Help Me Get This Bike: Chapter 9
An Aladdin Goof: I Can Show You This Town
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Week 9 of "Help Me Get This Bike." This chapter marks an important turning point in Hudson's journey. While his initial goal was simply to earn money for a bicycle, we now see his priorities beginning to shift. The business itself is becoming his passion, rather than just a means to an end. It's a beautiful transformation as Hudson discovers his entrepreneurial spirit.
Stay tuned after the story for another round of "Are You Smarter Than Mr. Fluff Butt?"
If you’re new, here’s chapter 1
I can’t believe there’s only 1 more week left! Happy reading!
Chapter 9 - I Can Show You This Town
Cash on Hand: $369
I had the most amazing dream last night. I was floating on a magic carpet outside an ancient palace with a gleaming "BIKE SHOP" sign hanging over its marble columns. Instead of trying to woo a princess like in Aladdin, I was trying to convince the most beautiful red bicycle to come on an adventure with me.
"Come on, bike," I called out. "You don't want to spend your life trapped in some bike shop, do you?"
The bike was so shy, it actually turned its handlebars away from me! But I wasn't giving up. I showed off some tricks on the magic carpet, and slowly, the bike's curiosity got the better of it. When the carpet made a smooth ramp, the bike finally rolled up beside me.
That's when the music started. I couldn't help but sing, "I can show you our town..." as we soared over my school, my neighborhood, and even Mr. Fluff Butt's house. The bike seemed amazed by everything, using its handlebars like arms to point at all the sights. Just as the sun was rising and the bike started crying (yes, crying!) at the thought of going back, Dad's voice broke through: "Hudson, time for breakfast!"
Mom's blueberry pancakes were extra delicious that morning, maybe because I had such exciting news to share. When I pulled out my report card, Dad's eyes went wide at my A+ in math. I explained how running my pet business made math feel natural now – all those calculations with my pet-sitting money had turned me into a math whiz!
At lunch, Jimmy and I got talking about what his dad had said about dog walking being where the real money was. Jimmy pulled out a piece of paper and started doing some quick math.
"Look," he said, tapping his pencil on the paper. "If we switched from mostly feeding pets to walking dogs, and each of us had two group walks a day with four dogs each... at $15 per dog..." His eyes got wider as he calculated.
I leaned over his shoulder. "That's $120 per day just from the group walks. Times five days..."
"$600 a week!" Jimmy practically shouted. A few kids at nearby tables turned to look at us.
We sat there, minds blown by the possibilities. Even splitting it between us, that was way more than we were making now with our mix of pet sitting and feeding visits.
At this rate, I could buy a new bike … every week.
At the end of the week, I spread all my earnings records across my desk. Starting with $369, adding each day's pet visits, calculating Jimmy's cut, and tracking every dollar... my hands were shaking as I added up the final number.
The total made me so excited I could barely sit still.
I couldn't wait to tell Mom and Dad the final number, but first, I had to double-check my math. After all, this wasn't just about buying a bike anymore – it was about proving I could run a real business.
🐱 Are You Smarter Than Mr. Fluffbutt?🐱
Meow there, mathematicians! I heard you've been following Hudson's story. Pretty impressive how he keeps track of all that money from pet-sitting, right? But between you and me (and don't tell Hudson), I bet you could solve these math problems even faster than he does! Want to prove it? Try the quiz and see if you can beat my purr-fect score. Remember, I'm not just any cat – I'm a mathematical genius in a fur coat! Think you can match my skills? Meow bring it on!