A Very Merry Toy Store Page #3

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knowing about it?

- He didn't.

He was crafty.

He went through

a second party.

He bought the old Tower Records

just off the highway.

It's been standing empty

for nine years.

- Well, serves us all right

for not buying more records.

- Ben, what are you going

to do about this?

- Well, naturally, Will,

I'm going to wave

my enchanted mayor's wand

seven times

and turn Barnes's

new store into

a big pile

of goose feathers.

- How would that be?

- Sounds good, Mayor.

But I'd keep that wand under

lock and key, because if--

- Joking.

- Unsuccessfully.

But maybe there is

a magic wand we can use.

Come with me.

- You want to tell me

where you're going?

- Less than anything else

in the world.

- She does not mince words.

- County library? Whoa.

Don't get in here much.

What are we looking for?

- Municipal document.

I know I saw it

down here once,

but they have moved

everything around

since I worked here

back in college.

- Oh, I remember

when you took that job.

- Oh, yeah?

- Yeah.

Dad was scared stiff

you'd wind up a librarian

instead of going

into business with him.

Sis, you know I'm not

bitter, right?

About Dad leaving

the store to you

instead of the both

of us?

- Well, I hope not,

Randy.

I mean, I was there when you

told him you'd rather spend

50 years in the Sahara than

one hour in the toy business.

- Boy, sure took that

literally, didn't he?

- [laughs]

- But, well, I guess

it makes sense.

I mean, you love the store

as much as he did,

and I love crewing

on fishing boats

and giving you a hand

in the off-season, but...

- But?

- [sighs]

Well, it's just

I wanted Dad to be proud of me,

that's all.

- Oh, Randy,

he adored you.

- Well, yeah, but it's not

the same as being proud.

- Ah-ha.

- What?

- Come on down to Roy's Toys.

Roy's got everything you need

for Christmas this year.

- How about

a driver's license?

- Almost everything.

- [all laugh]

- And...cut.

That was great.

Let's go tighter.

Five minutes, everybody.

- Listen, Max,

the kid in the black shirt

over there is walleyed.

It's creeping me out.

- Walleyed?

- Yeah.

I'm afraid you're going

to have to replace him.

- Get a normal kid in there.

- Okay, Roy.

- And do it quietly,

under some sort of pretext.

- I'll think of something.

- Good. Miss Halifax,

what's the good word?

- Problems.

- That's a bad word.

- You need to see this, Roy.

It's from the New Britain

location.

- Are they ready

for the grand opening?

- There may not be

any grand opening, Roy.

Look.

- What am I looking at?

- County ordnance someone

dug up from 1948.

Forbids the operation

of any retail establishment

over a certain size.

- Well, what about

Tower Records?

- It was never

enforced before.

- Well, why pick on me?

Why does Tower

get all the breaks?

- Roy, they're bankrupt.

You're worth $2 billion.

Who got the break?

- They did.

- Okay, Roy,

you're getting hysterical.

- You're right.

I'm in a tizzy.

These things throw me

into a tizzy.

I need a field estimate

of my chances.

- Of not being shut down

if you ignore this thing?

25 to 1.

- Get my lawyer

on the phone.

- Which one?

- All of them.

- Okay, your little brother's

going to love this.

- Merry Christmas, Brady.

- Thank you.

- Paper just came.

- Oh, good.

Let me check out

the new coupon.

- Oh, no.

- What's wrong?

Did they forget

the little dotted line

that shows you

where to cut?

Oh, no.

- I know.

I know.

- What happened

to the ordnance?

- Connie, it's like I told

Will DiNova just now.

Barnes's attorney filed

a motion for a waiver.

- Filed a motion with who?

- The Board of Selectmen.

We're voting on it

this month.

But it has to be a simple

majority.

That's the good news.

And the board is only me

and two other people.

Shirley Laverson who, granted,

might vote in Barnes's favor.

And my brother-in-law Pete,

who I just gave

my kidney to last year,

who I guarantee you will not.

And I'm certainly

not going to.

- What was--

What's the bad news?

- I beg your pardon?

- Well, you said there was--

That was the good news,

like there was also

some bad news.

What's the bad news?

The vote is on Christmas Eve.

Until then...

[mumbles]

- What?

Until then, what?

- Barnes gets to remain open.

- No!

No, that is two weeks away.

That could seriously

damage my business.

- I know. Will DiNova has a lot

to lose too.

- Stop trying

to cheer me up.

[phone rings]

Forrester Toys,

where you can pre-order

the all new Princess Ali--

DiNova?

- Well, good morning, Connie.

Do you need a menu?

- Oh, no, thanks, Joe.

I'm not staying.

- Well, how about

a referee then?

- Toll House cookies.

Help yourself.

What is a toll house

anyway, huh?

- Is that why you asked me

to come down here?

To ask me that?

- No. You going to sit?

Got a proposal for you.

- You're not my type.

- Forrester, my deal will go

a whole lot better

if I don't have

to fight with you.

- Mine won't.

- All right, look,

I know we have a little

history together.

Your dad resented my uncle

for buying his own store

up the street,

and you resented me for

taking it over. I get it.

- Is this going to be

a long story?

- No, I'll cut right

to the end.

- We're drowning.

- I'm not.

- Give me a break.

We're in the same leaky boat,

and you know it.

- Oh, a second ago

we were drowning.

- So I mixed my metaphors

a little. Sue me.

The point is, there's trouble

in River City,

and his name is Roy Barnes.

- I am well aware

of Roy Barnes.

What is it you want exactly?

- An alliance.

You and me.

- I'm sorry?

- Strictly of convenience,

and only for two weeks.

- You mean like working

together?

- Why not? I feel like

Bugs and Daffy

teaming up to fight

Elmer Fudd.

It happened

all the time.

- Bugs never teamed up

with Daffy.

- What? You're cra--

You want a list?

"Rabbit Fire," 1951.

"Rabbit Seasoning," 1952.

- "Rabbit--"

- You know what, DiNova?

I don't care.

- All I'm saying is

we pool our resources.

All we got to do

is keep ourselves alive

until the board votes

to reject Barnes's waiver

on Christmas Eve.

Then we're home free.

- And if they don't

reject it?

- Well, then we're sunk anyway.

But Ben assured me

they will reject it.

I'm sure he told you

the same thing.

So, what do you say?

Temporary partners?

- I'm going to have

to think about it.

- What?

- Have a nice day.

- Are you going

to let me know

before his big grand opening

on Saturday?

Forrester!

Man, she loves

these dramatic exits.

- I know I do.

[phone rings]

- Hello?

Oh, hi, honey.

You coming home?

- Yeah, in a bit.

Mom...

the sign on the store,

Dad copied the design

from the caf he took you

on your first date,

didn't he?

- Mm-hmm. Brewed Awakenings.

Up in Grandville.

We sat sipping coffee

for more than three hours.

Your dad was so nervous

that half the sugar

ended up in his lap.

- He was crazy

about you, Mom.

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