- Running away, or "being on the lam," is not fun for Bud, especially because his stings and his bite wound hurt.
- Bud heads for the library basement, but its windows are barred. He decides he might as well sleep under the "Christmas trees" nearby.
- To get ready for sleep, Bud pulls his blanket out of his suitcase and checks to make sure all his rocks are still in his tobacco sack. He pulls out a photo of his mother.
- In the photo, his mother looks really upset and is sitting on a tiny horse with a big hat on.
- Bud remembers her telling him that she was so unhappy because her father made her pose in that terribly filthy hat. Momma would get upset whenever she looked at the picture, even though it was taken a long time ago. She'd act nervous and upset talking about her father.
- Bud remembers that his mother moved quickly and always busy except for when she would tell him something very important. For example, Momma told him not to let anyone call him Buddy since his name was Bud, like a flower bud waiting to open up.
- She also told him not to worry and that she would explain things to him when he was older.
- Bud tells us the eighty-third rule of Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself: if an adult tells you not to worry, you should start worrying…
- Finally, Bud remembers how his mother told him very seriously that when one door closes, another door opens. (We call that optimism.) But Bud just doesn't get it. It's hard to be optimistic when your life is as tough as Bud's.
- Now, under the tree, he goes to sleep thinking about how he needs to wake up early enough for breakfast at the mission. One minute late, and you're out.