Read Online Philip Gets Even (9781597050807) by John Paulits - Free Book Online Page A

twice. “Ah, there it goes. Yep, I’ll hear them.
Don’t worry.”
    Philip’s father honked.
    “We have to go, Mr. Conway,” said Philip.
“Don’t be late.”
    “And don’t take naps!” Emery called.
    “That’s exactly right. Great trap,” said Mr.
Conway, smiling and waving goodbye.
    “What is he talking about? He can’t
hear anything .” Emery said in exasperation. “We better call
him right when we get out of school today and make sure he’s awake.
I don’t trust his stupid hearing aid and his alarm clocks. Can you
get a quarter from your dad?”
    Philip agreed this was a smart thing to do
and did it.
    When they arrived at school, they took the
painting straight to the auditorium on the first floor. The
auditorium was, of course, a very large room. It was as wide as the
whole school and two stories high and had three wide, tall windows
on each side. Ms. Trinetti was taking artwork from the students and
arranging it on the stage. She took Everyday Things from
Philip.
    “Can you put it here?” said Philip.
    Ms. Trinetti, an impatient look on her face,
said, “Why here?”
    “The light. The light from that window will
make it look good,” said Philip.
    “Remember you taught us about how important
light is,” said Emery, smiling innocently.
    “Alleluia. You do listen in class,” Ms.
Trinetti mumbled and put Everyday Things on an easel in the
spot Philip indicated. “There. You’re set. Now scoot back
outside.”
    Philip nodded his head toward the other side
of the stage. Emery looked. There sat a big blue bowl filled with
the rainbow colors of M & Ms. Six cupcakes surrounded the blue
bowl.
    “He’s here,” said Philip softly.
    “My stomach just started hurting.”
    As they walked back to the schoolyard, Philip
said, “Let me hear you say it.”
    “Noooo,” Emery moaned. “Why can’t you say
it?”
    “Emery! Come on! I thought of it. That’s why.
This is your part of the plan. Say it.”
    Emery looked sadly at Philip and in a soft
voice said, “So did you have a nice visit to the newspaper office
yesterday, Johnny?”
    “Yeah, great! And say it like you’re really
teasing him. That should get him super mad.”
    “I don’t want to get him super mad. I
think he’s mad enough already.”
    “No, you have to. Unless he’s real mad, the
plan won’t work. You know that. Don’t worry. He won’t do anything
to us in the schoolyard. The teachers’ll be there.”
    “What about not in the schoolyard?”
    “Don’t worry. Don’t worry. I’m not
worried.”
    “I wouldn’t worry either if you were the one
who had to say it.”
    It wasn’t fifteen seconds after they walked
into the bright sunshine in the schoolyard that Johnny Visco saw
them and came stomping over to them.
    “Here he comes,” said Philip. “Get ready to
say it.”
    “You two,” said Johnny Visco, his teeth
clenched.
    Philip nudged Emery.
    Emery closed his eyes and said, “So, did you
have a nice newspaper yesterday, Johnny?”
    Philip turned and looked at Emery.
    “What did he say? What did you say?” Johnny
Visco asked.
    “Uh, I said... I said... uh... how was your
afternoon office?”
    “What?”
    Philip came to the rescue. “He means did you
have a nice afternoon at the newspaper office yesterday?”
    “So, it was you, wasn’t it? I thought
it was. And I’ll bet it was that old buzzard that called my mother.
Now I’m really going to get you. Your painting isn’t even
going to win last prize. You’re not even going to have a painting.”
    Johnny Visco made a fist and stepped closer.
Emery closed his eyes and held his breath.
    Then a voice said, “Any trouble here?”
    “No, Mr. Ware,” said Philip. “Just
talking.”
    Emery opened his eyes. Johnny Visco’s teacher
was standing next to Johnny.
    “Time to get into line, Johnny,” said Mr.
Ware.
    Johnny Visco gave the boys a fearsome glare,
and Mr. Ware escorted him to his line.
    “Wow,” said Philip softly.
    “My stomach hurts. My head