Chapter 2: A Bad Joke

It was a fine night. It was a going-away party for the old manager, Lawrence Lefevre, and a welcoming party for the new managers, Phineas Andre and Ferb Firmin. There were different parties taking place for each sect of the theater. The actors and the dancers had a dinner, the stagehands and the residents had a dinner, and finally, the rich and privileged were welcome to a dinner with the close family and friends of the old manager and the new ones. Had it stopped at the fine dinners, the festivities would be hardly worth mentioning, but it does not.

At each of the dinners, sitting quietly at the end of the table, was the ghost. For the first few dinners, it was thought by Phineas and Ferb to be a joke concocted by the cast. After all, everyone knew the legend. However, when the ghost appeared at the dinner of the wealthy and privileged, well, it was not funny anymore. The ghost was described as wearing an evening suit, but anyone there could swear to the fullness of the bill upon the creature. This may have been a false bill though.

The ghost only made brief appearances at each dinner, but he was there long enough to be noticed before he left as mysteriously as he came. It was after the ghost left the last dinner party that Lawrence pulled the young Phineas and Ferb into his office. "I was hoping not to put this upon you boys so soon, but it would seem that he has forced my hand," said Lawrence. He handed them a large brown volume with the title: "Opera Populaire."

"We already have a copy of this book," said Phineas, after giving it a small glance. Ferb nodded in response.

"Oh, no, boys, you have not seen this copy." Lawrence was insistent that they turn to certain pages in his volume. There, in blood red writing scrawled in sloppy letters, was an amendment to the rules. It said: "If the manager(s) are more than two weeks late in making the monthly payments due the ghost (20,000 francs each, totaling 240,000 francs a year) he may be removed from his position."

Phineas shrugged it off, still thinking it to be a joke. "Is that all?" asked Ferb.

"Oh, no," replied Lawrence. He turned to another page. There, the writing was in the same fashion as before, only these words were: "First-tier box five shall be placed at the ghost's disposal for all performances" under the heading for the reserved boxes list.

"Well, well, if we had such a troublesome ghost under our roof, we would not hesitate to have him arrested," said Phineas with a smile.

"Where? How? No one ever sees him in his box and he does not come to collect his payment in person," said Lawrence.

"Well, then, why not rent the box?" asked Phineas.

"Rent the ghost's- rent the ghost's box?! Are you mad?! Just try it, boys, just try it. Let us see how long you last under this madness. I, meanwhile, shall be in Australia." The retiring manager left soon thereafter.

It was upon the boys' first day as managers of the opera that they received a letter from the ghost. It was written in the same shaky hand and the same red ink as in the manager's instruction book. It went thusly:

"My Dear Managers,

"Forgive me for intruding upon this important time in which the fates of the opera's performers are being decided and everything is being put into place with the skill, the taste, and the artistic knowledge that I have come to associate with your office (something which still astounds me, despite my many years of experience). I know what you have done for the opera's performers and I wish you do no less than what you see fit, despite the fact that La Sorelli's voice is fading from brilliance to ear-shattering yowling and little Suzy, though adorable, has not the same grace as other dancers of her same age. You have also ignored the brilliance which Miss Daae showed upon her performance in Faust by excluding her from bigger roles in the future. Again, I do not hold these choices against you.

"What I cannot understand, gentlemen, is why we are now at odds. I thought at first that your predecessor, who has always been so gracious to me, has neglected to enlighten you upon my orders. Upon corresponding with him, however, I find that he fully informed you of my orders and you are openly defying them by letting first-tier box five. If you want us to live in peace, you must not begin by taking my box away from me!

"Having now informed you of my discontent with the hopes that they may soon be remedied, I ask you to consider me your humble servant,

"Opera Ghost."

Phineas broke out into laughter after reading this while Ferb merely blinked. "The joke's still going on!" said Phineas.

"Well, it's wearing thin," said Ferb.

"I agree. Mr. Lefevre probably just wants the box for the next performance… he shouldn't have been so rude though. The remarks about Candace Sorelli and Suzy were inexcusable and this favoritism for Miss Daae! What could it all mean?" asked Phineas. They sent a ticket to Mr. Lefevre, but with how busy they were getting everything in order for their first few days, they had no assurance that he had even come at all.

Upon the morning after the performance, another letter from the ghost arrived:

"My dear managers,

"I thank you for a delightful evening. Daae was remarkably exquisite, but the choruses need work and Candace, while not completely talentless, is still rather commonplace. I will write to you soon about the money you owe me, which now comes to 233,424.70 francs since Mr. Lefevre paid me 6,575.30 francs for the first ten days of the year since, as you know, he retired upon that evening.

"Kind Regards,

"O.G."

They also found a letter from Mr. Lefevre in their stack. He must have written it just before heading out as the writing was done rather hurriedly. It went like this:

"Gentlemen,

"I appreciate your concern and attention towards me in regards to seeing Faust. However, I cannot, in good conscience, take that seat. We both know to whom First-Tier Box Five belongs as we had occasion to speak of it before I left. Refer to the last paragraph of Article 63.

"I remain, etc."

"This has gone on far enough!" said Phineas. Ferb nodded. "Call in Baljeet." Baljeet was their secretary and he carried out the paperwork, the letters, the tickets, seeing to the actors, and other such things as would make him useful, but mainly, he was the one who watched the managers' door to make sure no uninvited guests would enter without first seeing him.

When Baljeet entered, Phineas said, "Get the supervisor. We wish to speak with him in regards to his report of last night's performance." With a bow, Baljeet left and soon thereafter returned, ushering in a lumbering Buford.

Buford said, "I don't know why you sent for me. I already wrote down what happened and you ought to know that I don't care for paperwork."

"We merely wished to know what happened at First-Tier Box Five," said Phineas.

Buford looked a little surprised, but was primarily nervous. "Well, sirs, the people were laughing and I don't know why! There was no one in the boxes on either side of them. I've never really believed in these ghost types, but it must have been him."

"What makes you say so?" asked Phineas.

"The usher, Madame Cheryl Giry. She believes in the ghost."

"Send for her then. This needs to be cleared up and it needs to be cleared up forthwith."

Well, we shall see what we shall see. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)