AVENGE

CHAPTER THREE - SAMUEL SAMSON

3.

SAMUEL SAMSON

The last four sentance's of the tune ended and Samuel (better known as Sammy Smooth) faded out the last few seconds of the track as he faded in his own voice, "Yeah - I love that tune folks. That was the Rembrandts with 'I'll be there for you'. Better known as the theme tune from F.R.I.E.N.D.S." Samuel was standing to do his show. He preferred to do it that way.

He waved his arms around as he spoke, "Speaking of friends. Henry Morton, an old friend of mine, left me a pair of tickets for his show tonight. So if you're able to make it to the 'Concordia Theatre' for the eight o'clock show then please phone in. I'll be asking five questions. If you get all five right the tickets will be yours."

Samuel's assistant signalled, from the other side of the desk, that the phone lines were already active. He answered the first one, taking down a name and number.

"Whoa there peeps. Looks like we already got some bites so I'll play another record and be right with ya. This is Sammy Smooth on Oak FM. Don't go away," Samuel faded in the next record and turned down his voice control then slipped his headphones off his head - letting them rest on his chest.

"How many Dave?" he asked his assistant as the music got going.

Dave held up three fingers and mouthed 'and counting' before continuing to take down the callers details.

Samuel began tapping the desk - copying the tune that was playing. He moved his preselected questions into the centre of his desk and plucked the caller list from Dave's outstretched hand. There were five names written down.

Samuel glanced at the computer screen and lifted his headphones back onto his head. He then drank the last cold dregs of his coffee and faded in his microphone.

"Oh na na, what's your name indeed. That was Rihanna. What - a - voice. Okay, back to the competition," Samuel had brought up the touch-screen phone-pad and now held the callers details in his hand. "If you've rang in be ready by your phone," he started pressing the numbers on his touch-screen.

After just one ring the first listener answered with an overjoyed squeal, "Oh my god Sammy - is that you - is it really you?"

Samuel smiled, "Yes it is. Now remember, this is live, so please don't swear."

"Of course of course - I'm so excited."

Really - I wouldn't have known, he thought.

"Okay - for the benefit of the listeners - what's your name and where do you come from?"

"I'm Sarah and I'm from Nuneaton," the excitement continued in her voice.

"Okay Sarah. Now I'm going to ask you five questions. You can pass and come back to them but I will not reveal the answers until all five are correct. If you get one wrong you are out and I'll move onto the next caller. Is that clear?"

"Yes!"

"All five questions have something to do with either Henry Morton, Hypnotism or the Concordia Theatre itself. During our interview with Henry yesterday we spoke at great length about Hypnotism and his show. So as long as you were listening yesterday you should walk this okay."

"Okay."

"Right - here we go. Question one - How long has Henry been doing his show?"

Sarah was straight in with the answer, "Six years Sammy."

"Question two - How many shows has Henry completed during that time?"

"Ummmm - pass."

"Question three - Are the subjects aware when they are under hypnosis?"

"Yes!" Sarah's excitement was growing.

"Question four - In what year was the Concordia Theatre's opening night? Was it A - 1970. B - 1974 or C - 1972?"

"Oh damn," Sarah realised her little slip. "Oh sorry - sorry."

"It's okay Sarah. That wasn't a bad one. Do you need me to repeat the question?" Samuel was trying not to laugh.

"No pass."

"Question five - what is Henry's favourite task for his hypnotised subjects to do?"

"He always makes someone do Arnold Schwarzenegger," Sarah started laughing.

"Are you all right Sarah?" asked Samuel. "You sound like you're choking."

"I'm fine Sammy. Really - it just triggered a memory."

"Okay - back to question two - How many shows has Henry performed?"

"I've tried to work it out. He always seems to be working. I'll go for seven hundred Sammy."

"Final answer?"

"Final answer," she confirmed.

"Okay - back to question four - In what year was the Concordia Theatre's opening night? Was it A - 1970. B - 1974 or C - 1972?"

"Well - I have no idea so I'll go for the middle ground and say C - 1972."

"Okay Sarah. You did well - just not well enough. You answered four correct. Sorry Sarah," Samuel was smiling as he talked to her.

"Thank you Sammy - thank you. Bye."

"Bye Sarah - have a nice day," Samuel cut line one before she could continue to chat and opened line two. "Line two - what is your name and where do you come from?"

"I'm Oscar and I'm from Hinckley."

"Okay Oscar. I'm going to ask you the same five questions. You can pass and go back to them but I won't reveal the answers until all five are correct. If you get one wrong you are out and I'll move on to the next caller - is that clear?"

"As a bell."

"Are you ready?"

"Oh yes."

"Okay - here's question one - How long has Henry been doing his show?"

"The last caller seemed as if she knew this so I'll say six years."

"Question two - How many shows has Henry completed during that time?"

"I was listening yesterday Sammy so I'll say 799."

"Question three - Are the subjects aware when they are under hypnosis?"

"Yes."

"Question four - In what year was the Concordia Theatre's opening night? Was it A -1970. B - 1974 or C - 1972?"

"My father helped to build it so I'll go with C - 1972."

"Okay Oscar, we are on the final question. Are you ready?" Samuel looked at Dave and raised his eyebrows.

"Yes I am."

"Okay. Question five - What is Henry's favourite task for his hypnotised subjects to do?"

"Again I'm going with Sarah's answer and saying Arnold Schwarzenegger."

Sammy Smooth deliberately left a period of silence before saying, "Oscar. You needed to get five out of five to get two tickets. You ... got ... all five correct! You're a winner!" Samuel could hear a loud roar that sounded like 'yes' coming through the speakers, "Happy then Oscar?"

"Oh ho ho - yes. Ecstatic. You beauty."

Both Dave and Samuel were laughing along with him, "Who will you take with you?"

"Oh - there's a girl I like. She lives in the block where I do maintenance work."

"Well Oscar. I hope she says yes. You'll both enjoy the show. Henry Morton is an excellent hypnotist."

"Thanks again Sammy. Thanks for everything."

"That's okay. Stay on the line so Dave can arrange collection of the tickets. Bye now."

"Bye."

Sammy Smooth cut Oscar off and readjusted his microphone, "So listeners. The tickets have gone and romance could be in the air. Carry on listening while I play this next tune. Back in five. Samuel removed his headphones and mouthed 'toilet' to Dave who nodded back. Samuel rushed off. He only had five minutes to get back to his desk.