06-TINA SPICYTAIL

TINA SPICYTAIL Right then, the phone rang. I pressed the speaker button so we could all listen. "Heeeeello! Heeeeeellooooo!" squeaked the female voice at the other end. I recognized it right away. It was Tina Spicytail, Grandfather's housekeeper. "Mr. Geronimo, would you please ask Mr. Shortpaws what he would like for dinner?" she yelled. Tina was not a quiet mouse. Grandfather William scratched his head. "Let's see, I'd like a cheddar fondue..." he began. But Tina quickly interrupted him. "No fondue for you, Mr. Shortpaws!" she

shrieked. "You're on a diet! By the way, are you wearing your woolen underwear? You're not so young anymore, you know! Don't come crying to me if you catch a TERRIBLE COLD!" Grandfather rolled his eyes. He started to reply, but she cut him off again. "Before I forget, I'm packing your suit- cases for your trip," she announced. "I must have packed forty at least. I had a little trouble with your antique desk, though. But don't worry, I just chopped it up into pieces. You can put it together when you arrive at your destination." Steam poured out of Grandfather William's ears. His eyes popped open wide. "WHAT?!" he thundered. "Do you mean YOU CHOPPED UP MY PRECIOUS ANTIQUE DESK with the imported ivory knobs?"

Uh-oh. I had a feeling Grandfather wasn't going to like the answer to that question. "YOU GOT IT!" Tina confirmed proudly. She went on to explain that she had also included his favorite armchair. It was chopped into pieces like the desk. "I am all ready to leave. I will be there in a couple of minutes!" she finished.

A dial tone filled the room. And an alarm bell went off inside my head. Grandfather was leaving? Where to? And why? Just then, he turned to me. "Better get packing, Geronimo," he said. "You know how slow you are. You don't want to make us late." I had no idea what he was talking about. I wasn't planning on going anywhere. Grandfather William shook his head. "Oops, didn't we tell you?" he said. Thea raised her eyebrows. "Oops, didn't we tell you?" she echoed. Right then, my cousin Trap strode into the room. He was wearing a huge backpack. "OOPS, DIDN'T WE TELL YOU?" he squeaked. The door flew open again. This time, Tina marched in. She was pushing an

enorunouse trunk on wheels. She looked at everyone staring at me. "Didn't you tell him?" she shouted. I bit my tail in a fit of RAGE. "Tell me what? What didn't you tell me?" I screamed. At that moment, my favorite nephew, Benjamin, raced through the door and hugged me. "Uncle Geronimo! I am so happy!" he cried. "They just told me that you are coming with us to Ratzikistam!"