Read Online Just Tricking! by Andy Griffiths - Free Book Online

we’ll invest it in a high-interest bank account. We’ll have the money in no time.’
    â€˜We?’ says Danny.
    â€˜What do you mean?’
    â€˜You made the call.’
    â€˜You helped me.’
    â€˜But it was your idea.’
    â€˜You didn’t say no.’
    Danny hits himself on the head with his open palm. ‘Do you have any idea how many cars we’ll have to wash to earn that much money?!’
    The phone rings.
    I pick it up.
    â€˜Hello.’

    â€˜Hi, could I speak to Andy Griffiths?’
    â€˜Speaking.’
    â€˜Hi, Andy. Chris Robbins from Triple B FM here.’
    My stomach drops. He must have found out I’ve been impersonating him! Marvin Bonwick must have rung him back to check if the call was legit! When he found out it was a trick he would have guessed it was me.
    â€˜Who is it?’ says Danny.
    I put my hand over the receiver. ‘It’s Chris Robbins! He must know! What do I do?’
    â€˜Talk to him,’ says Danny. ‘He can’t prove anything.’
    â€˜Andy?’ says Chris. ‘Are you still there?’
    Yes,’ I say. ‘I’m here.’
    â€˜Thought we’d lost you for a minute.’
    â€˜Just a bit surprised,’ I say. ‘What can I do for you?’
    â€˜Well,’ says Chris, ‘I’ve just pulled your name out of the barrel to play Beat the Bomb – but if you’d rather not . . .’
    â€˜Are you kidding?’ I shout. ‘Of course I want to!’
    It’s like a dream. What are the odds of something like this happening? A million to one? Nah – more like a squillion to one.

    â€˜Well, stand by,’ says Chris. ‘We’re about to go to air. I’ll just play a couple of ads and a station ID and then you’re on. Oh, and by the way, Andy?’
    â€˜Yes?’
    â€˜Turn your radio off. We will be transmitting on a ten-second delay and it can get a little confusing.’
    Through the earpiece of the telephone I hear a jingle for Cheapies carpet-cleaning service. Talk about deja vu. If Danny wasn’t right next to me I’d swear it was him playing another prank.
    Then the Triple B station ID starts. Comets and meteorites again. ‘Triple B – taking you back to the sixties and seventies . . .’
    Then Chris starts speaking.
    â€˜Good afternoon. Chris Robbins with you on Triple B, and to play Beat the Bomb this hour we have Andy Griffiths on the line. How are you doin’, Andy?’
    â€˜Pretty good.’

    â€˜Great! What are you up to this afternoon?’
    I wonder what he would say if I told him I was impersonating him and making prank Beat the Bomb phone calls. But I decide against it. I need the cash.
    â€˜Nothing much, you know.’
    â€˜Fantastic! Ready to play Beat the Bomb?’
    â€˜I sure am.’
    â€˜All right – now, you know the rules, Andy?’
    â€˜Yes,’ I say, but he explains them anyway.
    â€˜Okay. Clock’s ticking,’ says Chris.
    â€˜Twenty dollars,’ says the voice from outer space.
    tick tick tick tick tick tick tick
    I’d be happy with twenty. Maybe I should stop it right now. Those bombs can go off pretty fast sometimes.
    â€˜Twenty-five dollars.’

    tick tick tick tick tick tick tick
    â€˜One hundred and forty-eight dollars.’
    I want to stop, but I can’t. It’s like I’m frozen. If I can just keep my nerve . . .
    â€˜Two hundred and ninety dollars.’

    tick tick tick tick tick tick tick
    â€˜Four hundred and sixty-six dollars.’
    The ticking is deafening. Any minute now the bomb is going to explode and I’ll be splattered all over the room. But still I can’t speak.
    â€˜Five hundred and two dollars.’
    I can’t stand it anymore.
    â€˜Stop!’ I yell.
    â€˜Andy?’
    â€˜Yes?’
    â€˜Do you know what you’ve just done?’
    â€˜Yes,’ I say in a