Gotcha!
Children's Story
Steven couldn't believe his luck. He'd been slouching around the shopping centre with his hands in his pockets feeling miserable because he had no money. There was a new computer game he was desperate to buy, because all his friends had it and were raving about it. Steven had been wandering around the shop gazing longingly at the game, but he had no means to buy one.
As he'd wandered out of the shop, staring at the ground in his misery, he noticed a £20 note lying by the side of the waste bin. Steven quickly looked all around. Amazingly, there was no one in sight. He looked into the bin, to see whether a wallet or purse containing a name had been thrown away, but there was nothing.
Almost before he had time to think, Steven picked up the note and thrust it into his pocket. Then he practically danced back into the shop and bought his game. And he had enough money left over to buy his mother a box of chocolates. It really was his lucky day!
It was great fun playing the game on his computer, and Steven managed so much practice over the weekend that when he met up with his friends again he was an expert. They were very envious of his luck, especially as the game he had bought was a more recent edition than theirs.
The novelty of the game lasted a long time. It was a good month before Steven began to tire of it. But one Saturday evening he sat down to watch television with his mum rather than play his game. Steven wasn't very keen on television, but at least one of his favourite programmes was showing.
Steven's mother hated "Gotcha!" because she hated seeing people put into embarrassing situations. But she watched it anyway because it was good to have an evening with her son.
Steven couldn't stop laughing as he watched a man trying to post a letter in a postbox which kept moving. Then there was a woman who was left holding a dog on a lead while the owner of the dog popped into a shop - but never came out. Even funnier was the man who became so angry when a "passer-by" who was really part of the programme team, couldn't understand his simple instructions.
Then Steven saw to his delight that his local shopping precinct was on the television. He sat up excitedly to see who had been caught. But his excitement changed to horror when the cameras focused on a close-up shot of a £20 note lying by the waste bin. Steven cringed as he watched himself emerge from the shop, spot the note, look all around to make sure nobody could see him, then pick up the note and slip it into his pocket.
He felt so ashamed as he saw the look of distress on his mother's face. Without a word, she got up and fetched what remained of the box of chocolates Steven had bought for her. She held it out to him, and he took it silently.
Steven spent the next few weeks washing cars for neighbours until he had earned 20 pounds. Then he took the money along to his local police station and handed it in.
"Thank you, lad," said the policeman. "I wish they were all as honest as you."
As he'd wandered out of the shop, staring at the ground in his misery, he noticed a £20 note lying by the side of the waste bin. Steven quickly looked all around. Amazingly, there was no one in sight. He looked into the bin, to see whether a wallet or purse containing a name had been thrown away, but there was nothing.
Almost before he had time to think, Steven picked up the note and thrust it into his pocket. Then he practically danced back into the shop and bought his game. And he had enough money left over to buy his mother a box of chocolates. It really was his lucky day!
It was great fun playing the game on his computer, and Steven managed so much practice over the weekend that when he met up with his friends again he was an expert. They were very envious of his luck, especially as the game he had bought was a more recent edition than theirs.
The novelty of the game lasted a long time. It was a good month before Steven began to tire of it. But one Saturday evening he sat down to watch television with his mum rather than play his game. Steven wasn't very keen on television, but at least one of his favourite programmes was showing.
Steven's mother hated "Gotcha!" because she hated seeing people put into embarrassing situations. But she watched it anyway because it was good to have an evening with her son.
Steven couldn't stop laughing as he watched a man trying to post a letter in a postbox which kept moving. Then there was a woman who was left holding a dog on a lead while the owner of the dog popped into a shop - but never came out. Even funnier was the man who became so angry when a "passer-by" who was really part of the programme team, couldn't understand his simple instructions.
Then Steven saw to his delight that his local shopping precinct was on the television. He sat up excitedly to see who had been caught. But his excitement changed to horror when the cameras focused on a close-up shot of a £20 note lying by the waste bin. Steven cringed as he watched himself emerge from the shop, spot the note, look all around to make sure nobody could see him, then pick up the note and slip it into his pocket.
He felt so ashamed as he saw the look of distress on his mother's face. Without a word, she got up and fetched what remained of the box of chocolates Steven had bought for her. She held it out to him, and he took it silently.
Steven spent the next few weeks washing cars for neighbours until he had earned 20 pounds. Then he took the money along to his local police station and handed it in.
"Thank you, lad," said the policeman. "I wish they were all as honest as you."
