Billy's Lie

            by Johan Philippine

 

               

 

    Mr. and Mrs. Hooboo lived happily with their son Billy. Billy was a good little boy, and never got in serious trouble. But one day...

“Oh my! Oh no! Who broke my wonderful window?” asked Mother in a terrible fright.

            “Not I Mother, it wasn’t me,” answered little Billy innocently. But Billy wasn’t as innocent as he claimed – it was he who was guilty of this crime. He was scared of being caught, and harshly punished.

            “Well son, who did this awful thing? Did you see him, his ugly, evil face?” asked Father, waiting to catch the crook gone missing.

            “I saw the bandit Father, but not very well. He was wearing a chicken suit and hid his face from me,” replied Billy, avoiding Father’s gaze.

 

 

            “Let’s go to the police!” shouted Mother. “I want justice!”

“That’s a good idea,” added Father, “there’s not much we can do alone. Let’s go talk to Sheriff Sherman, he’ll know what to do.”

And so, the Hooboos rushed to their van and drove to the police station.

            What a mess, thought Billy, how messy will this be?

            Since Littletown was so small, they got to the police station in no time at all. Father, Mother and little Billy all jumped out of the car and ran into the station. Sheriff Sherman was eating his breakfast: a box of donuts with some coffee. He was a very round sheriff.

 

            “Sheriff Sherman, Sheriff Sherman! There’s been a terrible tragedy!” cried Mother desperately.

            “Calm down, Mrs. Hooboo, it can’t be that bad,” said Sheriff Sherman calmly. “What could go wrong in Littletown?”

            “It’s quite serious, Sheriff Sherman,” frowned Father. “Someone has broken our window and run away without being punished.”

            “Oh my, Mr. Hooboo, that’s serious indeed. But who in Littletown would do such a thing?” asked Sheriff Sherman, surprised and confused.

            “That’s why we came to you, Sheriff Sherman!” replied Mother. “You’re the Sheriff, you can find him and catch him!”

 

 

            “Well, I guess so,” said Sheriff Sherman. “Tell me now, what do you know?” Sheriff Sherman looked at Father, who then looked at Billy.

            “I saw the bandit Sheriff Sherman, but not very well. He was wearing a chicken suit and hid his face from me,” replied Billy, avoiding Sheriff Sherman’s look.

            “How tall was he Billy?” asked Sheriff Sherman, taking notes on his pad.

            “He was taller than Uncle Sam!” answered Billy.

            “We’ll have to go see the mayor then,” sighed Sheriff Sherman. “I don’t know anyone in Littletown that tall. If anyone knows him, it’s Mayor Matthew. He knows everyone in Littletown.”

And so, the Hooboos rushed to their van, Sheriff Sherman squeezed in his squad car, and they all drove to City Hall.

            What a mess, thought Billy, how messy will this be?

Since Littletown was so small, they got to City Hall in no time at all. Father, Mother and little Billy all jumped out of the van, Sheriff Sherman squeezed out of his squad car, and they ran into City Hall. Mayor Matthew was dictating a letter to his secretary when everyone ran in.

            “Mayor Matthew, Mayor Matthew! There’s been a terrible tragedy!” cried Mother desperately.

            “Calm down, Mrs. Hooboo, it can’t be that bad,” said Mayor Matthew calmly. “What could go wrong in Littletown?”

            “It’s quite serious, Mayor Matthew,” frowned Father. “Someone has broken our window and run away without being punished.”

            “And we can’t figure out who!” added Sheriff Sherman, taking out his notepad.

            “This is terrible news!” shouted Mayor Matthew. “Secretary Sheila, write this down! We must find this evil man!” Secretary Sheila wrote it all down. “Tell me now, what do you know?” Mayor Matthew looked at Sheriff Sherman, who looked at Father, who then looked at Billy.

“I saw the bandit Mayor Matthew, but not very well. He was wearing a chicken suit and hid his face from me,” replied Billy, avoiding Mayor Matthew’s look.

“And how tall was he?” asked Sheriff Sherman.

“He was taller than Uncle Sam!” answered Billy.

“And what did he sound like?” demanded Mayor Matthew.

“Uhh...his had a deep voice!” answered Billy.

“We’ll have to call a town assembly then!” shouted Mayor Matthew. “I don’t know anyone in Littletown that tall with a deep voice! If we’re going to find him, we’ll have to see everybody! Sheila, organize a town assembly!”

And so, the Hooboos rushed to their van, Sheriff Sherman squeezed in his squad car, Mayor Matthew strutted to his limousine, and they all drove to Town Square.

            What a mess, thought Billy, how messy will this be?

Since Littletown was so small, they got to Town Square in no time at all. Father, Mother and little Billy all jumped out of the van, Sheriff Sherman squeezed out of his squad car, Mayor Matthew strutted out of his limousine, and they made their way into Town Square.

“What’s the meaning of all this, Mayor Matthew?” asked the butcher angrily.

“Yea, what’s the big deal?” demanded the barber.

“People of Littletown! There’s been a terrible tragedy!” cried Mother desperately.

“But what could go wrong in Littletown?” asked the townsfolk.

“It’s quite serious,” frowned Father. “Someone has broken our window and run away without being punished.”

“And we can’t figure out who!” added Sheriff Sherman, taking out his notepad.

“We need everybody’s help to find this mischievous fellow!” announced Mayor Matthew.

“Tell us now, what do you know?” asked the townsfolk. The whole town looked at Mayor Matthew, who looked at Sheriff Sherman, who looked at Father, who then looked at little Billy.

 

“I saw the bandit everybody, but not very well. He was wearing a chicken suit and hid his face from me,” replied Billy, avoiding the townpeople’s looks.

“And how tall was he?” asked Sheriff Sherman.

“He was taller than Uncle Sam!” answered Billy.

“And what did he sound like?” demanded Mayor Matthew.

“Uhh...he had a deep voice!” answered Billy.

“Well everybody, look around,” ordered Sheriff Sherman. “Who fits this description?”

 

 

“Well, the barber has a chicken suit!” shouted someone.

“But I’m short!” replied the barber angrily.

“The butcher is tall!” yelled someone else.

“But I don’t have a deep voice!” shrieked the butcher.

“You could’ve faked it and stolen the chicken suit!” accused another.

“Why I ought to-” started the butcher.

Everyone is getting so angry, thought little Billy, this is too messy for me.

“Stop!” yelled Billy. “I have a confession to make!” Once again, everybody looked at little Billy. And they waited.

“Well, what have you got to say Billy?” asked Mother. Finally, little Billy said:

“It was me.”

“Speak up, boy!” shouted Sheriff Sherman.

“It was me!” he said louder.

“I can’t hear you, say it again!” shouted the butcher.

“IT WAS ME!” yelled Billy as loudly as he could. “I did it! I broke the window!”

“You?” asked Father. “But you’re not wearing a chicken suit! It couldn’t be you.”

“The crook didn’t have a chicken suit,” said Billy.

“And you’re short!” exclaimed Sheriff Sherman. “It couldn’t be you.”

“The crook wasn’t taller than Uncle Sam,” said Billy.

“And you don’t have a deep voice!” remarked Mayor Matthew. “It couldn’t be you.”

“The crook didn’t have a deep voice,” said Billy.

“Liar!” someone in the crowd yelled.

“I’m sorry,” cried Billy. And so, the crowd left to go back to their daily lives, angry for being interrupted by a lying little boy.

“Little Billy,” said Mayor Matthew, “don’t lie about serious matters that could get you in trouble.”

“I’m so sorry, Mayor Matthew,” said little Billy.

“Let’s go finish that letter, Secretary Sheila.” And so, Mayor Matthew strutted back to his limousine, and he drove back to Town hall, angry and bitter his letter was unfinished by a lying little boy.

“Little Billy,” started Sheriff Sherman, “I’ll have to lock you up if you try blaming someone else for something you did again.”
            “I’m so very sorry, Sheriff Sherman,” said Billy ashamedly. Sheriff Sherman grunted.

“I have some breakfast to finish,” said Sheriff Sherman. And so, Sheriff Sherman squeezed into his squadcar and drove back to the police station, angry and bitter and hungry because a lying little boy interrupted his breakfast.

“Little Billy,” said Father sternly, “you have to be careful when you play. If you do anything accidentally, tell us. You’ll get in a lot less trouble that way.”

“I’m really so very sorry, Father,” said little Billy sadly. “I promise I won’t do it again.”

“Very well then,” replied Father. “Let’s go home. I think we have a window to fix, Billy boy.” And so, the Hooboos went to their van and drove home.

They lived happily ever after, with brand new unbreakable windows.

                                    The End.