Chapter one.
Finnegan Gone
Not many folks know this, not surprisingly, though because I didn't know it until just last year. But in every major city around the world and in every major theater and concert hall. There is an underground network of animals, mice, rats, cats, birds and bats all kinds of creatures. They look after and run these halls and theaters at night. The after hour crew. There one’s that really run the show, and the humans don’t even realize we are there. I should know because I am the King of Carnegie Hall in NY City.
My name is Reagan, it’s an old Irish name, it means little king. My boy Finnegan gave me the name, the first day he brought me home from the feed store. I’m a Rex Guinea pig, and am the leader of the The Forty Thieves Gang. We live under the floor of Carnegie Hall and we take care of the old place. We keep the bad mice and rats from destroying the place. Raise money to keep the lights on and run protection for all the small independent shops in the neighborhood.
I wasn’t always a made pig. It took a lot to get me where I’m at today. But we all have to do, what we have to do to survive. You see I used to belong to a great kid, Finnegan. I called him Fin, we would spend hours together, him reading to me and me trying to eat his books. All that time reading together I was able to teach my self to read by following along as Fin read aloud. We read about dangerous adventures, heroic acts, love and tragedy.
I became a really well read pig. Fin would also take me to museums, plays and concerts.
That’s how I ended up here in Carnegie Hall.
One evening I accompanied Fin and his family to a presentation of a great comedian. The show was wonderful, funny and a little racy for the time. Which is probably way the police suddenly raided the place and started arresting people for attending.
People were running every were drinks and popcorn all over the floor. That’s were I ended up when a police officer grabbed hold of Fin’s dad and pushed him. He fell back taking Fin and me with him. When we hit the floor I flew out of Fins hand and went skidding under many rows of seats. People’s feet were going everywhere there was yelling and screaming. I had to doge and move to from keep from getting stepped on. I made my way down to the front of the stage and hid under an up turned popcorn tub. By the time the ruckus ended I was so exhausted I fell asleep in my buttery hiding place. TBC
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