The Bet by Kathe Gogolewski
Elsie flew into her fourth grade classroom, her
woolen cap pulled down over her eyes. She plowed
into Rene, who fell to one side and knocked Katrina
off balance.
“What are you doing, Elsie you big loser!” Katrina
yelled, pushing her away.
Elsie pulled off her cap. “I did it!” she cried. “I won!”
“How does a big loser win anything?” Rene asked,
planting her hands on her hips.
Elsie clapped and did a little jump. “I won, and I bet
Joey I would.”
Katrina and Rene glanced at each other and rolled
their eyes. “You’re a loser, Elsie,” Rene said. “And
you probably lost this stupid bet, whatever it is.”
“Not this one,” Elsie promised. “As a matter of fact,
Joey will win it, too.”
TATO by Kathe Gogolewski - a fantasy adventure
for middle grade readers
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for middle grade readers
CLICK ON COVER TO ORDER
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Muse On Writing, Edited by Lea Schizas
Kathe Gogolewski wrote the chapter on Finding Your Voice in Writing
CLICK ON COVER TO ORDER
Kathe Gogolewski wrote the chapter on Finding Your Voice in Writing
CLICK ON COVER TO ORDER
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“How can you both win a bet,” Katrina said. “All bets have losers, or they wouldn’t be bets. Besides, you
said you won, so Joey lost.”
“Nope! Bet’s not over yet.” Rene and Katrina stared at Elsie, looking suspicious.
“What is it?” Rene finally asked.
“I bet Joey that one of you would speak to me when I came in the classroom.”
“Well, duh, you ran into us,” Katrina said. “A dumb bet, and Joey lost, so there is a loser.”
“Joey won, too,” Elsie said. “Because he said it could only happen if I ran into you.”
“Okay. Then you lost the bet,” Rene said, looking irritated.
“No, I said I would only run into you if I pulled my hat over my eyes.”
“Then Joey lost,” Katrina said.
“Nope. He said I would keep my hat over my eyes until after I ran into you, then I’d pull it off.”
Katrina and Rene looked completely lost. “That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard,” Rene said. “You lost
your own bet when you pulled your hat off. Why didn’t you just leave it on?”
“Because I bet him that I’d lose the bet.”
Katrina and Rene groaned. “You’re crazy, Elsie,” Rene said, scrunching up her nose. “Joey’s the final
loser, then.”
“I am not.” Katrina and Rene swirled around to look at Joey, who had appeared in the doorway. “She
lost the bet.”
“But she said she was going to lose,” Rene insisted. “So that means she won.”
“She did,” Joey agreed. “So did I, because if she lost, then that means I won.”
“I give up,” Katrina shrugged. “What’s the prize anyway?”
“We agreed that the loser takes all,” Joey said. “So we don’t get the prize. Here, you want it?” He held
out a bag for Katrina. She took it and peered inside.
“It’s empty,” she said.
“Of course it’s empty. That prize is for losers. Losers don’t win anything.” Looking disgusted, Rene and
Katrina left the room shaking their heads.
“Way to go,” Joey said, giving Elsie a high five. “That’ll teach those girls to call you a loser.”
Elsie smiled and patted Joey on the back. “Thanks, friend. It’s great to be a winner with you.”
END
BIO - Kathe Gogolewski has written three books: A Promise to Keep, a romantic suspense, is
available from Double Dragon Publishing under her pen name, Ann Durand. TATO, is a fantasy
adventure for middle grade readers, is available from Wings Press. She wrote a third book, Flight of the
Gryphon, which will be available from Double Dragon Publishing under her pen name, Ann Durand. She
is also an Editor for the ezine for writers, The Muse Marquee, and heads up the column, Heart Beat.
Kathe has won contests for her short stories with Storyteller Magazine and The Writer’s Journal, The
Complete Writer’s Magazine. Her short stories and poems have been published by Penwomanship,
JacoByte Books, and Long Story Short.
.
She has contributed to two anthologies: One, The Muse on Writing, is due for release from Double
Dragon Publishing in 2006. She wrote the chapter Finding and Writing in Your Own Voice. She also
wrote a chapter for the anthology Spiritual Visitations due from Zumaya Publications in 2008.
available from Double Dragon Publishing under her pen name, Ann Durand. TATO, is a fantasy
adventure for middle grade readers, is available from Wings Press. She wrote a third book, Flight of the
Gryphon, which will be available from Double Dragon Publishing under her pen name, Ann Durand. She
is also an Editor for the ezine for writers, The Muse Marquee, and heads up the column, Heart Beat.
Kathe has won contests for her short stories with Storyteller Magazine and The Writer’s Journal, The
Complete Writer’s Magazine. Her short stories and poems have been published by Penwomanship,
JacoByte Books, and Long Story Short.
.
She has contributed to two anthologies: One, The Muse on Writing, is due for release from Double
Dragon Publishing in 2006. She wrote the chapter Finding and Writing in Your Own Voice. She also
wrote a chapter for the anthology Spiritual Visitations due from Zumaya Publications in 2008.
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| THE BET by Kathe Gogolewski TRI STUDIO BOOKS LLC |
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