Peanut the Clown
Author's Note: This is an alternate tag to "Saved by the Bells".
Chapter 1
It didn't take Lee long to find Pretzel the Clown's phone number. After checking several databases, he found Pretzel the Clown's real name was Ralph Arnold. He picked up the receiver and dialed Ralph's number.
"Hello?" came a tentative voice.
"Ralph - is this Ralph Arnold?" Lee demanded.
"Who wants to know?" Ralph asked suspiciously. Then he groaned and added, "Is this about my car? The check must have gotten lost in the mail -"
"No, no, no, Ralph. I'm not calling about your car," Lee interrupted. "I'm calling because you disappointed a small boy named Jamie."
Ralph defended, "What? Who's Jamie?"
"Jamie is a little boy who is having a birthday party tomorrow. And you canceled on him. You came up with a lousy excuse and broke that little boy's heart. Chicken pox - at your age? You should be ashamed. I have half a mind to call my buddies over at the IRS and ask them to audit your taxes all the way back to '67. Hell, I could find out where you got your car from and see how far behind you are on those payments. You know, Pal, I could make your life miserable because of this," Lee threatened. He was surprised he was getting as worked up as he was. I don't even know the kid, he thought. But I know his mother, and I really don't want to disappoint her, especially after she was kidnapped in my place.
"But I can't… um… Sir. I really do have the chicken pox. I can't be around anyone," Ralph whined.
"That's ridiculous! And unacceptable!" Lee slammed down the phone. He tapped his fingers angrily on the desk. "Now what?"
He looked through the phone book again and began calling all the clowns listed. Everyone was booked. He checked to see if the circus was in town. It wasn't. He tried jugglers, acrobatic performers, and singers. He called every number that was listed under "Party Entertainment" and got the same answers: booked and unavailable.
Frustrated, he leaned back in his chair. He brought his fingertips together in a pyramid in front of him and thought. Suddenly, he had an idea, and before he had even completed his plan and thought out what he was about to do, he jumped up, grabbed his suit coat, and rushed out the door.
He had supplies to buy. This was not going to be an easy task, but he was determined. Pretzel the Clown might not be able to come to Jamie's party, Lee thought. But I have someone else in mind.
To Be Continued...