A Business Changes Hands

A Business Changes Hands

Postby Treadwell » Sat Nov 22, 2003 5:52 am

Saturday morning.

Aloisius Treadwell stands outside what a few days ago was Cliché Toys, the lone toy store in town that happened to be run by a visiting fat elf named Roderic Cliché. Roderic's quite sudden exit left the shop in the policymaker's pudgy hands at the elf's request, and this meant another source of income for the portly politician.

As for the latest? Tready has just finished hanging up a new sign over the door, one reading "Tready's Toys" and displaying a wonderfully engraved picture of his grinning, pudgy, mustached and bearded face below his name with the beard sprawling across the lower part of the wooden placard. Suffice to say that Tready is more than happy with his recent woodwork--although, of course, he wouldn't own up to such skill at carving things yet. Heavens no.

However, he's not finished. Altias might be ready to kill him for this, but Treadwell has already made arrangements for word of this change of ownership to be spread around the town. So, as of about one o'clock Saturday afternoon, one of the town criers would start belting out the following.

"One o'clock and all is weeeeeeelllllllll! Snow's stopped a-fallin' in Myrken Wood--seven and eight inches in spots! Latest news: Cliché Toys 'as changed hands; see Counc'lor Tread'ell if you be a-lookin' for stuff for the kiddies!"
User avatar
Treadwell
Member
 
Posts: 2101
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2003 5:00 am
Location: NC, USA

Postby Treadwell » Mon Nov 24, 2003 4:44 am

The first couple days of business were slow for Tready's Toys. Not too many people wanted to go by a toy store in the middle of winter; taking home food or staying warm ranked much higher on their lists of things to do. In all honesty, that was fine by Tready. When he wasn't at the inn eating, he was at the shop working, keeping the place clean and occasionally trying his luck at coming up with something to put on one of the shelves.

People started coming in on Monday, catching the fat fellow in the big brown robe and cap a little off guard; he'd just settled in at the fire for breakfast when the door opened up.

"Counc'lor Tread'ell!" came the nasal whine from a particularly slim fellow in the doorway. "What do ye think yer a-doin' in here, sir?"

Aloisius looked up from his bowl of stew. He knew that whine well enough. "Well! Mr. Alldale! I'm about to eat, sir, and then maybe see about selling a toy or two, hmm hmm? Look around and enjoy yourself, or come over here and sit down a bit!"

"All 'ight, Counc'lor; I'll 'ave ye know I'm a-lookin' fer somethin' for Jack--m'boy, y'know. 'e's been good enough this year, I reckon, to deserve somethin'."

"Of course he has, John!" A slurrrrrp of stew later, "Shut the door and start looking around! Dolls are *there*, wooden men and toy weapons are *there*, statues ready for painting are over here, and all manner of little carvings and such are by that wall."

"Thankee, sir!" John Alldale piped out as he strolled into the shop and shut the door. "Just one ques'ion, if ye don't mind. 'ow'd ye get into toys, sir? It--it suits ye, it does, but, umm. . . a lil' odd, sir."

At that, Treadwell just let out a few jolly roars of laughter, waving John further into the store. "Let's just say, John, that this is something I've been meant to do for a long, long time, hmm hmm? Now, look around and see what you like!"

And so, half an hour later, Tready's sold off a wooden sword and shield to his first customer. He then hurries back to food that's quickly getting cold, giving it another slurrrrrp as the front door creeeeeaks open again. Today was just going to be a busy day.
User avatar
Treadwell
Member
 
Posts: 2101
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2003 5:00 am
Location: NC, USA


Return to Downtown Myrkentown



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests

cron