08-MOUSE TEARS

MOUSE TEARS The door to my office flew open. My sister, Thea, burst into the room. She is the special correspondent for The Rodent's Gazette. She held my favorite nephew, Benjamin, by the paw. "Gerry Berry!" she yelled. "Dry those tears! This is no time for sniveling! You must do something! Now!" Benjamin ran up to me. He kissed the tip of my snout. "Yes, Uncle Geronimo. You must do something RIGHT NOW! Before it's too late!" I squeezed my

tear-soaked pawkerchief. A salty puddle had formed at my feet. "But what can I do?" I sobbed. Thea scolded me. "Shame on you, GERONIMO. Snap out of it! You can't let the company go down without a fight!" Thea was right. I wiped my whiskers. Then I turned to my staff. "Friends," I began, choking back tears. "We have known one another for a long time. We have shared good times and bad times here at The Rodent's Gazette. We are a team. Today, I need my team more than ever. Can I count on your help?" The staff was silent for a moment. Then they all shouted, "Yessssssssssss!" I knew this was an important moment. I had the staff behind me. We had to do something. It was now or never.

I GLANCED at a copy of The Rodent's Gazette from the day before. The page was open to the CLASSIFIEDS. Out of the corner of my EYE I noticed an ad: WATCH YOUR WHISKERS... HERE COMES SHIF T. PAWS! LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION TO POOR DISTRIBUTION? IS BUSINESS SO BAD YOU'RE WORRIED AND SAD? CHEER UP! HAVE NO FEAR! SHIF T. PAWS IS HERE! WHEN THINGS ARE A MESS SHIF T. PAWS IS THE BEST! SHIF T. PAWS: A MOUSE WITH A MISSION The ad gave me an idea. I grabbed the paper. Then I waved it in the air like a flag. "If we can't sell our products in bookstores

and newsstands, we will find some other way to sell them!" I announced. "And I know just the mouse for the job. Our old business manager, Shif T. Paws! I swear on my collection of antique cheese rinds, we will pull through this! Three cheers for The Rodent's Gazette!" The staff let out a shout. "Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah for Geronimo Stilton! Hurrah for The Rodent's Gazette!"