Agnes Crumplebottom's 100th birthday Celebrations

(Year 233, Summer) This year Mrs Agnes Crumplebottom celebrates her 100th birthday! Come jpin the celebrations! Agnes resides at her cousin Agatha's place, a rather small apple cottage rented from the Rossie dukedom. Not quite what you might expect from one of Mazaloom's wealthiest residents, owning 15% of Landgraab Industries, Inc. easily places her in the top 10 list. Some years ago she said that at her age a large mansion is no longer of interest due to all the walking.

Pictured above are (left to right) Agatha Crumplebottom, Mr Angus Crumplebottom (Agnes' only child), Agnes Crumplebottom, Bertha (Honeydew) Crumplebottom (Angus' wife), and Miss Agnella Crumplebottom (5, Agnes' only grandchild).

The grey grand lady has been joking about that she hopes to live to join her party, but she never laught of her own joke. She obviously made it, and today the entire household was set for celebrations, not without a couple surprises. First a local get together at the Armed Gnome pub, to be followed by a special birthday stage performance at Fun Factory in Magnolia Promenade, before a late dinner at Hotel Roadstead.

Agatha still runs the little garden stand at Finchwick, right outside the pub. Agnes often helps her.

Son Angus toasted to his mother, whishing her another good century.

Then Agnes herself took the word, and a great decision was about do be announced.

Agnes declared that Angus shall not need to wait for her death to get some of his heritage. Next week she will visit a solicitor to transfer half har shares to him! Angus was very surprised, and his elderly wife was about to jump with joy. Half those shares will probably be worth more than a million! Agnes started caughing when she expressed the sum, so they could not actually hear how much Angus will get. Some locals over at the bar said they thought she said §5,000,000 but others assured them they had heared §500,000. No matter who was right, Angus will become a wealthy man, for sure!

Also Duchess Ribra Lynn stopped by to greet the main person of the day. Her husband, the Duke, is the Crumplebottom household's landlord, but they are also talking quite often involving local stuff in general. Agnes being this wealthy is naturally opening a few doors. She belongs to aristocracy being Head of House of Crumplebottom, succeeding her father Simon who is buried back in Sunset Valley.

After a few bottles of bubble-nectars, mostly consumed by Angus' wife Bertha and Agatha, the group moved on to Magnolia Promenade!

The little theatre was full, and everybody waited patiently for the stage show to start. This show was the birthday presant from the family - the perfect gift for someone aged 100 and who already owns everything she wants to have.

On second row we see Duke Jarret and Duchess Ribra Lynn of Rossie. Left of the duchess is Lord Bennet Ross, brother of the duke and residing at Shiningham Hall at Finchwick. Behind Duke Jarret is Mr Mortimer Goth (read jacket), who is Agnes' cousin. His son Alexander Goth is also seen back there (brown jacket).

Agnes, the guest of honor, got the centered front seat, for this occation replaced with a comfortable armchair.

Then the light went off, and a voice annopunced that the little San Myshuno based theatre group, «Pupperson Drama Company», was ready to start!

The audience applauded politely while the group of artists entered the stage. One of them was dressed just like Agnes Crumplebottom, clearly triggering some laughs!

 

The first act was Tamara Adrian performing the song "When I turn 110". She is the triplet sister of well known Khloe A. Mervil, who hosted the Bagged Talent TV Show a while ago. Tamara has been singing in local karaoke bars for some years, but recently she signed with High Note Talent Agency.

Near the end of the song, the audience gasped! Right there in the background appeared a very well know character - Noldus the Clown! What's going on? Noldus had recently made surprise apperances all over the nation, one morning his posters were everywhere, and every single poster had been grabbed by fans. Why was he here? Noldus was crying, like he also did in the past. And hey, was the black purse he once carried a hint to Agnes and this event?

The audience switched from gasping to cheering, and back again. Was all the Noldus fuss just a PR stunt for this birthday celebration show? Agnes' celebration event?

Noldus the clown apologized in case someone felt that he had fooled them.

- But, it's a fool's life, is it not!, he stated. - We are all fools, in one way or the other.

Then he bowed deeply to the front row and congratulated Agnes Crumplebottom.

- We, the «Pupperson Drama Company» are proud to present this gift from your family. The show is recorded, and it might be broadcasted in the future.

And now the actor dressed up as Agnes stepped forward.

It was a male Actor, and his voice was nothing like Agnes', but he moved like her and from a distance it was hard to tell a difference. The rest of the show included stories, some dancing and a few songs, all drawing up the life of Agnes Crumplebottom. The floral arch on stage turned out to be a hint to her two marriages. The unhappy bits of the story got less attention, the focus was naturally on humorous small events that the family had shared with «Pupperson Drama Company».

And how did the guest of honor react to this all?

Not at all amused. Agnes Crumplebottom just sat there, knowing there was no way she could escape. Perhaps she was just a little bit sad they had left out most of her short lived romances. Or, eve worse, perhaps Angus had not told them there had been romance in her life.

The final act was about her little black purse.

The actor now performed a weird dance with the purse as partner. Then the music stopped, and stage Agnes whispered:

- It's just you and me, now!

Only the sounds of a grandfather clock could be heard as the stage curtain closed.

The show did of course receive plenty of applause and cheers and (most of) the audience had a really good time. Mr Angus was heard giggling constantly, and also Agatha laughed. Agnes' daughter in-law Bertha was just a big smile all night, but probably because of the heritage announcement.

A few drinks followed upstairs in the mingling area. And then a century was completed and Agnes called for a taxi, although they all planned to stay the night at Hotel Roadstead, just across the street...

Again; Congratulation to a remarkable woman! Hey-hey, Hooray!