MOUSE OF COMMONS. MOUSE OF LORDS.: PART 6 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE PHANTOM PIE-CRAWL!!!

Monday, November 19, 2007

PART 6 OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE PHANTOM PIE-CRAWL!!!

GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE PHANTOM PIE-CRAWL!!! - PART 6

Part 6 of a 15 part internet-exclusive mini-adventure by Paul Chandler, set in Barcelona.

Ollie froze for a second - looking at the pie face staring back at him with it's wild staring eyes - it was almost transluscent - like a ghost and Ollie suddenly remembered what Charlie had said about it being a ghostly pie-crawl. Ollie was about to raise a mandible and point it out when as soon as it had appeared it was gone again into the echoing gloom of the night...

"Hey... H,h,hey!!" he stammered. "Did you see that!?"

"See what!!?" enquired the starstruck cat - but Ollie wasn't even sure if he should say, in case it sounded like he was mad.

"Umm... Umm... Well, nothing..." he replied, fizzling out and wondering if it had just been a trick of the light and preferring to turn his attention back to being asked for his autograph. Even a slightly crazed feline fan was a more relaxing proposition than the idea of a pie headed fiend on the loose on the streets.

To be honest, the only thing that Oliver really objected to about being pursued by autograph hunters was that at that very moment he wasn't exactly dressed to be having discussions with anyone. Still, it was unusual to meet anyone who wasn't a woodlouse who wanted his autograph - so he didn't want to be rude.

"Are you sure that it's my autograph you want!?" he enquired - just in case there was some mistake involved. "I think you might well have mistaken me for Spanish louse superstar Pedro de Cruz..." he blurted out, trying to think who he might possibly been incorrectly idenified as - any big stars in the Spanish louse entertainment world that the cat might be aware of. Although slightly younger than himself Pedro de Cruz was about the only famous Spanish louse he could think of; star of "LOUSE WITHOUT A LICENCE", "MAN ABOUT THE LOUSE", "LOUSE PARTY" and "LOUSE TERMINATOR."

However he was wrong.

"Not at all... You're Oliver Louse - and you were out there a minute ago having dinner with Senor Grrr and Senor McWhiskers..." he replied excitedly and then added. "You're Senor McWhiskers' loyal assistant and a celebrity in your own right. I hope I didn't scare your boss earlier - I realise that being that I'm a cat he might be a trifle reluctant to speak with me - but I assure you that I'm a big, BIG fan..."

"Well, I'm sure I can arrange for us both to autograph something..." Ollie agreed, warming to the cat - speaking to him was definitely taking his mind off the scary pie-faced phantom that he'd seen through the window only moments before. He certainly didn't want to offend the cat, seeing as he was being so nice, but on the other hand he was, by now, beginning to feel pretty ravenous. "Listen... Before we sign anything I really do need to get back to my dinner, refrain from falling into the gravu this time and actually eat some of this famouse pie that I've heard so much about..."

Now this was all very well, but back in the main restaurant Charlie and Gladstone had all but finished their food; even seeing how many pies Charlie had ordered his plate was now empty and he was giving Ollie's now rather tepid looking Mexican bean pie a rather close snuffle of inspection.

"Leave it alone, Charlie..." Gladstone snapped, now slightly concerned at how long Ollie had been gone. "Look... You just keep your paws off that pie of his and I've just going to check if Ollie's okay... Why don't you order seconds if you're still hungry!?"

"I might just do that..." sighed Charlie, but he was feeling a tad restless now, Gladstone could tell. "Just don't take too long - we have to get along the road for our next pie - the place I'm taking you to next is the one that's haunted - so you can't miss it... You really have to see it to believe it... You'll hear all about the legendary Pie Man of Barcelona... It's extra exciting, I promise you - not to mention tasty and growly..."

Gladstone nodded. "Okay..." he agreed, not really having understood a word that the bear had said. "Right... Great..." he nodded as he got down from the table. "I won't be long - I'll see you in a moment..." he concluded and then hurried off in the general direction of the kitchen.

Charlie sat for a moment, licking the pie crumbs from his paw. There was the smell of fresh pies on the breeze and he didn't want to wait any longer - two minutes was the maximum and as soon as he'd measured it out on his watch he was up on his paws and off; grabbing Ollie's, by now cold, Mexican bean pie as he stood up.

With that he took one last sniff and then hurried off into the night; for once Charlie Grrr had the smell of fresh pies up his nose - there was no stopping him.

As he hurried out into the dark night; so bewitched by the smell of pie, was he - that he didn't see he was being watched and with a low chuckle the phantom pie man emerged from the shadows and hurried after him...

TO BE CONTINUED, TOMORROW.

Will Gladstone find Ollie?? Will Claud want more than just a simple autograph from the Mouse of Commons? Will Ollie be furious when he discovers that his Mexican bean pie has been snaffled by Charlie and moreover what will become of Charlie out in the dark streets and pursued by the phantom pie man??

This instalment was originally written in Barcelona on Friday 9th November 2007.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF GLADSTONE MCWHISKERS AND THE PHANTOM PIE-CRAWL

Today I present for your delictation more mug shots of me, Calum and Quint in Barcelona and then - rather more beautifully - some lovely mountain shots taken from the plane somewhere over Spain/France (I presume), just before landing.