Chapter Five:

Moe's Comeuppance

Calvin and Susie waiting for the school bus the next morning. Susie frowned at Calvin and said, "I hope you learned your lesson, Calvin. That was such a mean thing you did to me two days ago.

"Oh, I'm sure I have," Calvin smiled.

"I MEAN it," Susie warned him. "I don't want you to eventually get expelled or sent to juvie or something like that for lashing out at me or others."

"Don't worry," Calvin said. "I learned my lesson the hard way. Being suspended is not as enjoyable a day off as a holiday or sick day. And I don't want to end up with a bad future, either."

"Seeing is believing," Susie said as she rolled her eyes.

…

Later in class, Miss Wormwood was going over arithmetic. This time, Calvin paid a bit more attention, now that he understood how to add and subtract more easily. At one point, Miss Wormwood called up Calvin to demonstrate a problem on the blackboard, hoping he learned something while he was suspended.

Calvin was to answer 7 + 5. He initially drew a blank and started scratching the top of his head with his index finger, but then realized something and looked at his finger, and he remembered the method his mom showed to add and subtract! So, Calvin quickly counted seven fingers, then held up five and counted past seven under his breath and wrote "12" as the answer.

"Very good, Calvin!" Miss Wormwood said, quite pleased. "It looks like you're getting it now. Adding with your fingers can certainly help you learn."

Calvin grinned. The other students applauded, even Susie, and Calvin took a bow and returned to his desk.

…

But on his way to lunch, Calvin ran into Moe once again.

"Well, well," Moe teasingly said. "Look who's back from his suspension."

"And you're still here?" Calvin retorted back.

"Since you obviously don't have any snowballs with you, it's time to pay you back, Twinky!" Moe threatened and began to pound his fist.

Calvin gulped, knowing there was no way out. But he thought up an idea to still put one over Moe, even if he got beaten up. So, Calvin said fairly loudly, "Do your worst, Moe! Show me what you've got!"

Moe grinned evilly, leaped onto Calvin and began pounding his stomach fairly hard!

Calvin began crying out loudly as he was getting hit, "HELP! SOMEBODY! I'M BEING ATTACKED!"

Moe noticed, and put his left hand over Calvin's mouth and resumed punching. But it was too late. Miss Wormwood saw what was happening and gasped loudly.

"MOE!" Miss Wormwood was quite angry. "I thought we talked about fighting with other students!"

Moe stopped hitting Calvin, whom was looking quite scratched and beaten up now, and grinned sheepishly.

"You're coming with me to the principal's office!" Miss Wormwood said, dragging Moe away. Then she turned to Calvin and said, "And Calvin, you go to the nurse's office for those cuts and bruises."

Calvin got up, smiled, and followed with a slight limp. Things were so far going the way he planned!

…

After Calvin had the school nurse take care of his scratches and bruises, he stood outside the door to Mr. Spittle's office, since it was right near the nurse's office. Calvin could overhear Miss Wormwood and the principal angrily talking to Moe. A lady was also in there, presumably Moe's mother. After Calvin heard Mr. Spittle say that Moe was suspended from school for two days, Calvin grinned widely and went to the cafetorium for lunch.

…

The rest of the day went very well for Calvin. After he got off the school bus at his stop at the end of the day, he ran up to the house, and opened the front door, but stayed behind it as he opened it wide and called out "I'm home!" Sure enough, Hobbes came zooming out, but he ended up landing in the snow without hitting Calvin.

Hobbes looked up, quite annoyed, but saw how dirty Calvin's face looked and realized what must have happened.

"Sorry, Hobbes," Calvin explained, "but I've had enough violence for one day. I'll explain inside."

So, Calvin and Hobbes went inside. When Mom saw how dirty and bruised Calvin looked, she asked in a very surprised tone, "What happened to you?!"

As Calvin took off his winter coat and hat, he explained, "That bully Moe started to beat me up as revenge for my attack on him two days ago. But guess what, Mom? Miss Wormwood caught Moe in the act, and he got suspended for two whole days! This time he REALLY got what he deserved. I don't think he'll be trying to get me anymore."

Mom smiled at how upbeat Calvin was about the ordeal. She then asked, "And how did your schoolwork go?"

"Pretty good," Calvin said. "I got to demonstrate a math problem at the board, and I remembered your finger strategy and got the right answer!"

That pleased Mom even more. "I'm so glad to hear that!"

Calvin grinned. "And since it's Friday, I don't have any homework today! Come on, Hobbes! Let's do a little catching up on reading comics, and then we can go outside!"

As Calvin carried his stuffed tiger to his room, Mom smiled. Things were already starting to look much better for her son…

END