Jon to the Rescue
by Tirzah Tyler
Jon lived with his mother. She had a weekend job selling cosmetics at their house. She insisted that he stay at home during her makeover appointments.
"Mom, I love you, but this is kind of embarrassing," Jon told his mother one day as politely as he could.
"I'm sorry, sweetie," she replied while she sprayed perfume into the air. Walking into the perfume cloud, she added, "Don't worry. I won't require you to wear any makeup."
With a chuckle, Jon said, "I know, Mom, and I appreciate that. I just don't want the guys at school to find out I help my mom at her beauty job."
"You're my security guard," Jon's mother said cheerfully. "I pay you in cookies."
Her first appointment on Saturday was at noon. At 11:45 a.m., Jon was eating chocolate chip cookies and surfing the Internet.
Suddenly, his mother ran into the living room. "This is a disaster," she said. "My supervisor shipped me the wrong box yesterday. She was supposed to have sent me 40 new powder brushes. Instead, she sent me 40 new compacts." She quickly handed Jon a piece of paper that had her scribbles on it. "Can you please go to the beauty supply store and get me 40 new powder brushes? I wrote down the name of the brand I need." Then she gave him cash to make the purchase.
Jon laughed and felt his face flush. He thought about how embarrassing it would be for him to buy anything at a beauty supply store. Then he thought about how important his mom's cosmetics job was to her, and he thought about how careful she was with money. He realized that the 40 new powder brushes were important to her. "OK, Mom, I'll get the brushes for you," Jon said.
He hopped on his bike and pedaled as quickly as he could to the beauty supply store, which was five blocks away. He felt very out of place at the store, just like he always did anytime he would accompany his mother there. He bought the brushes, climbed back onto his bike, and pedaled home as fast as he could.
Jon ran into his mother's perfume-scented home office, where she sold her cosmetics, and gave her the brushes and her change.
She wiped sweat off Jon's cheek and kissed it.
"Hey, Jon," said a familiar voice.
"Mike?" Jon asked, shocked to see one of his friends from school sitting in a chair in a corner of his mother's office. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm just here with my mom. She's getting a makeover—"
"From my mom," Jon said with a laugh.
"Why don't you take your friend into the living room?" Jon's mother asked.
"Yes, ma'am, we can check out my computer," Jon replied. He motioned for Mike to follow him and asked, "Do you like chocolate chip cookies?"
"Sure," Mike replied. "Hey, I'm really glad you're here, man," Mike added. Then he whispered, "Coming here with my mom was embarrassing."
What is the best way to summarize the passage?
A.
Jon works as his mother's security guard when she sells cosmetics on the weekends. She pays him with chocolate chip cookies. He has to run an errand for his mother one Saturday because her supervisor made a shipping error. Jon's mother does not require him to wear makeup, but her home office smells like perfume.
B.
Jon's mother has a weekend job selling cosmetics at her home office. Her supervisor sends her 40 new compacts instead of 40 new powder brushes by mistake. She asks Jon to go to the beauty supply store to buy the brushes she needs because it is Saturday, and she has a makeover scheduled.
C.
Jon gets on his bike and pedals as quickly as he can to the beauty supply store to buy 40 new powder brushes for his mother. He feels very out of place at the store, but he gets back on his bike and returns home quickly. When he arrives, he is sweaty, but his mother kisses his cheek.
D.
Jon's mother sells cosmetics at their house, and Jon is embarrassed when he helps her. One Saturday, he rides his bike to the beauty supply store because his mother needs powder brushes. After Jon returns, he discovers his friend Mike at his house. Mike, embarrassed, is with his mom, who is getting a makeover.