Flying Lessons & Other Stories

Monk Oliver, the narrator and protagonist in “Seventy-Six Dollars and Forty-Nine Cents,” is a seventh grader who tells his story through a series of poems. The first poem reveals that Monk has been tasked with writing a memoir, and he is supposed to make it interesting. In the second poem, Monk wonders just how much of it must be true. What follows is his memoir.

He begins by talking about his name, noting that other kids tease him by changing “Monk” to “Monkey” or “Funk.” He blames his mother, who gave him the name because she was listening to a recording by the jazz musician Thelonious Monk when she went into labor with him. He jokes that at least she wasn’t reading Moby-Dick.

After explaining his name, Monk claims that, in the past, he was not the cool kid. Back then, he enjoyed reading about Star Wars and quoting the movies with his friend Hervé. He also had a crush on a girl named Angel Carter, but never actually had a girlfriend, unless the time a sixth grader asked to copy his homework counts. Monk emphasizes that this was before a miracle that made him cool.

Building suspense, Monk does not reveal the miracle, but instead shares more about his family and past. His father serves as a major in the Air Force, and most people call him by his title rather than his name, Jack Jackson. Because of his father’s work, Monk’s family has lived many places, including Bermuda. While in Bermuda, eight-year-old Monk had his first crush on a girl named Lisa Castillo, who liked him back, which was obvious because of how she slung sand in his face.

Finally, Monk launches into the story that changed his luck. While driving the family on the highway in New Jersey, his dad fell asleep at the wheel. Waking up to his mom’s screaming, Major swerved the car away from a head-on collision with a truck. Because he was not wearing a seatbelt, Monk slammed his head against an armrest. Major apologized and pulled off into a rest area.

While his dad slept in the car, Monk’s mom treated him and his little sister to ice cream. As he sipped on his milkshake, Monk experienced a searing pain that started in his head and ran down his body. He saw stars and a bright blue light before feeling fine again. Noticing he was shivering, his mom asked if he was okay, and Monk said yes.

Then, Monk heard his mom speaking about how gross her sherbet was, but her lips did not move. When he asked if she wanted something else, she looked confused. Next, he heard his little sister complain about Monk being mom’s favorite, and his mom declare that she should drive. Monk realized that he was listening to their thoughts.

Monk then texted Hervé to share the news of his newfound superpower. Hervé did not believe him, though, so they made a plan for Monk to prove it in school next week.

On Monday, in science, students prepared for their weekly quiz. Normally Monk would study, because Mr. Olley gave the toughest quizzes in the entire school, but because of his new abilities, he did not bother. The quizzes consisted of two questions to be answered in a thorough paragraph, and the students never really knew what the teacher would ask. As a result, for a few minutes before each quiz Mr. Olley answered any last-minute questions.

It was during this time that Monk planned to exert his mind-reading powers. Monk approached Mr. Olley with an inquiry about extra credit while Hervé asked what was on the quiz. Although he did not answer, Mr. Olley thought about Mitosis and DNA, and Monk heard every word.

When Monk returned to his seat, Mr. Olley attempted to start the quiz, but the students protested that they had not asked their questions yet. He relented and set a timer for five minutes. After someone jokingly asked the teacher what his astrological sign was and someone else queried about cell membranes, which was not on the quiz, Monk raised his hand. First, he asked about the phases of Mitosis. Mr. Olley noted in his head that it was a lucky guess.

Then, with one minute remaining, Monk explained what DNA was and what it did, but asked for clarification about whether it existed in every cell. Shocked, Mr. Olley just stared at Monk. In the end, Mr. Olley cancelled the quiz, the class celebrated, and Monk collected $20 from Hervé. Monk claimed that he would never use his powers again.

Moments later, he changed his mind when, in the hallway, kids showered him with attention. Even Monk’s beloved Angel Carter, who was usually mean and condescending, noticed him.

At this point, Monk interrupts his own memoir to make a note that this story takes place at a different school and that he has changed all the names so no one will know anyone’s true identity.

Returning to his tale, Monk describes himself dapping and high fiving all his classmates when Angel approached him. She smirked and mused to herself that Monk was a lowlife and a geek. Monk knew these thoughts even before her sidekick friends repeated the insults, and all the girls began to walk away.

In a last-ditch effort to get Angel’s attention back, Monk disclosed that he read Mr. Olley’s mind, and said he could read hers too. He nervously waited for Angel’s response. As she marched back toward him, she thought about going to the bathroom. Monk challenged her to ask him something, anything, and he would know the answer. Angel insulted him in Spanish, and everyone laughed.

Monk doubled down on his challenge, offering to do her math homework for a month if he was wrong. However, if correct, they would eat lunch together for an entire week. Inwardly, Angel scoffed at him and remembered that they went to elementary school together; outwardly, she agreed and asked him to name the city where her grandmother lived. She thought he would never be able to guess it because her grandmother lived in Georgia, a state far away from Monk’s home.

Given the state and not the city, Monk panicked, but acted quickly. He instructed her to reveal the answer to someone else, so there would be proof when he got it right. Despite her suspicions that he was stalling, she told a boy standing nearby. Monk heard. After dragging it out, Monk revealed that her grandmother lived in Macon, Georgia. This was correct, and everyone went crazy. Angel was incredulous.

Because of her disbelief, Monk challenged her to a double or nothing. This time if he won, she must go see a Stars Wars movie with him. She asked how much her mom paid to get her hair braided, with tax. He knew the answer (the title of the story) but could also read her other thoughts about having to go to the bathroom and already having plans to see the movie with a boy named Justin. Monk stated that he did not want Justin to be angry that she dumped him for Monk, so he asked for two favors instead—a kiss and a walk with him to the next class holding his hand. He encouraged her to decide before she peed in front of everyone.

Angel was frantic and embarrassed. The memoir ends with her walking up to him and leaning close, implying that she did indeed kiss him.

In the epilogue, Monk reveals that he has “taken some liberties and added a little drama here (and there)” (206), but that most of what appears in his assignment is true. The story ends with his signature.