If you were me what could you have done?

Meet Whoville’s newest gangster. Yep, I, JoJo McDodd, have turned ruffian. Not really, of course, but in order to infiltrate the gang that’s been messing around with Whoville. At least, the High School part.


Yesterday, Dr Wocket came over, again. I got called again, but this time it was Dad calling me, and I didn’t have to wonder if he really meant it. I came in and it was Dr Wocket. “Ahh, JoJo. Could I have a minute with you?” “Sure.” We went into the living room, and he said, “Is there somewhere more private we can talk?” “Well, my room is good…” He stood up. “Good.” I was a little worried, why was this such a big secret? Anyway, we went to my room and he looked around and blinked a few times before speaking again. “It’s dark in here.” He said, although he looked a little like he was stalling. “That’s how I like it.” “Well you may wish to… never mind, enough stalling. I have a proposal for you, and all I would like you to do right now is to let me talk. Without interruption. Now, the point is, I would like you to do some work for me. What I’m asking you to do is to join a gang.” My jaw dropped, but he kept talking. “We need an insider, perhaps to tell us more about the gang so the authorities can arrest all the members at once. And YOU were the most likely canadate for the position. Hear me out. Your… I mean to say your parents’ social standing is rather high. Do you know what a gang like that might give to have the son of the mayor in their midst? They would likely bend over backwards to get you into their ranks, and with you in them, you could tell me about the structure and inner workings of the gang. However, it’s only fair to tell you of the risks involved. Gang structures such as this one are not the… kindly type. If you were caught, or even suspected, I cannot say what they would do to you, but I assure you it would not be pleasant. But think of what you could give the city! You would perhaps give us the knowledge we need to incapacitate these hoodlums, and perhaps, once again, save our city.” I tried to speak, but no sound came out. “I will not pressure you into doing ANYTHING you will regret. But this is very, very important, and right now I cannot tell you everything, but I assure you, it will all be very much worth your while, and although the risks involved will not be minor, they could pale in comparison to what you could do for Whoville. I will not ask you now for a decision. It is only fair to tell you that this could be something you would regret for the rest of your life. Either way, in fact. I’m sorry to put so much on your shoulders. I know the gravity of what I am asking you, and I assure you, I would not ask you to do any such thing unless I was sure it was of the utmost importance.” I stuttered a minute. “What… what about my parents?” “Ahh, yes. They could not know or find out about this. I think they would react unfavorably, but the choice MUST be yours.” I looked around, looking for answers… finding none in the red-painted walls of my room. “I’m not trying to get an answer now… think about it, JoJo.” I looked up, I was thinking but I asked a stupid question. “What… what would they do to me?” I knew in the back of my mind that he’d said he didn’t know, but that was the first thing I thought of. “I just honestly don’t know. But I think at best… if it was a very, very friendly gang, which I don’t think this one is, you could only be severely beaten and perhaps left at the side of the road…” I didn’t listen to what he said next. What I was thinking then, I can’t exactly remember. But what I said then, I’ll NEVER forget. “I’ll do it.” Maybe one of the stupidest things I’ll ever say, I don’t know right now. “JoJo, I don’t want you to rush into this. I’ll let you have until tomorrow…” “No, I’ll do it.” And all of a sudden I had a whodrenaline rush. “What do I do, where do I start?” His face did light up, even though he tried not to let me see it. “JoJo, think about it. If you are not very, very careful in covering your tracks, it will go very badly with you.” “I know, I know, I think I can do it. I am sure I can. It’s for Whoville, right now I’d do anything for my town.” “Good for you. But I don’t as of yet know everything. And I can’t reveal all that I DO know right now, but I swear I would never ask this of you if it was not of the utmost importance. I am repeating myself again…” “What do I do first?” “Well, act like you wish to join… perhaps you think you have been mistreated, or something unfair has happened. Not to offend you, but I have noticed you already… sometimes carry yourself as a gang member would.” I was a little surprised. “Whaddaya mean?” “My advice so that you look more convincing would be just to… slouch. It is extremely hard on the posture, and bad for the back, but it would be how a gangster would carry himself.” I straightened up almost unconsciously. He laughed a little. “Well, what if they ask me to do something bad, like vandalize something? What would I do then?” He thought a moment. “I do not think that they would be asking you to do anything like that. Owing to your size, and the fact that you are a McDodd and have access to the counsel’s deeds, I should think they would put you down as part of the brains of the operation, and not have you doing anything they would need more… physical power for.” “I can do almost as much as a normal-sized Who my age.” I said, a little annoyed. “I’m sure you could, but I am not so sure the gang would be inclined to think that way. No offense meant. But if they do ask you to do such a thing… do it. For the greater good of Whoville. Then come straight to me and tell me what you have done.” “Okay… then what?” “I will be telling you exactly what to do tomorrow. If you wish to back out then, tell me THEN. Later may be too late. You understand what a huge risk you are taking on yourself, JoJo McDodd? I cannot promise you that you will come out of this… whole.” “I understand, sir. But this is my town, I gotta do what I can for it even now.” “Oh, JoJo. I need you to do this terribly, but I want you to be sure you know that this is a very big thing. Think about it, please do it, but I have to tell you that if you do this you are running a risk of ruining your life for the future.” “I KNOW! I understand completely, but I also know that if I don’t do this this gang could be the death of Whoville as we know it!” And I was starting to sound like Dad, psyched over a town. But it’s not the town, it’s the people in it that matter so much. Even if it’s not my life, nobody has a right to take it away from them. Especially not a lot of overgrown jerks who just want to have fun or something. I think something like that might have been going through the doctor’s head. “JoJo, this is not going to be fun and games. This is life, and a hard life it is sometimes. I never thought I’d live to see the day I’d be asking a thirteen year old to…” “FOURTEEN” “fourteen year old to perhaps give up his life for Whoville.” And I had a weird thought then, and it came out. “Dad does that every day.” I don’t know why I said it, and I think it was a stupid thing to say, but Dr Wocket agreed with me. “Yes, he does. As will you someday.” I nodded. I think back over it. I still hate the idea, but it’s what I gotta do, no matter how hard it is for me. And I can’t fight it, so I gave up on that almost a year ago with that word… a nonsense word. Yopp? What’s yopp supposed to mean? Oh well. All that was said and done. And I realized a strange thing… “Why am I always the one saving Whoville?” I asked nobody in particular. Dr Wocket laughed. “I don’t know. It just falls to you every time. You are just the right man for the job.” He stood up. “JoJo, think seriously about this decision. After tomorrow, there’s no backing down.” “I don’t give up.” “No, from what I’ve heard you are a very stubborn lad.” I didn’t know exactly how to reply to THAT statement, but he didn’t expect a reply. He left. I didn’t sleep very well. And today I stopped by for his instructions, but he’s not here. He left a note on his desk and said he was expecting I could use this computer if I wanted to while I was waiting. So I’m waiting at Who-U for Dr Wocket. I will tell him “There’s no backing out now”. Maybe I’ll go see Dr LaRue while I wait… but I can’t tell her about this.