Lucky Me!Electronic book published by ipicturebooks.com24 W. 25th St. New York, NY 10011 www.ipicturebooks.comAll rights reserved. Copyright 1999 by The Millbrook Press, Inc.Real Kids Readers and the Real Kids Readers logo are trademarks of The Millbrook Press, Inc.No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For Dad and Tessa_ you know this story already_L. P.For my mother, Sally, a true original, with love_D. H.e-ISBN 1-58824-475-X Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataPapademetriou, Lisa.Lucky Me! / Lisa Papademetriou ; photographs by Dorothy Handelman.p. cm._ (Real kids readers. Level 3)Summary: Ted is embarrassed by his unusual grandmother but when she takes him to a ballgame and helps him catch a home run ball, he decides shes pretty cool after all.ISBN 0-7613-2071-1 (lib. bdg.). _ ISBN 0-7613-2096-7 (pbk.)1. Grandmothers_Fiction. 2. Baseball_Fiction. I. Handelman, Dorothy, ill. II. Title. III. Series. PZ7.P1954Lu 1999 E_dc21Spcial thanks to Lands End, Dodgeville, WI, for providing Ted and Tonys clothing.Lucky Me!By Lisa PapademetriouPhotographs by Dorothy HandelmanDont get me wrong. I love my grandma. But I have to say she doesnt act like other grandmas at all!Other grandmas wear dresses. My grandma wears jeans. Other grandmas like to play cards. My grandma likes to play baseball and soccer and touch football. Other grandmas bake pies and cookies. My grandma makes salads with bean sprouts.4My grandma lives with me and my parents, and sometimes she drives me crazy. For example, my name is Ted. But Grandma calls me Teddy Bear_in front of my friends! Also, she has a very loud laugh. Believe me. When she laughs, everyone turns to look. And if I ask her to shush, she says, “Whats wrong, Teddy Bear?” in a very loud voice. Its totally embarrassing.I think it would be nice to have a grandma who sits in a rocking chair and knits. Thats what I think the perfect grandma would do.7I talked to my friend Tony about it when he came over one Friday after school.“Youre lucky,” I said. “Your grandma knits sweaters for you. She bakes you good things to eat. She never embarrasses you.”“No, youre lucky,” he said. “The sweaters my grandma knits are hot and scratchy. Besides, she doesnt play catch like your grandma does, and she doesnt tell jokes either.”There was a knock on my bedroom door. “Knock, knock,” said Grandma.I groaned, but Tony played along. “Whos there?” he asked.“Wanda,” said Grandma.“Wanda, who?” asked Tony“Wanda go play catch?” asked Grandma.Tony laughed. He opened the door, and Grandma came in.“Last one to the backyard is an old potato!” she cried. Then she raced off.1011“See how lucky you are?” Tony and I said together. Then we both laughed.“Actually, I have to go,” said Tony. “Its almost dinnertime.”I grabbed my baseball glove and walked Tony to the door. Then I went around to the backyard.“I guess its just you and me, Teddy Bear,” said Grandma. “Try to catch this one.” She threw the ball high in the air.1213You wouldnt believe how far my grandma can throw! I ran all the way back to the fence. I jumped high. Thud! I caught the ball right in the center of my glove.“Great catch!” called grandma. “Pretty soon youll be as good as the Rocket.”“Thanks, Grandma,” I said.Mike “the Rocket” Stone plays right field for the Jets, my citys baseball team. Grandma and I are his biggest fans. He can catch any ball hit into right field. And when he hits the ball, its like a rocket heading for the moon.I want to be just like him.15After a while, my dad called us to come in for dinner.“Hey,” Grandma said as we headed inside. “How would you like to go the ball game tomorrow? Its the first one of the season.”“Id love to!” I told her. “Only, you wont call me Teddy Bear at the ballpark, will you?”Grandma just laughed her loud laugh.16The game was Saturday afternoon. When it was time to go, I grabbed my baseball glove. I wanted to be ready in case someone hit a ball into the stands near me. I dashed downstairs_and stopped short. “Grandma!” I said. “Is that what youre wearing to the ballpark?”18“Yes,” said Grandma. “Isnt it great?”I bit my lip. I was glad I had a grandma who wanted to take me to the ball game. But did she have to act so nutty?On the way to the ballpark, Grandma played loud rock and roll on the car radio. She sang along. Lucky for me, the windows were up, so nobody could hear.Grandma parked the car, and we walked to the ticket line.For a while she behaved. She stood in line quietly. She didnt call me Teddy Bear. She didnt laugh her loud laugh. But the line was long, and soon she began to get restless.20“I dont want you to miss the first pitch,” she told me. “Besides, I shouldnt have to wait in line. I am a grandmother!