Gum-fight at the Quick Stop (7-9)

Josh Talbot stood before the mirror in the bathroom, brushing his teeth with bubblegum-flavored toothpaste. The lather dribbled down his chin and he closed his eyes, breathing in the smell he loved.

Stepping into the hall, Josh stood outside his twin sister Tiffany’s bedroom. He removed a package of gum from his pocket and blew a big bubble—then doubled it—then tripled it. BANG!

Tiffany screamed and threw open her door. She stood glaring at Josh. She took a big breath and said calmly, “I’m not going to get mad at you. I just can’t understand why you have to blow bubbles all the time.”

“It’s cool,” Josh said, stringing out the remains of his burst bubble.

On the walk to school, just about everyone had fat jaws and puckered mouths. But it was Josh Talbot who attracted an admiring crowd outside the Quick Stop with his super bubbles.

“That was the biggest yet,” said Tad.

“Awesome,” said Randy.

“Man, I’m gooood!” said Josh, grabbing a handful of air and pulling it down.

“You’re the world’s greatest bubble-blower,” said AJ.

“Time for one more bubble before school,” said Tiffany, with a sideways glance at her friend, Crystal.

“Why are you egging him on, Tiff?” said Crystal, in a whisper.

Tiffany spoke behind her hand. “I would love to see him get all gummed up. That would put a stop to this bubblegum craze.”

“That’s the last bubble,” said Josh, leading the way to the trash can. “I’d like to see Ryan Bates beat that.” He spat loudly.

Josh fancied himself the bubblegum king. All the world—that is the whole fourth grade—were his subjects. Josh loved being looked up to. Just imagine his surprise at lunch on Friday when Ryan Bates strutted into the cafeteria and threw his napkin down in front of Josh. (The class had been studying Medieval knights, so Ryan knew how to present a challenge).

“You can blow the biggest bubble? Not! I’ll be at the convenience store at 3:15 on Friday. Be there or be square.”

Josh picked up the napkin, with a snort. Of course, he accepted the challenge.

Word got around. All the 4th-graders planned to be there. And they all took sides.

It was mostly guys who were pulling for Josh. It wasn’t just Tiffany who thought Josh needed to be taken down a peg or two; some of the other girls did, too.

“Josh acts like he’s boss of the world lately,” said Crystal.

“He thinks he’s cool,” said Tiffany.

By 3:10 on Friday, a crowd had gathered outside the Quick Stop. Randy was biting his nails and AJ’s palms were sweating. All the kids held their breath. They had never seen two knights square off before.

Ryan emerged from the store first. He unwrapped a piece of gum and stuck the pink square into his mouth. Then another. And another. And another.

The group let out a collective “gasp.”

Josh stepped out the door. The two duelists faced off. Josh did as Ryan had done, stuffing piece after piece after piece of bubble gum into his mouth.

The silent watchers breathed in the familiar sweet fragrance.

A quiet “ahhh” passed through the crowd.

The two contestants were chomping hard on their rubbery weapons. They were both getting red in the face. The moment of truth edged upon them. Whose wad would be the first to explode from the cavernous jaws? Which boy would draw first?

It was Josh. Slowly at first, and then with increasing size, a little pink film protruded from between his lips. As Josh’s bubble grew, Ryan began the opposing bubble.

Both balloon-like globs were getting big—bigger and BIGGER. The boys sucked in air through their noses and cautiously expanded the size of their bubbles. It was hard to tell who was winning, first one and then the other bubble moved into the lead.

Suddenly the door of the convenience store opened. Out emerged a humongous bubble. It was followed by Tiffany. Her bubble was twice the size of either boy’s.

Josh was so startled that he sucked all the air out of his bubble and it deflated with a “gussssh” and covered his chin.

Ryan was very agitated but he kept blowing short bursts of air, whuu, whuu, whuu. With a POP, his bubble exploded over his face. More than their bubbles were flat. The boys had lost their cool.

The onlookers were stunned. The bubble of silence burst. The guys laughed, hooted, and pointed their fingers at Josh and Ryan.

The girls danced a circle around Tiffany. There was cheering for the winner of the bubble gum challenge: “Tiffany!” “Tiffany!”

“Hoo-ay for Tiffany!”

~The End~