Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Fudge is very fond of his new toddler bed but falls out of it nightly until his parents surround it with chairs. Fudge proceeds to sleep curled up in a chair every night.

Peter’s mother plans a special Saturday for the boys when Fudge has to visit the dentist due to his recent fall. She announces that they will eat lunch in a restaurant and go to Bloomingdale’s to buy new shoes. Peter agrees reluctantly; he would prefer to see a movie with Jimmy. Upon their arrival at the dentist, Fudge refuses to open his mouth to be examined. Dr. Brown asks Peter to sit in the chair and open his mouth wide so that Fudge will imitate him.

While shoe shopping, Peter is fitted for new loafers. When the salesman, Mr. Berman, brings out the pair of brown-and-white saddle shoes that Mrs. Hatcher had requested for Fudge, the toddler kicks his feet and “managed to give Mr. Berman a kick in the face” (64). Fudge wants loafers like his older brother’s, but they are inappropriate for a child his age. Mrs. Hatcher asks Peter to play a joke on Fudge by pretending to try on and buy a pair of saddle shoes. Despite his annoyance with the child, Peter is protective of Fudge and protests that “you’re taking advantage of him” (65).

Mrs. Hatcher brings the boys to lunch at Hamburger Heaven, where Fudge smears his mashed potatoes on the wall, dumps a dish of peas over his head, and bursts his balloon with a fork. Heading home in a cab, Peter does not respond when his mother says, “Our day wasn’t that bad, was it…?” (69). Peter privately vows to never spend another day with Fudge.