Pleased to be celebrating his actual birthday as well as the one-year anniversary of him and Max becoming "Freak the Mighty," Kevin gets a brand-new computer. This is exactly what he wanted because it has something new called "the internet" (yes, when Rodman Philbrick published this book, the internet was a relatively new thing, and smartphones had not even been thought of yet, so this was really exciting for Kevin).

Having a computer that had internet capabilities at home was something Kevin really wanted, but it was also something that he really needed. At this point in the book, Kevin's health is declining; however, he does not tell Max the reality of the situation. The birthday present would allow him to do schoolwork from home, but during his birthday party, Kevin has a seizure and ends up in the hospital.

Kevin is actually celebrating two birthdays: his own—he is turning thirteen and becoming an "obnoxious teenager"—and the anniversary of the creation of Freak the Mighty. Kevin aims high in his hopes for the perfect birthday gift. He hopes to fly on the space shuttle, but his mother assures him that this will not happen. He suggests a linear accelerator, "so I can split a few atoms." Since he received an ornithopter the year before, he asks for a helicopter. When Gwen counters with a "jet plane," Kevin likes the idea.

"Cool," Freak says. "A Learjet."

But Kevin seems to be perfectly happy with the present he receives: a brand-new computer, "the one he's been drooling over in his computer magazines."