Little Johnny in Risky Business

By Rose Marie Colucci

Little Johnny in Risky Business – book 3, is a young boy’s attempt to make quick money. Influenced by his Uncle Sal, Little Johnny wants to make money to win the love of his life, Claudia. When he tries to sell goodies at school or use his Super Sonic Johnny Bike to get kids to buy his rides, he realizes that making money is not as easy as it seems. Even as Little Johnny gets his buddy friends involved in designing plans to make money, unforeseen circumstances always take the lead. Follow Little Johnny and his friends in their mischievous adventures on quests to make easy money.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rose Marie Colucci
• Release date: Sep 27, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310590061

Rose Marie Colucci

Rose Marie Colucci is the author of Little Johnny goes to Mobster School, Little Johnny the Entrepreneur, Little Johnny in Risky Business, Lobster for Dinner, and Under the Yellow Kite. She is the creator of Sockfrock Adventures and Sockfrock Books.

Book preview

Chapter 1

A steady flow of income

Little Johnny sat on the front steps of his house, deeply involved in reflection. He was contemplating on ways to make money.

There must be a way for a kid like me to make money, he thought. His goal was to get a steady flow of income per week so he could feel important. Significantly, the steady flow of income meant that he would be powerful enough to plan for future endeavors and pockets filled with money meant that he would be a respected somebody.

When you have money, people know your name, had said his father. Those were his father’s kind words that Little Johnny grew up never to forget.

That’s what I will do, thought Little Johnny. I want to be like my Dad.

Little Johnny wasn’t sure how his father earned his living. He knew he was at the head of an organization, probably at the CEO level, but that wasn’t clear. He had heard rumors that his father was an important man implicated in the Mobster way, namely, at the head of an important Family Organization. But Uncle Sal had denied the rumors. Uncle Sal said his father was implicated in the import/export business with the government, whatever that meant, which explained why his father was out of town most of the time serving federal duty.

Affectionately entitled by his position, he went by the name of The Boss.

Nevertheless, money-issues were on Little Johnny’s mind. With an abundance of money, he could live a privileged life. He would have mobility and flexibility, which translated into going where he wanted and doing what he wanted.

But best of all, having money meant that he could marry the love of his life, Claudia.

Wowww…Claudia…wowww…

Wowww…the red-hair girl…Claudia.

Wowww…the most beautiful woman on the planet.

Every time Little Johnny thought about Claudia, his eyes became dreamy.

If he had money, he could impress her. He would buy her gifts and flowers and all the ice-cream in the world!

But in the meantime, Little Johnny’s pockets were empty and asking Uncle Sal for money was a bad habit he had taken advantage of far too many times.

How am I supposed to earn money if I can’t get a job? sighed Little Johnny.

That’s why the mobster way seemed a good plan. However, Uncle Sal had categorically forbidden him to go in that direction.

It was obvious to him that being underage was a condition that was much to his disfavor. Uncle Sal had explained that society would not allow children to work. In the civilized world, people had fought for human rights and had protested against child labor. In the end, a law had passed that forbade employers to hire kids.

Therefore, Little Johnny had to resign himself in finding other events to generate income. He was aware that finding tactics to generate income was a huge undertaking. And because it was so huge, he also knew he couldn’t do it alone. So he felt obligated to rely on team effort in order to produce results. Notably, he would rely on his buddy friends. He was convinced that together, they would come up with ideas and schemes to fill their pockets with quick cash.

Because wise-guys stick together, said Little Johnny, repeating what Uncle Sal had referred to as being part of a community.

As awkward as it seemed, his buddy friends, Big Jimmy, Vinny, Frank and Lou were not concentrated enough on money-matters. They would rather play video games, watch superheroes movies and ride their bikes at the park. They lacked the spirit of conducting money-making schemes in the wise-guy manner that in the end, Little Johnny expected very little motivation from their part. Therefore, Little Johnny had to depend on himself if he wanted to earn a steady flow of income.

Being lonely at the top became a misfortune.

Except for one thing. One tiny, little thing that could solve the money-issue temporarily.

His mother’s purse.

It just so happened that his mother’s purse was conveniently placed in the middle of the kitchen table. And as life always brings you back to the drawing board, his eyes could not look away from the crocodile-skin purse with golden handles.

No matter where he looked, the purse drew his attention, especially the wallet that was nestled safely inside the purse’s front pocket. The wallet was the money-pit that held the answer to his steady flow of income.

To top it all, he knew exactly which compartment in the wallet held the beautifully, crisp, $20 dollar bills.

Let’s see, said Little Johnny. "Uncle Sal doesn’t seem to be anywhere in the house and Mom is

downstairs. The coast is clear!"

So Little Johnny climbed onto the chair and extended his hand into the purse that was conveniently placed on the table. He waited a moment, just in case. Experience had taught him that in business, one must not be too volatile in action but rather, it was best to be prudent. It seemed that he could go ahead and extract the wallet out of the purse as so far, there were no controversies. Ok, his hand held the wallet safely. Let’s wait a moment longer, just in case.

He listened for sounds in the house. The walls were intact; no noise, no voices, no buzz of any kind. There was nothing that could compromise his scheme. So far so good.

The next step was delicate. It consisted of opening the wallet. It was too late to go back, thought Little Johnny. Might as well be as quick as a squirrel and finish the process.

Therefore, in his squirrel action, he took the crisp $20 dollar bill from the compartment where his mother always placed the money and held the crisp, $20 bill upward. Just the feeling of touching money gave him an accomplished sense of victory. One day when he would be so rich, he would pay others just to hold his dollar bills upwards so that he could take a better look at them in the light.

For the moment, his mother’s wallet would have to fill the missing gap.

Wowww…the feeling of having money in the palm of his hand was better than having ice-cream.

As Little Johnny was contemplating his victorious moment, thinking of different ways he would spend the money, he felt a tingle at the back of his neck. It felt warm and hot and strange. What’s going on?

It was an odd impression that something was not right. But he quickly disregarded the impression in a flash. The overwhelming sense of having money in his hand was greater than the hot, sticky sensation he felt at the back of his neck.

But the warm, sticky sensation of hot breath was real. It was Uncle Sal’s bad breath as he stood behind Little Johnny.

Wat ya doin? asked Uncle Sal in a gracious voice as he stared at Little Johnny with a $20 dollar bill cuddled in the palm of his hand.

Uncle Sal? said Little Johnny surprised. I didn’t hear you come into the kitchen!

Little Johnny didn’t understand how such a thing could happen since he had taken the time to listen to house-noises and hadn’t heard a sound that could have put him in an incriminating situation.

How do millionaires keep themselves on track?

Ya aint supposed ta hear me come in! reminded Uncle Sal in his neighborhood accent of Italian descent. But ya changing da subject.

What do you mean Uncle Sal?

Da question is wat ya doin wit da $20 dollar bill in ya hand tat yous took from ya modda’s purse? said Uncle Sal. He frowned. Doesn’t this kid ever learn to never take money from his mother’s purse?

Uncle Sal, I didn’t mean to take it. Really. It just happened! defended Little Johnny.

Now let’s see hows yous put it back, suggested