“It would be much better if we talk
after
we eat,” she said.

A wink came from Jason's father.

And Jason understood.

But gross stuff didn't bother him. Not one bit. Worms or crickets, spiders and frogs were just fine.

Any old time!

THREE

The ride downtown took forever.

Rush. Faster. Hurry . . . hurry
, thought Jason.

Even the light stayed red too long.

Jitter, jitter. Jump, jerk
. Jason couldn't sit still.

“Excited?” asked his dad.

“Pinktoes comes home today!” Jason said.

Then he spied the pet shop sign.

His father parked the car. “Have you told your friends yet?” he asked.

“I told only two.”

“Boys?” His father was grinning.

“I told Dunkum and Eric. They promised not to tell it around,” Jason explained.

“So it's a secret?”

“A super-spider super-secret!” Jason said. He leaped out of the car and raced to the pet store.

Inside, a large glass tank was waiting. A tiny tan spider was perched in the corner.

Pinktoes was nowhere to be seen.

“Where's my spider?” Jason wailed.

The clerk hurried over. “May I help you?”

“Where's Pinktoes?”

“Wait one moment,” said the clerk.

Jason took off his glasses and twirled them on his finger. He jittered and jived.

“Someone bought my spider,” he fussed. “Bought him out from under my nose!”

His father shook his head. “Don't worry, son. Here comes the store owner.”

A tall man smiled at them. “We're getting more pink-toed tarantulas in on Monday.”

“
Two
more days? That's way too long,” Jason said.

“Sorry about the wait,” the man said. “I'll be happy to put your name on one.”

“
My
name?” Jason looked at his dad.

“He means he'll save one for you,” his father explained.

“Oh . . . sure, that would be great!” Jason burst out.

But he didn't feel great inside.

Nope.

Dunkum and Eric would never believe this. They'd think he was fooling about getting a super-spider. They'd say he was making it all up.

“We'll be back on Monday,” Jason's father said.

“Right after school,” added Jason. “And not a minute later!”

His father nodded.

The pet store owner waved.

And Jason scuffed his feet to the car.

The ride home went too fast.

All green lights.

Phooey
.

Jason scooted down in the front seat. He didn't want Dunkum and Eric to see him. Not without Pinktoes.

How will I tell them?
he thought.

Then he had an idea. He'd say that Pinktoes was crawling home. He'd say that the tarantula was last seen headed this way. A big, black tarantula was on the loose. Headed for Blossom Hill Lane!

That's what Jason decided.

It was a whoppin' big lie.

But Dunkum and Eric would be scared silly.

FOUR

The car was hardly in the driveway.

Here came Dunkum and Eric, running.

Rats!
thought Jason.

Dunkum called to him from behind a tree. “Where's your big, mean spider?” he said.

Jason glanced over at his dad. He didn't want him to hear what he was going to say.

“Hello, boys,” his dad said, waving at Dunkum and Eric. Then he went inside the house.

Jason got out of the car. He stood tall.
Now he could tell his made-up story.

“I thought you were buying a hairy monster,” Dunkum said. “Where is it?”

The boys stayed close to the tree.

“And
I
thought you were too scared to see it,” Jason replied.

“Well, we're not,” Eric said. “We're braver than you think.”

Jason lowered his voice. “Well, if you really wanna know, he's on the loose. And coming this way!”

Eric looked around. “I don't see anything.”

“You just wait,” Jason said. But he felt funny inside.

Dunkum scratched his head. He inched close. “You mean your pet spider is crawling here? To Blossom Hill Lane?”