There was this little girl and her name was Max, she was like a rebel or you could say a tomboy. Her friend Jenna was a huge girly girl. Totally different people, but they were the best of friends!



One day Max was at the park all by her self and she sees this blonde girl, wearing a bracelet like she gave Jenna before she moved to Manitoba, sitting on the top of the monkey bars. She goes over and squeals 'Jenna! What are you doing here?' 'My parents are 10 minutes away for business so they let me come see you. But you weren't home and my cell phone is out of battery, so I couldn't call my parents.' Jenna explains. 'Well my parents are in Boston for business too, so I'm staying with my grandma, you can come to my Grandma's house and use her phone, and maybe you can stay for a couple nights' adds Max. So Max and Jenna walk to her Grandma's house. Jenna calls her Mom to ask about the sleep over and to let her know that she is safe. 'My Mom said that I can have a 3 night sleepover!' 'Great let's go tell my Grandma the good news!' 'Grandma Jenna get's to stay for 3 whole night's!' 'That's great sweetie but one of those days will be helping me in my garage sale is that okay?' They both shrug and say 'I guess.'

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'Ok children time to wake up' says Grandma. They both moan and groan. 'I made pancakes.' They both leap out of bead and zip down stairs to the kitchen table. 'Okay my little Dumplings eat up we have a big day ahead of us and when you're done eating go get dressed please.' Grandma said so sweetly.

They girls are huffing and puffing from all the hard work they did to help get set up the Garage Sale. Max's knuckles are red and sore from writing down all the prices for the items they are going to sell. 'Te he, look I think my arm muscles grew about three times the size they were from lifting and unloading boxes!' They both chuckle. 'Hey, Mrs. Henry what is that enormous sheet on top of that big lump?' Jenna asks. 'That's a very good question Jenna, that big lump is Grandma's Seller of the Year!' Grandma answers. 'So what is Grandma's Seller of the Year?' Max asks. 'It's my old antique car that I'm going to sell.' 'That's pretty cool Grandma, hey, look customers!' Max says with glee. They earn about $400.00 in their hard working 2 hours. 'Well Grandma's going to make some fresh squeezed lemonade I'll be right back. If anyone wants to buy anything make sure it's the right price on the tag, okay?' Both girls nod there heads.

This very unusual guy walks in smoking a cigar, with a long trench coat, a beige toque and scruffy hair. 'C, c, c, can we help you?' Max sputters. The man coughs and drops the cigar into the Zebra print flower pot. 'I would like to buy the old car' he says coughing out the grey smoke from his cigar. 'Sure, it will be 5,000 for the car.' Jenna says. 'Well, I have to run to the bank to get the money and I only have my bike, so can I use the car,' the unusual costumer asks. He looks very suspicious and mischievous. 'But the bank is only 5 minutes away?' Max explains. 'I know I just pulled a muscle in my leg riding my bike,' the man says. Even though he wasn't limping or didn't seem to have a pained sort of look on his face. It was like he had no emotions or no pain in his leg? Max seemed sort of uncomfortable with this man but not Jenna. Well Jenna's the girly, girl and Max is the rebel. So this seems a little strange.

'Well sure,' Jenna says. 'No not sure, what if he's a criminal or something,' Max whispers to Jenna. Max seems to be the scared one, not Jenna who's usually scared to look under her bed to get the dust bunnies out. 'Come on Max if you don't do it I'll let everyone at school know that your real name is MAXINE!' Jenna squeals out the secret. She always uses this against her. 'Fine!' Max agrees. It's almost her deadliest secret. 'But people were looking at the car; I could tell they wanted to buy it, we don't have to sell it to this scary man!' Max explains. 'They saw the price on the car and it looked like there eyes bulged out of there head and scurried away from that section as soon as possible!' Jenna corrected. 'Yeah, ok I guess that he is the only one that is interested in 'Grandma's Seller'.' Max says sounding very glum, but adds. 'Only for Grandma!' So sad that she has to admit it to Jenna. After three minutes they finish discussing it, but for the angry and creepy man it seemed like ten. They turn to talk to the unusual man and find him tapping his foot looking very inpatient. 'Sorry sir!' Jenna says. 'We were just discussing it' Jenna adds. 'Well have you made an agreement?' The man asks. 'Yes we have, you have 15 minuets to get there and back, okay?' Max explains. Making sure it was a deal between the strange man, Jenna and Max. 'Yeah, yeah, kid.' The man says very rudely.

Time goes by minutes by minute! 'It's been over half an hour and he's still not back.' Max complains. 'Maybe he had car trouble' Jenna says, trying to keep up the inspiration. As she's thinking she could have come up with a better excuse. 'What's taking Grandma so long with the lemonade?' Jenna asks. 'Let me go check and see what's keeping her.' Max says losing her patience. Jenna picks up the morning paper to find a very interesting article. 'Umm Max, before you go inside to find her, the guy that we gave 'Grandmas Seller' too is a criminal!' Jenna screamed. 'I highly doubt it.' Max disagrees. While she's hoping what she heard isn't true. 'If you don't believe me then look at this news paper article!' Jenna explains. 'Oh my gosh, he is a criminal!' Her hopes have obviously failed. 'His personal record is here and everything' Max says with worry in her voice. 'Listen to this, he's robbed 3 banks and held 6 people hostage!' Jenna says, about to faint, because of so much drama. Max is thinking how lucky they were to survive that criminal mind! 'What am I going to tell my poor, poor, grandma?' Max asks Jenna with sort of a sad sound in her voice.

'We can raise the money!' Jenna says. 'How are we going to raise $5,000 in 3 hours? Max asks. Max and Jenna think until their brains almost explode, they want to help Max's poor Grandma so, so, so, bad! 'Well I know that there is a race for ages 12 and under, and we're 11 so we can go in it and the prize money is $3,000!' Jenna explains. Max is thinking well no duh, I think I could have figured that out! 'Where are we going to find the other $2,000 dollars? Wait a second' there was sale for $0.25 a cookie down at 'Sally's Sweet Shop' Max says. Jenna always thought that buying and reselling was wrong but, she thought if it was going to help Max's Grandma she was definitely able to do it! 'We can buy some and sell them here at the Garage sale and raise like a $1,000 dollars!' Max says with glee. 'Nice try Einstein! That's only half of what we need even after and only if we win the race!' Jenna explains. 'Riiight, I knew that!' Max says as if she new everything.

'Ding! I thought of another idea!' Jenna says. 'I think that's the best thing you've said all day...' Max says a little more quiet tone than normal, almost as if she never wanted Jenna to hear her. 'I have ears you know, I heard that! And I take that as an insult!' Jenna says as if Max is so utterly repulsive. 'Well it was! So what are you going to do about it?' Max acts as if Jenna was so rude and inhumane! 'Okay, we are best friends, why are we fighting?' Jenna asks coming to her senses. 'Well because, you said I was an Einstein and a'' Max gets interrupted my Jenna 'I know why we got in a fight stupid!' she says with a chuckle trying not to make it sound like she wants to start up a fight again. 'Okay, the real reason is, well I don't know what the real reason is but do you know what this is doing to us, and Grandma?' Max asks. 'Yeah, if we keep fighting we won't get the money raised and we won't get our lemonade and sooner' Jenna says. 'No, we are letting Grandma down. We practically gave away Grandmas Seller' Max explains. 'Correction, we did give away 'Grandma's Seller'.' Jenna says not even really having a clue of what they are talking about. 'Not helping!' Max says sarcastically. 'Right sorry' Jenna says.

'Okay, let's get to work and head down to the recreation center,' says Max. 'What are we going to tell your Grandma?' Jenna asks. 'Good question Jenna, good question,' as she strokes her long pretend beard. 'I've got it! We can just leave a note on the refrigerator saying, 'Gone to the park by my house not the one across the street I have my cell phone...' 'Wait, what time will it end at?' Max asks pausing to think of what she's going to write to Grandma. 'How should I know?' Jenna asks. 'I thought you should know, you're the one that came up with the idea!' Max says expecting Jenna to know the answer. 'Oh, right. I think it said 2 o'clock to 3 o'clock' Jenna says with an unsure tone in her voice. 'Okay, so that's what we will put. So it's 1:43 right now, we have seventeen minutes to get down there.' Max calculates. 'Okay, let me sneak inside and write the note, then tape it on the refrigerator, while you get my bike and helmet.' Max explains directing the plan. 'Aren't you forgetting something?' Jenna asks waiting for Max to assign her with an automotive vehicle or another bike or roller blades, just something to get her there and back. 'Right, I almost forgot! Water for the run and some, money to enter the race! Thanks Jenna for reminding me!' Max says. 'No silly willy, the whole part of me getting there. You only have one bike!' Jenna says, having to hand feed her the answers. 'Okay, almost forgot that too!' 'Only 14 minutes until the race starts!' Jenna says interrupting Max's evil genius plan. 'We will never make it!' Max says losing all hope and inspiration. 'Not with that attitude we won't! I'll ride on your handle bars, now get in the house write the note get $10.00 for you and $10.00 for me. Oh, and don't forget the water bottles! I'll be in here getting people out of the garage and telling them we are on hold momentarily!' Jenna says taking charge and grabbing hold of the situation! They both come together in the middle of the garage and they both yell 'BREAK!'

Max sneaks back in the house grabbing a piece of paper, a pen, and some tape. She starts to write 'Gone to the park by my house not the one across the street I have my cell phone and will be back by 3 o'clock. Love: Max and Jenna. So Max grabbed two water bottles and snuck $10.00 for her and $10.00 for Jenna from her Grandma's purse. While Jenna is in the garage dealing with all the angry customers, as well as a screaming four year old as his mother tries to get him to let go of his 'Little Tykes, Beep 'N' Sleep'. A very convenient invention, a peddle car that flips into a bed. 'Ah, don't worry folks we will be back shortly around three o'clock!' Jenna says sputtering on what to say. Finally she gets the customers to leave. Max rushes into the garage 'Only 9 minutes to spare!' She says gasping for air. They both hop on the bike and Max peddles as hard as she can to the recreation centre with Jenna sitting on her handle bars.
They check in at the front desk but, so close to finishing there evil plan they are informed that they need a parent or guardian signature! They both say with agony 'No!' They both think it's all over. I lost my Grandma's car and it's just all over. While they are thinking of all the bad punishments that are going to happen to them the girl at the front desk is asking them 'hello, hello, what's the matter?' Jenna snaps out of her fantasy and nudges Max. 'Wha, what?' Max says half in her fantasy and half here on earth. 'What she is trying to say is there is nothing wrong, our Mom just went to the washroom so we are going to let the people behind us go ahead.' Jenna finishes Max's sentence. 'Oh, sure sweeties just wait aside the desk!' She says treating them like three year olds.

The girls ask the old grandma standing in line three people behind them 'could you please sign this kind old lady, it is permission for the STARS team to come to your house and give you the yearly calendar and some YUMMY! STARS chocolate?' What do you know, she signed it! She's going to be quite upset though when the STARS team doesn't show up with her yearly calendar and YUMMY! STARS chocolates! The girls go back to the front desk and luckily the lady at the front desk approved! Their hopes and dreams are still hanging on! She asks for $10.00 each, Jenna gives her the $10.00 but then Max reaches into the front of her blue jeans pocket and wait her $10.00, is gone! Once again all hopes are demolished. 'Jenna, I can't find my money! Go ahead just race and do your best!' Max has to say to support her friend. Max knows she is a faster runner than Jenna, but it wasn't fair and she wouldn't know what to say to Jenna so she decided to just let it be. It was a good try to help Grandma but, it just wasn't possible. Then the kind person Jenna is, she says 'I know you're a faster runner than me, so take the ticket you go ahead!' Jenna was so nice to consider. 'Are you sure Jenna?' Max says. 'Yes, im positive, it's the best for your Grandma, and us!' Jenna says being so, so kind.

Max takes the ticket and one of the volunteers takes Max to the starting line. Max sees Jenna on the bleachers; she's holding a good two thumbs up, with a smile on her face. Max felt better, she felt like she got one hundred tons lifted off her shoulders from that one smile and two thumbs up! The pistol is fired! Max starts to run as fast as she can, she pulls away, but this boy that looks way to tall be eleven, with legs that look as long as six meters is right on her tail. They start to run neck and neck almost nine meters away from the finish line! People are standing by cheering everyone on taking pictures, yelling, screaming and video taping. The man who started the race makes an announcement, 'it looks like it's going to be a photo finish!' As they pass the finish line the picture is taken and Max feels a cold rush come down her body. She thinks she lost and just knows that the boy with the long legs has won! Max feels like she let everyone down. The announcer interrupts her thoughts 'Great job to everyone! It was a close run between Maxine Blaire and John Belivardez. Please wait as the photo get's developed.'

Five minutes go by, but for the people in the bleachers and the people hanging out at the finish line it feels like forever. Finally, the man announces 'by the looks of it, it's Maxine Blair!' Max and Jenna scream because they are so happy! Max, John (toothpick boy) and third place Kate Olson, all step up on the blocks that are numbered first, second and third. Kate is awarded $500.00, John is awarded $1000.00, and Max receives the big $3000.00.

They girls hurry to 'Sally's Sweet Shop' to buy 200 cookies for $50.00. They get back to the garage sale and set up the tables packed with cookies to sell! Then Jenna realizes something very, very, important! 'Max, I just realized that we have money from the garage sale!' Jenna exclaims very excited. Max runs to the 'Money Box', and starts counting the money. 'Surprisingly I've never earned this much from a garage sale before, there's $1,567.00 here! We only have $433.00 left to earn!' Max says with glee! 'But we spent $50.00 for the cookies, so add $50.00.' Jenna says, calculating stuff in her head, 'So we actually have to raise $483.00.' She may be a girly girl but she is sure smart! They start to sell the cookies for $1.00 a piece, and sell fifteen in the first ten minutes. 'Great job Max! We only have to raise $468.00!' Jenna exclaims. They sell the rest after about forty five minutes and have earned another $185.00 after their hard working hours! We need to raise another $283.00.' Max says. 'I saw an old couch in the 'Jipsy's Junk Yard' when we were on our way to the recreation centre.' Jenna explains. 'How are we going to get it?' Max asks. 'I saw an old wagon behind the cookie table we can use that!' Jenna says.

Max hops on the bike and Jenna jumps on the handle bars. They get to the 'Gypsy's Junk Yard' and find the couch, load it onto the red wagon. Max peddles home as Jenna pushes from behind. They unload the couch in the garage and people are lined up to buy it so they decide to auction it off. Max asks Jenna, 'Why do you think they are buying such an old couch?' 'I guess it's vintage, and could be used in a party room' she explains with her great eye for design. The person that ends up buying the couch is the scary man with the long drape coat, beige toque and scruffy hair. He bid $300.00 for the old couch and he won. When he actually gives the girls the money they tell him off! 'Excuse me, you stole my 'Grandma's Seller'!' Jenna says with the biggest attitude you have ever heard. 'Your right!' The man says. 'I'm sorry!' 'Well let me get my Grandma she won't be to pleased!' Max says. Max and Jenna run upstairs to find Max's Grandma sleeping. They nudge her and she wakes up and they tell her to hurry down stairs. 'He stole your car but then he bought this old couch and we raised money from a race, and sold cookies, plus the garage sale money so we had enough to pay you back for the car!' Max says with the most excitement ever heard all day. Max and Jenna are thinking of how proud they are of themselves! 'Girls, can I tell you something?' Grandma asks.
'Sure' They both agree. 'Well, I tricked you, this is my friend Bob!' 'But what about the article, we read that he's a criminal?' Jenna asks. 'My friend Olive, she's the head of the works at the paper and did a fake article for me. I got your parents in on it to!' Grandma exclaims. 'You mean we worked our butts off for hours just to learn a lesson!' Jenna asks. 'You sure did! It was to teach you girls to never trust a stranger and to always tell the truth. Do you feel like you learned anything girls?' Grandma asks. 'I sure did Grandma!' Max says. 'Yeah, you sure fooled us Mrs. Henry!' Jenna says. 'I want to thank you Bob for everything!' Grandma says. 'You're welcome Mrs. Henry, I'll see you later!' Bob says. 'Bye and thanks again!' Grandma says.
Max and Jenna thank Grandma for the best experience ever. 'Yeah thanks Mrs. Henry! We would have never learnt this lesson if it wasn't for you!' Jenna explains. 'Don't forget how much fun we had!' Max reminds Jenna of all the good times and every fun moment they had this day, and the experience they collected together! 'Mrs. Henry may I ask you something?' Jenna asks. 'Sure Jenna anything!' Grandma says. 'Whatever happened to your car?' 'Go take a look outside girlies!' Grandma says, and starts to chuckle!

They run back through the house and out the back door to find 'Grandmas Seller!' 'Wow! Thanks again Grandma for the experience and how much fun we had today!' Max says. Then Jenna adds, 'Yeah what she said!'





The End