Edsel Grizzler Read Free Page A

object had been deposited safely on the front lawn at Edsel’s house. It stood there in the middle of the yard like some kind of weird roadside monument to alien bathroomware. Edsel stood back, crossed his arms and smiled. ‘Yes, perfect,’ he said.
    â€˜What are you going to do with it?’ Pete asked.
    â€˜Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan.’

T he first part of Edsel’s plan involved him digging about in the back shed for a large piece of board, on which he painted SPACESHIP RIDES – 50c FOR 5 MINUTES in large red letters. Then he leaned the board against the Egg, sat down on the front step, and waited.
    It didn’t take very long for his first customer to arrive. It was Hoagy Wendl, a funny little redheaded kid with a lisp, who lived three doors up on the other side of Bland Street. He was rattling by on his bike, but he almost fell off it when he saw the sign.
    â€˜Hey, Edsel!’ he called, his brakes squealing, his saliva spraying all over the place. ‘What’s that? Is it a real spaceship?’
    â€˜Yeah, I think so,’ Edsel replied. ‘It just landed this afternoon. I got home from school, and there it was.’
    â€˜Where’s the spaceman from it?’
    â€˜Dunno,’ Edsel replied with an exaggerated shrug. ‘Gone, I think. Would you like to have a go?’
    â€˜I haven’t got any money, but I can go back to my place and ask my mum for some,’ Hoagy said.
    Edsel had an even better idea. ‘Why don’t you see if you’ve got some friends who’d like to have a go? If you can find three friends, I’ll let you have a turn for free.’
    â€˜Wait there, Edsel,’ Hoagy said, before rattling off down the street like he was being chased by a swarm of angry bees. Meanwhile, Edsel went into the garage and found an old blue milk crate, which he set down beside the Egg for a step.
    Five minutes later, Hoagy Wendl was back with not three, but five little pals. ‘I’m first, aren’t I, Edsel?’ he asked, standing close to the Egg and touching it cautiously with one finger.
    â€˜Yep, you sure are,’ Edsel replied. ‘Go on, Hoagy, in you get. And don’t forget your space helmet,’ he added, handing Hoagy an old bike helmet, which he’d covered with several layers of aluminium foil.
    Soon Hoagy was sitting high and proud in the cockpit of the Egg, a silver space-helmet on his head, wiggling the joystick around, pressing the big green button, and making shooty noises in the back of his throat. All too soon his five minutes were up, and he climbed down with a sheepish little look on his funny freckly face. ‘That was awesome, Edsel!’
    â€˜I’m glad you liked it. You can have another turn in a minute, if you like.’
    By the time it started to get dark and the little kids had begun to drift away to their houses to have their dinner and watch bad TV, Edsel had made over $5. He turned the sign over and painted SPACESHIP CLOSED on the other side. Then he smiled to himself. He had some grand additions for his master plan, but for that to work there was something else he had to take care of.
    He’d just stuffed his earnings into his pocket and was about to head off to the local corner store when he heard his mother calling from inside. He sighed. It would probably be some kind of very safe chore she wanted him to do.
    â€˜What?’ he shouted.
    â€˜Can you come here for a minute?’ she called back.
    He sighed again, dropped his bike by the front door and went inside, shuddering with revulsion as he went past the big butterfly beside the door.
    Mum was in the kitchen, dusting icing sugar over a tray of cupcakes she’d just taken out of the oven. ‘Edsel, is there something you need to give me?’
    He thought for a moment. Had she read his mind? How did she know what he was about to go and buy? ‘I don’t know – is there?’ he asked at