I had a lot to do before the dress rehearsal in the afternoon because I had an idea of how to ease the pain for Mable of getting fired from the Seven Sardines.
First I needed to pay a visit to my favorite restaurant, Father Neptune's, where I was having dinner when this whole affair began as you will remember--not for lunch, but because I wanted to discuss a business proposition with the restaurant's owner, Antonio Vivaldi--a halibut friend of mine.
But I was back at the stage door entrance of the Clam Shell Concert Hall in time to intercept Mable and Cody--catching them just as they were about to go in.
They did NOT look happy!
"Oh, Constable Crab! How could Sharko DO this to me?" wailed Mable grasping my claw.
Cody, in a tightly controlled voice, said: "We heard it on the Gossip Grapevine that Mable was OUT and another sardine was IN, Constable--is it true?"
"It is true." I answered simply. "I never even had a chance to tell him about your contract wishes, Mable.
Sharko had already picked a replacement for you when I arrived at his office this morning. It was a fait accompli! There was nothing--absolutely nothing--I could do about it...BUT, I continued, "I DO have some GOOD news for both of you!
My friend Antonio Vivaldi, the owner of the fine restaurant, Father Neptune's, wants BOTH of you to come and work for him as entertainers for his after dinner guests at the restaurant--starting this evening!
He is willing to pay you what you are making now and will raise your salary if the crowds--which I assured him you would draw--do indeed come in!"
There was a gasp and a moment of shocked silence-- then Mable squealed: "Oh Constable Crab! You are SUCH a DEAR!
It is a wonderful offer--and we'd be fools not to accept! Thank you a million times!"
She dropped my claw and grabbed Cody by the fin.
"Come on, Cody! Let's go down to Father Neptune's NOW! We'll show that shark what we can do!! Who needs those six common sardines--from now on it's just US:
The Mable and Cody Show!
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