EDENVILLE

The Roadshow Cometh

By @lyttlejoe

The young boy thundered down the cobbled street shouting at the top of his lungs
"The Roadshow's a 'comin! The vans are in sight! The Roadshow's a 'comin, there'll be dancin' tonight!"
Rosemary Tipplewuck grabbed the boy by the ear and swung him in an arc onto the bus stop bench.
"Garfileld Weebol what are you carrying on about?"
"The Roadshow's a 'comin! The vans are in sight!"
"They are! My goodness, you'd better hurry, hurry, hurry home."

Garfield ran on, crying his news to the town. Syd Schwinn, after stopping him and learning the news, hurried back inside his shop and dug out his cherished two-wheel unicycle. At last, he thought, fame!

Edward Fudge collared Garfield and pulled him into a doorway.
"Are you sure it's them? No fibbing now.
"It is, I'm sure. I saw the vans . . . they looked like vans."
"Alright, see this. It' a ten pound note and it's yours if you tell me first when they arrive. Light a light in the Reverend's tower. One if by Main Street, two if by river and I'll even throw in a pound of liver."

********

"It's been quite some time, Porter and that cane suits you. A bit of Rex Harrison in your gait."
"Mae, it has been a while but time has not touched you. You are as beautiful as ever."
"Porter . . . Buttercup should be your first name. My Roadshow will be coming to your village and yes, you will be the official evaluator. As too our other . . . situation--"
"Please, allow me to apologize. It was all my fault. I was offered the position with Pottery and Porcelain Archive and I just couldn't refuse- it was a creamer of a dream." Her face hardened. "I mean, you were a dream too! An amazing dream . . . uhm . . ."
"That's fine, Porter. I understand the pursuit of dreams. I followed one of my own."
"The Roadshow?"
"No. My current inamorato, Professor Noel Edge. We are planning on becoming engaged after the success of our visit here."

Porter's cane skidded on the hardwood strips of the office and he crashed to the floor.

********
Franklin Boffinski whistled as he worked sweeping out the 2400 sq. ft. warehouse. This was quit a coup, he thought. His inventions would be seen demonstrated by people all over the country on the televised show.

He fastened the industrial roller to his drone, rolled in the trough of white paint and set it in motion painting the inside of the warehouse a brilliant white. Setting the timer for two coats, he went into his mill to put a coat of polish on all his inventions.

********
The fax machine had gone though several rolls and was hot enough to cook on but Millicent excitedly jogged the registration forms into sets ready for delivery.
"Corky, I'm off to distribute these then I have to write another article. Can you keep pitching the Roadshow on the air. It's only two days away . . ." She dropped a bill on the table to insure her request. "And maybe some suitable music?"
"Cool, Milli. I'm down" He waved a fat roll of combustible herbage and grinned.

Milli raced through the town from mailbox to mailbox, wincing at the sound from her car radio of This Old House on a loop.

********
Twila stood back, face tilting side to side as she studied the wig on Ted the Shrunken Head.
"You think it's too much?"
"Not unless you want to call him Marilyn." Billie honked a laugh and fun punched Beulah on the shoulder. "Twinky wanted me to ask if he could have the red one if you weren't going to use it."
Billie choked back another laugh, sputtering, "Mayor Maynot has enough accessories of his own." Then she stumbled out of the bar.
"Does Billie . . .?"
"I'm not sure. Not that I know of." Twila said.
"She did deliver some take-out to his office from the hotel a few times."
"You don't think . . .?
"I'm not sure." Beulah stared at her friend.

********
Like untrimmed nails dragging down a slate blackboard, the citizens heard Constable Breem's shrill whistle, as he exercised his role of Security Officer for the coming Roadshow and arrested young Garfield for broadcasting classified information