Elvis and the Underdogs Read Online Free Page A

hard.
    â€œSo,” my dad asked Dr. Helen, “what should we do?”
    â€œWell, normally in such cases, we’d put Benji on an antiseizure medication just for a while, so we could make sure it didn’t happen again. But Benji isn’t a good candidate for the standard drug therapies, mainly because his asthma medication may cause an adverse reaction.”
    And this is the exact moment my life changed forever: Dr. Helen opened a box and pulled out a green helmet.
    â€œWhat the heck is that?” I shouted. My mom shushed me and told me to listen to Dr. Helen.
    â€œBenji, this is a padded safety helmet, which will protect your head if it happens again. It also contains a transmitter that signals for help if the need arises. I’m going to ask you to wear it for a while.”
    â€œYou mean like now?”
    â€œYes, but I’m going to want you to keep wearing it.”
    â€œYou mean for the rest of the time I’m in the hospital?”
    â€œYes, and then I’m going to want you to keep wearing it after that.”
    â€œYou mean you want me to wear it, like, all the time?” I could barely breathe. “No way. Not a chance. Never, ever, ever gonna happen. And just in case I’m not being clear: No. Thank. You.”
    Even if you’d been there, you wouldn’t have believed this thing. It looked like the world’s ugliest bicycle helmet, only much, much worse. It covered my whole forehead and the entire back of my head too. Plus it was made of ugly green foam, and it had ugly green straps that buckled under my chin. Basically, it was a disaster. It was way worse than that new kid pulling his laptop bag through the halls on wheels. Billy Thompson would drop that kid like a hot potato and set his sights right back on me. I doubted I’d even make it through a whole day alive, and what’s worse, I was sure more kids would make fun of me too. There would be no more flying under the radar with this thing.
    â€œMom, I am not wearing that thing. No way. Please don’t make me.”
    For the first time in a long time, my mom was speechless. So Dr. Helen continued.
    â€œBenji, I know it doesn’t look great, but it will protect your head in case you have another episode. And that’s really the most important thing here.”
    â€œI don’t care if I have another episode. I’m not wearing that thing. Not today. Not ever. Mom, you can’t make me wear it. I won’t wear it. And you know why this is happening, don’t you? It’s because I lost my lug nut.”
    Dr. Helen looked confused. “Your what?”
    â€œBenji, this has nothing to do with the lug nut.”
    â€œHow do you know?”
    â€œBenji, it’ll turn up. I haven’t had a chance to look for it since you’ve been in the hospital. It could be in the car somewhere.” She looked at Dr. Helen and explained, “It’s his lucky charm.”
    â€œI had it right before I had my episode at school, and now I don’t know where it is. It probably got swept up by the janitor, and now my entire life is going down the toilet.”
    â€œStop worrying about it—your dad will get you another one, won’t you, honey?”
    â€œWell, it’s not that simple, because like I said, it was made specifically for that particular rocket and they’re not—”
    My mom interrupted him. “Everyone stop talking about the lug nut; I don’t care about the lug nut. What I do care about is finishing our conversation with Dr. Helen, because I’m sure she’s very busy saving lives, and I don’t want to take up too much of her time. So, Dr. Helen, do you really think this is necessary? I mean, normally anything you say we would do, but Benji does have a point. It’s pretty unattractive.”
    â€œThere is one other option, but I’m not sure . . .,” Dr. Helen said.
    â€œWhat is it? Just tell me!” I