Does Bud imagination ever get him out of trouble

I'm going to support the argument that "no, Bud's imagination doesn't get him out of trouble."  Bud is a great character, and he is exceptionally street wise.  He's hopeful about finding his father, and he imagines a better life once his father is found; however, Bud is a realist when it comes to getting out of trouble. He has rules for this kind of thing that he has learned from experience.  He doesn't have to imagine how a particular person will respond.  Bud knows from experience.  Chapter 2 has good evidence of this.  Todd Amos has been antagonizing Bud, but Mrs. Amos doesn't believe a word that Bud says.  He absolutely wants out of the house, and he knows how to go about doing it.  Bud knows that if he begs to not go back to the orphanage, then that's exactly where he'll be sent.  

"If you give me another chance I promise I’ll do a whole lot better. Please don't call the Home, please don't send me back." Shucks, going back to the Home was just what I wanted to do, but I was being just like Brer Rabbit in one of the books Momma used to read to me at night when he yelled out, "Please, Brer Fox, don't throw me into the pricker patch, please, please!"

He follows up this plea with Rule 118.  It says to give adults something to take away from you that they believe is important to you but is actually unimportant.  That way they don't actually take away the thing that is important.  

If telling a lie to get out of trouble is what the question means by "imagination," then there is a specific instance when Bud tells a lie to get out of a minor set back.  Bud is on his way to Grand Rapids, and Lefty Lewis pulls over next to Bud.  Lefty wants to help Bud, but Bud doesn't know this.  In reality, Lefty wants to help Bud get home.  

The second thing I knew was that I couldn't tell this man about the Home or the Amoses. I wasn't about to let him take me back to either one of them.

The man said, "Where's home, Bud?"

If Bud truthfully answers the question, then he's right back where he started.  Bud quickly thinks of a lie that he believes will get Lefty to help him head west. Bud tells Lefty that he's from Grand Rapids.  Bud's hope is that Lefty will drive him there or put him on a bus that direction. 

Then another jolt of red pop must've pumped through my heart because my brain came up with a perfect lie.

"I ran away from Grand Rapids, sir."

See how perfect the lie was? Maybe this guy would feel sorry for me and put me on a bus to Grand Rapids and I wouldn't have to do any more doggone walking. He must have some money, anyone driving a car like this would have to be rich or at least know somebody who was rich.

The result is that Lefty does eventually take Bud to Grand Rapids.