Chapter 9 So Long, farewell, auf Weiderzehn, adieu…
“………And so it’s with regret we have to announce that Wilson’s Mountain Diner will end on February the 6th. We, that is the main script writers, Tara and Cassie and us the managers here at Blackmore Broadcasting have decided that there is to be no big bang storyline, everything is going to continue to wind up any storylines left, now any questions?”
Faith put up her hand, and Charles Blackmore said,
“Yes Faith?”
“Will we be paid up to the end of our contracts, mine is supposed to run until the end of April, I have financial commitments, and couldn’t afford to loose money like this”
“Don’t worry, contracts will be honoured, and we will also endeavour to find or help you find more work, any time off needed will be sympathetically considered, if you are needed for filming we will do our best to see that it’s put at a time convenient for you so you can go to auditions and stuff”
Ford put up his hand
“Have you got anything planned for the time slot that Wilson’s took?” Charles looked at his brother Miles and said,
“Well, we have been looking at one or two ideas; nothing is set in stone yet, so to speak…”
“So it wouldn’t be another soap then?”
“No – that ones a definite – we are not interested in taking on anything such long term, it’ll probably be a game or cooking show, with a reality slant” Charles said, and Miles added,
“Those of you whom we deem suitable will be invited to auditions for any of the shows we see fit for the afternoon slot, and we contact you as soon as we have something concrete to offer. Any more questions?”
Spike put up his hand and asked
“Hi, um what is the official reason that you’re going to give for the ending of what will be a life-long soap to certain members of the public?”
“Ah, well, we thought long and hard about that one, didn’t we Charles, and we thought that we’d say that times change, and all the story-line topics we wanted to cover had been done, and despite a revamp last year, we may have gained a younger audience, but the older ones have now dropped off and viewing figures have really hardly changed, apart from the original ‘blip’ when Spike first appeared on the show we are back to around eight million viewers. The programme had run it’s course, and we decided to try something new. That clubbed together with yours and Miss Wilso – I’m sorry, Miss SUMMERS, sorry, engagement, we knew that you wouldn’t have been renewing your contract with us Spike, and almost certainly that meant your fiancée wasn’t going to renew either. We also know about the show Willow is auditioning for, and the show that you have already got, Ford – and also the film parts offered to Riley and to Isaac and we just couldn’t continue with so many main characters leaving like that”
Buffy looked and could see that Harmony and Faith weren’t best pleased. Riley and Isaac looked a little embarrassed, Willow looked half puzzled and a little bit cross, and poor Xandy looked bewildered.
“Okay folks, is that it? (nobody else put their hands up, so he continued) So, filming the end of the series, the last half a dozen programmes will start filming on Monday, so you now have a nice long, long weekend to sort things out for yourselves, and remember mine and Miles’ door are always open to you should you need to know anything or give us warning of auditions and stuff, we will bid you good day and wish you all the best, bye for now” Charles and Miles stood, re-fastening suit jackets and leaving.
“Well…I know they were right about me not renewing, but I’d have liked to have either been asked by them or me to be the one who told them! – Not the other way around and them surmising! Buffy said.
“How the - ooh I’m annoyed – how did they know about my audition!” Willow asked through gritted teeth!”
“Buffy…does it mean no more Wilson’s, is the show going to end?” Xandy asked, and then continued,
“He used big words and I didn’t understand him”
Buffy ruffled Xandy’s hair and pulled him into a hug.
“I’m sorry Xandy, but yes, the show will end on February the 6th, we’ve only got six shows to film now”
“But what will *I* do – nobody wants me…I was lucky to get Wilson’s……… my dad, before he left said I was a half-wit who was lucky to have a job”
“He said what? Oh poor baby…” Buffy felt tears well up in her eyes. She was worried for him too, but she didn’t want to upset him.
Willow, Ford and Spike heard what Xandy had just said and they all felt awful for him. Joany made her way over to them, she could see Buffy cuddling an upset Xandy.
“Poor lad, I bet he doesn’t know what he’s going to do now” she whispered to Spike.
“You want to hear what his bastard – excuse my language, of a father said about him, called him a half-wit if you please, said he was lucky to be in work”
Tears sprang to Joany’s eyes, and she said,
“I have an idea, but I need to make a phone call…”
“How come you all have other things already – did you know the show was going to finish?” Harmony asked
Willow said no, she didn’t, but she was fed up and thought that she wouldn’t renew her contract when Buffy left, also that Ford wasn’t going to renew either as he’d been offered a show of his own.
Faith and Harmony didn’t seem convinced, and sat bitching for a while until Joany approached them holding a copy of a magazine.
“Do either of you ladies dance?”
“I trained in tap, ballet and modern dance, yes, why?” Faith said
“I used to pole dance, and I can do Latin American dancing, why?” Harmony echoed Faith.
“Only in this weeks copy of ‘The Stage’ magazine there are auditions for some stage shows, Wyoming Stagecoach, The Night Howlers, and Gangland NY – I love that one, set in the 1950’s – the costumes are fantastic!” Joany said offering the magazine to the girls.
Faith raised her brows and took the magazine off Joany.
“Can I look please…what do you think, will you try with me Harm?”
“Sure…let’s look to see if there’s anything else……ooh look, what’s this one…a film about a cheerleader – we could both go for that…and a Sci-Fi show called Endeavour – that’s a spin-off from Star Quest……”
“I’ll go get a piece of paper and a pen, and I’m going to use the phone here and not run up bills at home!” Harmony said
“Too right!” Faith agreed.
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Later that same day after everybody had left the studios………
“Mrs Harris – It’s Joany, from the show – okay sorry, Margaret, so how are you?”
“Upset. Mostly for my son, he’s lost – and goodness knows what I’m going to do with him, I can’t have him under my feet everyday!”
“Well I hope I may be able to help you there, have you heard of a woman called Gloria Mycroft?
“Gloria Mycroft….Oh yes, I have, isn’t she the lady who trains animals for films and shows and that” Margaret Harris said
“That’s right, well she’s my sister-in-law, and she was asking me if I knew anybody who would be able to help her with the animals”
“What, training them?” Xandy’s mom asked.
“No, not the training exactly, but walking and exercising them, feeding them, cleaning them out, helping in the clipping parlour sweeping out, that sort of thing, it’s five days a week, seven and a half hours a day, so it would be full time – I know how Xandy loves animals and thought it would be ideal for him”
“Where does she live?”
“Only three miles away from you, if you could get him to work every morning, she would bring him home at night, the wages would be around $400 a week – do you think he’d be interested, if so I could take him over tomorrow afternoon?”
“Er, I’m er, I’m s-sure he’d love that – what time tomorrow?”
“Okay, say after lunch, about 1.30pm – just put him in jeans and a tee shirt, he may get a little dirty”
“Okay…I’ll see you tomorrow then Joany, and um, thanks, bye!”
“Bye!”
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Later on that evening, Buffy was on the phone to Willow………
“That woman, Joany is SO good, I’m gonna send her the biggest bunch of flowers for doing that for Xandy!”
“He hasn’t said yes yet!” Willow said laughing.
“But we both know he will, you know how he is with animals, remember the Christmas before last how he just whistled and that little bird came and sat on his hand – that was so sweet – and he’ll get to work with all sorts of animals, not only dogs and cats, she does parrots, snakes and reptiles too – and supplies things like big hairy spiders!”
“Don’t – you know I hate anything creepy-crawly – but I know Xander will love it even more than acting. Do you remember that advert for some kiddies clothes and there was that little monkey dressed up to show how hard-wearing and strong they were, but soft and comfy at the same time, well that monkey was one of Gloria’s. Willow said.
“So was that parrot in Captain Longbeard………I used to love that as a child, I’d sit cross-legged in front of the TV listening to the stories of pirates and treasure islands, the parrot used squawk and say ‘story-time cap’n’…Buffy said smiling.
“Oh god I remember that…I used to come in from school, grab a glass of milk and some cookies and put Captain Longbeard on the TV every school-day afternoon…mom always used to nag me to get changed first but I never did, I didn’t want to miss the serial story!”
Spike was grinning at Buffy across from the Breakfast bar. He was in the kitchen, cooking.
“So…what’s Spike doing?” Willow asked.
“Spike is….what are you doing babe?” Buffy called out
“Making a marinade, a fresh chopped herbs, garlic and lemon marinade for the pork and chicken kebabs were having for dinner” he called out
“Sounds yummy” Willow said.
“Willow said it sounds yummy!” Buffy called out again.
“Shush, you’ll get me into trouble with Berniece feeding Willow pork!” Spike said
“But I haven’t eaten any!” Willow said
“Anyway Will, I gotta go, Spike and I are going to try and set a wedding date tonight, I’ve got all the dates through from Carrisbrooke”
“Oooooh, I can’t wait!” Willow said
_______________________
“So, that’s settled then, on Saturday June 23rd you’re going to make me the happiest man on earth?” Buffy leant across and kissed him
“Yup! Oooh I can’t wait – a June bride – Hey, Joany was in that film!”
“What film?” Spike asked grinning
“A June Bride, she married Mario Mancini, that Italian actor, mom used to think he was dreamy!”
“Well kitten, we may have set the date, but now we’ve got to choose the menu…”
“I definitely want those three desserts on a plate like your friend had…”
“You do?”
“Uh huh…and something lamby…or chicken…no, no beef…”
“Let’s look at the summer menu’s pet, shall we?”
“Pork with apricots, that sounds nice…but then, there’s the Rosenberg’s to consider”
“It’s going to be a long night, I’ll go make a pot of coffee”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Not long to go now!!