John has a habit of chewing on things when he’s thinking. While thinking about why all his food turned to chocolate, he puts the thumb of his glove in his mouth, and it turns to chocolate. John eats his glove until he comes across Spider Wilson, a bully who’s one year ahead of John at school. John shows Spider how the gloves turn to chocolate, and Spider demands that John give him a piece of the glove. When John refuses, Spider snatches what’s left of one glove and shoves it in his mouth. The glove doesn’t turn to chocolate, and John hurries on to school, leaving Wilson “spitting the soggy remains of the glove into the gutter” (52).

Susan Buttercup, one of John’s friends, shows him a silver dollar she got as a present. John wonders if it’s real silver, and Susan tells him to bite it to find out. John hesitates, but Susan insists. He bites the coin, and the half in his mouth turns to chocolate. He gives her back the other half. Susan looks at it, starts to cry, and tells John she hates him before running off.