Mr. Ratburn sent Buster off to recess, after Buster closed the door behind him and he went outside, 'The Rat' was laughing hysterically because and only because of Buster's donut seeds thing.
Buster stormed up to his classmates who were smiling as the Brain handed him a donut, "Cheer up; this was grown hydroponicly in a greenhouse."
"I hate you all!" Buster whined.
Arthur was a voice of reason, "You are the one who thinks that donuts can be grown."
Before Buster could say anything Fern just chuckled at him, "You are an idiot; donuts are made in bakeries not grown in the pastures."
Buster responded with what he had been obsessed about all day; donut seeds, "Fern, I know what I had seen in that box of Cheerios and it was donut seeds."
When the bell had rang for class Fern and Buster continued to argue.
Buster simply couldn't accept the fact that he was wrong; he insisted that donuts were grown not baked. Why would his mom buy Cheerios when she wanted to give him something better? Was this because he never seen Cheerios before and figured they were some sort of donut seeds? He thought that his mom was rewarding him with donut seeds instead of better health, which he needed anyway.
He just sat down and sighed as Mr. Ratburn made an announcement, "Class, we are going on a field trip to a bakery next Wednesday…"
Buster interrupted him by nagging, "But donuts are grown…"
Mr. Ratburn calmed Buster down, "No they are made in bakeries not grown," he continued by giving the class an assignment, "For homework tonight, I want you all to bring in a dessert, do some research on it and, talk about its origins."
Buster new exactly what dessert to bring in.
The next day Buster was to go up, he brought a box of Cheerios and a dozen donuts, everyone was smiling, Mr. Ratburn even was, he didn't want Buster to suffer any embarrassment but a part of him wanted to see where Buster would go.
"As you all know, I have done my assignment on Donut's and the origins; Donuts are grown using these special seeds in cereal boxes, it has to be any 'O' type cereal or it won't grow. You first plant the seeds, then after a few weeks watch them grow."
Classmates started to giggle. Buster ignored it as he continued his crazy tale about Donut Seeds. He wanted to prove to the world that donuts were grown not baked.
When Buster was done, Mr. Ratburn wrote a note and told Buster to take it to Mr. Haney, the note had said.
Please keep Buster here until recess. Don't call his parents, just keep him busy.
Buster had left and went to the office, as Buster went around the corner Mr. Ratburn was to be sure he wasn't in earshot and he came back to class where everyone just laughed hysterically, it was too rich. Mr. Ratburn had calmed down, "Ok, Sue Ellen you are up…"
She came up with some brownies she and her mom had made.
Mr. Haney was in the office, he needed to do something to keep Buster busy; he told Buster to sort some mail and some other odd jobs for the next half hour.
When recess came around Buster went outside.
Sue Ellen was laughing like crazy, "Donut seeds, and stuff about harvest time how at the end of the season donuts turn to bagels?"
"They do!"
"Did you even do any research or did you make the whole thing up?" Fern asked curiously.
"I…" Buster paused, "It is research."
"False research…" the Brain interrupted he was right, "Mr. Ratburn was laughing at you as were all of us…"
Buster was shocked, "Mr. Ratburn wouldn't do that."
The Brain's cold response was, "Oh I believe it is true."
Buster pushed Fern and Sue Ellen out of the way and stormed inside the school, Mr. Ratburn was telling about Buster's tirade about donut seeds to the other teachers.
"Ratburn… is Buster well uh you know?"
"Is Buster what?"
"Special?"
Mr. Ratburn finally figured out what the teacher meant by 'special' "Either that or his mom never took him to a bakery…"
Buster yelled, "THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Mr. Ratburn swallowed his coffee, "What?"
"Quit laughing at me about my donuts seeds thing!"
Mr. Ratburn was on the defensive, "We were just talking about how creative your report was."
Buster smiled, "Really?"
"Yea, it was good seeing you put effort into it, but don't forget the field trip next Wednesday."
Buster smiled, and went back outside to rejoin his friends.
"So what happened?" the Brain asked curiously, he figured Buster would be in tears like many times before when Rattles threatened to beat him up.
Buster had a grin on his face, "He liked it, I think I am going to ace the report."
The Brain was shocked, "Mr. Ratburn was lying, and we were all laughing at you after he sent you to the office."
"Mr. Ratburn is a man who rarely laughs at people, and when he does it's a doozie." Fern explained as she had a good chuckle.
"He wouldn't do that!" Buster whined.
"Aren't you going to hide in the basement like you usually do?" Sue Ellen asked as she was still chuckling then added, "Just wait until next week when the field trip is."
A few days later Mr. Ratburn handed out the reports to the students, "Sue Ellen very good… and very tasty," Ratburn had turned to Buster, the rabbit boy smiled nervously, "Buster, you need to do some practical research, I had a good chuckle reading your report." Buster frowned a little bit, but he wasn't much sadder when his grade was a C, he needed to prove to the world that donuts came from seeds and nothing more. "Don't forget the field trip next week," Mr. Ratburn announced.
Buster was nearly in tears, he report was a disaster, when he did go back to class the other day everyone ate the donuts, but saved him the Cheerios.
To Be Continued.
