The Seventh Most Important Thing

On his first day of community service, Arthur can’t find the address where he’s supposed to meet Mr. Hampton. Arthur goes to a nearby tattoo shop to ask for directions, where he meets Groovy Jim, the shop owner.

Groovy Jim takes Arthur to the correct address. It’s not a house at all, but a garage, “a small brick building standing by itself at the end of the gravel alley” (40). Arthur asks what Mr. Hampton does there, but Groovy Jim doesn’t know.

Arthur knocks at the garage, but no one answers. He’s about to leave when he notices Mr. Hampton’s shopping cart nearby with a note taped to its front. The note directs Arthur to collect the “seven most important things,” Lightbulbs, foil, mirrors, pieces of wood, glass bottles, coffee cans, and cardboard. Arthur concludes he’d really “been sentenced to be the Junk Man” (44).

Arthur thinks the list is a joke. He starts to leave but stops, realizing giving up would let his mother down and prove Judge Warner right about Arthur being a screw-up. The idea of facing Officer Billie, the judge, and juvie again makes Arthur turn around. Arthur retrieves the cart, determined to prove he isn’t a failure.

Ten minutes later, a frustrated Arthur returns the cart to the garage. He goes back to the tattoo shop to ask Groovy Jim for bags, because he can’t stand the cart anymore. While he’s there, Arthur gets the idea to ask if Groovy Jim has any of the things on the list, saying it’s for a school project. Arthur feels “a little guilty for lying” but keeps making things up to avoid telling the truth about throwing the brick (48). Groovy Jim gives Arthur bags and cans, and Arthur leaves.