2. The Matador

2 The Matador Stanley Lambchop awoke to the sound of applause just outside his envelope. Somebody must have informed the Mexicans of his arrival! Since becoming flat, Stanley had grown used to attention. Sometimes he did not like it, especially when strangers called him "Flatty." But he had also found that there was such a thing as good attention. He remembered the reporters who crowded around him after he saved President Lincoln's nose from breaking off Mount Rushmore. He thought of the crowds calling his name as he stood with the movie star Oda Nobu in Japan. And now, he had arrived in Mexico to thunderous applause! Stanley hoped he would have a minute to straighten himself. He liked to look presentable for his public.

At that very moment, someone tore the envelope open, and Stanley leaped out, smiling for the crowd. But there was no crowd in sight. It appeared that Stanley was just outside the door of a massive stadium. The crowd must have been inside. A giant sign above the gate said PLAZA DE TOROS MÉXICO. Staring down at Stanley was a beautiful woman in a fancy velvet outfit with a frilly white shirt. ".Quién es?" she said sharply. "I'm afraid I don't speak Spanish," said Stanley, slightly embarrassed. "Who are you?" she repeated in English. "My name is Stanley Lambchop," answered Stanley. "I am here for the secret ingredient of Isabela Beluga Tortilla de Sandoval." (Carlos had taught him how to properly pronounce his great grandmother's name before licking the envelope.) "Then you are a spy!" the woman cried. "No, I'm not!" Stanley said. "Look!" Ever since Stanley had had a difficult time at the Cairo post office, he always made sure to travel with the proper documentation. In this case, Carlos had

written a letter in Spanish, explaining the situation. Stanley pulled it from his pocket. When the woman had finished reading, she peered down at Stanley. "You are Stanley the flat boy?" Stanley raised his eyebrows. "Forgive me. Carlos has been telling me of you in letters," she said. "I thought you were in his imagination."

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"You know Carlos?!" said Stanley, surprised. "He is my cousin," the woman said, nodding. "Then you must know Carmen del Junco, the famous bullfighter!" The woman looked confused. Then she smiled for the first time. "I do," she admitted. "Julio!" she called suddenly to a man nearby. She said something in Spanish and then turned back to Stanley. "You are my guest here," she said. "Julio will take care of you. I will join you after." "After what?" asked Stanley. Without answering, the woman opened the huge door to the stadium and slipped inside. The crowd's roar got louder. Julio led Stanley to another, smaller door and then through a maze of corridors. They came out among the seats of the crowded stadium. There must have been tens of thousands of people. Julio directed Stanley to a lone empty seat in the front row. In the center of the ring was the woman who had opened Stanley's envelope. She waved a red cape in the air as a bull ran into the ring.

Stanley slapped his head with a clap: She was the famous matador!