as he leaned forward to embrace ...
Goldie Mai Ear, Bugs' instructor from Super-Hero school. Goldie taught the Jungle Survival course, and the Edible Foliage Recognition course. That's why she was chosen to be the undercover Roach Coach attendant. It matched her talents to a "Tee".
"Hey, it's great to see you again! How's the gang back at SHS [Super-Hero School]? What the heck are you doing here in the sewer?", asked Bugs.
"Whoa, there pardner. Slow down! One at a time!", responded Goldie.
"I'm here to assist Mai Tee mouse. He's my cousin, twice removed ... on my Father's side".
"Assist him doing what?", queried Bugs.
"We've got an entrapment gig going here. The Gator King has been avoiding paying Income Taxes for several years. He says he has no income. Ha! What a joke! Do you think he could live in the best region of the sewer if he had no income?"
Bugs, standing knee deep in sewer sludge, looked around the dimly lit room at the strange gathering of people, animals, and reptiles. "It gets worse than this?", thought Bugs ...
Mai Tee mouse wandered over to Goldie Mai Ear and ordered loud enough for everybody to overhear him. "I'll take a slice of cheese pizza. Extra cheese! And, step on it!".
Everybody heard that last comment, which was Mai Tee's standard line. They all knew what was coming next.
"No, don't step on the pizza! Just hurry it up!"
The laughter rippled through the audience, as Mai Ear scribbled something on her notepad and handed it to Mai Tee. Everybody else thought it was the check for the pizza, but the two Mai's knew that it was the results of the latest reconnaissance on Gator King. The note said simply, "Rotisserie".
Bugs noticed that Mai Tee got a check, but he didn't. He wondered why. Certainly he would have to pay for his Meatball Sandwich. Whether he ate it or not. So, why didn't get a check for his Meatball Sandwich? Bugs smelled a rat (which was difficult, considering his surroundings. There were PLENTY of things to smell in the depths of the sewer).
[Editor's note: Hey, guys ... what's going on here? We have about 30 dozen reptilian warriors standing here in knee-deep sewer sludge, a bunch of characters on stage with the Gator King, Bugs Pond (our hero!) and his tutor and a mouse over by the stage door, a guy with a baseball bat, an Australian dude named Dundee, and our beloved Muffy standing there with a confused look on her face. Erroll the hamster (aka: Pest Control) and his twin sister are quietly reminiscing about their youth. And, of course, Precious is over there in the corner counting the chunks of ... whatever ... as they float by in the sludge. Has anybody figured out what we're doing, and why?]
Just then, the air raid siren went off, and all power was cut off to the overhead lights. The only illumination in the room was the flashing lights on Goldie's Roach Coach hat. "Awesome!", thought Bugs. "This reminds me of the time the graduating class of SHS had to find their way out of the catacombs under the Sphinx. Only those who made it out got the Super-Hero badge ..." |
