The Great TV Turn-Off (5 page)

NINE

Wednesday morning was crazy.

Eric got up early for his paper route. He felt tired. He'd gone to bed late. But playing Monopoly last night was worth it.

He bundled up to go outdoors. It was snowing softly.

First stop, Mr. Tressler's house.

Usually he heard flute music this early. Mr. T liked to practice before sunrise. It was his special thing.

Eric was used to it. The old man wasn't weird. Not really.

Eric tossed the paper onto the porch.

Phhhhlat!
It bounced off the railing.

“I can do better than that.” He went to find the paper. Then he carried it up onto the porch.

That's when he heard something. It sounded like the voice of a news reporter. He didn't want to snoop. But he was curious.

Eric took a quick peek. Through the door window he saw a flashing light.

“Oh no!” he said. “Mr. T's in trouble now!”

Sure enough. The TV in the living room was on.

He wondered what to do.

Eric took another peek.
This
time he saw Mr. T lying on the sofa. Sound asleep.

At school, Eric told his friends what he'd seen.

“Maybe his TV came on by itself,” Jason said, laughing.

“TVs don't do that,” Eric argued.

Abby nodded. “Eric's right.”

“Eric's
always
right,” Dee Dee piped up. “I'm sick of it!” She ran to the merry-go-round.

“What's wrong with her?” Eric said.

“She's a little freaked out. We
all
are,” Carly said. “Giving up TV is a big deal.”

Abby shook her head. “But a promise is a promise.”

“Rules are rules,” said Dunkum.

Eric agreed. “Mr. T loses his TV.”

“First thing after school,” Jason said.

“Poor Mr. Tressler,” Stacy said. “Do we
really
have to box it up?”

Abby reminded her of the promise sheet. “We all signed it. Remember?”

“What if Mr. T just forgot?” said Dunkum. “What about that?”

Jason squeezed into the circle. “Maybe his TV got lonely.”

Nobody paid attention.

“Has anyone
almost
turned on their TV?” Eric asked.

Shawn and Jimmy looked at each other. “I not,” said Jimmy. “I see Shawn, though.”

Eric perked up his ears. “Surely not Shawn,” he said.

Shawn nodded his head. “I come very close.” It sounded like
velly.

Abby twisted her hair. “Maybe we should have lots of club meetings this week,” she said. “To keep us out of trouble.”

“Good idea,” Stacy said. “Let's meet at my house after school.”

“First we have to visit Mr. Tressler,” Eric said.

“That's true,” Abby said. “Who's coming along?”

Nobody blinked an eye.

Eric looked at Abby. “Guess it's you and me.”

Abby looked around. “Well, that's settled.
Eric and I are stuck with the dirty work.”

“Spread the word at morning recess,” Eric said. “We'll have a club meeting at Stacy's.”

“Jimmy and I could put on a play,” Carly suggested.

Abby grinned. “David kills Goliath, right?”

“Or the other way around,” Carly said.

The school bell rang.

“Bye!” they all called to one another.

Eric ran to the outside door. He was worried. He felt funny. Promise sheet or not.

Was it right to take away an old man's TV?

TEN

Eric rang Mr. Tressler's doorbell. “Are you nervous?” he asked Abby.

“A little,” she said.

“Who should do the talking?” he asked.

“You can,” she said.

That's when the door opened.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Tressler,” they said.

“Hello there, kids,” he said. “Come in.”

Eric glanced at the TV.
Good,
he thought.
It's off.

“What can I do for you?” Mr. Tressler asked.

Eric got straight to the point. “Your TV was turned on this morning.”

“Oh?” Mr. Tressler said.

“Yes, I was delivering your newspaper. That's when I heard it,” Eric said.

Mr. T frowned. “That's funny. I don't remember.”

“You don't?” Eric was puzzled.

“Not at all.” The old man pulled on his ear. “That's very strange.”

Eric looked at Abby. She shrugged back at him. She didn't seem to know what to say, either.

“I saw something else,” Eric spoke up. “You were asleep on your couch.”

Mr. Tressler looked surprised. “Oh, that's right. I fell asleep there. But I never turned on the TV.”

“How could it turn on itself?” Eric knew it sounded ridiculous. “Could you have bumped the remote?”

“Well, I don't know,” replied Mr. T. He got up and walked the length of the room. He seemed to be thinking very hard.

“Are you okay?” Abby asked.

“Fine and dandy,” he replied. “Now, just a minute. It's coming back to me.”

Eric waited. So did Abby.

“I woke up late last night. Needed some warm milk,” Mr. T explained. “I was a little under the weather. So I stayed downstairs on the couch. Must've fallen asleep.”

Eric wanted to hear how the TV got turned on.

“Yes, yes. I remember now,” said Mr. T. “When I awakened this morning, the TV was going. And I was lying on the couch.”

Eric and Abby stared at each other. They still didn't know what to say.

“I turned it off immediately,” Mr. Tressler told them.

Eric scratched his head. He got up and stood at the window. He thought everything
over. “Do you ever talk in your sleep?” he asked.

“Don't know that I do” came the reply.

“Have you ever walked in your sleep?” Eric asked.

“How would I know?” Mr. T chuckled. “But you know, it's very possible . . .” He paused.

What?
Eric wondered.
What's he gonna say?

Eric waited, dying to know.

Mr. Tressler sighed. “I may have turned on the TV in my sleep. Out of pure habit.” He looked at Eric and Abby. “If so, I'm truly sorry.”

Eric felt sorry, too. “I guess we could give you a second chance,” he said.

Mr. Tressler shook his head. “Oh no! We play by the rules around here. I signed that sheet of yours. So that's that!”

Eric felt odd. He didn't want to follow
through with this. Not when Mr. T had been asleep!

“It doesn't seem fair,” he said.

Abby held the box. “Mr. Tressler's a good sport,” she said.

“I insist,” said the old man. Then he motioned them into the kitchen. “There's another little TV out here.”

Eric couldn't believe it. Mr. Tressler was gonna make them box up
both
his TVs!

When the boxes were sealed and put away, Mr. Tressler smiled. “It's fun living on this street,” he said. “You Cul-de-sac Kids are great.”

Abby gave Mr. Tressler a hug. “Only four days to go,” she whispered. “Will you be all right?”

“Absolutely,” Mr. T replied. “I'll play my flute more. Maybe even at night!”

They laughed with him.

Eric shook his neighbor's hand. “Sorry about all this,” he said.

“No need,” said Mr. T. “I got what was coming to me.”

Eric and Abby said good-bye and walked home. “Guess we oughta think things over next year,” Eric said.

“I know what you mean,” Abby said. “That was tough.”

“Sure was,” said Eric.

ELEVEN

Eric met Jason at Eric's front door. “What's up?” Eric asked.

“We have to talk,” Jason said.

“What about?” Eric said.

“The Great TV Turn-Off idea,” Jason said. “It's . . . it's, uh—”

“If you don't like it, say so,” Eric said. He was sure Jason was having a hard time. His friend was probably bored silly.

“Listen, you were right about blacking out the tube,” Jason said. “I can't believe how good I feel.”

Eric could hardly believe his ears!

“I have gobs more time to do stuff. I've started building Lego projects again,” he said. “My parents and I have time to talk to one another.”

“Cool,” said Eric.

Jason's face looked like Christmas morning. “I'm glad you got us to turn off the TV, Eric,” said Jason. “It was the best idea you've ever had.”

Eric told him about eating supper with Mr. Tressler. He told about playing games and reading books out loud. “And Mr. Tressler's gonna cook us supper,” he said. “Unreal, huh?”

“Wow, that's cool!” replied Jason.

“Very cool,” said Eric. “And we're only through the first half of the week. Just think what good friends we're all gonna be!”

Jason pushed up his glasses. He clicked his fingers. “Hey, I've got an idea. Let's turn off the TV forever!”

“Get real,” Eric said.