more action, but a moment later the gator was wrapped up like a housefly.
“I think that’s a match,” said Mr. Cole.
“Lame battle,” said one of the spectators as the small crowd wandered off.
Dmitri carefully disentangled his robot while Rocky looked on.
“Cool otter,” I told her.
“You knew it wasn’t an alligator,” she said softly. “We named it Viddy. It’s the Russian word for
otter
.” She then took an icicle and stabbed me in the heart.
“Oliver’s spider is beautiful,” she said.
CHAPTER 16
“It’s all political correctness,” Oliver complained. The winning science-fair projects had to do with pollution, assistive technology, and solar power.
“You mean they favored positive applications of science?” Rocky asked.
“Exactly,” he said.
We were at Sidney’s on Saturday afternoon. We were the first ones there, and Sid was still busy getting things set up. He finally noticed us and came over.
“What can I get you guys today?” He pushed his paper hat back, ready with his pencil and notepad.
“DangeRoo,” I said. The burger stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeños.
“One Roo. Livin’ on the edge,” said Sid.
“Pig in a Pocket,” said Dmitri. The one stuffed with bacon and cheddar.
“Sidney’s classic,” said Oliver.
“Roo, Pig, and a Sid. What about the lady?”
Rocky was staring hopelessly at the menu. “Don’t you have a veggie burger?”
“You want a burger stuffed with veggies?” Sid asked, his face puzzled.
“No, I mean a vegetarian patty.”
“I’ve heard rumors there’s such a thing, but not here. How about Swiss cheese, mushrooms, peppers, and onions on a bun?”
“That sounds pretty good,” she said.
“One Supersid, no pocket,” he said, heading back to the kitchen.
“So tell me about your robot,” said Dmitri. “Where did you get the legs? I searched all the robot suppliers on the Web and couldn’t find anything like them.”
“We’ve got a source,” said Oliver.
“Lucky you,” said Dmitri. “Can I buy some supplies from your secret source?”
“Whoa, whoa, I didn’t hear that!” Sid said, returning with our Cokes.
“It’s nothing illegal,” I told him. “We’re talking about robots.”
“Oh man. You know there used to be a robot factory down the road?”
“Yeah. We know,” said Oliver. “My dad used to work there.”
“Oh.” Sid saw Oliver’s grave face. “Sad story. I’ll go make your burgers.” He split again.
“Secret parts or not, your robot was really cool,” said Dmitri.
“Your robot was pretty neat, too,” said Oliver. “Weshould have taken first and second place. Nobody cares about pollution or solar power.”
“I do,” said Rocky.
“Well, fine,” said Oliver. “In the bigger sense, so do I. But those projects didn’t do anything new.”
“I don’t see how it makes a difference,” said Dmitri. “All you get for winning is a ribbon, anyway.”
“But the winner goes on to district,” said Oliver. “And the winners from there can go on to a national competition. Some of them get scholarships and sponsorships. It can be worth tens of thousands of dollars.”
“OK, but I don’t see those prizes going to toy robots,” said Dmitri.
“You’re right.” Oliver fumed. “But some of us aren’t in it for the money.” Dmitri didn’t know how much those honors meant to Oliver.
“Well,
I’m
in it for the money,” said Dmitri. He pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to us. “And I want a rematch.”
Oliver glanced at it. It was a flyer for the robot competition at the mall. “We’re already entering,” he said. “Jim’s entering this year’s robot, and I’m entering last year’s robot. With some modifications, of course.”
“Oh. Well, I just found out about it. I wonder if Viddy has a chance?” He started to fold it up again.
“Wait,” I said. I took the flyer back. Dmitri had an updated version. “Check out the bottom line,”
“I think that’s a match,” said Mr. Cole.
“Lame battle,” said one of the spectators as the small crowd wandered off.
Dmitri carefully disentangled his robot while Rocky looked on.
“Cool otter,” I told her.
“You knew it wasn’t an alligator,” she said softly. “We named it Viddy. It’s the Russian word for
otter
.” She then took an icicle and stabbed me in the heart.
“Oliver’s spider is beautiful,” she said.
CHAPTER 16
“It’s all political correctness,” Oliver complained. The winning science-fair projects had to do with pollution, assistive technology, and solar power.
“You mean they favored positive applications of science?” Rocky asked.
“Exactly,” he said.
We were at Sidney’s on Saturday afternoon. We were the first ones there, and Sid was still busy getting things set up. He finally noticed us and came over.
“What can I get you guys today?” He pushed his paper hat back, ready with his pencil and notepad.
“DangeRoo,” I said. The burger stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeños.
“One Roo. Livin’ on the edge,” said Sid.
“Pig in a Pocket,” said Dmitri. The one stuffed with bacon and cheddar.
“Sidney’s classic,” said Oliver.
“Roo, Pig, and a Sid. What about the lady?”
Rocky was staring hopelessly at the menu. “Don’t you have a veggie burger?”
“You want a burger stuffed with veggies?” Sid asked, his face puzzled.
“No, I mean a vegetarian patty.”
“I’ve heard rumors there’s such a thing, but not here. How about Swiss cheese, mushrooms, peppers, and onions on a bun?”
“That sounds pretty good,” she said.
“One Supersid, no pocket,” he said, heading back to the kitchen.
“So tell me about your robot,” said Dmitri. “Where did you get the legs? I searched all the robot suppliers on the Web and couldn’t find anything like them.”
“We’ve got a source,” said Oliver.
“Lucky you,” said Dmitri. “Can I buy some supplies from your secret source?”
“Whoa, whoa, I didn’t hear that!” Sid said, returning with our Cokes.
“It’s nothing illegal,” I told him. “We’re talking about robots.”
“Oh man. You know there used to be a robot factory down the road?”
“Yeah. We know,” said Oliver. “My dad used to work there.”
“Oh.” Sid saw Oliver’s grave face. “Sad story. I’ll go make your burgers.” He split again.
“Secret parts or not, your robot was really cool,” said Dmitri.
“Your robot was pretty neat, too,” said Oliver. “Weshould have taken first and second place. Nobody cares about pollution or solar power.”
“I do,” said Rocky.
“Well, fine,” said Oliver. “In the bigger sense, so do I. But those projects didn’t do anything new.”
“I don’t see how it makes a difference,” said Dmitri. “All you get for winning is a ribbon, anyway.”
“But the winner goes on to district,” said Oliver. “And the winners from there can go on to a national competition. Some of them get scholarships and sponsorships. It can be worth tens of thousands of dollars.”
“OK, but I don’t see those prizes going to toy robots,” said Dmitri.
“You’re right.” Oliver fumed. “But some of us aren’t in it for the money.” Dmitri didn’t know how much those honors meant to Oliver.
“Well,
I’m
in it for the money,” said Dmitri. He pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to us. “And I want a rematch.”
Oliver glanced at it. It was a flyer for the robot competition at the mall. “We’re already entering,” he said. “Jim’s entering this year’s robot, and I’m entering last year’s robot. With some modifications, of course.”
“Oh. Well, I just found out about it. I wonder if Viddy has a chance?” He started to fold it up again.
“Wait,” I said. I took the flyer back. Dmitri had an updated version. “Check out the bottom line,”
Similar Books
