Cover of The Mixed-Up Meeting Place

Sam and his friend Dana want to meet for dinner on Friday. Sam sends Dana a text. "Let's meet at the usual place, around seven," he writes.

Dana texts back quickly. "Sounds good! See you there."

Sam smiles at his phone, but then he stops. He and Dana have two usual places. One is a small pizza shop. The other is a noodle restaurant. They both call each spot "the usual place."

Sam sends another text. "Wait, which usual place do you mean? Pizza or noodles?"

He waits for an answer. Ten minutes pass. Then twenty. Dana does not reply.

Sam checks his phone again and again. There is still no new message. He needs to decide soon, or he will be late.

He thinks about the last few times they met. Dana ordered noodles both times. So Sam guesses she wants noodles again.

At seven o'clock, Sam walks into the noodle restaurant. He looks around the room, but he does not see Dana.

He waits by the door for a few minutes. His phone stays quiet. He starts to worry that he guessed wrong.

Then the door opens, and Dana walks in with a big smile.

"Sorry, my phone died earlier!" she says. "I just charged it at work."

"That's okay," Sam says. "I guessed noodles, and here you are!"

They both laugh and walk to a table by the window.

"Let's order," Dana says, picking up a menu.

🧠 Check your understanding

  1. What two places do Sam and Dana usually meet at?

    Show answer

    Answer: A pizza shop and a noodle restaurant

    They both call a small pizza shop and a noodle restaurant "the usual place."

  2. Why does Dana not reply to Sam's question?

    Show answer

    Answer: Her phone died

    Dana says, "Sorry, my phone died earlier!"

  3. How does Sam decide where to go?

    Show answer

    Answer: He remembers what Dana ordered before

    He remembers Dana ordered noodles the last two times, so he guesses noodles again.

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