Call Me Bud
What is Bud's full name, and what does he prefer to be called?
Buddy Caldwell; he prefers to be called "Bud"
What two possible reasons does Bud give for why the caseworker might be delivering bad news?
Either they've found a foster home for somebody, or somebody is about to get paddled
Why are Jerry and Bud being taken out of line?
They have both been accepted into new temporary-care homes starting that afternoon
How are Jerry and Bud's new living situations different from each other?
Jerry will be living with a family with three little girls; Bud will be living with Mr. and Mrs. Amos and their 12-year-old son
According to the caseworker, what is happening in the country at this time?
There is a depression going on, people can't find jobs, and these are very difficult times for everybody
What three words does the caseworker expect the boys to say to show they understand their situation?
"Cheerful, helpful and grateful"
How many times has Bud been placed in a foster home before this one?
This is his third foster home
What physical reaction does Bud experience when told he has to leave, even though he doesn't cry anymore?
His nose gets runny, his throat gets choky, and his eyes get stingy, but he doesn't actually cry
What does Bud tell Jerry to comfort him about living with three girls?
He tells Jerry that the girls will treat him like a special pet and will likely make him play house, which isn't as bad as dealing with an older boy who might want to fight
According to Bud, what age marks the beginning of real adulthood, and why is this age difficult?
Age six; at this age, adults stop treating children as cute kids and expect them to understand everything, and grown-ups start giving harsh physical punishment instead of light swats
What is the scary physical change that Bud describes happening around age six?
Teeth start coming loose and eventually fall out, which is scary because children lose control of their tongue and it keeps exploring the new hole
Why does Bud keep his belongings in a suitcase rather than a paper or cloth sack like the other kids?
To protect his belongings from other kids in the Home who might take his things
What is special about the blue flyer that Bud keeps in his suitcase?
It is a flyer advertising Herman E. Calloway and the Dusky Devastators of the Depression performing in Flint, Michigan in 1932
Who is Herman E. Calloway, and why does Bud have a "good suspicion" about him?
Bud suspects Herman E. Calloway is his father; Bud has never met him but has a strong feeling about this
What details can be seen in the picture on the flyer, and what does Bud think the man's face reveals about his character?
The flyer shows a man standing next to a giant fiddle, with two other men (one playing drums, one playing horn) beside him. Bud thinks the man's face reveals he is quiet, friendly, and smart
When and where was the performance advertised on the blue flyer supposed to take place?
Saturday, June 16, 1932, at the Luxurious Fifty Grand in Flint, Michigan
How many flyers about similar performances does Bud have, and what makes the blue one different from the others?
Bud has five flyers total (the blue one and four others); the blue one is different because it mentions Flint, Michigan
What is the significance of Bud's memory of his mother with the blue flyer?
Bud's mother brought the blue flyer home and became very upset about it, and it was not long after this that Bud found her dead in her bedroom
How does Bud's attitude toward being moved to a new foster home seem to have changed over time?
He has become used to packing up and leaving, though it still affects him emotionally; he's resigned to the experience ("Here we go again")
What can you infer about Bud's relationship with his mother based on the information given in this chapter?
Answers may vary, but students might infer that Bud's mother died when he was six years old, that she was upset or troubled by something related to Herman E. Calloway, and that her death was a traumatic event that led to Bud entering the foster care system
What does Bud do every night before going to sleep, and why is this routine important to him?
Bud checks to make sure all of his belongings are still in his suitcase; this is important because more and more kids are coming into the Home each day, and he wants to protect his things from being stolen by other residents
What do the six exclamation points at the end of "HERMAN E. CALLOWAY and the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!!" suggest about how Bud feels regarding this performer?
The six exclamation points emphasize the importance and excitement of the performer; Bud seems to believe that someone deserving of so many exclamation points must be truly great and important
How does Bud's description of the man in the flyer picture connect to his suspicion about who this man might be?
Bud describes the man as quiet, friendly, and smart based on his face; this suggests that Bud is looking for positive qualities in his suspected father and is trying to understand what kind of person he might be
What is the significance of the phrase "Here we go again" as it appears both at the beginning and end of the chapter?
The phrase bookends the chapter and represents Bud's cyclical experience of being moved from one foster home to another; it shows his resignation to a pattern of displacement that has become routine for him
Based on the chapter, what can you infer about why Bud keeps the flyers in his suitcase rather than throwing them away?
Bud keeps the flyers because they connect him to his mother's memory and represent his only tangible link to his suspected father; they provide him with hope, purpose, or a sense of identity despite his uncertain circumstances