Ch. 16: Chance for Stardom

Stromboli chuckled and chuckled as the crowd roared in laughter and joy at the performance. He watched as Pinocchio and the rest of the puppeteers bowed to the audience and as the curtain closed, he watched the cast and crew congratulate each other and Pinocchio for the show. He kept on snickering as he walked to his office to count the profits. As he entered, Stromboli stared in awe at the piles and piles of cash the people had spent to see the living wooden puppet. If he had to estimate, it was just about 10,000 euros, which was perfect for him. Stromboli walked over to the earnings, caressing each euro, while giggling and laughing in pure joy.

(AN: Song 14: Bravo, Stromboli!)

Stromboli: After years of a second-rate act on a second-class circuit, after years of obscurity, toiling, in doubt and in debt, comes a chance I could perk up luck, and I'm going to perk it. Think of the rapture once we recapture that marvelous marionette. (picks up the female puppet and sings for it) La la la la, la la la la la la, la la la la la la la la!

Remember the audience cheering the puppet who's stringless? (Whoo!) Remember them throwing those purses of gold our way? (Yay!) It's clear, a performance without him is going to bring less. I've got to keep him, bait him and bind him and cage him again till we stage him again, and they say, "Hooray!"

Bravo, Stromboli! (Bravo!) Bravo, Stromboli! (Maestro!) Bravo, Stromboli, practic'lly holy. You are a showman, second to no man. And with the tickets selling so quick, it's making us antsy for if we can't see. Signor Stromboli, an imbroglio, there's going to be! Stromboli Bravi...simo.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Stromboli cleared his throat and proceeded to open the door, revealing Pinocchio. "They like me! They really liked me, Mr. Stromboli! Boy, I made them laugh so hard that they started to fall out of their seats!" said Pinocchio, in joy and excitement of the success of the show.

"That's right, my puppet sensation! The show has spectacular, brilliant, stupendous!" Stromboli then proceeded to toss Pinocchio in the air repeatedly, while complimenting the boy in his Russian tongue. Pinocchio kept on laughing with him, until he was put down. Stromboli turned to his fortunes to continue counting the earnings.

"Does this mean I'm an actor?" asked Pinocchio.

"Exactly! I will push you in the public's eye your face, she will be on everybody's tongue." answered Stromboli as he is counting up to 300 euros, only to find a fake coin. Disappointed, he then gives it to Pinocchio. "Here. For you, my little Pinocchio."

"Gee, thanks!" said Pinocchio. As Stromboli was about to continue his counting, he was startled when Pinocchio continued with "I'll go run right home and tell my father about the show!"

"FATHER!" cried Stromboli, as he stared at Pinocchio retreating in shock. Pinocchio looked a bit confused at his outburst, so he waited for him to explain.

Stromboli: But what if I never can keep my dear little dummy? Farewell to my riches. Addio, admiring throngs. No! I will not allow my good fortune to be taken from me. I'll work with Pinocchio, from here to Tokyo, and keep him here where he belongs.

"Oh sure. Going home to your father. Oh, ha-ha-ha. Oh that is very "comeecal" said Stromboli, chuckling at the very thought of letting his golden wooden goose go. As he kept Pinocchio's attention, he slowly crept to his closet to pull out a cage.

"You mean it's funny?" asked Pinocchio, wondering what the showman meant.

"Ah, ha-ha-ha Sure! Yes. The troupe here is a family, and we do not run out on our family." explained Stromboli, as he slowly walked towards the puppet.

"Well, I'm glad you think that way sir, but I have a family to go home to and friends to see when I go to school. I promise I'll come back on the weekends to perform with you guys." Before he could continue talking, Stromboli grabbed the child harshly.

Stromboli: (shows Pinocchio the contract) Perhaps little Woody's forgotten that he signed a contract that binds him to me in each codicil, rider, and clause. Ensuring whenever my orchestra strikes up their entr'acte, he'll be appearing, and I'll be hearing the jingle of coins and the tingling sound of applause. (stuffs Pinocchio in the cage, locks the door with a key, and takes him to the marionette room. He hangs the cage from a hook)

"Hey, what are you doing? Let me out! I've got to go home!" cried Pinocchio.

"Home? This is your home now, where I can find you always! We will tour the world. Paris, London, Monte Carlo, everywhere that allows us to pull more and more suckers in for a show. You will make lots of money for me! And when you are growing much too old, you will make good firewood!" Stromboli gloats, as he tosses an old puppet into his furnace to let Pinocchio know the stakes of the situation he is in.

Stromboli: Bravo Stromboli! (Bravo!) Bravo, Stromboli! (Magnifico!) We'll name a cannoli after Stromboli. We, who are lowly, think of you solely as the Napoleon of puppeteers. After all of the years, all of the tears, hearing the cheers ring in my ears. Silence the scoffers, fill up the coffers, weighing the offers everyone proffers. They're dying to back you with such a spectacular show. They "ooh" and they "ahh," acclaim and eclat, Stromboli, hurrah! Bravo! (he belts as he strolls to the door to exit the room) We go! (slams the door).

Pinocchio stood in the cage in shock of what had happened. It turned out that Stromboli wasn't as nice as he thought we was. Now, he was keeping him here forever, never getting to see his friends and family ever again. Once the shock wore off, he started to shake the cage, crying "Let me out of here! I gotta get out! Please, help! Help! Help!"

TO BE CONTINUED...