Aristotle Treefellow proves everybody right
Evan Caramel is very fond of reading and can often be seen with his nose in a book. He used to be just one of the bundle at school, until he had to start wearing glasses. Suddenly the other children didn’t know how to act towards him and started to avoid him.
On the last day of school the pupils were allowed to wear normal clothes to school instead of their uniforms. To keep them busy the teacher, Mrs. Butterglove, told them to make a fruit with modelling clay. Seeing the others making apples, oranges and bananas, Evan decided to make something different. When the teacher walked through the class looking at all the fruit, she stopped at Evans desk and inquired what he made. “It is a tomato”, Evan replied. “But a tomato is a vegetable”, said Mrs. Butterglove. The other children started to giggle when Buster Slydale teased: “Foureyes doesn’t know what a fruit is”, but quickly stop when the teacher looked at them. She told Buster to apologize. “I’m sorry”, he mumbled, but didn’t sound sorry. Evan wished the earth would open up and swallow him.
On the last day of school the pupils were allowed to wear normal clothes to school instead of their uniforms. To keep them busy the teacher, Mrs. Butterglove, told them to make a fruit with modelling clay. Seeing the others making apples, oranges and bananas, Evan decided to make something different. When the teacher walked through the class looking at all the fruit, she stopped at Evans desk and inquired what he made. “It is a tomato”, Evan replied. “But a tomato is a vegetable”, said Mrs. Butterglove. The other children started to giggle when Buster Slydale teased: “Foureyes doesn’t know what a fruit is”, but quickly stop when the teacher looked at them. She told Buster to apologize. “I’m sorry”, he mumbled, but didn’t sound sorry. Evan wished the earth would open up and swallow him.
Evan remembers reading in a book that a tomato is actually a fruit, but can’t remember which book. He spent hours during the school holiday going through books trying to find it, until one day towards to end of the holiday he eventually found it in a book about plants written by Prof. A. Treefellow.
Evan normally dreaded school, but today he was very excited about the first day back. He can’t wait to show the book to Mrs. Butterglove.
The teacher and the children were very interested in the book. “Well, well”, Mrs. Butterglove said, “one is never too old to learn something new. So a tomato might be culinary a vegetable, but botanical it is a fruit.” The other pupils were impressed by Evan for knowing this.
During break Buster approached Evan. “I’m sorry for teasing you”, he said and this time he meant it. “Don’t you want to come and play marbles with us?” he invited. Evan happily accepted.