Uncle Jeff Gets into Trouble

Here's the first of four deserving winners in our Wicked Uncle Writing Competition, sponsored by Wicked Uncle - the online toyshop where you can find fun, unusual, and interesting presents.

One winning entry will receive a grand prize of a £50 gift voucher from Wicked Uncle - keep listening out for that one over the next few days.

Uncle Jeff in our stories is rich and successful. But of course he wasn't always so well off. Tasman imagines a much younger Jeff, one who doesn't seem short of a few bob (he can afford a pink Porsche!) but isn't quite so filthy rich yet. His taste is also a bit - hmmm - undeveloped. He spray paints his name across his car!

We chose this story mainly because it made us laugh a good deal. Tasman writes in a punchy and humorous style.

Uncle Jeff gets into Trouble
By Tasman Hancock

Hello,

This is Richard, and I’m here with the first of four winners in our Wicked Uncle Writing competition. Sponsored by the amazing online toy shop, called Wicked Uncle. We received 18 entries, all of them fantastically well written, and Bertie says it’s been very hard to pick the ones to read out. We loved this one because it made us laugh. This is what the writer said in her email to us:

Dear Storynory,
My name is Tasman Hancock and I'm 10 years old. I live in Hong Kong and go to Harrow International School. I love listening to your podcasts on my way home from school.

And this is Tasman’s story:

'Uncle Jeff Gets into Trouble'

Story by Tasman.

Read by Richard.

Proofread by Jana Elizabeth.

Years ago before Jessica got together with Uncle Jeff, when Jeremy and Jemima were only little, Uncle Jeff had a run in with the law, scaring him forever.

He had just got a letter from Jeremy and Jemima’s father inviting him to attend a birthday party for Jeremy and Jemima’s cousin, Jackson. Uncle Jeff loved parties, and more than he loved parties, he loved his niece and nephew very much, so he replied to his brother immediately, with the answer yes. Then he got ready for the long car drive to Frogsglade.

First he took a shower so he'd be clean for the party, then he got out of the shower with a towel around his legs. He was not a rich man and he did not have many fine clothes, so he packed a suitcase with all his clothes and toiletries. Then he packed a present for the birthday boy. Lastly he packed a lunch for the day of the road trip.

Now, Uncle Jeff was so excited for the party that he shoved everything into his suitcase so fast that he didn’t realise where he was putting everything, for instance he put his underwear in his lunchbox, and his cookie in with his toothbrush. He was not organised. Then he checked his watch and saw that he'd be late if he didn't go now, so he had no choice but to jump in the car with only the towel around his legs.

But Uncle Jeff didn't care one bit. He went on with what he was doing. Soon he had all the things packed in the boot of his car. First, he drove to the florist to get some flowers for Jeremy and Jemima’s mother. Then he began his long trip. According to the GPS it would take him exactly four hours and thirty-nine minutes.

Uncle Jeff was driving the new pink Porsche that he had bought a few days ago. As you know, Uncle Jeff is not very wise about his money. So, even though he did not have much money he bought the Porsche anyway. He loved his car so much that he spray-painted “Uncle Jeff” all over the car in blue letters. As a Porsche is a sports car, he drove it fast along the highway; sometimes even double the speed limit.

Uncle Jeff did not see any policemen or any speed cameras, so he thought it was okay to drive it as fast as he wanted to. Now, Uncle Jeff is very very unusual. As he was, he drove 125 miles per hour when the speed limit was 60 miles per hour. He was driving so fast that he couldn't see that the police had started to come up and trail him. Soon, Jeff heard sirens in the distance, then he saw police cars. He decided to pull over to the edge, as was the law.

The police got out of their cars quickly and walked over to Jeff. They asked him to get out of the car, he had no choice but to get out of the car with only the towel on. One of the policeman fell down laughing so hard. The other looked grim as he said:

“It is against the law to drive over the speed limit. We're now going to give you a speeding ticket of £1,500. He was shocked by this. £40,000 was the price he paid for the pink Porsche. He only had £1530 in his savings account.

He tried to protest but the police were firm. Soon he was back on the highway with a speeding ticket in one hand. When he arrived at Jeremy and Jemima’s house, he guiltily walked in and said to Jeremy and Jemima’s mother: “I need to borrow some money from you, because now I only have £30. She was very firm but also kind so she lent him the money. As a punishment though, Uncle Jeff had to live at the house and do all of the dishes every day and night for two months.

Uncle Jeff still got into trouble a lot after that, but he was a little bit more careful with his money.

And that was Uncle Jeff Gets into Trouble by Tasman Hancock.

Thanks Tasman!  It was fun to meet the young version of Uncle Jeff, and we're glad that he could at least afford the Porsche. Anyhow, we really loved your punchy and direct writing style, and your lively ideas!

I’ll be back tomorrow with another winning entry in our Wicked Uncle Writing competition. Sponsored by wickeduncle.co.uk, the online toy company.

For now, from me, Richard.

Goodbye.