The Amazing Mexican Secret

by jeff brown

  The Amazing Mexican Secret

  Brown, Jeff

  HarperCollins (2010)

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  SUMMARY:

  There's no place on Earth a flat kid can't go! Special delivery: danger! When Stanley's mother needs the secret ingredient for a special recipe, Stanley mails himself to Mexico to track down its mysterious maker. But when a band of spies threatens to steal the secret, Stanley's simple trip becomes a race against an opponent that even a flat boy like himself can't slip past!

  Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures Book No. 5

  The Amazing Mexican Secret

  Created by Jeff Brown

  Written by Josh Greenhut

  Pictures by Macky Pamintuan

  Contents

  1. ¡Olé!

  2. The Matador

  3. La Fiesta

  4. The Mayan Temple

  5. The Plunge

  6. La Abuela

  7. The Secret

  8. The Last Bullfight

  About the Authors

  Other Books by Jeff Brown

  Credits

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  1

  ¡Olé!

  “You have met your match!” Stanley Lambchop called down the hallway to his younger brother, Arthur.

  Arthur snorted and stomped his foot.

  “My amigo is right!” said Carlos, their friend from next door who had slept over. Stanley knew that amigo meant “friend” in Spanish. “You will never defeat a great matador—and cape—like us!”

  Carlos took Stanley’s hands and dangled him just off the ground. This was not very difficult, because Carlos was quite tall for his age. Also, Stanley was only half an inch thick.

  Stanley had been flat ever since the enormous bulletin board over his bed fell on him one night while he was sleeping. Sometimes he found being flat no fun at all. People had a habit of sitting on him on the bus. But there were good things about being flat, too. Stanley could slide under doors. He could travel inexpensively through the mail. And he could be a very good bullfighter’s cape whenever Carlos came over to play.

  Arthur charged down the hall, headed straight for them. At the very last moment, Carlos swung Stanley upward. Arthur passed below as Stanley’s toes brushed the ceiling.

  “¡Olé!” Carlos and Stanley cried triumphantly. They turned to face their opponent.

  Arthur narrowed his eyes and slowly backed up to the other end of the hall.

  Stanley knew to take his brother very seriously when Arthur was mad. After all, it wasn’t always easy for Arthur, having a brother who was flat and could do so many unusual things. Plus, Stanley was dressed all in red, which Carlos said made bulls angry.

  With a roar, Arthur rushed toward them. He was the fastest bull Stanley had ever seen in their house. Carlos tightened his grip on Stanley’s hands.

  Stanley took a deep breath and—

  “BOYS!!” a voice bellowed right behind them as Carlos swept Stanley through the air.

  It was Mr. Lambchop! Stanley was about to swing right into him!

  Stanley pointed his toes as hard as he could. They skidded against the ceiling, bringing him to a stop.

  The good news was that Stanley Lambchop had not crashed into his father. The bad news was that he was now upside down and face-to-face with him.

  “Haven’t I told you, ‘No horsing around?!’” Mr. Lambchop said.

  “But we weren’t playing horses, Dad!” protested Arthur.

  Mrs. Lambchop appeared from the kitchen. “Arthur is right, dear,” she said. “One shouldn’t call it horseplay when they were playing bullfight.” Stanley’s parents were very much in favor of proper speech whenever possible.

  “My cousin Carmen del Junco is a famous matador in Mexico,” Carlos admitted. “It is in my blood.”

  “Speaking of Mexico,” Mrs. Lambchop said, smiling, “guess what’s for breakfast.”

  Everyone followed her into the kitchen. “What is it?” Stanley asked, poking the yellow mound on his plate with a fork. It certainly smelled good.

  “Why, it’s huevos rancheros!” Mrs. Lambchop said.

  “Looks more like eggs,” said Arthur.

  Carlos chuckled. “Huevos means ‘eggs’ in Spanish. Huevos rancheros is a special dish with eggs on top of a tortilla.” He elbowed Stanley. “You will like the tortilla, amigo. It is flat like you!”

  Everybody dug in.

  “Ish ish delishish!” exclaimed Arthur.

  “Please don’t talk with your mouth full, Arthur,” Mr. Lambchop said. “Harriet, you’ve outdone yourself. These huevos rancheros are delicious.”

  Stanley couldn’t agree more, so he shoveled another forkful into his mouth.

  “I made it with the seasoning that Carlos’s mother gave me,” Mrs. Lambchop explained proudly. For her birthday, Mrs. Lambchop had a party with a cooking theme. Stanley had given her a spatula, although he was almost injured when Arthur tried to flip him with it.

  “Ah,” Carlos said, nodding. “My great grandmother’s secret ingredient!”

  “Secret ingredient?” Stanley’s mother leaned forward. “What could it be?”

  “I cannot say,” said Carlos.

  “We promise we won’t tell anyone,” pleaded Mrs. Lambchop.

  “I cannot tell you, Señora Lambchop, because I do not know.” Carlos shrugged. “Nobody knows. My great grandmother guards her secret closely. There are spies trying to steal it from her always! It is sad, because when she dies, the secret will go with her.”

  “How old is she?” asked Arthur.

  “She is a hundred and three,” said Carlos, with a frown.

  “That’s quite young for a person over a hundred,” said Mr. Lambchop.

  “Carlos,” said Mrs. Lambchop, “I love cooking. And this—this is the most wonderful flavor I have ever known. I would be honored to carry on the tradition of your great grandmother’s secret ingredient!”

  “But how?” said Carlos.

  “I’ll call her up,” said Mrs. Lambchop.

  Carlos shook his head. “My great grandmother does not have a telephone. She lives in a very remote part of Mexico.”

  “I’ll write her a letter!” said Mrs. Lambchop.

  “She would never send her secret in the mail,” said Carlos.

  Stanley’s mother thought for a long moment. Then, very quietly, she said, “We’ll send a messenger.”

  “I’m your man!” Arthur leaped to his feet. He was always ready for an adventure.

  But Mrs. Lambchop was not looking at Arthur. “Stanley, those red sweat-pants look comfortable enough,” she said. “I’ll fold you some tortillas for the trip. We have to get you in the mail!”

  “Aw!” pouted Arthur.

  “You’re sending me to Mexico?” Stanley gasped. His mother usually seemed more concerned about his health and safety.

  “Stanley Lambchop, you tasted the secret ingredient,” said Mrs. Lambchop. “We can not let that secret die.”

  “Your mother is right, Stanley,” Mr. Lambchop said. “You have traveled all over the world. You explored the pyramids of Egypt.”

  “You practiced martial arts in Japan,” Mrs. Lambchop chimed in.

  “You flew on arctic winds to northern Canada,” grumbled Arthur. “That was another trip I missed.”

  “Why, Mexico is just south of the United States of America,” said Mrs. Lambchop. “That makes it practically next door!”

  2

  The Matador

  Stanley Lambchop awoke to the sound of applause just outside his envelope. Somebody must have informed the Mexicans of his arrival!

  Since becoming flat, Stanley had grown used to attention. So
metimes he did not like it, especially when strangers called him “Flatty.” But he had also found that there was such a thing as good attention.

  He remembered the reporters who crowded around him after he saved President Lincoln’s nose from breaking off Mount Rushmore. He thought of the crowds calling his name as he stood with the movie star Oda Nobu in Japan. And now, he had arrived in Mexico to thunderous applause!

  Stanley hoped he would have a minute to straighten himself. He liked to look presentable for his public.

  At that very moment, someone tore the envelope open, and Stanley leaped out, smiling for the crowd.

  But there was no crowd in sight.

  It appeared that Stanley was just outside the door of a massive stadium. The crowd must have been inside. A giant sign above the gate said PLAZA DE TOROS MÉXICO.

  Staring down at Stanley was a beautiful woman in a fancy velvet outfit with a frilly white shirt. “¿Quién es?” she said sharply.

  “I’m afraid I don’t speak Spanish,” said Stanley, slightly embarrassed.

  “Who are you?” she repeated in English.

  “My name is Stanley Lambchop,” answered Stanley. “I am here for the secret ingredient of Isabela Beluga Tortilla de Sandoval.” (Carlos had taught him how to properly pronounce his great grandmother’s name before licking the envelope.)

  “Then you are a spy!” the woman cried.

  “No, I’m not!” Stanley said. “Look!” Ever since Stanley had had a difficult time at the Cairo post office, he always made sure to travel with the proper documentation. In this case, Carlos had written a letter in Spanish, explaining the situation. Stanley pulled it from his pocket.

  When the woman had finished reading, she peered down at Stanley.

  “You are Stanley the flat boy?”

  Stanley raised his eyebrows.

  “Forgive me. Carlos has been telling me of you in letters,” she said. “I thought you were in his imagination.”

  “You know Carlos?!” said Stanley, surprised.

  “He is my cousin,” the woman said, nodding.

  “Then you must know Carmen del Junco, the famous bullfighter!”

  The woman looked confused. Then she smiled for the first time. “I do,” she admitted.

  “Julio!” she called suddenly to a man nearby. She said something in Spanish and then turned back to Stanley. “You are my guest here,” she said. “Julio will take care of you. I will join you after.”

  “After what?” asked Stanley.

  Without answering, the woman opened the huge door to the stadium and slipped inside.

  The crowd’s roar got louder.

  Julio led Stanley to another, smaller door and then through a maze of corridors. They came out among the seats of the crowded stadium. There must have been tens of thousands of people. Julio directed Stanley to a lone empty seat in the front row.

  In the center of the ring was the woman who had opened Stanley’s envelope. She waved a red cape in the air as a bull ran into the ring.

  Stanley slapped his head with a clap: She was the famous matador!

  The bull charged. Stanley held his breath as Carmen del Junco, the great bullfighter, calmly stepped around it, swinging her cape before its eyes. Her long brown hair flowed through the air.

  The bull came at her again and again. Stanley could see the side of the bull brushing against her as it sped past.

  Carmen turned and gestured up to Stanley with a flourish. She was looking right at him!

  Stanley jumped up and waved. Someone in the row behind him slapped him on the back enthusiastically.

  That made Stanley lose his balance. He fell forward into the ring.

  Carmen waved her cape at the bull, but suddenly it wasn’t looking at her.

  It was looking at Stanley.

  And Stanley was wearing all red!

  The bull charged. It looked much bigger, faster, and madder than Arthur. Its hooves shook the ground. Its eyes blazed.

  Suddenly, Stanley felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Carmen. Effortlessly, she hoisted him overhead with one hand as the bull raced by.

  Stanley’s heart was beating so hard, his whole body was rippling.

  “Smile,” Carmen del Junco called up to him, as thousands of cameras flashed from the stands.

  3

  La Fiesta

  As the sun set over Mexico City, Stanley stood in the courtyard of Carmen’s home, where her family had gathered to celebrate after the bullfight. Stanley had never known a person with so many brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles, aunts, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and godchildren.

  An older woman with enormous eyeglasses rushed up and squealed at Stanley. She reached out to squeeze his cheeks, but pinched the sides of his head instead. He tried to smile.

  “Bienvenidos,” the woman cried. “¡Bienvenidos!”

  Stanley looked around for Carmen to translate.

  “Bien means ‘well’,” a voice said. It was an older boy, the first signs of a mustache sprouting on his lip. “Venidos comes from the verb venir, ‘to come’. Bienvenidos means—”

  “Well—come. Welcome!” Stanley said. “You speak English!”

  “I am Eduardo,” the boy said, nodding. “We are excited to meet you.” He stepped aside to reveal a group of children.

  “Está liso como un plato,” a little girl said, gasping, wide-eyed.

  “She says you are flat as a pancake,” said Eduardo. He grabbed Stanley and led him through the crowd.

  A moment later, Stanley and Eduardo stood in a corner of the courtyard, the other children arranged around them on the grass. Eduardo said they were eager to hear Stanley’s stories of adventure. Eduardo would translate.

  The children ooohed as Stanley told them how he had used his body as a lever to rescue his friend Calamity Jane from a gold mine. They aaahed as he described how he had used his elbows as lethal weapons to defeat ruthless villains in Japan. They gasped when he told them he could fly like a jet plane using nothing but his muscled, aerodynamic body.

  Stanley did not tell them that his brother, Arthur, had helped save Calamity Jane. He did not tell them that neither the villains he had encountered in Japan nor his elbows were particularly dangerous. And he did not tell them that he couldn’t really fly like an airplane, although he sometimes got carried away by heavy winds…or, at moments like this one, by telling stories that weren’t quite true.

  It was dark when Stanley concluded his tale of the mummy he befriended in an ancient Egyptian tomb. There was no mistaking the admiration and amazement of his listeners. Someone called something out to Eduardo. The other children cried, “¡Sí! ¡Sí!”

  “We have a surprise for you,” Eduardo said, with a grin. “Come!”

  They led Stanley to a grand tree. The little girl who had compared Stanley to a pancake stepped forward and held out her hands. They were filled with small candies in shiny wrappers.

  “Thank you!” said Stanley. He took one and started unwrapping it.

  “Not yet,” said Eduardo in a low voice. “You must put them in your pockets.” Stanley did.

  “Up!” commanded Eduardo, and two tall boys grabbed Stanley’s legs and lifted him into the air. Above his head was a tree limb. Stanley grabbed on with both hands.

  This is a strange surprise, thought Stanley. He looked down and saw the little girl standing beneath him. Her wide eyes were hidden by a blindfold. The other children started spinning her around and counting.

  “¡Uno! ¡Dos! ¡Tres! ¡Cuatro! ¡Cinco! ¡Seis! ¡Siete!”

  After seven spins, the girl weaved with dizziness. Someone handed her a giant stick.

  The girl held the stick over her head and swung it. Stanley felt a swish of air against his leg.

  “Hey!” he cried. All the children were cheering.

  “What are you doing!” yelled Stanley again as the girl swung the stick a second time, grazing his foot.

  “YOU’RE GOING TO HURT ME!” screamed Stanley at the top of his flat
lungs.

  “¡Alto! ¡Alto!” cried Eduardo. The little girl froze. “Is something wrong, Stanley?”

  “What the heck is going on?!” Stanley said.

  “We are playing piñata,” replied Eduardo.

  “But I’m not a piñata!” said Stanley. “Now get me down from here!”

  The two tall boys rushed up and helped Stanley to the ground.

  “But we thought—” said Eduardo.

  “What?” huffed Stanley.

  “We thought you could not be hurt,” Eduardo said. “From your stories…you seem so fearless and…indestructible. Like you are made of rubber. We thought you would like to be the piñata.”

  Stanley shook his head sadly. He folded himself to the ground.

  “I can get hurt,” he said quietly. “I know I didn’t make it sound like I can. But I can get hurt just as easily as anyone. I should have been honest with you.”

  Eduardo was frowning.

  “I’m sorry,” Stanley said softly. He gave a heavy sigh. “All I want is to get Carlos’s great grandmother’s secret ingredient and return home safely.”

  Eduardo blinked. “Is that why you are here? For the secret of La Abuela?”

  Stanley nodded.

  “There are spies,” said Eduardo.

  “I know,” Stanley said.

  “It is very far,” said Eduardo.

  “I know,” repeated Stanley. “But I promised I would try, and I can’t turn back now.”

  Eduardo peered deep into Stanley’s eyes. Then he walked off to talk to the other children.

  They probably never want to see me again, Stanley thought.

  Eduardo returned. “We will take you to La Abuela,” he announced.

  “Really?!” said Stanley.

  “The journey is long and dangerous, even for one as fearless and indestructible as you,” said Eduardo. “We will protect you.”

  Stanley looked up at the children who now encircled him. His heart felt warm. Silently, he reached into his pocket and began passing out candies.