儿童英语读物 The Ghost at the Drive-In Movie CHAPTER 5 A Popping Good Idea

The children hadn’t had any luck finding clues at the theater that morning. They were glad when Uncle Flick 1 and Grandfather offered to take them out to lunch in Oakdale. The Aldens knew they needed a break.



On their way into town the children watched the signs and billboards 2 along the way.



“Wow,” said Jessie. “I’ve counted three billboards for Dan Brinker’s Auto 3 Emporium!”



As they drove into town, they could see even more ads for Dan’s business. One was painted on the side of a building. There was even a sidewalk bench painted with the words



WHY WAIT? GET SPEEDY DEALS AT BRINKER’S AUTO.



“He’s everywhere!” Henry said, laughing.



“He certainly is,” said Uncle Flick. “He’d put an ad up on the water tower in the middle of town if he could!”



Grandfather found a parking spot in front of a family restaurant.



“I can’t wait to have lunch!” Benny said as they walked up to the door of the restaurant.



“You’ll have to wash your hands first,” said Henry. “What on Earth did you get on them?”



Benny looked down at his palms, which were covered with gritty red-brown dust. “I don’t know!” he said.



Jessie took Benny’s hand and looked closer. “It looks like rust 4. I bet you got it when you were playing on that old metal ladder behind the movie screen.”



“Oops,” said Benny. “I’ll wash up!”



At the restaurant table a few minutes later, Jessie smiled as Benny reached for a basket of rolls with clean hands. It reminded her of something she’d noticed the day before, but she couldn’t remember what.



The waiter brought out bowls of macaroni and cheese, bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwiches, and salads with big croutons. Everything was so good, they forgot about the strange things that had been happening at the drive-in theater. It wasn’t until lunch was nearly over that Uncle Flick even mentioned the theater at all.



“I’ve got some news to share,” he said. He put down his napkin. “This afternoon I’m visiting the bank. I’m going to talk to my banker about selling the Diamond Drive-in.”



Benny stopped with his fork in the air. Violet, Jessie, and Henry fell silent, too.



“Is there someone who wants to buy it, Flick?” Grandfather asked.



“As a matter of fact, there is,” Uncle Flick answered. “Dan Brinker.”



Grandfather raised an eyebrow 5. “That car salesman? He wants to run the movie theater?”



“That’s what he told the banker,” said Uncle Flick.



“He told us he loves movies!” Benny said.



Uncle Flick nodded. “I know it seems a bit odd that Dan would want to run the theater. But he seems to love the place. And he’s a good businessman, too. I trust him.”



“Yes, but—” Jessie spoke 6 up. “What about Joey? Couldn’t he run the theater? He’s almost old enough.”



Uncle Flick looked thoughtful. “I would be so happy if Joey took over the business. But I don’t think he wants to. He works hard, but he’s always disappearing on the job. I think it means he doesn’t want to be there. But Dan, on the other hand—he comes to the theater because he likes it. Of course, I haven’t made my final decision. That will take time. This is only the first meeting with my banker.”



“It’s a big decision,” Grandfather said.



The children agreed.



While Uncle Flick met with the banker, the Aldens went shopping along the main street of the little town. Then they all drove back to the drive-in theater in the afternoon.



As the minivan drove up along the road at the edge of the theater, they saw something was very wrong. There was a police car parked by the snack bar! Grandfather drove straight across the lot to the little building.



Joey and Amy were standing 7 near the police car taking with the policewoman. Uncle Flick rushed over to join them. The Aldens could see that Joey looked very upset.



“There’s been another prank 8! It’s the worst yet,” he cried.



The Aldens, Uncle Flick, Joey, and Amy walked with the police officer around the kitchen of the snack bar. It was a mess! The refrigerators had been unplugged and left open for hours, and the food inside was spoiled. Someone had dumped oil all over the popcorn 10 bags and ruined them. Worst of all, the cord to the popcorn machine had been cut.



“Joey! Why weren’t you keeping an eye on things?” Uncle Flick shouted.



“Now, Mr. Fletcher,” the policewoman said. “Your nephew tells me he came in here at the same time he always does, and he found it this way. Whoever did this broke in here hours ago.”



“They must have done it when we left to go to lunch,” Jessie said.



“Sometimes I come in here early,” Joey said. “I wish I’d done that today! Maybe if I had, I could’ve stopped the person who did this! But I was off working on … something else. I wish I’d been here earlier!”



The children saw that Joey felt just awful. Maybe he really did care about the movie theater, more than Uncle Flick realized.



“It’s all right,” Uncle Flick told Joey, patting him on the shoulder. “We never thought someone would do something like this.”



“But what do we do now?” asked Amy. “The theater opens in less than two hours. The popcorn machine is broken, and we won’t have any food to sell!”



Jessie opened a cabinet door under the counter. Inside was a big bin 11 full of popcorn kernels 12. “Uncle Flick,” she asked. “Can this popcorn be popped on the stove?”



“Sure it can,” said Uncle Flick. “Popcorn’s popcorn!”



Jessie looked around at her brothers and sisters and said, “We’ve got an idea.”



A few minutes later, the Aldens, Uncle Flick, and Joey were in the kitchen at the Fletcher house. They had brought the popcorn and a bottle of oil. They searched the kitchen cabinets and found two very big pots. Henry measured the oil and soon one of the big pots was heating up the kernels. It wasn’t long before they heard the first pop! The pops came faster and faster. Pop! Pop! Pop-pop-pop-pop! Then Henry started heating up the second pot.



“We’re going to need a really big bowl!” said Benny.



“No, something even bigger!” said Jessie. “Big like a bathtub!”



Uncle Flick brought in a very large plastic storage tub. “I just bought it to store holiday decorations,” he said. “Though it’s not quite as big as a bathtub.”



“It’s big enough to be my bathtub!” Benny said.



When the first batches 14 of popcorn were finished, Henry dumped them into the tub.



“What are we going to put on it?” Violet asked. “Is there enough butter in the fridge?”



“No, and it’s too messy anyway,” said Jessie. “I have a better idea.” She had gathered things from the pantry—Parmesan cheese, herbs, spices, salt. She poured a little of each into a plastic bag, then shook the bag. She sprinkled the mixture over the popcorn. Everyone tasted it.



“Delicious!” said Uncle Flick. The others agreed.



“Now all we have to do is make a lot more!” said Jessie.



Violet found an old coffee can and made holes in the plastic lid to make a big shaker for the popcorn seasoning 15.



While Joey and Henry worked at the stove popping popcorn, Violet shook seasoning mixture over the popcorn while Jessie scooped 16 it into small paper bags. Then Grandfather and Benny loaded the golf cart with the bags and drove them to the theater.



Uncle Flick lined them up on the counter of the snack bar to sell. He put up a sign that Violet made. It said:



No snack bar service tonight.



We are sorry!



But please enjoy fresh cheese popcorn!



Only 75 cents a bag.



By now the drive-in theater had opened for the evening. The customers who came to the snack bar were surprised to see the sign, but they were glad to have popcorn.



“It’s delicious,” said one woman. “And such a good price.”



The children and Joey worked in the kitchen of the Fletcher house for another hour, popping as much popcorn as they could. When there was one last big batch 13 in the tub, they took it over to the snack bar, where it would be ready to be scooped into bags. And Benny had found something even better than bags.



“Wow,” he said, holding up two of the plastic buckets that said GET SPEEDY DEALS AT BRINKER’S AUTO on them. “These are perfect for popcorn!”



“You’re right, Benny,” said Jessie. She spotted 17 Dan Brinker walking by the snack bar. She grabbed one of the buckets and ran after him. “Mr. Brinker! Do you have any more of these buckets that we can use for serving popcorn?”



“Sure,” said Dan. “I’ve got plenty more! I’ll dash across the street and bring them over in a jiffy!” He winked 18 and hurried off.



“Thanks!” Jessie called. She turned around and went back inside the snack bar. She helped her sister and brothers serve popcorn while Joey rang up customers.



Uncle Flick grinned. “You really saved the day, kids,” he said.



“We’re glad we could help,” said Violet.



“Maybe I can help, too,” said a voice from the doorway 19 of the snack bar. It was Mr. Duke. He was carrying a cooler and a bag of ice. “I … I heard what happened. And I brought over some soda 20 from my stand.”



Uncle Flick scratched his head. “Why, thank you, Duke. But you know, I’m letting folks bring in food from your place tonight. You didn’t have to do this.”



“I know,” Mr. Duke said. “But I’m sorry about last night, too. I lost my temper. And I know that you didn’t break my sign.” He lugged 9 the cooler and ice to the snack bar counter.



“Yes,” said Uncle Flick. “Whoever’s playing tricks around here is playing them on both of us.”



As the Aldens scooped bags of popcorn, Mr. Duke and Uncle Flick opened sodas 21 and filled cups with ice. The children listened as the two men talked for the first time in a long time.



“Is it true you might sell the theater, Flick?” Mr. Duke asked, as he got ready to leave.



“Yes it is,” Uncle Flick replied. “But I’m going to make sure it doesn’t close down.”



“That’s good to hear,” said Mr. Duke. “Because I can’t imagine life without the Diamond Drive-in. I don’t know what would happen to my hot dog stand if the theater wasn’t around.” He chuckled 22. “Though it’s not going to be as much fun without you around to argue with.”



Uncle Flick laughed, too.



Henry whispered to Jessie, “We’re not any closer to solving the mystery,” he said. “But at least we’ve helped fix a friendship.”