Veroni: Well, get her back here! She's actually got a semi-consequential role coming up soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SCENE 5

While we were gone, Cassie forgave Tumblehouse, Father Munku returned from his trip, and yet another song was overlooked and besmirched. But hey, that's life. We rejoin our saga with Tumblehouse and Cassie picnicking in the country.

Tumble:

I see his face, I hear his heartbeat.

I look in those eyes, how wise they seem...

Well, when he is old enough, I will show him America.

And he will ride on the wheels of a dr----

Cassie: That would be sweet if you were actually singing to the baby, Tumblehouse. What you're caressing with such love is the bread wrapped in our picnic blanket!

Tumble: Oh... er.... well.... as I was saying...(drops the bread and scoops up the kid)

He'll travel with his head held high!

Just as far as his heart can go!

And he will ride! Our son will ride on the wheels of a....

Cassie: How sweet! Kiss me you romantic fool!

Veroni: Cass, that is certainly not in the script!

Cassie: Yet another example of the lost art of ad-lib!

SCENE 6

We now move on to a large crowd at Union Triangle, where Demeta Goldfur is addressing the crowd. Prominent among the crowd is Younger Bro.

Demeter: American capitalism must be brought to an end, my brothers and sisters! Of course, you're not my *real* siblings.. I only refer to you in the sense that in spirit we are as--

Veroni: Can it, anarchist woman!

Demeter: A little improv never hurt anyone. Besides which, Tugger was supposed to cut me off!

Veroni: Tugger? Tugger?

Skimble: He went off to find Victoria.

Veroni: Oh, great! Munku, find him now. And in the meantime... uh--- Mungo, you stand in for Tugger.

Mungo: But Oi....

Veroni: No time for chit-chat!

Mungo: It wos winta in New York! An' tha workmen's hall 'ad no'a seat ta spare!

Veroni: Why did I say Mungo?! Someone tell me why!

Mungo: Young'a Bruddah 'ame i'side to warm hisself an' suddenly...

Tugger: I'm back! I'm back! Move it, Mungo!

Mungo: Free a'last! Free a'last! Thank tha Everlastin' Cat a'mighty Oi'm free a'last!

Demeter: This must be the land of opportunity for all people! Not just the owners! A land of opportunity for Skimbah and his Little Jemi.... (sees Younger Bro) YOU! What brings you here?

Tugger: I just came in to warm my paws, but to save you and this author a lot of time... I'll join the movement now and ask questions later.

We shift the scene to Pawrence, Massachusetts. There is a riot in the street and in the midst of this,we see Jemima calling to Skimbah from the back of a train...

Jemi: Skimbah! Skimbah! (sobs) Skimbah, help!

Skimbah runs and leaps on to the train just as it picks up speed.

Skimble: Shhh. Come here. It's alright, I'm here and we're together. Everything's okay now-- except for that five bucks that I paid for your trip, which I'll never see again... but no matter.

Jemi: (looks up from her sobbing for a moment to throw an agitated look Skimble's way, and then quickly continues with her crying)
Skimble: Shhh. Look what I made for you. It's a little book of silhouettes. Don't ask me when I had the time to make this for you, what with all the time I spent searching for food and working in the factory... but here it is!

Jenny: Plot hole poking? Finally some real entertainment!

Skimble: When you flip the pages, the little girl on the skates glides around the page.

Jemi: (stops sobbing and looks up)

Skimble: We..... are..... Gliding! Gliding on a pond! Close your eyes. Close your eyes. We'll never look back...

Munku & Tugger: Awwwww...

(as Skimble sings, all the cats backstage sway to the music)

Coricopat: (as train conductor) How much?

Skimble: It's not for sa-.. One dollar?

Cori: Alright. What's it called?

Skimble: Well, you flip the pages... Flipping... Flip? Flip Books!

Veroni: You're kidding, right? Tateh called them Movie Books!

Skimble: Well, either makes sense!

Veroni: Fine! Flip Books it is.

Skimble: Jemima! Your father is a smart cat! With this dollar we can get a room with a bed and a hot bath! Remember, this is before inflation, so this dollar will go a lot farther!

Jemi: Yeah!

Skimble: We are Gliding! Gliding far away! Glide with me little one! Glide with your Skimbah... We'll never look back!

Jelly: How sweet! (dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief)

SCENE 7

Tumblehouse's car rolls in and he is stopped by Fire Chief, Macky Conklin.

Macavity: I tell you this is type-casting! People always make me the bad guy!

Mac: Surely you aren't running away, tabby! You haven't paid the toll yet...

Tumble: I am going to find a policeman... and don't call me Shirley, or a tabby!

Mac: If you can't pay we can't allow you to keep going.. C'mon boys! Trash this thing!

Cassie: Come on Tumblehouse... It doesn't matter.

Tumble: (hears the words of Looker N. Garbagecan in his head)

Bustopher: We must exhibit patience and forbearance! (Tumble looks back as the firemen trash his car) DON'T LOOK BACK!!! It's not pretty.

Tumblehouse goes through the city in search of justice, and (surprise, surprise!) doesn't find any help.

Tumble: I hope you don't take this personally, Cassie... but I can't marry you until my car is fixed.

Cass: But why?

Tumble: Because if I don't we won't have much of a second act? (he leaves)

A (yet again) distraught Cassie decides that she will attend the Presidential rally in search of help.

Cassie: (yelling) President? President? I need your help! Tumblehouse won't marry me until his car is fixed. Don't ask me what you could do about it... but maybe you could hel--

Old D: (as the President) She's got a gun! I saw a gun!

The Secret Service Cats (who are skittish about such things) grab Cassie and beat her to death. Tumblehouse is passing by and sees her body in the street.....

Tumble: NNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!

(surrounding cats rub their ears in pain)

Tumble: Too loud?

There is a funeral and in some way or another, all of our main characters show up...

All:

Let the new day dawn!

Oh, Everlasting Cat I pray!

We'll never get to the Heavyside Layer

'Till we reach that day!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Veroni: Okay everybody! That's Act 1!

Jenny: Perhaps I like this show after all.

Cassie: Yeah, that's just because your character doesn't die at the end of the first act and you don't have to lay in a basket with an itchy nose for a four minute song!

Veroni: Rest up! We start Act 2 soon! Any cat for take-out??