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PENGUIN READERS

EASYSTARTS- 200 HEADWORDS


LUCKY BREAK
BY JOHN ESOTT
It is a winter afternoon in Los Angeles. Tom is playing in a football game. He
likes football, but Suddenly pushes Tom. He talls and break his leg!
Aaaagh! Tom shouts. My leg! The game stops. Two men come and take
Tom away. Its not your lucky day, Tom, one man says.
A week later, Tom Is reading a Los Angeles newspaper. Laurel Rowes new
movie opens this evening, he thinks. Shes beautiful. Shes my favorite
movie star. Maybe I can get her autograph. But my leg-
He look at his leg.
Im going! he thinks. Why not? I can get taxi to the movie theater.
That evening, Tom goes to Manns movie theater. There is a crowd of fans in
the street. They are waiting for the famous movie stars.
Toms taxi stops at the movie theater.
Is this man famous? the crowd asks.
Tom laughs. Hi! he calls to them.
Youre not famous! the fans shout.
Now a long car arrives at the movie theater. It stops, and a door opens.
Its them! somebody shouts.
Its Hugo White and Laurel Rowe! the fans shout. They are right.
Reporters run and take photos. The crowd moves, and people push Tom.
Stop! Youre pushing me! Tom shouts at the people behind him. I cant-
But the people in the crowd dont hear him. They are talking about their
favorite movie star. The famous Laurel Rowe!
Shes very beautiful, they say. Hi, Laurel! We love you! Can we have an
autograph?
Stop! Youre pushing me! Tom shouts again, but the people in the crowd
dont hear him tom falls.
Laurel Rowes foot hits toms crutch and suddenly she is falling, too!
Aaaagh! she houts.
Oh, no! Tom says.
The famous movie star falls!
Oh, my hair! she shouts. And wheres my shoe? The reporters are taking
photos.

Stop! No pictures! she shouts at them, then Laurel Rowe looks at Tom. She
looks at his crutch.
She is very angry.
You! she shouts.
A policeman helps Laurel Rowe. She stands up. Some people in the crowd
help Tom. You-you-! the movie star shouts at tom.
Im sorry, Tom says. Are you OK?
No, Im not Ok! she shouts at him. Look at my dress! My expensive
dress!
Im sorry, Tom says again.
Laurel Rowe is angry. Very angry. This is her big night the first night of her
new movie and people are laughing at her!
She takes Toms crutch and she hits him with it.
No, Laurel, stop it! Hugo White shouts.
He and a policeman stop her and take away the crutch.
The reporters take photos.
The angry movie star walks away. Hugo White helps Tom onto his feet again.
Are you OK? Hugo asks him.
Yes, thanks, Tom says. He laughs. Shes my favourite movie star. And she
s strong! Maybe she plays football!
Who are you? a reporter shouts.
But Tom doesnt answer.
In the morning, Tom opens the newspaper in his apartment.
Oh, no! Its a picture of me! he thinks. And heres the story of Laurel
Rowe and me at the movie theater. The newspaper calls Tom a mystery
man. But he isnt a mystery man to his friends. Youre famous. Tom! they
say.
Tom goes to the football game on Saturday. Some people in the crowd
remember his face from the newspaper. Look! Its the man with the
crutch! a boy shouts. Hes famous! The crutch is famous! a woman
shouts. I Want it. Im a big Laurel Rowe faan.
After the game that day, there is an auction. The football fans give money
for footballs, football shirts, and hats. The money is for a childrens hospital.
Fifty dollars for the shirt! a woman calls. Sixty dollars! a man shouts.
Seventy A man buys the football shirt for ninety-five dollars.
Suddenly, Tom has an idea. Who wants this famous crutch? he shouts.
The Laurel Lowe Crutch! People laugh, but there are Larel Lowe fans in the
crowd.

Three hundred dollars!


Four hundred dollars!
Five Hundred!?
Good idea, Tom! his friends say. Look at this money for the childrens
hospital! Tom says. Hows your leg? a friend asks him. Can you walk on
it? No, I cant. But its ok, Tom laughs. It was a lucky break!

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