Free Amos's Killer Concert Caper by Gary Paulsen Page A

phone ring. I figured it was Melissa calling to see if I knew about the concert. I was in a hurry, because you know how she likes me to get it on that all-important first ring?”
    Dunc nodded. He had given up arguing with Amos about Melissa. It was hopeless. Amos was convinced that the law of averages was in his favor. Melissa couldn’t go on ignoring him forever.
    â€œYou should have seen me, Dunc. I was really moving. I made it to my mom’s bedroom door by the middle of that first ring, jumped for the center of the bed, and flattened out to reach the phone with my righthand. My fingertips were touching it. I almost did it this time.”
    â€œAlmost?”
    â€œJust as I started my jump, my toe caught the electric iron cord and jerked it out of the plug. The whole iron landed on the bed with me. You know, they really don’t make those rubber waterbed mattresses like they used to. That iron melted a hole in it so quick, I nearly drowned.”
    â€œDid you answer the phone?”
    Amos shook his head. “Amy got to it first. She said it was an encyclopedia salesman and hung up. I think she’s just jealous.”
    â€œSo you had to pay off Amy to keep her quiet?”
    Amos nodded. “Yeah, we agreed to blame the whole thing on Scruff. She says the money’s just a loan. Of course she lies.”
    Dunc rubbed his chin. “Let me see if I understand your problem correctly. You’ve got to have two tickets to a concert that takes place this weekend, they’re selling out fast, you don’t have any money or any possiblehope of getting any, and you want me to help.”
    Amos nodded again. “That about covers it. Got any ideas?”

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    â€œThis isn’t exactly what I had in mind. I was hoping you were going to be a little more creative.” Amos stepped off his bike and pushed it down the sidewalk behind the civic center.
    â€œYou said you needed money.” Dunc pushed his bike behind Amos. “When I heard that Mr. Whitman, the manager of the civic center, had broken his leg and could use some help to get the place ready for the upcoming concert, I called and offered our services.”
    â€œI know. But I wasn’t thinking about gettinga job where you had to do work and stuff. Do you realize how big this place is?”
    â€œWhat did you have in mind? Robbing a bank?”
    â€œNo, better. I thought maybe we could stand on the sidewalk by a busy intersection with a sign that said ‘Donate to a Worthy Cause’ or something like that.”
    Dunc stopped in front of a little white house in back of the civic center where Mr. Whitman lived. “Somehow I don’t think getting you and Melissa tickets to a weirdo rock concert would qualify as a worthy cause.”
    â€œYou’re really too hard on these guys. Sure they have a disgusting name, they paint their faces green and black, and their songs are awful, but other than that, they’re okay.”
    Dunc raised his hand to knock on the door. A little man with bushy white hair and a cast on his right leg pulled it open. “What can I do for you, sonny?”
    â€œHi, Mr. Whitman. It’s Dunc. Dunc Culpepper.I’m the one who called you about the job cleaning the civic center.”
    The old man scratched his head. “Job?”
    â€œYou said we could sweep the center to get it ready for this weekend’s concert.”
    â€œI did?”
    Amos pulled on Dunc’s sleeve. “He obviously doesn’t remember. Come on, it’s not too late to make it to the intersection and hold up that sign.”
    Dunc shook Amos’s hand off. “Don’t you remember, Mr. Whitman? The Road Kill concert. You said you needed some help getting ready for it.”
    â€œWell, why didn’t you say so, sonny? Of course I do. You boys follow me. I’ll show you what to do.”
    Amos fell in behind Dunc. “I hope this doesn’t take too long. I really