Well then start reading
Intrigued are you, I thought you'd be. Now that I've got your attention here's the first installment.
Chapter 1
Opening The Box
Opening Scene: Mr. Hooper’s Store. Alan is standing at the counter of an empty store. It is the middle of a Monday afternoon, and other than Big Bird who came in the morning for some birdseed breakfast, he hasn’t had any customers. Alan is wondering why this day is so slow when Bob walks down the street, drinking a cup of coffee that he obviously did not buy at Hooper’s
“Boy, I’ve had some slow days before, but this is the slowest yet.” said Alan, cleaning the counter for the fortieth time in the past 10 minutes. “I mean other than Big Bird who came in this morning for his birdseed breakfast I haven’t had any customers all day and now it’s the middle of the afternoon. Where is everybody."
He looked outside and saw Bob walking by with a paper cup of coffee in his hand. “Hey that coffee cup couldn’t have come from my place, he hasn’t been here.”
Quickly he ran out of the store
“Hey Bob where did you get that coffee?" he said.
"Oh hi, Alan. This new store just opened up down the street so I thought I’d try it out.” said Bob.
Then he thought a minute, “You don’t mind do you?" he said apologetically
“Well no, but it’s been a slow day and —” he looked down the street to see Gordon, Susan, Maria and Louise, all coming down the street carrying cups of coffee apparently from the same place as Bob’s
“What’s going on here?" he said looking at their cups and wondering what this place had that his didn’t
“Well, there was this new coffee shop down the street and we just had to try it out right, Honey," said Louise
“Yes we did," said Maria.
"Same here," said Gordon and Susan together.
“Okay, I’m closing up shop for about 20 minutes to see just what this is all about.” said Alan.
He quickly went back into his store and made up a sign. He then posted it in his window, locked up and walked down the street.
Soon he came upon a strange building. It looked like somebody had taken a giant shoebox and placed it on its side on the sidewalk. The lid of the box opened toward the street and formed an awning, the front of the store was totally open and exposed, the whole thing looked like an oversized shoebox diorama, the kind an elementary school child might make as a book report project. Except this was no kid’s project, this was real. There were real people and real Sesame Street Muppets all over the store, eating and drinking various foodstuffs that were being passed out by the store’s servers. Alan walked into the store and up to the front counter.
“Yes, and what can I get for you my good man?" said an overly well-dressed man “A cup of coffee, or maybe some tea, perhaps.”
“Are you the proprietor of this establishment?" said Alan.
“Actually, the owner is out at the moment. He should be back in about 10 minutes. Can I get you something while you wait? Perhaps you’d like something to eat, we have a very wide selection of sandwiches and other popular lunch choices.” he handed Alan a menu.
“No thank you," said Alan, handing back the menu.
“Oh I see, you would like to work here," he said, “Well we are not hiring at the moment, but if you give me your resume, I can assure you that you will be considered.”
“Mr.….” he glanced at the man’s name tag, “Goelz, I am Alan Muraoka, I already have a job, in fact I am the owner of the store up the street known as Hooper’s Store perhaps you’ve heard of us.”
“No I haven’t," said Mr. Goelz in a huffy voice, “and if you are indeed the owner of an establishment similar to ours then why are you here, instead of serving your customers.”
“Because I have no customers everyone that usually goes to my store is here today," he said indicating the crowd at the tables.
“Ah, yes, that is something called competition, perhaps you’ve heard of it. Now, since there is no law against what we are doing and you are taking up a seat that could be used by a paying customer, I kindly suggest you leave.” said Mr. Goelz.
Alan looked around at the crowd which oddly enough had not noticed his arrival. He then said, “Tell, you what, since I closed up my shop for a few minutes to find out just what is going on here, I will do some further investigation by ordering a cup of coffee while I wait for the manager, that way I can find out just what it is that is drawing my customers away from me and towards you.”
“That is a good idea," said Mr. Goelz, and he poured Alan a cup. “Do you take cream or sugar.”
“Both," said Alan.
“How many lumps do you want?" asked Mr. Goelz after pouring the cream.
Alan thought about giving Mr. Goelz a few lumps but decided against it. “Three," he said.
After a little while a tall Asian man walked into the store and said a few words to Mr. Goelz. Mr. Goelz informed him of Alan’s presence and indicated him.
“Ah yes Mr. Alan Muraoka, owner of Hooper’s I thought you’d be coming here sooner or later.” said the man extending a hand to Alan. “I am Mr. Harold Lee, and let me assure you that I am not attempting to steal your customers from you, merely offering them an alternative place to go for some similar products to yours, besides since your place operates as a store as well as a restaurant while ours is merely a restaurant. I am sure that after a while many of your customers will come back to you, both to eat and to buy stuff.”
“Yes, but what am I to do in the meantime?" said Alan, “Sitting in a store with no customers is not only unprofitable it is also boring.”
“Well you aren’t going to get any customers sitting here are you?" said Mr. Lee.
“No," said Alan.
“Then I suggest that you reopen your store and continue operating as usual, you may already have a line waiting at your door for your return.” he said.
Alan finished his coffee, paid for it, and went back to his store. Mr. Lee was wrong, there was no line at the door waiting for him, in fact by 8:00 P.M. his usual closing time he had been open a total of 12 hours and had had only 1 customer. The rest of the week was very similar. Other than Big Bird who came in for his birdseed themed meals he had absolutely no customers. In fact, by Sunday he was thinking of changing the store’s venue and selling only birdseed products since it was all that he was selling anyway.
Welcome to the Muppet Central Forum!
Jim Henson Idea Man
Back to the Rock Season 2
Bear arrives on Disney+
Sam and Friends Book
