Student Question

In Bud, Not Buddy, why did Bud regret looking out the window?

Quick answer:

Bud regrets looking out the window of the Amos' shed because it leads to a frightening encounter. Upon looking out, he notices what he believes is a "vampire bat" on the ceiling, which turns out to be a hornet's nest. Attempting to kill it, Bud disturbs the nest, resulting in a swarm of hornets stinging him. This painful experience forces him to break the window and escape, marking the start of his journey to find his father.

Expert Answers

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The window that Bud regrets looking out of is the window of the Amos’ shed.  Bud is put in the shed after he has an altercation with the Amos’ son.  Being locked in the shed for the night is Bud’s punishment.  There is only one window in the shed.  One of the first things Bud does when he is locked in the shed is look out the window.  We know that Bud regrets looking out the window in the Amos’ shed in chapter 3 of Bud, Not Buddy because he says that “the next thing I noticed made me wish I’d stayed asleep.”  It was at this moment that Bud notices “the biggest vampire bat you’d ever see” up on the ceiling of the shed. 

The irony is that the reason Bud regrets seeing the “vampire bat” is different than he first expects.  The thing on the ceiling is not, in fact, a bat at all.  It is a hornet’s nest.  In an effort to kill the “vampire bat,” Bud hits the hornet’s nest with a rake he finds. 

There were about six thousand hornets flying around in the tiny shed and each and every one of them was looking for me!

Bud gets stung very badly, but he manages to break the small window in the shed and escape.  This begins Bud’s real adventure to find his father.  Even when Bud meets the band members (and actually finds Calloway) he still has evidence of the hornet stings.  The band members notice and ask him about his experience. 

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