Bud, not Buddy! Chapters 10,11,12

Chapter 9 Bud eats breakfast alone and sets his stuff under the Christmas tree. Then he visits the same librarian who helped him before. Inside the library, Bud borrows a pencil and paper. The librarian remembers him and his momma and says she has a surprise for him. At a little table, Bud figures out that it will take him about twenty-four hours to walk from Flint to Grand Rapids. The librarian surprises Bud with a big book about the Civil War, which he spends the whole day looking at. Later, the librarian notices that Bud never left to eat, so she gives him a cheese sandwich. Bud says that ideas are like seeds, starting as tiny seeds and growing into giant trees. Bud remembers that his idea about Calloway being his father began when Bud saw the flyers and grew while Bud was being teased by Billy Burns, the Home bully. Billy Burns bet Bud that he didn't know who his dad was, and Bud lied and said that his dad was a big fiddle player.

Chapter 10 After beginning his walk westward, Bud notices that beyond the city of Flint, there are woods. He sees signs that mark the town lines, and he jumps, "In and out of Flint seven times" (10.2). Hey, maybe seven is his lucky number. As Bud walks, he notices all the sounds of nature and thinks about what is happening out there. Along the side of the road, Bud walks and ducks into the bushes when cars pass. But he gets pretty tired and stops doing it every time.

Chapter 10 Then a car that is passing by stops, and a man gets out to look for Bud in the bushes. Bud thinks this man must be in the army because of the look of his hat, and also because he is black. If he were white, Bud thinks, he might look like a cop. Hmmm, Bud is suspicious. The man calls out to Bud and says that neither of them should be in Owosso at two thirty in the morning. Seems dangerous.

Chapter 10 The man talks nicely and honestly to Bud and bribes him to come out with a sandwich and soda. Bud tries to convince him to leave the food and take off again, but the man doesn't buy it. Then Bud remembers his eighty-seventh rule from his Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself: if an adult ever tells you they need your help, get ready to be tricked…

Chapter 10 The man's problem is that he feels scared about being out in Owosso at night, and so he asks Bud what he is doing out there. He also asks Bud where is from and if he ran away from home. Bud thinks up a good lie and tells the man that he's from Grand Rapids. Bud goes ahead and drinks the soda.

Chapter 10

Chapter 10 The man grabs Bud's arm and walks him to the car, but they go back to get Bud's suitcase. Then Bud sees a box of blood in the front seat and wants to run away, thinking that the man is vampire. In the car, Bud locks his door and scoots over to the front and locks that door. Quick as a flash, Bud puts the car in gear and figures out how to go forward with the man chasing him.