Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue by Jacqueline Jules Read Free Book Online Page B

silver goggles again. Who gave them to me?

    My Uncle Jorge mailed presents sometimes. I looked at the padded envelope the goggles came in. The return address was Cleveland, Ohio. Uncle Jorge lived in New York. I didn’t know anybody in Ohio.
    There were no clues inside the envelope, either. Just more of that gray fluffy stuff that made me sneeze.
    It was a mystery I’d have to figure out after my homework.
    â€œHow was your day, Freddie?” Mom came through the door and smiled to see me with my math book open. “Anything exciting happen?”
    I told her about the squirrel. She thought it was so funny, I didn’t have to add anything else, like how I got a mystery package with silver goggles. Besides, Mom was excited to show me something.
    â€œLook what I bought for you on my lunch hour.” She held up an orange bathing suit with palm trees all over it. Orange was not my favorite color, and I wasn’t so sure about the palm trees, either.

    â€œIt was on sale,” she said.
    That didn’t surprise me. Mom loved sales. But why did she get me a bathing suit?
    â€œWhere am I going to wear it?” I asked.
    â€œSummer camp!” Mom said. “I signed you up!”
    â€œIsn’t that expensive?”
    â€œA little,” Mom admitted. “But your Uncle Jorge sent me some money to help pay for it. He wants you to learn how to swim.”
    â€œHe didn’t tell me that! We talked last week.”
    Uncle Jorge called me a couple of times a month to ask if I was still playing basketball and wearing my hair short like a soldier. My dad was a hero in the army. And ever since we lost him, Uncle Jorge helps my mom and me out whenever he can.
    â€œSummer will be here soon,” Mom said. “Only one month.”
    â€œYou’re right!”
    Camp didn’t seem like such a bad idea. And I’d always wanted to learn how to swim. It was a good skill for a superhero to have.

4. The Storm

    That night, just after I went to bed, we had a thunderstorm. It was a really loud one, the kind that sounds like horses stamping on the roof while some crazy cowboy shoots a rifle. My mom got a little scared, so I ran out of my bedroom to keep her company.
    Crash! Crack!
    â€œWhat was that?” Mom shouted.

    I thought about putting on my purple sneakers and silver goggles. Superheroes are supposed to be brave and check out loud noises. But it was dark outside, and mom looked like she needed me.
    â€œ No te preocupes. ” She touched my cheek. “Don’t worry. We’re together.”
    Another crash of thunder made us both jump. We hugged on the couch until all the roaring, pounding, and booming stopped. It was nice to have a mom to take care of.
    In the morning, I left the house with my purple zapatos on my feet, my wristband on my arm, and my silver goggles in my backpack. If there was a superhero job at school, I’d be ready.
    Mr. Vaslov met me at the stairs leading down to Starwood Elementary.
    â€œLook at that!” He pointed at the school.
    A huge tree had fallen, hitting the edge of the gym roof, making a hole. Mrs. Connor wasn’t going to be happy about this.
    â€œThe winds were really high last night,” Mr. Vaslov said.
    â€œAnd loud. I’m glad it’s over.”
    â€œThe storm is,” he answered, “but not the clean up. More trees could fall.”
    â€œReally?” I asked.
    Mr. Vaslov nodded. “Bad storms weaken them.”
    We talked about falling trees until Mr. Vaslov looked at his watch. “You’re going to be late, Freddie.”
    â€œNo, I’m not!” I said, taking off. “I have Zapato Power.”

    I walked into my classroom just as the bell rang. Everyone, including Mrs. Lane, was crowded around the window. At first we all looked at the big tree on the gym roof.
    Then Geraldo shouted. “Check out that squirrel!”
    â€œHe’s purple!” Jason called.
    â€œIt