I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Mr Willy Wonka, Substitute Teacher
Chapter 1
A Simple Request
"Charlie?" "Yes, Mrs Applebaum?" Little Charlie Bucket was sitting in his desk doing his daily math lesson; math was not his favorite subject, but he always tried his best. "May I speak to you when class is over?" "Yes Mam." Several oooh's were heard around the room from immature little children. Charlie bent his head down and continued his lesson.
Three o' clock could not come fast enough. When the bell rang twenty children leapt from their seats and rushed outside, where fresh air and their parents awaited them. All except for Charlie Bucket, who quietly gathered his books and went towards his teacher's desk.
Mrs Applebaum shoved her glasses down her nose, dropped her pen, and looked up at Charlie. "I will not be here tomorrow Charlie." "Oh?" The youngest Bucket could not fathom why she was telling his this. "Well, normally Mr Schaffer arranges for a substitute to come. But I had a different idea."
"Yes Mam?" She took her glasses off and laid them on her overcrowded desk. "I thought that your Mr Wonka could come share his knowledge with your peers." Charlie got a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Mr Willy Wonka and twenty one children. He was bad enough with five.
"I'm sure your classmates would enjoy it." Mrs Applebaum was no fool. From being an elementary teacher for fifteen years, she knew how to persuade children. "I'm sure they would, but Mr Wonka..." "I'm sure he would be delighted to." "I'm not so sure." Mrs Applebaum got up and put her arm around Charlie's small shoulders.
"You can always ask Charlie." She gently pushed him out of the room as he was trying to protest. "Be sure to thank Mr Wonka for me, I'll see you the day after tomorrow." Charlie sighed as the classroom door was shut practically in his face.
Charlie found a stone and kicked it all the way to the factory. He had no idea how he was going to ask Mr Wonka such a thing. He would never agree, and then they would have to do busy work all day. He kicked the stone harder with each passing thought. By the time he arrived home he was rather upset.
"What's wrong Charlie?" "Nothing Grandpa." Grandpa Joe put a bony finger on Charlie's shoulder. "You can tell me Charlie." "Mrs Applebaum wants me to ask Mr Wonka to teach our class tomorrow." The six Buckets looked at Charlie with wide eyes. "Willy Wonka?" "Yes, mom." Mrs Bucket dropped the spoon she was using to stir the stew.
The awkward silence was interrupted by an outburst from Grandma Georgina."Peanuts!" "No, Grandma, there are no peanuts." She simply smiled a toothless grin as Willy Wonka fell in the door. "Hello Buckets." As he hung his hat up he noticed everyone staring at him. "What?"