Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

Author:Wendy Mass [MASS, WENDY]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780316180368
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2010-11-29T16:00:00+00:00

I find Lizzy on the top step, her face tilted up to the sun. Little Bobby and his mother are there, too, sitting in the shady part.

“Jeremy,” Lizzy says, “why don’t you ask Mrs. Sanchez the question you’ve decided to ask everyone?”

Now that we’re back in our regular non-limo-riding, non-returning pawned-items lives, asking people the meaning of life seems kind of embarrassing.

“Go on,” Lizzy urges. “And then we have to leave.”

Mrs. Sanchez looks up from combing a squirming Bobby’s hair. Instead of asking what the meaning of life is, I ask, “Why are we here? You know, here, on this planet. Not like, here, on this stoop.”

She smiles, apparently not surprised at my question. “You don’t know this?” she asks. I shake my head.

“It is simple,” she replies. “We are here to help others.”

Bobby looks up. “Then what are the others here for?”

“Hush, child,” she says, playfully tapping him on the head with the comb. “The things that come out of your mouth!”

Lizzy laughs, but I actually thought it was a valid question. Could it really be that simple? If everyone helped everyone, there would be world peace. Maybe it is that simple. Somehow though, I don’t think that’s quite right. I’m all for people helping each other, but that seems more like a good idea, rather than the reason we’re here in the first place.

Even though it’s not that hot out today, I’m feeling sweaty and sticky. When was the last time I showered?

I thank Mrs. Sanchez and follow Lizzy up to the twins’ apartment. Samantha opens the door, dressed in black from head to toe. “To get in the right mood,” she explains when she sees us checking out her outfit. Even her eyes are rimmed in black.

Suddenly a lightbulb goes off in my brain. “Hey, eyeliner! That’s what eyeliner is!”

Samantha gives me a strange look, and Lizzy kicks me in the shin. I’m trying to figure out the most important questions in all of humanity, and my biggest breakthrough is about girls’ makeup? I am truly pathetic.

“Come on,” Samantha says, leading us down the hall. have the Ouija board set up in the living room.” Without turning around, she says, “Why do I smell peanut butter?”

I do a quick underarm check. Yup, it’s me. I really ought to keep up with my showering schedule better.

Rick is waiting for us. He is not in black. He is, however, wearing a cape. “Don’t ask,” he says. “Samantha made me. She said if I didn’t wear it and we couldn’t contact your father, it would be all my fault. Too much pressure, so I’m wearing it. It’s from an old Halloween costume. It’s not like I just happened to have a cape handy.”

This is the longest speech Rick has ever said to me. And it didn’t even have anything obnoxious in it. Maybe Lizzy was right about him.

The curtains have all been pulled, and Samantha switches off the lights before sitting cross-legged on the rug. You’d never know it was daylight outside.

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