smile on her face.
“Mother!” said Sammy, louder this time.
“I have been amazed by the support that Samir has had from Egypt,” said the woman on the screen. The name Bahiti Bahur appeared on the bottom right-hand corner. “I am very proud of him. We all believe he can be the next Robot Races’ champion!”
The scene changed quickly. The TV now showed a place Jimmy knew well. It was his home town of Smedingham in England, but a richer, leafier part of town than he lived in. Bet appeared in a posh-looking front room with floral wallpaper and a lace doily on every surface. The microphone was pointed at an elegantly dressed middle-aged woman with rosy cheeks and a pearl necklace.
“We miss Horace ever so much. I worry about my little kootchy-face!” said the woman.
“Horace, is that your mother?” asked Princess Kako.
Horace didn’t answer, but stared at the screen in horror.
“We love you, Horace!” the lady called. “Mummy sends kisses and cuddles!”
Horace’s head fell forward onto the table in embarrassment. Just when Jimmy thought it couldn’t get any worse for him, Mrs Pelly pulled out a stuffed toy which was dressed in a racing jumpsuit. “You forgot to take your lucky teddy! I’ll give Jenson the Bear to Bet so she can pass him on when she next interviews you.”
Bet smiled sweetly as she took the teddy.
“Aw, Mum !” shouted Horace at the screen as the other five tried to hide their smiles.
The image on the screen shifted to show Bet now in Japan. She stood in front of the Imperial Palace, interviewing a young man in a smart suit.
“Satoru!” shouted Kako. “That is my cousin!”
“Her Imperial Highness Princess Kako has truly brought honour to the people of Japan. The nation has been watching and sending messages of support. Everyone is Kako-crazy! Look at the fan mail you are getting!”
Bet held up a handful of mail, and a few things the fans had made. There was a knitted toy of Kako, pictures of Lightning, and even a comic book with a cartoon Kako on the cover.
“People are making comics about you! That’s so cool!” said Missy.
The TV changed to a small American town with bunting stretched across the main street and a sign which read: ‘Chip Travers, Number One!’ Below it stood what looked to Jimmy to be the entire town. There was a uniformed marching band, hordes of people, and even a squad of cheerleaders. Bet was stood next to a lady holding a flag with Chip’s face on it.
“That’s my mom!” said Chip.
“We’re all rootin’ for my boy Chip!” Mrs Travers said. “We believe he can win this thing and bring the trophy back to the good ol’ U.S. of A!” Then the cheerleaders burst into song. “Chip and Dug, they’re the best! They are gonna beat the rest!”
Chip laughed aloud as scene on the TV changed to the Outback in Australia. It was a large farm, with abandoned cars and tractors strewn about.
“Ah, home sweet home!” said Missy.
A boy of about nineteen years of age stood in front of a barn, his arms folded across his chest. That must be Missy’s brother! thought Jimmy. They looked exactly the same, right down to the way they dressed.
“All right, sis? You’re doing a great job.” He smiled.
“That’s Scott, my brother. I haven’t seen that no-good waste of space for weeks,” said Missy.
“We know you can do it. Now hurry up and win this thing, the sheep miss ya!”
The TV changed again, and this time Jimmy knew it must be for him. But who would it be? He didn’t have any brothers, sisters or cousins. His only family was Grandpa, and he was here with him. He watched anxiously as the camera panned over his school. Suddenly a familiar face came into view.
Max!
Jimmy grinned and leaned forward to hear what his best friend had to say.
Max seemed nervous in front of the cameras. “W-we’re all really proud of Jimmy,” he said, glancing at the camera shyly.
Bet smiled. “Were you and Jimmy always big fans of Robot Races,
“Mother!” said Sammy, louder this time.
“I have been amazed by the support that Samir has had from Egypt,” said the woman on the screen. The name Bahiti Bahur appeared on the bottom right-hand corner. “I am very proud of him. We all believe he can be the next Robot Races’ champion!”
The scene changed quickly. The TV now showed a place Jimmy knew well. It was his home town of Smedingham in England, but a richer, leafier part of town than he lived in. Bet appeared in a posh-looking front room with floral wallpaper and a lace doily on every surface. The microphone was pointed at an elegantly dressed middle-aged woman with rosy cheeks and a pearl necklace.
“We miss Horace ever so much. I worry about my little kootchy-face!” said the woman.
“Horace, is that your mother?” asked Princess Kako.
Horace didn’t answer, but stared at the screen in horror.
“We love you, Horace!” the lady called. “Mummy sends kisses and cuddles!”
Horace’s head fell forward onto the table in embarrassment. Just when Jimmy thought it couldn’t get any worse for him, Mrs Pelly pulled out a stuffed toy which was dressed in a racing jumpsuit. “You forgot to take your lucky teddy! I’ll give Jenson the Bear to Bet so she can pass him on when she next interviews you.”
Bet smiled sweetly as she took the teddy.
“Aw, Mum !” shouted Horace at the screen as the other five tried to hide their smiles.
The image on the screen shifted to show Bet now in Japan. She stood in front of the Imperial Palace, interviewing a young man in a smart suit.
“Satoru!” shouted Kako. “That is my cousin!”
“Her Imperial Highness Princess Kako has truly brought honour to the people of Japan. The nation has been watching and sending messages of support. Everyone is Kako-crazy! Look at the fan mail you are getting!”
Bet held up a handful of mail, and a few things the fans had made. There was a knitted toy of Kako, pictures of Lightning, and even a comic book with a cartoon Kako on the cover.
“People are making comics about you! That’s so cool!” said Missy.
The TV changed to a small American town with bunting stretched across the main street and a sign which read: ‘Chip Travers, Number One!’ Below it stood what looked to Jimmy to be the entire town. There was a uniformed marching band, hordes of people, and even a squad of cheerleaders. Bet was stood next to a lady holding a flag with Chip’s face on it.
“That’s my mom!” said Chip.
“We’re all rootin’ for my boy Chip!” Mrs Travers said. “We believe he can win this thing and bring the trophy back to the good ol’ U.S. of A!” Then the cheerleaders burst into song. “Chip and Dug, they’re the best! They are gonna beat the rest!”
Chip laughed aloud as scene on the TV changed to the Outback in Australia. It was a large farm, with abandoned cars and tractors strewn about.
“Ah, home sweet home!” said Missy.
A boy of about nineteen years of age stood in front of a barn, his arms folded across his chest. That must be Missy’s brother! thought Jimmy. They looked exactly the same, right down to the way they dressed.
“All right, sis? You’re doing a great job.” He smiled.
“That’s Scott, my brother. I haven’t seen that no-good waste of space for weeks,” said Missy.
“We know you can do it. Now hurry up and win this thing, the sheep miss ya!”
The TV changed again, and this time Jimmy knew it must be for him. But who would it be? He didn’t have any brothers, sisters or cousins. His only family was Grandpa, and he was here with him. He watched anxiously as the camera panned over his school. Suddenly a familiar face came into view.
Max!
Jimmy grinned and leaned forward to hear what his best friend had to say.
Max seemed nervous in front of the cameras. “W-we’re all really proud of Jimmy,” he said, glancing at the camera shyly.
Bet smiled. “Were you and Jimmy always big fans of Robot Races,
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