The Fourth Stall

Mac explains why the timing of the problem is so poor: He and Vince have saved money for years to buy tickets to see the Chicago Cubs play the World Series—if the team ever gets that far. As huge fans who catch every game and know the team history well, Mac and Vince understand exactly how rare the chance will be: “The Cubs make the playoffs like once every ten years, and they haven’t made it to the World Series in almost seventy years, and haven’t won one in over a hundred, which is the longest a single team has sucked in all of sports history” (11). Suffice to say that if the two have the chance to attend—and it looks like this might be the year—they better be able to afford the tickets, which will likely be in the thousands. If the team continues to win in the playoffs, the Series is two weeks away. Making money from now till then is crucial.

A very nervous new customer enters the stall and hesitantly gives his name as Fred. Fred wants protection from Staples. Mac is shocked to hear that Staples really exists, and he calls for Vince to join Fred and him in the stall to hear the story. Staples is a young male who might be 14, 20, or any age in between. He is known for taking high-stakes sporting bets on games at local and professional levels, then bribing the players to throw the game so that the outcome is assured. No one can stop his illegal gambling ring because even the police are in cahoots. Mac always assumed Staples was a fictitious legend, but Fred says Staples’s operation is now in their elementary school and that he’d been too scared to say no when his older brother (also employed by Staples but at the high school) recruited him. Fred takes and places bets from others, then distributes payout to winners; now, however, he wants out—Staples is scary and mean and bullies those who get in over their heads, even threatening to hurt their pets.

Fred mentions that Staples sends Barnaby Willis, an eighth grader known as the Collector, to rough up and steal possessions from those who cannot pay their debts. Fred knows Staples may send boys to hurt him; he wants protection from Mac. Mac agrees to protect Fred for $20 but warns, “This could get pretty dangerous, though, so I may require more later on” (21). Mac suspects his business has slowed lately because kids are putting their money into Staples’s betting operation instead.

Mac puts the sign on the bathroom door that reads “Caution: Wet Floor” so that the student body knows he is temporarily closed for lunch. He, Vince, and Joe eat in the bathroom and discuss the dilemma. They must protect Fred, but they must stay open as much as possible for continued business, as making money for the World Series tickets is a priority. They decide to employ a third grader, Brady, to watch over Fred in class while allowing Fred to stay in the bathroom over recess and lunch. Mac thinks they must hire a cheap helper if needed after a few days so that no one gets wise as to why Fred needs protection. Joe suggests Tanzeem, a trustworthy seventh grader, and arranges for him to meet with Mac the next day.

The next morning Mac arrives at the bathroom alone to make notes in the Books when Barnaby, the Collector, accosts him. He pushes Mac to the ground inside the bathroom and steps on his chest with one foot. Mac cannot get up. Barnaby accuses Mac of helping Fred and warns him: “[…] [Y]our little buddy Fred has threatened to rat out some very important people. Which is a pretty serious offense, as I’m sure you know. And as long as you’re helping him, you’re in just as much trouble as he is. Understand?” (30). Vince comes in just as Barnaby prepares to hit Mac, and the thug takes off. Vince says he arrived early to go over the finances. Mac thinks nothing of it except that Vince must be as worried about game ticket prices as he is.

At morning recess, Mac asks Fred what he knows about Staples. Fred does not know many details but says Staples has a team of high school boys who act as henchmen, including a very mean one named PJ. Fred met Staples a few times at the shed where Staples lives, but Staples’s men blindfolded Fred to get there, so he does not know the location. He was one of 10 bookies at their elementary school and claims that “Staples almost always finds a way to make sure that most kids lose their bets” (35). Fred names a few other bookies but does not know whom Staples employs as the lead bookie at their school. Mac wants to know who all the bookies are, including the leader.

Tanzeem does not show the next day, so Mac sends Joe to check on him; Mac must close the office again while Joe is gone, so he, Vince, and Brady brainstorm new ideas for dealing with Staples. Brady says he does not know any bookies. Vince wants revenge on Barnaby, but Mac tells Vince they should concentrate on learning the identities of the bookies and their leader. Mac considers employing Tyrell Alishouse to find out, a “secret weapon in desperate times” (39), but Vince thinks he costs too much. Mac’s next idea is Ears, a good—and cheap—informant. When they approach Ears at recess, though, he takes off. Mac and Vince run him down.

When they catch him, Ears apologizes profusely. He admits he owes money to Staples and that Staples threatened to kill his cat, Nevernude. To clear his debt, Ears had to vow not to inform for Mac any longer and to rat some details about Mac’s business: “Just basic stuff, I guess. Like who works for you and where your office is […]” (44). Mac sees that Ears will be no help, so he and Vince walk away. Mac suggests Tyrell again, but Vince says they should try Jacky Boy, one of the bookies Fred named. Back at Mac’s office, Joe reveals that Staples’s henchmen beat up Tanzeem early that morning. Mac now knows Staples has an informant or spy working for him in Mac’s building. 

Mac, Vince, and Joe try to escort Fred home that day, but four high school boys who work for Staples accost them. Mac gives the order to split up. He and Fred run together with PJ, Staples’s right-hand man, and another boy in pursuit. Mac and Fred try to hide; Mac successfully trips the boys, then tells Fred to run. PJ slams Mac against a wall and threatens him, but Fred comes up behind and whacks PJ with his backpack. They run and hide again until they see PJ and the other boy meet up and walk away.

Mac drops Fred off at his home, then goes to Joe’s house, the predetermined meeting place if things ever go wrong. Staples’s boys hit Joe several times, but Vince insulted them and drew away one’s attention, allowing Joe to hit the other; then the boy ran off. Mac is worried about Vince, but soon Vince approaches. He looks fine and says he outran the boy who pursued him. Mac realizes that he must rid his building of Staples’s influence for good; his whole business and school are at stake.