Ms. Rachel’s Day Off
Act 1
Delilah the doe, head of the D.O.E and Dolly’s mom found out that the teachers weren’t getting any days off and were starting to protest. Principal Ralph had been taking all the days off for his vacation in Jamaica. How dare he! Principal Ralph had been keeping it a secret from her, too. This was unprecedented behavior!
Delilah decided to give all three teachers a day off, on the same day, but she needed a substitute. Then she had an idea. Wally, the mayor! He had lots of civil duties as mayor and this was one of them.
So she called him and basically ordered him to do it. She had a very commanding presence. This was the last thing Wally needed. He had his hands full with the FBI. They had gotten statements from 30 chickens about his stealing their friends and family, and now they were investigating him!
Agent Freddy of the F.B.I stopped by just as he was leaving.
“Hey Wally.”
“Hi Freddy.”
“Where are you going? If it’s in the direction of Mr. Finnagan’s coop you have to be accompanied by an agent.”
“I’m going to the Foresthood School.”
“AGENTS AT THE READY!”
“IT”S FOR CIVIL DUTIES!”
“Fine.” Freddy grumbled.
Wally jumped. “Wait! I forgot my lunch!”
“IS IT A CHICKEN SANDWHICH?”
“Chill out, it’s a bagel.”
Act 2
The Foresthood School kids eagerly awaited their substitute. Today they were all in one classroom. Nine kids! One substitute! Nine ages!
Wally arrived in a full-on trench coat. He was carrying a blackboard. He scribbled POLITICS on it with chalk. “Who knows what this word means?”
“Dinosaur!”
“Circulatory!”
“Insurmountable!”
“Bagel!”
“Those four make my lunch!” He replied. “Politics is when people fight for control of the government. I am a politician. I do politics.”
All the kids nodded like they understood. “I need two volunteers.” Everyone raised their hands. Wally chose Gigi and Fiona.
“Let’s say Gigi and Fiona are running for president. You seven can be the voters. On the count of 3, you each yell something you want. Candidates Gigi and Fiona, listen. One, two, three….”
“Field trips!”
“Vocabulary lessons!”
“Ice cream!”
“Rainbows and Sunshine!”
“A gold medal!”
“Something less scary…”
“Longer lunch!”
“Okay,” Wally said. “Now based on what these voters want…make a campaign! Gigi, you go first.”
Gigi cleared her throat. “We’ll have field trips at lunch, and long field trips, so lunch is longer too. We’ll draw rainbows and sunshine and hang it up. We’ll watch the rainbows and sunshine too! On our lunch field trips on Friday, ice cream will also be handed out. Another thirty minutes of vocabulary will be added, and thirty minutes taken away from the terrifying predators and prey lesson. We’ll train in sports so we can get gold medals. Thank you!”
Everyone cheered.
Fiona smiled. “I will choose someone from each of the other classes their own leader, and every week we will discuss our classes needs. When your needs change, they will be accounted for. Thank you.”
People clapped politely.
Wally handed out ballots. “Please write the name of the person you vote for.”
Only Titi and Emo voted for Fiona. Everyone else voted for Gigi! Wally looked at the ballots. “5-2, Gigi wins!” He said. Gigi and her voters cheered. “However, what Fiona said might actually be possible. Gigi’s, a little less. But you all voted for her. This is Politics.”
“Is that how you won the election?”
“Sensitive topic, Titi.”
Act 3
Ms. Rachel got in her car. Today was her day off! She was going to the spa to get cucumbers on her eyes. She planned to have a relaxing day with no forest animals running and hiding, begging for field trips, and eating live chicken in the middle of class.
She got in a purple robe, got her ears done, got a massage, got cucumbers, and put on a face mask. It felt so good!
She booked an orthodontist appointment next, to get her buck teeth fixed. She had been putting it off for ages. But just as she had stepped into the building, the FBI ran in. “EVERYONE EVACUATE!” Yelled Freddy.
“Why?” She asked.
“We were informed Wally had an appointment here. Only 2 blocks from Mr. Finnagan’s house!”
“He has civil duties.”
“I know. He may be ditching them.”
“I can call him.”
She did. “Wally, where are you?”
“Teaching the kids politics!”
“Can you put Gigi on the phone then?”
“Ok.” There was a short pause. “I WON THE ELECTION MS. RACHEL!”
“Yep, that’s them. Nothing to worry about, Freddy.”
The FBI faded into the background.
Ms. Rachel decided to get a ticket to a Broadway show in New York City! She started to drive over, forgetting all about her buck teeth.
Act 4
Wally erased POLITICS from the chalkboard and wrote Home Ec there.
“Oooooh, baking?” Henry the Hippo said.
“It’s more theory. Not practice.” Wally replied.
“Shoot.”
Wally smiled. “Lesson One is how to safely eat a porcupine. You have to take the quills off first, or else you will get terrible mouth sores.”
Penny stared at him. “EWWWW!”
“Lesson Two is ten ways to cook a chicken. Does anyone know this?”
Fiona waved her paw in the air.
“Fiona.”
“Fry, bake, grill, boil, barbecue, sautee, smash, melt, burn, bury!”
“BURY?”
“The Buried Charlie. Family recipe.”
“Now, for a deer-“
Dolly jumped up and ran behind a tree.
“This is student harassment!” Yelled Gigi.
The FBI started running towards him. “WALLY! WE HEARD YOUR TALK OF COOKING CHICKEN!”
“New lesson plan. We’re going to New York City to star in a broadway play. Hurry up, I’ll get my car!”
Penny started running with everyone else, but just as she got in, she realized something.
This was a field trip.
Years of hard work had finally paid off. There were tears in her eyes. She had done it.
AND SHE DIDN”T HAVE HER FIELD TRIP NOTEBOOK.
Penny made a mental note of everything so she could write it down. Her heart was beating in sixteenth notes. She was so excited!
Act 5
Ms. Rachel got seated in her front row seat. The Chicken Caper, a new musical by Walle T. Wülf had only opened a few hours ago. Just as everyone was pouring in, the animals were having their dress rehearsal. Wally had taught them lines, blocking and songs in the car. They were ready. They were stars.
Wally was the director. Fiona was the star, Wally the Wolf. Gigi, Dolly, Penny and Titi were the Charlies. Emo was Felix the Fox. Clem and Elli were the FBI. And Henry was Zohran Mamhootie.
By the first scene, Ms. Rachel realized she knew this story. By the second, she realized she recognized these actors.
She decided to talk to Wally after the show.
“I wannnnaaaaaa steeeeallllll theeeee chiiiiiiickens and blame it on Feeeeliiiiiiiiiix!” Fiona sang in soprano.
Gigi, Dolly, Penny, and Titi did a harmony of BALK BALKS.
Ms. Rachel cheered as loudly as she could at the end. She had no idea the students could do this. After, she told Wally off for bringing her students to New York City without permission.
Wally made $5,000 dollars. He genourosly gave the Foresthood School $1,000 and the D.O.E $3,000 so they would stop bugging him about his civil duties. Penny gave a speech at the National Field Trip Advocate’s commitee in Washington, D.C. to inspire other advocates to keep on fighting.
Freddy was in the audience at The Chicken Caper and, after seeing it, decided the investigation was over. Wally was innocent. The musical had truly moved him.
Gigi planned to run for president someday.