This story contains a problem and a solution.

Deedee was a mousey looking kid. Unlike most children at Wayside School, she liked recess better than spelling. As soon as the recess bell rang, she would jump up from her seat and run out the door.

There were big signs in Wayside School on every floor, "NO JUMPING DOWN THE STAIRS."

Deedee never seemed to notice the signs. She jumped down the stairs. Some children took the stairs two at a time. Deedee took them ten at a time. That was on theway down.
60It was funny. She never seemed to be in quite the same hurry on the way back up.
There was another sign at Wayside School, "NO CUTTING ACROSS THE GRASS." Deedee must not ever have seen that one, either. She cut across the grass and ran up to Louis, the yard teacher.

"I want a green ball," Deedee said. The green balls were the best.

"I\'m all out of green balls," said Louis.

"Okay, then I want a red ball," said Deedee. The red balls were just about as good as the green balls. They didn\'t bounce as high, but actually, sometimes you don\'t want a ball to bounce too high.

"I\'m all out of red balls, too," said Louis.

"Do you have anything left?" asked Deedee.

Deedee meant anything besides the yellow ball. There was one yellow ball at Wayside School and Louis was always trying to get rid of it. It didn\'t bounce, and it never went the way it was kicked.

"Anything at all?" asked Deedee.

"Today is your lucky day," said Louis. "I have one ball left, just for you; the one and only yellow ball!"

"No, thanks," said Deedee.

"Aw, come on, take it," said Louis.

"Why don\'t you ever have any green or red balls?" asked Deedee.

"I do," said Louis. "But the other children ask first. By the time you get out here, they\'re all gone."

"But that\'s because I have to come all the way from the thirtieth story. How do you expect me to compete with the kids from the first or second?" she asked.

"That\'s why I saved you the yellow ball," saidLouis.
61"Everybody wanted it, but I saved it just for you."
"I bet," said Deedee.

She took the yellow ball and bounced it on the ground. It stopped dead with a thud. She stepped back, ran up, and kicked it. It went backwards over her head. She didn\'t bother chasing it.

Instead she played hopscotch with Jennie and Leslie. She thought it was disgusting.

The next day, Deedee asked Mrs. Jewls if she could go to recess early.

"Why?" asked Mrs. Jewls.

"So I can get a green ba............