(CHARLIE ONION AND NESSA THE DINOSAUR RESTING ON A PARK BENCH IN THE LAND OF FOREVER)

CHARLIE ONION: NICE DAY, HUH.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: HUH, YEAH. NICE DAY.

CHARLIE ONION: SUNSHINE.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: FOREVER FRUIT.

CHARLIE ONION: OWL’S BOUNTY.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: YEAH, BEATS FOG.

CHARLIE ONION: YUCK.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: YEAH, YUCK!

CHARLIE ONION: NOTHING TO DO BUT REST AND RELAX.

OWL: REST AND RELAX?

CHARLIE ONION: HI OWL.

OWL: REST AND RELAX?

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: YEAH, AND PICK MY TOENAILS.

OWL: PICK YOUR TOENAILS?

CHARLIE ONION: AND SPRAY A LITTLE BIT OF ONION OIL ON MY FACE.

OWL: SPRAY ONION OIL?

CHARLIE ONION: OWL, YOU SOUND MAD.

OWL: WELL, MAYBE I AM.

CHARLIE ONION: WHY?

OWL: DO YOU THINK THAT THE LAND OF FOREVER IS A PLACE TO REST AND TAKE IT EASY?

CHARLIE ONION: WELL, IT SURE IS NICE.

OWL: IT IS NICE, AND IS A PLACE OF REST.

CHARLIE ONION: SO….

OWL: BUT NOT A PLACE OF LAZYBONES.

CHARLIE ONION: I’M NOT A LAZYBONE.

OWL: I KNOW YOU’RE NOT. BECAUSE I’M GOING TO SEE THAT YOU NEVER GET THAT WAY.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO?

OWL: YOU NEED TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS WITH THE MESSAGE OF FOREVER LIFE.

CHARLIE ONION: REACH OUT. CAN’T I JUST CALL BY TELEPHONE?

OWL: VERY FUNNY, MR. ONION.

CHARLIE ONION: WHEW! I GUESS YOU ARE MAD.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: I SWEAR OWL IS A FIRE-BREATHING DINOSAUR.

OWL: NOW GET GOING. THERE ARE CRITTERS, ONIONS, AND DRAGONS IN THE LAND OF COAL THAT NEED ATTENDING TO NOW.

CHARLIE ONION: WHAT DO I BRING? WHEN DO I GO? HOW DO I GET THERE?

ONION: HERE ARE THE GOLD COINS YOU WILL NEED TO CROSSOVER THE BRIDGE FROM THE LAND OF COAL. YOU MUST GO NOW! AND HERE IS THE MAP TO GET THERE.

CHARLIE ONION: ARE YOU COMING WITH US?

OWL: I’M ALWAYS WITH YOU.

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT. HOW DID I FORGET THAT?

OWL: NOW GO WITH MY BLESSING, CHARLIE ONION AND NESSA THE DINOSAUR. EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE THERE FOR YOU.

CHARLIE ONION: LET’S GO NESSA.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: MY TAIL FELL ASLEEP.

OWL: I HOPE YOU LEARNED YOUR LESSON.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: COME ON TAIL, MOVE IT.

OWL: YOU’RE A FUNNY ONE, NESSA.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: I’M A REGULAR HUCKABUG.

OWL: YES YOU ARE.

(CHARLIE ONION AND NESSA MAKE THE JOURNEY TO THE LAND OF COAL)

CHARLIE ONION: WELL, WE’RE ALMOST THERE.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: I’M SCARED CHARLIE ONION.

CHARLIE ONION: WHY IS THAT?

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: THE LAND OF COAL IS A TERRIBLE PLACE. I CAN FEEL MY HORNS GROWING, AND MY SCALES COMING BACK.

CHARLIE ONION: THOSE ARE JUST GOOSEPIMPLES.
NESSA THE DINOSAUR: JUST THE SAME….I’M SCARED.
CHARLIE ONION: WHO’S THAT UP AHEAD AT THE BRIDGE.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: I DON’T KNOW, BUT HE LOOKS FAMILIAR.

THE TROLL: WHO GOES THERE.

CHARLIE ONION: CHARLIE ONION AND NESSA THE DINOSAUR.

THE TROLL: OH YOU, AND YOU.

CHARLIE ONION: WE’RE GOING TO THE LAND OF COAL.

THE TROLL: YOU CAN’T GET TO THE LAND OF COAL WITHOUT CROSSING MY BRIDGE.

CHARLIE ONION: OKAY.

THE TROLL: I’LL TAKE YOU OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE, BUT TO GET BACK YOU WILL EACH HAVE TO GIVE ME A GOLD COIN. AND THAT GOES FOR WHOEVER YOU BRING WITH YOU. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

CHARLIE ONION: UNDERSTAND.

THE TROLL: WELL LET’S GO.

(THEY REACH THE OTHER SIDE)

CHARLIE ONION: I’M GETTING HUNGRY.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: ME TOO.

THE TROLL: ME THREE. DON’T EVER SAY THAT THE TROLL IS NOT A FRIEND TO STRANGERS.

CHARLIE ONION: WHERE IS THE FOOD?

THE TROLL: SIT AWHILE. I WILL FIX YOU UP ONE HELL OF A MEAL.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: DID YOU SEE HIS TEETH.

CHARLIE ONION: DID YOU SMELL HIS BREATH.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: I HAVE A FUNNY FEELING ABOUT THIS.

CHARLIE ONION: BUT WE HAVE TO BE POLITE. FOREVER MANNERS.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: I’M NOT A SCARED. I’M NOT A SCARED. OH FORGET THIS. OKAY, I’M SCARED.

THE TROLL: WELL HERE COMES THE FOOD. HERE’S A BOWL OF FOG FOR EACH OF YOU. AND CUP OF MY FAMOUS BOIL JUICE. AND THE MISSUS BAKED A SLICE OF STALE BREAD FOR BOTH OF YOU TO DIP INTO YOUR SOUP. WHAT A COOK.

CHARLIE ONION: THANKS.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: YEAH THANKS.

CHARLIE ONION: WELL HERE GOES NOTHING.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: OW!

CHARLIE ONION: YOU ALRIGHT?

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: THE BOIL JUICE BURNED MY TONGUE.

CHARLIE ONION: AND THE CUP OF FOG IS LIKE EATING NOTHING AT ALL.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: THAT’S ONE WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT.

CHARLIE ONION: AND THE STALE BREAD IS NASTY.

THE TROLL: WELL, YOU SURE ARE AN UNGRATEFUL LOT.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: SORRY ABOUT THAT.

CHARLIE ONION: IT SURE IS COLD IN HERE.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: THAT’S BECAUSE TROLLS CAST ALL THOSE SHADOWS. NO WAY FOR THE WARM LIGHT TO SHINE THROUGH.

CHARLIE ONION: I DIDN’T KNOW THAT.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: I USED TO LIVE HERE, REMEMBER? ONLY VEGETABLES, TROLLS, AND DRAGONS CAN LIVE HERE.

CHARLIE ONION: HEY, WHO’S THAT OVER THERE.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: I DON’T KNOW. LET’S FIND OUT.

CHARLIE ONION: HI THERE. MY NAME IS CHARLIE ONION. WHAT’S YOUR NAME.

BILLY BROCOLLY: MY NAME IS BILLY BROCOLLY.

CHARLIE ONION: YOU LOOK RATHER SICK.

BILLY BROCOLLY: I DO?

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH, YOU LOOK LIKE A VEGETABLE.

BILLY BROCOLLY: I GUESS THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LIVE HERE LONG ENOUGH.

CHARLIE ONION: DO YOU LIKE THE TROLL’S FOOD?

BILLY BROCOLLY: YEAH, IT’S NOT TOO BAD. YOU GET USED TO IT.

CHARLIE ONION: THE STALKS ON YOUR HEAD ARE TURNING BROWN.

BILLY BROCOLLY: THEY ARE?

CHARLIE ONION: YES BILLY, THEY ARE. YOU DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME. YOU HAVE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE.

BILLY BROCOLLY: I CAN’T. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GOLD COIN TO CROSSOVER THE BRIDGE, AND I DON’T HAVE ONE.

CHARLIE ONION: WELL I HAVE ONE FOR YOU.

BILLY BROCOLLY: YOU DO?

CHARLIE ONION: JUST FOR YOU.

CHARLIE ONION: LET’S GO. YOU DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME.

BILLY BROCOLLY: OKAY. WHAT DO I HAVE TO LOSE.

CHARLIE ONION: NOTHING. NOTHING AT ALL.

(THE TROLL, CHARLIE ONION, NESSA THE DINOSAUR AND BILLY BROCOLLY REACH THE BRIDGE OUT OF THE LAND OF COAL).

THE TROLL: THAT’S ONE GOLD COIN FOR EACH OF YOU.

CHARLIE ONION: ONE FOR ME.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: ONE FOR ME.

BILLY BROCOLLY: AND ONE FOR ME.

THE TROLL: I THOUGHT I HAD YOU FOR GOOD.

BILLY BROCOLLY: GUESS NOT.

(HE BITES THE COINS)
THE TROLL: THEY’RE REAL ENOUGH. OKAY, YOU CAN GO AHEAD. COME BACK AND VISIT.

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH, SURE.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: I DON’T THINK SO.

CHARLIE ONION: WE’RE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: YEAH, AND NONE TOO SOON. I THINK I WAS BEGINNING TO GET SOME OF THOSE SCALES AGAIN.

BILLY BROCOLLY: HEY, LOOK AT ME.

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH, YOU’RE STARTING TO GET SOME COLOR BACK.

BILLY BROCOLLY: YOU ARE NOW IN THE LAND OF NOW.

CHARLIE ONION: LET’S STOP AND EAT.

BILLY BROCOLLY: WHAT DO YOU HAVE?

CHARLIE ONION: SOME FOREVER FRUIT FROM THE OWL’S BOUNTY. JUST A TASTE IS ALL. YOU’LL GET MORE WHEN YOU GET TO KNOW OWL.

NESSA THE DINOSAUR: I’M HUNGRY TOO. LET’S EAT.

THE END OF “REACHING OUT”

COPYRIGHT © BY JOE MEDREK