The Mean Number Two

by Daniel Errico



Mean Number Two cover. Number Two and Number Seven in field of berry bushes.

Number Two was always by himself.

He didn’t like being around other numbers.

He lived in the Land of Numbers and spent his days picking berries in the Arithmetic Fields.

He picked the rarest berry of all, the plumberry.

He made plumberry pies and plumberry cakes, and he never shared any with anyone.

One day he came upon the Number Seven. 

Number Seven was very clumsy, and he had fallen and hurt himself.

“Will you help me until I get better?” asked Number Seven.

“Hmmrph…I suppose so,” said Number Two angrily. 

Number Two and Number Seven are standing in rows of plumberry trees.

He let Number Seven sleep in his home.  He brought him water, and gave him food, but he never let Number Seven have a plumberry.

After a few days, Number Seven started to get better.

Number Two told him that he would have to work the plumberry fields to repay him.

They worked together all day picking plumberries. Number Two picked the berries, and Number Seven held the baskets.

Now that he could use both hands, Number Two could pick twice as many berries as before and twice as fast!

“He’s still not getting any of my plumberries,” thought Number Two.

Number Two is sitting inside their house eating a slice of plumberry pie. Number Seven is looking in from outside the window.

Next they carried the baskets back from the fields. 

With two of them carrying the baskets, they got it done twice as fast!

“He’s still not getting any plumberries,” thought Number Two.

Number Two washed half of the plumberries while Number Seven washed the other half.

They each dried off the berries with a dry cloth.

It was the fastest that Number Two had ever finished his work for the day.

“He’s STILL not getting any plumberries!” thought Number Two.

Number Two and Number Seven are happily picking plumberries together.

But just as they were ready to be eaten, a wild Plus Sign came running by and grabbed a basket of berries!

“Catch him!” yelled Number Two.

They both went running after the hungry Plus Sign.

The Plus Sign ran down a long row of plumberry trees, and sat in the center.

The Plus Sign standing in a row of plumberry trees.

“I have a plan,” said Number Seven. 

“You go get the biggest basket you have and wait at the other end of this row of plumberry trees. I’ll chase the Plus Sign towards you.  I’ll tell you when it’s the right time, and you can jump out and catch it.”

“Hhhhmrph…I suppose so,” said the mean Number Two.

Number Seven ran after the Plus Sign.

When they were almost at the end of the trees, he yelled, “Now!”

Number Two jumped out and trapped the Plus Sign with the biggest basket he could find.

Number Two and Number Seven are at the end of a row of plumberry trees, trapping the Plus Sign.

He was very happy to have his plumberries back.

“I could not have done this without you,” said Number Two. 

That night he made plumberry tarts, and plumberry cookies with plumberry icing, and he shared them with Number Seven.

Number Two realized that working together means you get more done.

From that day on, the Rule of Number Two was that the smartest and safest way to do things is with a friend.

Number Two and Number Seven sharing a plumberry pie inside Number Two's house.