The aroma of fresh cut flowers filled the air in the kitchen as Lindsay Johnson ran into the 
kitchen to see if her mother had gotten the mail yet. 
    "Mom, Mom did you get a letter from Radisson College?" said Lindsay. 
    "Yes, sweetie I did, here it is," said Mrs. Johnson as she handed her eighteen-year-old 
daughter the envelope. Mrs. Johnson was a very practical lady and always kept the important 
mail close at hand. 
    "Thanks Mom," said Lindsay. 
    "You're welcome Lindsay," said Mrs. Johnson. 
    Lindsay ran upstairs to her baby blue painted bedroom to read the letter from Radisson. She 
walked over to her oak bunk beds and sat on the first bunk. The letter said the following: 

July 2, 1996 
Dear Miss Lindsay Johnson, 

According to our records, you have signed up for all the classes dealing with chimpanzees. We 
need to know specifically what class or classes you want to take. I'm sorry but we can't let you 
take all the classes because other students want to attend them too. (No more than two classes 
please.) Also, one of the requirements is that you must own a chimp. Please respond to this 
letter as soon as possible. 
Sincerely, 
Professor Jane Noel 

    "Oh my God I have to get a chimp. Wow! This will be fun. Now, I just have to talk my parents into it," said Lindsay as she was tucking her long light brown hair behind her ears. 
    "Mom! Mom!" Lindsay called down to her mother. 
    "What is it sweetie?" Mrs. Johnson replied. "Come down here and tell me what it is please, I'm not coming upstairs." 
    Lindsay ran down the stairs. She passed numerous pots of red begonias with the letter in her 
hand to find her mother in the kitchen baking carrot cake. 
    "Mom, Radisson College requires that the student must have a chimp to take the classes." 
    "Oh that's nice sweetie," Mrs. Johnson replied as she was just about to crack an egg into a 
large mixing bowl. Lindsay stared at her mother. Her mother stared back at her. Mrs. Johnson 
began to look worried. Her hand trembled as she peeled some carrots and set them aside. 
    "Oh...oh stop it!" Mrs. Johnson continued stirring the batter, and recomposed herself. 
    "Mom I mean it! I'm serious," Lindsay yelled. Her mother looked up from the batter. 
    "No... You're kidding!" Lindsay mother's forehead wrinkled. 
    "But Lynn, you know we can't afford it!" Mrs. Johnson whimpered. "We have to get your 
brother and sister through college too, you know. You're not the only kid in this house." 
    "Ugh! I don't care about Colt and Edele," Lindsay murmured while she walked out of the 
kitchen as her pale face turned bright red. 
    "I heard that! That's right you don't care about anybody except yourself Lindsay," screamed 
Mrs. Johnson. 
    At this point Lindsay was halfway up the stairs and she quietly murmured under her breath, "I will get that chimp for school no matter what I have to do." 
    When Lindsay got to her bedroom, her younger sister Edele barged in. 
    "Hey sis, whatcha doin'?" Edele asked. 
    "Nothing, now get out of my face!" snapped Lindsay to Edele. 
    "What's the matter, sis? You're usually not like this… Did you get into another fight with 
Mom?" commented Edele. 
    "Yes, I did, but it's none of your business," snarled Lindsay. 
    "Okay, well then fine I'll leave you alone," said Edele. Lindsay then sat in her room 
brainstorming what to do. She decided that she would call her friend, Katie, and ask her for 
advice. She picked up the blue phone and dialed Katie's number. A voice answered the phone. 
    "Hello, is this Katie?" asked Lindsay. 
    "Yeah, Lindsay, what's up?" 
    "Well, I'm having a problem," said Lindsay. 
    "What kind of problem?" replied Katie. 
    "Well, I got a letter in the mail from Radisson College. In order to take part in the classes that deal with chimps I have to own one. But, the real problem is my mom won't let me get one.What can I do?" asked Lindsay. 
    "Well, you have a dog right, that you don't take care of?" commented Katie. 
    "Yeah... I do." stated Lindsay. 
    "Well, all you have to do is show your mom that you can take care of your dog and maybe 
show a little responsibility. Then possibly she'll let you get the chimp. Or, you can do research 
on chimps at the library and show that to your mom as well," explained Katie. 
    "Okay, thanks for the advice Kate," said Lindsay. Lindsay then hung up the phone with Katie. 
    Then she laid down on her bed and told herself that she would do research on chimps at the 
library tomorrow afternoon. After that, she fell asleep on her bed and skipped dinner. The next 
morning Lindsay woke up alert and refreshed. She ran downstairs to join Colt, Edele, and her 
mom, and dad for breakfast in the kitchen. 
    "Good morning sweetie," said Mrs. Johnson just as she was about to take a sip of her coffee. 
    "Hi honey," said Mr. Johnson just as he was about to turn to the sports page of the paper. 
Edele and Colt sat quietly at the kitchen table just as Lindsay sat down. 
    "Good morning everyone," declared Lindsay. 
    "Did you have a good night's sleep?" asked Edele. "You fell asleep before dinner you know." 
    "Yeah I know, I had a fine sleep thank you. Now, I'm starving!" replied Lindsay. 
    "Here you go sweetie, here's your breakfast," stated Mrs. Johnson as she put a plate of 
scrambled eggs, sausage and toast right in front of her daughter. Then Mrs. Johnson walked 
over to the sink and grabbed the glass of orange juice that she poured for her daughter, and 
handed it to her. 
    "Thanks," replied Lindsay. 
    "So what are your plans for today, kids?" asked Mrs. Johnson. 
    "Well, I'm going to do some research at the library today," said Lindsay. 
    "Well," began Mr. Johnson, "Colt and I are going to play a round of golf at the club." Lindsay looked up when Colt kicked her under the table. She made a face at him and said, "Think I care?" He retorted by saying, "Mom, when does Lindsay leave for Radaddison?" Lindsay was quick by saying, "It's Radisson!" 
    Mrs. Johnson peered up at them from her coffee. Mr. Johnson changed the subject, "Liz, your geraniums are beautiful, not to mention your roses! They are just magnificent this year!" he said as he looked out the window into the flower-filled garden. Mrs. Johnson smiled. 
"Thanks, Steve." 
She turned to Edele, "One of us has to walk to the Green Thumb Nursery. I need some 
bags of potting soil and peat moss." 
    Edele took a nickel out of her pocket. "Heads, you go," she said, "tails, I'll go." 
    "No Edele!" her mother exclaimed, "Not at the table! It's not sanitary!" 
    "Fine, I'll do it after breakfast Mom," said Edele. Then Edele put the nickel back in her pocket. 
    The Johnsons soon finished breakfast. Mrs. Johnson cleared the table and put the dishes in the sink with help from Lindsay. 
    "Hey Mom! Now I'm going to toss the nickel, okay?" declared Edele. 
    "Sure honey go right ahead," replied Mrs. Johnson. Edele took the nickel out of her pocket and tossed it in the air. 
    "Heads, sorry Mom looks like you're going," commented Edele. 
    "Oh honey, please come with me to the nursery. I want to show you some flowers that I'm 
thinking of buying. Plus, I need your help in carrying the bags of potting soil and peat moss 
home," suggested Mrs. Johnson. 
    "Fine I'll go," said Edele. Colt, Edele and Lindsay all ran upstairs to get dressed and ready to 
do their errands. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson soon followed the kids. Lindsay was the first one 
ready and left for the library. The rest of the Johnson family left to do what they had to do soon 
after. Lindsay walked three long blocks to the library. When she got to the library, she asked 
the librarian if the library had a special section on animals. The librarian showed her the section. 
In a matter of minutes, Lindsay had a huge pile of books on a table that had information on 
chimps. Lindsay spent four hours at the library. 
    Meanwhile Edele and her mother were working very hard lifting the heavy bags of potting soil and peat moss at the nursery. Colt and his father were busy playing golf at the club. When Lindsay got home, it was time for the dog to eat. Since nobody was home, she was going to follow her friend's advice. She fed the dog. Lindsay was just about to put the dog food bowl on the floor when her mother and sister got home. 
    "Is anybody home?" asked Edele. 
    "Yeah! I'm in the kitchen, Edele," said Lindsay. 
    "Oh Hi honey!" said Mrs. Johnson. Edele and her mother walked into the kitchen just as 
Lindsay stood up straight from giving Scout her food. "Sweetie, since when do you take care 
of the dog?" asked Lindsay's mother. 
    "You never take care of the dog," commented Edele. 
    "Well, maybe I want to now," replied Lindsay. 
    "Okay well that's great. One less thing I have to do," declared Edele. 
    "Would you guys just leave me alone. God, you're acting like I did something wrong. I just feel that I should start to take care of Scout," said Lindsay. Lindsay then walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her bedroom. She sat at her "L" shaped desk in front of her computer.Next to her computer was a huge pile of books that she had checked out of the library. 
    "This book seems interesting," said Lindsay as she gazed at a bookcover from her pile. She 
turned on her computer and waited until it warmed up. "Wow! This is cool!" whispered 
Lindsay to herself as she read the first page of the book. After her computer warmed up, she 
started to type information on chimps to show her mom. Back in the kitchen, Edele and her 
mother were sitting around the wooden circular table drinking ice cold glasses of lemonade. 
    "Edele, do you think Lindsay is acting a little strange?" commented Mrs. Johnson. 
    "Yeah, I do," replied Edele as she lifted the glass to her lips. 
    "Do you know what it is all about?" asked Mrs. Johnson. 
    "No, I don't know really. It might have something to do with the fight you and Lindsay got into though." 
    "Yeah, maybe you're right darling," said Mrs. Johnson. Over at the Twin Hills Country Club, 
Colt made a hole in one on the eighteenth hole. 
    "Oh yeah Dad, hole-in-one in your face! Ha! ha! ha!" exclaimed Colt as he ran around his 
father going nuts. 
    "Way to go son! That's my boy!" exclaimed Mr. Johnson as he patted his son on his back. 
Other golfers gathered around Colt after hearing him and his father celebrating. Lindsay was in 
her room for over an hour typing away on her computer. Mr. Johnson and Colt got home half 
an hour later. Edele helped her mother make dinner in the meantime. 
    "Edele, will you peel some potatoes?" asked Mrs. Johnson. 
    "Sure Mom," replied Edele. Edele took a handful of potatoes out of the fridge. Mrs. Johnson 
started to boil the water for the potatoes. Mr. Johnson and Colt walked in the door from their 
golf outing. They were both cheering with Colt jumping up and down just as Mrs. Johnson 
pulled chicken legs out of the freezer. 
    "What is going on?" asked Mrs. Johnson. 
    "Oh, nothing dear, just your little golfer hit a hole-in-one right before we left the club," said Mr.Johnson as he walked over to the sink to kiss his wife on the cheek. 
    "Huh... what Colt hit a hole-in-one; you're kidding right?" said Mrs. Johnson. 
    "No, Mom it's true I hit a hole-in-one at the eighteenth hole!" said Colt as he was jumping up 
and down. "I beat Dad's butt!" Lindsay heard this racket from upstairs and decided to see 
what was going on. She flew down the stairs into the kitchen. "Mom, what's all this racket?" 
asked Lindsay as she walked into the kitchen, seeing her Dad standing in the middle of the 
kitchen floor and her brother jumping up and down around Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. 
    "Oh, hi Lynn!" said Mr. Johnson greeting his daughter. 
    "Your father was just telling me how your brother hit a hole-in-one at the club," explained Mrs.Johnson. 
    "Who won?" asked Lindsay "I'm just guessing Colt did." 
    "Yes, Colt won. It was amazing. At the eighteenth hole Colt got up to the tee, swung and made a hole-in-one." 
    "Way to go squirt!" exclaimed Lindsay. 
    "What's for dinner?" asked Mr. Johnson. 
    "I'm starving!" added Colt. 
    "Me too," commented Lindsay. 
    "Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and salad." replied Mrs. Johnson.......... 
 
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