Twelve o'clock is around noonish, I believe. I picked up my lunch box and ran to the door. Then I lined up with my friends. And I waited to go. “It's almost time,” I told them very thrilled. “It's almost time for me to eat out of my brand-new lunch box!” I held it up for them to see again. “Which baby bird do you guys like the best?” I asked. “Pick one, okay?” My friend named José looked at the birds and shrugged his shoulders. “I don't know. I guess maybe I like the duck best,” he said. “Ducks can be funny sometimes. One time—when we were having a picnic at the lake—a duck chased my sister and stole her Ho-Ho.” My friends Lennie and Herb laughed real hard. They looked at my lunch box, too. “I think I like the owlet the best,” said Herb. “Me too,” said Lennie. “I saw a TV show on owls once. And an owl swallowed a giant rat in just one bite. He didn't even chew or anything.” After that, I stared at Lennie a real long time. ’Cause that disgusting story just ruined my owlet, that's why.
