Truly Tan Baffled

envelopes that were especially made for this important competition. The names of the two winners are in the envelopes and the winners get to keep the envelopes as part of the prize. This is impressive. Mr Lamble makes a grand and sweeping gesture with his arm as he opens the first envelope. ‘This year’s Winter King is going to a grade four boy,’ says Mr Lamble. Grade four? Gloria and I gasp. ‘This is the first time in the history of the competition that the prize has gone to grade four,’ says Mr Lamble. ‘Shivers,’ says Gloria. ‘Imagine if it’s Ted!’ I shake my head. ‘No way, Aunty May. That boy couldn’t win if his life depended on it. The only poems Ted ever writes are about farts. And the only things he ever draws are three-headed monsters, and Viking chickens …’ Mr Lamble holds up the certificate. ‘The winner of this year’s Winter King is … Master Scooter Gray,’ says Mr Lamble. ‘Congratulations, Scooter!’ ‘Scooter?’ says Gloria with a funny squeak. ‘Scooter?’ I say. ‘What a sly old fox. He never told anyone he was entering this competition!’

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