21. Deal!

Oh me!

I suspected--no--KNEW--that Mable's contract demands would certainly be hard on a LOT of people.

I thought that the first big problem would be to sell Mable's ideas to Sharko--and hammerhead sharks are not known to be easy to deal with even on the best of terms! Giving in to these egotistic demands by a sardine--even a sardine so obviously different as Mable--would NOT be easy for a shark!

AND even if he agreed, how would the rest of the "Seven Sardines" take it?

There was bound to be some hurt feelings to say the least!

And how about the thousands of people who had already bought tickets for tomorrow night's Clam Shell show? Would they be happy to see "Mable and the Six Sardines" or would they want their money back?

But I would have to try.

"OK, Mable!" I said quietly, "I don't think it will be easy--but I will do my best to convince Sharko--the other sardines in the group and the friends and customers--that YOU are different and worth the changes you want. I will do my best and I will be responsible for EVERYTHING!

But I want YOU to promise to show up for tomorrow's final dress rehearsal for the Clam Shell concert--on time and ready to perform!"

"DEAL, Crab!" Mable said with a smile. Cody and I will BOTH be there and ready for business! "You have my word of honor as the World's Greatest Sardine!"

...