Chapter 15

15 WATSON IS RIGHT. It is Edison. He stands in the middle of the stage, smiling. "Isn't electricity wonderful? It gives us light. It gives us heat. It gives us..." Edison motions toward the screen. Tarzan reappears on-screen. Hands cupped to his mouth, he yodels his long, loopy Tarzan yell. THE END scrolls up over the black-and

white jungle. T. Edison smiles another crooked smile. "Wonderful. All of this brought to you by your friendly local power company. You are welcome, Midville." No one in the audience says thank you. "It would be more wonderful if we didn't have to pay such crazy prices," calls Charlie the postman. "We are working on energy prices every day," says T. Edison, not exactly lying about what he and Mr. Chimp have been doing, but not exactly telling the truth, either. "Hogwash!" yells Fireman Chad. "We're building our future," says T. Edison, pointing to a banner that has somehow just appeared between two palm trees. Edison adds, "If we knew a cheaper way to produce electricity, we certainly would." This gives Frank Einstein a genius idea. Frank weaves through the crowd, drags

Watson up onstage with him, and announces, "And that is exactly what we have come to show you—a better, cheaper way to produce electricity." T. Edison is completely surprised but tries to act like he isn't. "Heckle and Jeckle, what are you doing here?" "We should ask you the same thing," says Watson. "I asked first." The crowd starts rumbling, getting restless. Frank unlatches his saxophone case and turns to the crowd. "Midville! I have just the invention that can help us all." "A giant battery?" asks Ms. Priscilla, principal of Midville Academy. "A new generator?" guesses Mr. Hacey, owner of the Give Me Pie! shop. "Something even better," says Frank Einstein. "My lab partners and I—" "Oh, for goodness' sake," fumes Edison.

"Stop blabbering on. This is my event, you know." "—we have used Nikola Tesla's idea of harnessing the electromagnetic energy of the Earth—which is everywhere—to produce and deliver wireless electricity." "That is crazy," says Edison. "And dangerous." "Not at all," answers Frank. "Allow me to demonstrate. Watson?" Watson pulls three balloons out of his pocket. He blows up one balloon, rubs it on his hair, and leaves it sticking to his head. He blows up another balloon, rubs it, and sticks it. He blows up the last balloon, rubs it, and stands with all three balloons sticking to his head. The crowd laughs. "Ladies and gentleman," Frank announces, "electricity. Safe, wireless, and free." "That is stupid," mutters Edison.

"But how can that help us?" Ms. Priscilla politely asks. Frank smiles. "I have used the same idea of moving electrons"—Frank opens the saxophone case and fits his hand into the device tucked inside—"to make my newest invention..." Frank raises his right hand, wearing a big metal glove with lights, buttons, an antenna, and one extended finger. "...the Electro-Finger!" "Whoa," says Mr. Hacey. "Oh my," says Ms. Priscilla. "Cool," says Postman Charlie. "How does it work?" Frank points the Electro-Finger at Watson. Watson knocks the balloons off his head and pulls out a giant lightbulb. "I will now use the Electro-Finger to gather magnetic energy from the Earth, change it to electricity, and deliver it wirelessly to light the

bulb in Watson's hand!" "This is completely stupid and completely dangerous," Edison announces to the crowd. "Do not believe this Frank Einstein garbage." "Ready, Watson?" Watson holds the lightbulb out, suddenly