by Thomas H. Hunter
Allison Park, Pennsylvania
Narrator
Tucker - A Mouse (High pitched voice, bright and lively)
Chester - A Cricket (Not quite so high pitched, lively)
Harry - A Cat (Lower pitched, slow, maybe a little of Eeyore)
A Young Girl
Narrator: A cricket sat on a stump. It was early afternoon of a bright summer day in Connecticut and the cricket was chirping for the sheer joy of it.
Chester: Tucker? Tucker Mouse? Is that really you? What are you doing in
Connecticut?
Tucker: We just thought we'd drop in for a little visit.
Harry: Hello Chester.
Chester: Hello Harry. Welcome to Connecticut. How did you two get here?
Tucker: It's like this Chester. Ever since you left New York City, it's been
kinda lonesome. And, well, Harry and me thought a vacation might do us some
good. So we caught the eight-thirty special this morning for Connecticut
and --- here we are.
Harry: The conductor saw Tucker and tried to chase him off the train.
Tucker: Yeah. So Harry pretended he was chasing me and the conductor yelled,
"Go get him kitty!" and he went away and forgot about us.
Chester (Laughing): That was quick thinking Harry.
Harry: I kind of thought so myself.
Tucker: So we sat under an empty seat and rode the whole way out here in
style. We even took a lunch to eat on the way. Oh, here, before I forget,
we even saved you some liverwurst. We know how much you like it.
(Sound Effect - Cricket)
Chester: Why thanks! I don't get much liverwurst out here in the country.
Tucker: Well, now that we're here Chester, are you going to show us around?
Chester: Certainly. What would you like to see?
Harry: I like to go for a walk in those woods.
Chester: That's a good idea Harry. The woods are very pretty this time of
the afternoon.
Narrator: So off they went into the woods. And what a sight it was --- with
the cricket hopping, the mouse running and the cat walking along behind.
Narrator: Soon they were deep in the woods with trees on every side.
Harry: It's kind of dark in here Chester.
Chester: I know. But see how pretty it is with green light from the leaves
shining everywhere. Look, even the white streaks in your fur look green.
Tucker: If you look straight up can see the sun a little through the trees.
And smell how fresh the air is... (Takes exaggerated deep breath but chokes
halfway through it) My goodness! What's that?
Chester (Laughing): That's a skunk. Something must have scared him. It's a
good thing he wasn't any closer. Look. You can see him over there and...
Oh no!
Tucker: That looks like Harry running toward us. Harry, are you the one that
scared that poor skunk?
Harry (Dejected): I thought it was my cousin Bertram. Bertie has a white
stripe.
Chester: You better go jump in that creek and wash some of the smell off.
It's a good thing he just gave you a warning and not a real spray.
(Sound effect - splashes through next two lines)
Tucker: Poor Harry! I'm afraid he's not enjoying his trip to the country.
Chester: Well, nothing is ever all fun. He should be all right after
he dries out.
(Sound effects out)
Tucker (Laughing): There's nothing funnier-looking than a wet cat!
Harry: You better be quiet before I throw you in the water. And if you
tell our friends in the city about this...
Tucker (Still laughing): OK, Harry. I won't. I promise. But you still look
funny!
Narrator: Late in the day, as the setting sun was turning the Connecticut
sky into a beautiful lacework of red and gold; a cricket, a mouse and a cat
came slowly across a field to a neat, white-painted farm house.
Tucker: Chester, Harry and I really enjoyed our stay in the country.
Harry: It was delightful.
Tucker: I wish we didn't have to leave already. Say! Do you think it's safe
for us to come so near a house? I mean - what if someone sees us? Look!
There's a human now. Quick! Hide!
(Author's note: for "____" use name of the child playing girl)
Chester: Don't worry. That's "____". She's OK. Look, she sees us.
Girl: Mouse! Look out! There's a cat behind you!
Tucker: She doesn't know we're friend. Quick Harry, lick my face.
Harry(Gleefully): Gladly!
(Sound effect - Big, wet sluuuurp!)
Girl: (Scared) Oh! (Relieved) Oh. You must be friends. That cat just gave
you a big friendly kiss. But look, he got you all wet.
Harry (Off mike): And there's nothing funnier than a wet mouse!
Girl: And look! It's Ricky Cricket.
Chester: "____" doesn't know my name is Chester. I better say hello.
(Sound effect - Cricket)
Girl: Hello Ricky. If you and your friends come over to the barn, I'll bet
I can find some milk and cheese for them --- and some nice fresh leaves for
you.
(Sound effect - Cricket twice)
Girl: And I'll get extra helpings of your favorite desert --- a big piece
of liverwurst for each of you.
(Sound effect - Cricket three times)
Tucker: Oh boy! I gotta hand it to you Chester. You really know how to
entertain a guest.
Harry: You can say that again!
Tucker: Oh, boy! I gotta hand it to you...
(Sound effect - Big, wet sluuuurp!)
Tucker: Hey! Cut that out! You wanna drown me?
Chester and Harry (Laughing): And there's nothing funnier than a wet mouse!
Omnes: (Laugh)
(Sound effect - Cricket under laughter)
(Author's note: Laughter and cricket fade out)