The Million Dollar Shot

Later that week, Eddie’s mom and Annie’s dad are both fired from Finkle’s. Worried about how the families will survive without income, Eddie decides to enter the Finkle Foods contest. He writes a poem for the contest, which Annie criticizes before writing a better one. It takes Eddie a while to admit that her poem is better, but when he finally does, he “filled out the entry form, put Annie’s poem in the envelope, and rubbed [his] lucky Susan B. Anthony dollar against it” (33) before mailing it.

Several months later, a Finkle employee comes to Eddie’s house to tell him that his poem won the contest. At first, Eddie is thrilled, but then he feels guilty because it was really Annie’s poem that won. When he tells Annie that she should take the shot, Annie refuses because she doesn’t want to give Finkle’s any publicity. Eddie suggests splitting the money with her if he wins, and although Annie refuses again, her dad says, “Maybe we should put something in writing” (39).