Ethan walked down the hallway towards Kids Central.
He was daydreaming about the beach.
Suddenly someone tapped him on the shoulder.
"Ah!" He turned around, startled.
"Yikes. I was just saying hello!" Bobby said.
He twirled a basketball on his finger.
Ethan sighed. "I miss going surfing after school.
And I miss eating at my favorite taco stand on the beach."
"Today might be your lucky day," Bobby said.
"Miss Shelly has her apron on."
"What are we making?" Jason asked.
He looked at all the ingredients on the table.
"Tacos!" Miss Shelly said.
Ethan's eyes grew big.
"You remembered my idea to make tacos!"
"You can help me show everyone how to make them," she said.
"I don't know how to make them," Ethan said.
"I just know how to eat them!"
Everyone laughed.
"What's a taco?" Nina asked.
Miss Shelly picked one up.
"A taco is usually a hard corn shell, like this.
You fill it with many different things."
"Like what?" asked Nina.
Miss Shelly looked at Ethan to answer.
"Um, meat," he began. "Beans, rice, lettuce."
"Exactly!" Miss Shelly said.
"Our fillings for today are ground beef, black beans, rice, lettuce, cheese, and salsa.
Pick which ingredients you want.
Toss them in your shell, and you're finished!" Miss Shelly said.
"Toss them in the shell?" Bobby repeated.
"Does that mean we throw the shell in the air?
Like a pizza?"
He grinned at Miss Shelly.
"No," Miss Shelly said with a frown.
"It does not mean we throw anything in the air."
She turned to Ethan.
"Would you like to go first?
Show everyone how to make a taco!"
"Sure!" Ethan picked up a taco shell.
"First I put rice in.
Then I put the meat on top of the rice.
That way it doesn't make the shell soggy."
Ethan moved down the table.
"Then I add lettuce.
Then I skip the salsa, because I don't like tomatoes!"
He sprinkled some cheese on top. "Done!"
"That looks easy.
I'll go next!" Nina said.
She filled her taco with beans, rice, and salsa.
When everyone was finished, they carried their plates to the rug.
"Uh-oh," Izzie cried. "These are super sloppy tacos.
I just made a mess!"
Her taco shell had broken in half.
There was a big blob of meat on her plate.
There was even more salsa on her shirt.
Nina began to giggle.
"I warned you about putting meat on the bottom!" Ethan said, laughing.
Soon everyone was laughing, even Izzie.
"The taco is still really good.
Even if it is messy," Izzie admitted.
Soon it was time to go home.
"Thanks for the idea of making tacos," Miss Shelly said to Ethan.
"They were a big hit."
"I have other great ideas too," Ethan said.
"How about next time we take a trip to the beach!"
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