Once upon a time, there was a hard-working, ambitious young man named Jack who wanted to open a bakery. Jack loved baking because when he was a little boy, he liked cooking desserts with his mom. He cooked chocolate cakes, chocolate cookies, and lemon cookies. Jack and his mother used special ingredients that made these the best cakes and cookies in his small town in Louisiana.

Jack needed a lot of money to buy the store and ingredients for his bakery.

Jack’s mom said, “You should have a garage sale to earn some money. I have plenty of stuff to sell, like your old bike.”

So Jack cleared out his mother’s garage. Inside, he found lots of books, an old radio,  a toolbox, and his old bike. He had to clean these old things up in order to sell them, and he worked for three hours in the hot sun getting ready. He put up lots of signs. Then, many people came and got what they needed and paid Jack lots of money.

With the money he earned, Jack opened his bakery, which he called “Fun for Everyone.” His mom gave him a cookbook, and she told him to take good care of it because she made all these recipes from her own heart. Jack’s bakery was very successful. He had five bakers who cooked the goodies. They baked incredible chocolate cakes, vanilla lemon cakes, cookies, and delicious, warm, tasty peanut butter cookies. Jack also made ice cream cakes for little kids’ birthdays. Lots of people came, and the line of customers was almost to the street.

Then, one day, Jack looked outside and saw that a new bakery had opened up across the street. The sign said “Goodies.” Jack got really mad and went over to the other bakery. He couldn’t believe it! It was his best friend Alex stealing his customers.

“What are you doing here, Alex?”

“I am doing my business, selling sweets to the customers. Look, they love it!” said Alex.

“Well, I don’t like what’s going on here, Alex,” said Jack. “I thought we were friends. You need to move someplace else.”

“Why do I have to move? Why don’t you move?”

Jack did not want to move because he was there first. It was a good spot, and he had a lot of customers before Alex came.

Jack stomped back to his bakery. He was very mad and also very worried that he couldn’t make enough money to keep his bakery open. Jack decided to visit his mom and talk to her about what was going on.

When Jack got to his house, his mother was making a chocolate cake. This made Jack feel a little bit better because it was his favorite dessert.

“I feel like blowing up Alex’s bakery,” Jack said.

“Don’t be mean. He’s your friend!” said Jack’s mother.

“But if he’s my friend, why would he own a bakery right next to me and steal my customers?”

“Maybe he has some reasons why he opened a bakery there. You need to go talk to him.”

Jack went back to Alex’s bakery. Alex was closing up and counting his money. When he saw Jack walk in, first, he put the money back in the cash register. Then, he said, “What are you doing here, Jack?”

Jack asked Alex, “What was the reason you put a bakery right next to mine?”

“Because my parents don’t have any money, and I need money for their clothes, food and house.” Alex hung his head.

Jack patted Alex on the back. “Now I get why you put a bakery next to mine. Because you want to make some money for your family. I have an idea.”

The next morning, when customers arrived, they saw one bakery instead of two, and Jack and Alex working at the registers together. The new bakery was called “The Friendship Bakery.” There were lots of people coming in for treats such as chocolate cookies, cakes, ice cream cakes, delicious, warm peanut butter cookies, and vanilla cookies and cakes.

They earned more money than before because they worked together. Jack gave some of his money to Alex’s family, and he kept some. Alex bought Jack a segway so he could ride it. He still had $200 left, which he used on clothes, and he got himself a mountain bike.

They both lived happily ever after.