Happy Birthday Suzie

[yukkabelle]

;D

[pauljmsn]

Aha – Murphy! Sammy! Clarissa! Max! Front and center!

(Four ferrets – Murphy, a handsome Sable in his red serge uniform; Sammy, a Dark-Eyed White with a yarmulke; Clarissa, a Cinnamon jill; and Max, another handsome Sable in his wheelchair – come up to Paul and salute.)

Murphy: Present and accounted for, sir! All ready for the birthday, too! (Behind them, Skippy, Skippy, Skippy, Skippy and Skippy – members of the crack team of ferret mechanics – push the Civil War cannon into position.)

Skippy (comes up to Paul): Skippys reporting for duty, boss! I’m Second-in-Command Skippy. The Head Skippy isn’t available today, so I’m in charge.

Paul: Oh! Where is Skippy, then?

Max: He and Skippy – with a couple of other Skippys for background music – are on their way to California.

Sammy: It’s about ferret legalization again. Every once in awhile they go out there and lobby about the issue with the Governator. Hasn’t done any good yet, but you never know.

Paul: Good to hear. But aren’t they worried that they’ll get caught sneaking into the state?

Clarissa: Not a bit, sir! They’ve all got disguises – you know, those glasses with the nose and mustache?

Paul: I see. Well… That’s a pretty primitive disguise that anyone with half a brain can see through. Aren’t they worried that the California Department of Fish and Game will twig to it?

(Murphy, Sammy, Clarissa, Max and Skippy just look at Paul.)

Paul: Oh, yes, this is Fish and Game! What am I thinking? Okay, then, we’ve got a birthday, so, on my mark! Ready… aim… FIRE!!

BOOOOOOOOMMM!!!

WHOOOOOOOOSSSHHH!!![/b]

(Charge soars to altitude, exploding and showering the board with confetti, streamers, balloons and M&Ms (Plain, Peanut, Ferretone, Green Chili, Haggis, Vegemite and all the popular flavors). Two banners float down beneath parachute: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUZIE!!! and FREEDOM FOR THE FERRETS!!! Murphy, Clarissa, Sammy and the rest of the Skippys do a ferret conga while Max plays a rousing tune on his ocarina.)

Paul (to Second-in-Command Skippy): Another fine salute! I wonder how the Skippys are doing on their road trip?

Assistant Skippy: Hey, that’s sounds like the perfect cue for a scene change!!

(And of course, the scene changes. It shows a Studebaker, in rather good shape, tootling down the road. Strapped to the roof is an upright honky-tonk piano. Skippy is playing the piano and Skippy is playing a banjo, accompanying Skippy and Skippy as they sing.)

Skippy: Movin' right along in search of good times and good news,
With good friends, you can't lose,
Skippy: This could become a habit.
Skippy: Opportunity just knocked, let's reach out and grab it,
Together we'll nab it.
Skippy: Ya! We'll hitch-hike, bus, or yellow cab it.

Skippy (spoken): Cab it?

Skippy & Skippy: Movin' right along
Skippy: Fert-loose and fancy free.
Gettin' there is half the fun; come share it with me.

Skippy & Skippy: Movin' right along!
Skippy: Dook-a-dook, dook-a-dook
We'll learn to share the load.
Skippy: We don't need a map to keep this show on the road.

Skippy: (spoken) A ferret in his natural habitat! A Studebaker!
Skippy: Well, it’s no worse than some of the nonsense the Department of Fish and Game has been giving people about us.

Skippy: Movin' right along we found a life on the highway,
Skippy: And your way is my way--
Skippy: So trust my navigation.
Skippy: California here we come, come pie-in-the-sky land.
Skippy: Palm trees and warm sand--
Skippy: Though sadly we just left Rhode Island.

Skippy: (spoken) We did what?
Skippy: (spoken) Just forget it.

Skippy & Skippy: Movin' right along
Skippy: Hey, L.A., where have you gone?
Skippy: Send someone to fetch us, we're in Saskatchewan.

Skippy & Skippy: Movin' right along
Skippy: Dook-a-dook, dook-a-dook
You take it, you know best.
Skippy: Hey, I've never seen the sun come up in the West.

(Dialogue)
Skippy: Hey, Skippy, look up ahead.
(A tall creature is walking on the other side of the quiet empty highway)
Skippy: What is that?
Skippy: Maybe we should give him a ride.
Skippy: I dunno. He's pretty big.
(The Studebaker pulls alongside the creature)
Skippy: Hey, there. Wanna lift?
Big Bird: Oh, no, thanks. It’s awfully nice of you to offer, but – let me tell you something. This bit was pretty doggone funny in the original movie, right?
Skippy: Oh, yes! Nice cameo, too!
Big Bird: I’m glad you think so, thanks! But, based on my years of experience in show business, a joke isn’t quite as funny if you repeat it. This one may not go over quite as well this time.
Skippy: True, but this may be looked on as a running gag.
Big Bird: Good point! Okay, then - Oh, no, thanks. I'm on my way to New York City to try to break into public television!
Skippy: Ah...hmmm, good luck.
(The Studebaker keeps on moving the other direction)

Skippy & Skippy: Movin' right along
Skippy: We're truly birds of a feather,
We're in this together--
Skippy: And we know where we're goin'.
Skippy: Movie stars with flashy cars and life with the top down.
Skippy: We're stormin' the big town.
Skippy: Yeah! Storm is right, should it be snowin'?

Skippy: (spoken) No, I don't think so.

Skippy & Skippy: Movin' right along
Skippy: Do I see signs of men?
Skippy: Yeah, "welcome" on the same post that says "come back again."

Skippy & Skippy: Movin' right along
Skippy: Nice town - Fert-loose and making no fuss.
Skippy: We’re ready for the big time--
Skippy: Is it ready for us?

Skippy & Skippy: Movin' right along!
Movin' right along!
(Fade out as the Stude continues on down the highway – wherever that is.)


Hope you have a great birthday, Suzie!

Paul

(“Movin’ Right Along”, another good song from The Muppet Movie)

[Lily]

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday !!!!!
Hugs!

[huronna]

[dee517]

[res0a47]

[greta]

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUZIE!! HUGS, GRETA

[suzie]

OMGosh!!!! What a surprise. I didn't get a chance to get in here yesterday. Thank you for the BD wishes. I forgot that it shows up at the bottom of the first page on Birthdays. Duh me. It was a quiet day and I thoroughtly enjoyed it. Just me and the fuzzbutts. Went to the store and bought me a little cake, a candle and a frozen pizza and even though the fuzzbutts couldn't share any of it with me, they helped me get one year older.

And Paul........Your story is enchanting. Thank you for posting it. heehee I thouroughly enjoyed it.

[shadoe]

Hope your Birthday was Great!

[ferratootsie]