CHAPTER 1 HOME ALONE The sun was going down on a Saturday evening in Westfield Most of the eighth graders were out with their friends down at Taco Paco's at the movie theater on the north side of town or maybe just hanging out at someone's house playing video games But Logan Meltzer was alone He was sitting in the TV room in the basement of his house He had the remote control in his right hand and was flipping through all one hundred and fifty eight channels at blinding speed
A news show A boring music video Cartoons Something in Japanese A lady cooking fish A man in a boat fishing In other words nothing was on Logan heard someone coming The thud thud thud of someone on the steps got louder and louder Logan knew it had to be his dad Logan his dad's voice called The door to the TV room opened Logan's father was a very big man In fact Logan took after his dad which was one of the reasons Logan was a good linebacker Logan's dad was over six feet tall and weighed about three hundred pounds When he walked into the room he huffed from his nose Logan always thought it made him look like a bull
Logan what are you doing down here all alone his dad asked What does it look like I'm doing Logan said He glanced at his father then back at the TV I'm watching TV His dad sighed and then dropped down on the couch next to Logan He put his big hand onto Logan's shoulder and gave it a couple of pats I'm worried about you Logan his dad said Back in River City you would never be home alone flipping through the channels not on a Saturday night Logan kept pushing buttons on the remote barely stopping for an instant to see what was what That's easy for you to say Logan said You and Mom are going out tonight with your friends from River City I can't because I can't drive back to River City whenever I feel like it Logan's dad nodded I know he said It doesn't seem fair
