James Coughs Up For The Burgular

• Katie Fuller, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2010

It was Dad’s birthday and here we are standing outside the French Restaurant, “Bon Appetite”. As we walk in the jewels from the sparkling chandeliers capture your eyes and when you squint your eyes it all seems like a blur. The room is fool of wealthy people dressed in glamorous outfits that makes us look like we’re dressed in tablecloths.
The waiter is dressed in a black and white suit and has a moustache curled at the tips. He comes to our table and mum orders snails and dad decides he’ll have frog’s legs. Belinda, my older sister, orders a plain salad and I don’t fancy French food and so I order a cheese pizza.
While I am waiting for my meal I overhear two mysterious men at whispering at another table close by. I cannot believe what I am hearing.
“At midnight tonight I’ll go to John’s Jewellers while you wait here and do this place over. Got it?” the man asks whilst the other man nods. “Oh and remember the burglar’s code, never cough and never sneeze. If caught beg on your knees.”
Suddenly my attention was drawn away from these men as I took a whiff of something delicious. Something that made my face light up and my eyes dance with delight. It was the waiter bringing my crispy cheese pizza. I took my first bite. It made my mouth water craving for more. Belinda nudges me, “James” she hisses. The room is very quiet and everyone else in the restaurant has their eyes glued on ME.
The waiter storms over to me and I can see by the angry look on his face that I’ve done something wrong. I feel knots tying in my stomach and my face turns red. “Sir”, he says raising his voice. “I will not have that in my restaurant; you have disrespected this extravagant eatery. Knife and fork will be used at all times. This is NOT a pig pen.” He points to the door.
“But Sir, I know something that you don’t” I plead. But his hand is still pointed to the exit and I bury my head in shame and leave with my embarrassed family following. “Way to go Dork!” Belinda says with steam coming out of her ears.
As I lay in bed that night I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned pulling rustling my sheets in my bed. I looked at my clock it was close to midnight and I knew exactly what I had to do. I grabbed my torch and headed off to the restaurant.
“Focus” I told myself as I reached “Bon Appetite”. I crept silently into the empty restaurant and spotted the shadow of the man. I crawled silently along the ground, my stomach full of butterflies. Suddenly I can hear the breath of the person standing behind me. I turned. The burglar is pointing his gun towards my head.
“Any last words?” he asks with an evil look in his eye.
But before I can say anything I feel something coming up my throat. I cough and splutter before he is covered in a pool of vomit. My cheese pizza goes all over him. He lets out a piercing scream. The alarm goes off. I am a hero. The police arrive and good bye burglar.
Since that fateful night I’m invited to the restaurant weekly to eat as much pizza as I like. I don’t even have to use a knife and fork!