Lulu decided that if she got up earlier in the morning she could easily walk a dog before going to school. Somebody in the neighborhood must need a dog walker. Hey, maybe two different somebodies needed a dog walker. Hey, wait a minute, maybe even three. Lulu was certain that she could handle three. And if she charged two dollars and fifty cents a day per dog, and if she walked three dogs five days a week, in one week Lulu could earn . . . (Just give me a moment here—I’ll tell you what she could earn. She could earn . . . Don’t rush me! Okay—it’s thirty-six dollars.)

(Excuse me, it is thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents. I’ve never been all that great at arithmetic.)

Using her mom’s computer and printer, Lulu prepared an announcement that she stuck into all the mailboxes in her neighborhood. Here’s what it said:

LULU THE OUTSTANDING DOG WALKER
WILL WALK YOUR DOG FOR $2.50 A DAY
ON MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS,
THURSDAYS, AND FRIDAYS

Her announcement included her telephone number, so people could give her a call and make an appointment for her and the dog to meet.

By the end of Saturday afternoon, four neighbors had telephoned Lulu. One of these neighbors, however, was—guess who?—Fleischman. “You’ve got a dog to walk?” Lulu asked grumpily.

“I don’t,” Fleischman answered. “My mom’s allergic to dogs. But I know all about them—I’m sort of kind of an expert. And after I read your announcement I thought that if you’d like, I could give you some advice.”

That Fleischman had some nerve, wanting to give her dog-advice when he didn’t even have a dog of his own! Although, to be honest, Lulu didn’t either. “Thanks, but no thanks,” said Lulu, in a not-too-thankful voice. “What can be so hard about walking a dog?”