Owen Foote, Mighty Scientist

by Stephanie Greene

  "Sure. Thanks."

  The minute Mr. Wozniak left, a group of kids crowded in around Owen and Joseph. They had questions. Lots of questions.

  Even without a white lab coat, Owen felt like a real scientist answering them.

  9. Side by Side

  The liberated tadpoles scattered into the murky water.

  "Say hello to your brothers and sisters for me!" Joseph shouted.

  "Good luck finding three shoes that match!" yelled Owen.

  He shook the last of the water from the plastic dish and scrambled back up the bank to where Joseph was waiting.

  "Boy, am I glad that's over," Joseph said.

  "Me, too," said Owen.

  They started back through the woods.

  "I can't believe Anthony's dad called Mr. Wozniak to complain about Anthony only getting second prize," Owen said. "I'd die if my dad did that."

  "Your dad wouldn't do it," Joseph said. "Anthony said the soil-erosion project that won stinks."

  "That shows you how much Anthony knows," Owen said. "It was cool."

  He picked up a sturdy branch to use as a walking stick and began peeling off the bark.

  "The gloves my mom got for me are great," Owen said. "It's not as scary now to hold Chuck. He's really calming down."

  "I still don't want to hold him," said Joseph.

  "It's not just Chuck, is it?" Owen said. He had never realized it before, but he knew it was true. "You don't like any lizards."

  "I only like them because you like them," said Joseph. "I don't want to hold them or anything. I'd rather hold my turtle."

  "That's the difference between us," Owen said. "No offense, but I think turtles are kind of boring."

  "That's why I like them."

  Owen was suddenly very happy. The woods had the earthy, damp smell of spring. The tightly wound buds at the end of every branch looked as if they were about to burst. He finished stripping the bark off his stick and jabbed it into the ground ahead of him as he walked.

  When they broke out of the underbrush onto the path, Joseph caught up to him so they could walk together.

  "You know, I don't care about being in Mr. Wozniak's class as much as you do," Joseph said.

  "You don't?"

  "Not really. It's the right place for you, but not for me."

  "Whose class do you want to be in?"

  "Ms. Holt's."

  "Really?" Owen was so surprised he stopped walking. Joseph did, too.

  "You actually want to sing?" Owen said. "And act in plays?"

  "I really do," Joseph said. "I'm going to be in the Chesterfield Voices next year."

  "You are?" Owen shook his head in amazement. It was one surprise after another. "But you get nervous when you even talk in front of people."

  "I don't when I'm singing or acting," Joseph said. "When I was in that play at camp, I wasn't afraid at all. It was like it wasn't me up there. It was someone else."

  "Cool." Owen started to walk again, more slowly this time. Joseph was giving him a lot to think about.

  "Maybe you'll be a famous scientist when you grow up, and I'll be a famous actor," said Joseph.

  "Yeah." Owen liked that idea. "And when they make a movie about my life, you can play me."

  "They'll have to use a double when it's time to hold the lizards," said Joseph.

  "Right."

  They laughed.

  "Want to go to my house and do mazes?" Joseph said.

  "It's too nice to be inside," said Owen. "Let's go to the tree fort. We still have some mazes up there."

  "Okay. You can hang your stick on the Weapons Wall."

  "Actually, it's a walking stick," said Owen. "Maybe we should start a collection of them."

  "Good idea," Joseph said. "I'll find one, too."

  Owen waited on the path while Joseph thrashed around in the bushes. Maybe he would be a famous scientist when he grew up, he thought. He wouldn't mind having his name in a book someday. A book that kids all over the world might read.

  And so what if he and Joseph weren't in the same class next year? If Owen was surrounded by animals all day and Joseph got to act, they'd both be happy.

  When school was over, they could still walk home together. They'd have more to talk about than ever.

  If that was what happened, fine, Owen decided. For now it felt good to be walking in the woods, surrounded by the smell of pine.

  Side by side with his best friend.