An Exspensive Serenade

 

Chapter 7

 

An Expensive Serenade

 

 

After many embarrassing and outlandish public gaffes, the official became the object of ridicule. Nary would a moment go by without hearing jokes and snickering about the official. The official, being thick skinned took it all in stride until one afternoon a joke was told on the local radio station by an early morning disc jockey concerning his new thick wiry toupee. The official was very sensitive about his baldness and when he heard the joke the official muttered, “I shall do what any pro-democratic leader would do in a case like this, I shall seize control of the radio station.” The next morning the official made a decree hereby taking control of the airwaves. “CENSORSHIP!” shouted the angry mob. “Nonsense.” the official retorted. “From this day forward all this radio station will play is Moonlight Serenade by the Glenn Miller orchestra.”

 

The crowd moaned at the statement freshly made by the egotistic official. The people of the town missed their once adored radio station. They loved hearing the constant banjo melodies that played on the station, and now it was being replaced with a wretched excuse for big band music. After hearing the crowd’s complaints, the official decided to cut them some slack. He said, “Alright, how about every Friday I play half a second of banjo music?” He began to laugh at his cruel punishment that would torture the entire town.

 

Meanwhile at the ceramics plant, a group of good humored workers were taking their lunch break while listening to the radio which one of the workers had brought. However, after an hour of Moonlight Serenade one of the workers had definitely had enough with this radio.

 

“If they play one more Moonlight Serenade I’m throwing that radio against the wall.” the worker sternly said. The other workers merely shrugged and laughed. Only minutes later, the same familiar tune began all over again. One of the workers looked at the one who said he was going to destroy the radio and jested;

 

“Ooh, aren’t you going to throw it against the wall?” he said sarcastically as the others smiled and joined in.

 

The worker walked over to the radio which was setting on a wooden crate and began to lift it up. “Hey! What are ya doing?!” The workers were now struck with astonishment as they watched their adored radio bounce and fragment off the wall and hit the hard floor with an awful thud. But somehow, after being thrown and nearly destroyed, the recognizable orchestra music was still playing on the little radio. The worker became enraged and left the ceramics plant, all thanks to the malicious official.

 

The official sneered and smiled under his radio tower. He saw this over throwing of the radio station as one of his biggest accomplishments, and he felt that nothing could ruin this vindictive deed that he has done to bring woe to the whole city.

 

The whole sordid plan was about to take an ugly turn for the official. A telegram was delivered to the official. The telegram read, “Be in town tomorrow for my residuals.” The official had no idea what the telegram meant, and in turn ignored the telegram. The next day a fancy vehicle pulled up with a chauffer. The chauffer got out and proceeded to the passenger’s side and opened the door. Exiting the car was none other than Winthrop B. Miller III. Great Great Great Great Great Great Great grand son of the late band leader Glenn Miller. “Allow me to introduce myself, I am Winthrop B. Miller, only living heir to the late great Glenn Miller.”

 

“So what?” replied the official. “So what?” screamed Winthrop. “You owe me $ 60,000,000.”

 

“What are you babbling about?” queried the official.

 

“Don’t you know every time Moonlight Serenade is played I am to be paid the sum of $500,000?” said the infuriated heir to Glenn Miller.

 

“I haven’t got that kind of money.” stammered the official. “Then I want something of equal value.” said Winthrop.

 

“I know the only thing you have that I want is right before my eyes!” exclaimed Winthrop. “NO, you can’t have my radio station!” pleaded the official.

 

“I don’t want this stinking, broken down radio station; you have something much more valuable to me.” Winthrop stated.

 

Relieved, the official said, “Anything else, you name it and I will honor your request.” “All right then, take it off!” Winthrop demanded.

 

Puzzled, the official responded, “You want me to strip?” “Hell no!” Winthrop shouted. “Give me your toupee, hand it over, big boy!” Reluctantly and cowering the official removed his toupee.

 

The very wealthy heir donned the toupee upon his head and retreated back into his limousine. Then he drove away, leaving the official very bald.