Read Online Stuffed by Eric Walters - Free Book Online Page A

more and more people rose until there wasn’t a single person sitting down!
    Mr. Evans moved onto the stage and stood beside me. “You really are your parents’ child,” he yelled into my ear.
    â€œI take that as a compliment.”
    â€œThat’s how it was meant. I assume you’re going to become a lawyer when you grow up.”
    â€œWho knows?” I said and shrugged. It had been a buzz up there presenting my case.
    â€œWhen you become a lawyer, you come and see me and you got yourself a job!”
    â€œThanks, but I think I’ll be working for another firm.”
    â€œCome and see me. I’ll top the offer your parents make.”

Chapter Fourteen
    I held the phone to my ear. Elevator music played while I was on hold. At the far end of the room, my parents sat staring at the TV. It was tuned to
Good Morning New York!
    â€œAre you there, Ian?” a voice asked.
    â€œI’m here.”
    â€œGood. You’re up next.”
    â€œI’ll stay right here,” I said.
    â€œAnd now, on the phone,” the TV host said, “we have a young man who has created quite a controversy. He’s fifteen and he livesin New York. His name is Ian Cheevers. For those who haven’t heard, he is the young man who started a boycott of Frankie’s Fast Foods. Are you there, Ian?”
    His voice was suddenly coming from the phone. It startled me. “Yes…yes, I’m here.”
    â€œNow we all know that you started the boycott after watching the movie
Stuffed
. What gave you the idea to use the Internet?”
    â€œIt was part of a school project on mass communication,” I said. “The idea popped into my head and I talked it over with my friends Julia and Oswald.”
    â€œAnd they were in favor?” he asked.
    â€œThey thought it was great.”
    â€œSo it started with you e-mailing forty people and asking them to each e-mail another forty people who e-mailed forty people.”
    â€œThat’s how it started and it just grew, getting forty times bigger each time people sent out their messages,” I explained.
    â€œHow do you feel about the results?” he asked.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” I asked.
    â€œOur reports indicate that business at Frankie’s nationwide was down almost forty percent, while in certain areas, like New York and Los Angeles, it dropped by almost sixty percent today.”
    â€œWow,” I muttered.
    â€œWow is right,” the host laughed.
    â€œBut I didn’t do it to drive down their business,” I said. “I did it to send them a message that they have to change their menu to promote more healthy eating.”
    â€œAnd do you think they got the message?” he asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” I said. “What I do know is that we can do this again next Friday, and the Friday after that and the Friday after that.”
    â€œThat sounds like a threat,” he said.
    â€œNo, not a threat. A promise.”
    The man laughed again. “Just out of curiosity, what do you think of our show?”
    â€œI like it.”
    â€œThat’s good. I wouldn’t want you mad at us. Thanks for being with us, Ian.”
    â€œThanks,” I said.
    The line went dead. I hung up.
    â€œAnd in a related story,” the TV host said, “Frankie’s Fast Foods has called a press conference for tomorrow. I have it from reliable sources that they will be announcing a revised menu which will include healthy choices.”
    â€œCongratulations, Ian, perhaps you did get the results you wanted,” said my dad.
    â€œNot just me,” I said. “I just started it.”
    â€œEvery idea in history started with one person. Congrat—”
    The phone rang. I picked it up.
    â€œWay to go, Ian!” It was Julia.
    â€œIt went okay,” I said, trying to practice sounding modest.
    â€œDon’t be a jerk. You must be thrilled.”
    â€œYou’re