Reuben has been asking his parents for a new red wagon for weeks, having seen one in the local department store. They are always telling him 'maybe later', and his father in particular tells him to be happy with the old wagon he has. Reuben details for the readers some of the 'problems' with his own red wagon. There is a rust spot on the side, one of the wheels is squeaky, and it's sometimes hard to pull.