I am not in the habit of bringing my work home--but this was definitely an exceptional case in every way.
My work had literally come to me at my home!
I opened my door and welcomed Cody Cod with a gesture.
He was a cod of average size and shape but as he entered my apartment he certainly seemed nervous--even distraught.
"Please calm yourself, Cody," I said in a soothing tone, "and sit down if you like and tell me what can be your purpose in visiting me here at this late hour."
"It is those SARDINES!" Cody gasped. "I wish I had never heard of ANY sardines and most especially those SEVEN sardines and most extra especially that SEVENTH sardine-- MABLE!
...
Home.
I ate a light snack and then lay back on my comfortable moss covered stones to read a bit and listen to the classical music I loved best--the lovely deep singing of the whales---when I heard a light tapping at my door.
Who could it be at THIS hour, I wondered as I went to answer the door.
"Constable Crab", I heard a fishy voice whisper, "Please let me in--we need to talk."
"And WHO might YOU be?" I asked through the door.
"Someone who desperately needs your help. Cody Cod!"
...
Cody was gone.
There was no way we would ever find him in the kelp forest!
And I felt it was pointless to return to the Clam Shell to talk to the rest of the sardines--besides I was tired and it was time for me to go home and get some rest.
I knew Sharko would not be pleased about any delay--but I really felt this was the best thing for me to do--so I promised Starry and Sharko I would return to the Clam Shell Concert Hall early the next morning and went alone, slowly and thoughtfully, back to my place.
...
Unfortunately for us--and lucky for the cod--the Kelp Forest began close to the main gate of the Clam Shell auditorium.
Though we raced out of the showplace, Cody Cod had already vanished into the impenetrable kelp.
...
"QUICK!" Sharko yelled at the cleaning shrimp, "Where's the COD?"
"I dunno I'm sure, sir--he were HERE not two minutes ago--but he took off like a shot when he heard you-all comin', as it were..."
"AFTER HIM!" Sharko shouted flipping around and back out the dressing room door like lightning--and those hammerhead sharks CAN move like lightning when they need to. "If we can only catch him before he reaches the kelp forest--we'll make him squeak--but if he beats us there he'll vanish like a ghost in a snowstorm!"
I thought that was a very poetic simile for a hammerhead--but it was true enough--if the cod reached the kelp forest first we would never catch him, so we put on all our speed in a real chase mode!
...
Sharko seemed to know the way to Cody's dressing room very well and we were soon standing outside the closed door.
"Open up, Cody!" Sharko bellowed, banging on the door,
"We gotta Talk!"
After a short pause the door opened a crack and a timid face appeared--a shrimpish face--and NOT a cod at all!
"What's goin' on?" Sharko asked, and NOT very politely. "Who're YOU?"
"I'm only Mister Cod's cleaning lady." said the face, opening the door a crack wider.
"Well, git outta da WAY, cleaning lady! We wanna talk to Cody Cod NOW!" Sharko yelled and he pushed the door open. We all followed him into the small dressing room--but it was plain to see that there was NO COD or anyone else besides the cleaning shrimp in the room!
...
We immediately went down to the huge stage where the remaining six of the famous Seven Sardines were just finishing a rehearsal.
The entire group came over--thrilling with excitement--to greet us.
One rushed a bit faster than the others and arrived breathlessly first.
"Is this the famous Constable Crab which is gonna track Mable down? Is it Sharko? Tell us QUICK!""Hi, Shoiley!" Sharko growled to the impetuous young sardine, "Yeah he's the one."
"Oh Constable Crab! We have heard SO much about you! Are you going to find Mabel and get her back before our big show?"
"I will do my..."
"Come on you sardines!" Sharko interrupted, "We got work to do!
"Well, at least you could introduce us!" sniffed the young performer.
"Shoiley, Crab. Where's Cody?" continued Sharko in the same breath.But by this time the rest of the sardine performers had arrived and they wanted to be introduced too.
"We ALL wanna meet the crab!" They squealed."OK! OK! Hold yer horses! Crab, this is Dagmar and Dougie and Sylvia and Ralph and Isabelle! Did I miss anybody? Now Come on! We got serious biznes. ya know--now WHERE'S CODY?!
"He was takin' us through our new routine just a minute ago." Shirley murmured cautiously--"I think when he saw you-all coming he excused himself and said he would be in his dressing room if he was needed."
The other musical sardines glanced at each other meaningfully.
"Well, he's needed NOW!" Sharko barkeled. "Come on Constable and Starry--lets see what dis character has to offer by way of info!"
And we headed backstage with Shirley tagging along behind us at a discrete distance.
...
