Salted Chocolate

The rest of the group wandered through the corridor led by Mr. Wonka.

“Without the boat, we’re going to have to move double time just to keep on schedule. There’s still so much to see,” said Mr. Wonka.

“Mr. Wonka,” Charlie asked, “Why did you decide to let people in?”

“Well, so they could see the factory, of course,” Mr. Wonka replied.

However, Charlie persisted. “But why now? And why only 5?”

“What’s the special prize at the end and who gets it?” Mike interrupted rudely.

“The best kind of prize is a SURprise,” Mr. Wonka said, giggling.

He smiled at Mariella, who walked on his other side, but Veruca ruined it by pushing in between them.

“Will Violet always be a blueberry?” Veruca asked.

“No. Maybe. I don’t know. But that’s what you get from chewing gum all day. It’s just disgusting,” Mr. Wonka answered.

“If you hate gum so much, why do you make it?” Mike asked.

“Once again, you really shouldn’t mumble, because you’re really starting to bum me out,” Mr. Wonka replied.

“Can you remember the first candy you ever ate?” Charlie asked.

“Oh boy do I. Do I?” Mr. Wonka went weird again, like he did on the boat.

“I’m sorry. I was having a flashback,” he said, eventually halting the group.

Mr Salt pulled both his daughters away from the chocolatier. Mariella was annoyed. To her, he wasn’t dangerous, just a bit weird.

“I see,” said Mr. Salt.

Mr Teevee then asked, “These flashbacks happen often?”

“Increasingly…today,” Mr. Wonka giggled, and continued walking.

They stopped at a white door with Nut Sorting Room written on it.

Mariella rolled her eyes as her father reached into the breast-pocket of his suit and pulled out a business card. “Ah, this is a room I know all about. You see, Mr. Wonka, I’m in the nut business myself.”

Mariella bit her lip to stop a giggle as Mr. Wonka threw the business card over his shoulder. Undeterred, her father continued, “Are you using the Hammermax 4000 to do your sorting?”

Mr. Wonka looked at her father like he had two heads. Wait a minute. On second thoughts, if he did have two heads, it probably wouldn’t have bothered him, Mariella thought.

“No.” Then he laughed. “Ha, you’re really weird.”

Mariella bit her lip and caught Charlie’s eye. Charlie was also trying not to laugh.

Mr Wonka opened the door. The room was large and had squirrels sitting on blue stools cracking nuts, and then either putting them into trays if they were good, or throwing them down the garbage chute if they were bad.

“Why use squirrels? Why not use Oompa Loompas?” Mr. Salt asked. At least it was a sensible question this time.

“Because only a squirrel can get the whole walnut out almost every time,” Mr. Wonka explained.

“Daddy,” Veruca said in that demanding tone, “I want a squirrel. Get me one of those squirrels. I want one.”

Mariella groaned inwardly. Here we go again, she thought.

“Veruca, dear, you have many marvelous pets,” Mr. Salt said. Mariella hoped her father would be firm. Veruca often tormented her pets and then got bored and ignored them.

Veruca replied, “All I’ve got at home is one pony and 2 dogs and 4 cats, and 6 bunny rabbits and 2 parakeets and 3 canaries and a green parrot and a turtle, and a silly old hamster! I want a squirrel!”

“Has she really got all of that?” Mr. Bucket whispered to Mariella.

“Yes,” Mariella sighed, “if they’re still alive.”

Mr. Salt then replied, “All right, darling. Daddy will get you a squirrel just as soon as he possibly can.”

Mariella saw Mr. Wonka’s face. She hoped he didn’t think she was like her sister.

Veruca pushed again. “But I don’t want any old squirrel. I want a trained squirrel.”

Mr Salt relented. “Very well.” He then looked at Mr. Wonka. “Mr. Wonka?”

At this point Mr. Wonka looked up as if he hadn’t been listening to the entire conversation (which he actually had).

“How much do you want for one of those squirrels? Name your price.”

Veruca then looked up at Mr. Wonka and smiled sickeningly. Mariella was relieved when Mr. Wonka replied, “Oh, they’re not for sale. She can’t have one.”

Veruca’s smile was then replaced by an angry look as she turned back to her father. “Daddy,” she said in a demonic voice.

“ ‘I’m sorry, darling. Mr. Wonka’s being unreasonable,’ ” Mr Wonka said in an uncanny imitation of her father’s voice. Mariella giggled, but shut up at the looks her father and Veruca gave her.

Veruca then turned to her father and snapped, “If you won’t get me a squirrel, I’ll get one myself.”

With that, she climbed under the gate. Then she walked down the stairs and towards the squirrels.

“Veruca, come back here, you idiot! Remember what happened to Violet and Augustus?” Mariella called out.

“At least you’ve got some sense,” Mr. Wonka whispered in her ear.

“I apologize for my sister, Mr. Wonka. As you can see, she’s been incredibly spoiled. So have I, I suppose,” Mariella sighed.

“At least you’re not that demanding,” Mr. Wonka said. “I like you. I don’t know why, but you strike me as a sweet girl.”

Mariella blushed and was about to reply, but was cut off by Veruca’s screams.

All the squirrels were rushing at her. They climbed all over her until she fell to the floor. Mr. Wonka mucked around with some keys not seeming too bothered, and Mr. Salt just called “Veruca”.

Mariella sighed, and then pulled off her high heels and climbed over the fence.

“Mariella,” Mr. Salt called out this time.

“Miss Salt, I think you should come back here,” Mr. Wonka called after her.

Mariella didn’t listen; instead, she ran to Veruca. She too was assaulted by the squirrels, but managed to stay on her feet. One climbed onto her shoulder and tapped her on the head. Then all the squirrels just left her alone.

But a squirrel tapped Veruca on the head, and then they carried her to the garbage chute and and threw her down.

“Veruca!” Mariella cried.

“Where does that chute go?” she asked Mr. Wonka as she climbed back over the gate and then put her high heels back on.

“To the incinerator,” he replied.

Mariella froze. She didn’t like Veruca, but that didn’t mean she wanted her dead.

“But don’t worry. We only light it on Tuesdays,” Mr. Wonka said.

Mariella was relieved until Mike Teevee reminded her, “Today is Tuesday.”

“Well,” Mr. Wonka giggled nervously, “there’s always a chance they decided not to light it today.”

“Mr. Wonka, will you please be serious? What’s happened to my sister?” Mariella begged.

The distressed look in her eyes made Mr. Wonka sad. He turned to Mr. Salt. “Now she may be stuck in the chute just below the top. If that’s the case, all you have to do is reach in and pull her out.”

Mariella moved forward as Mr. Wonka unlocked the door, but he gently grabbed her arm. “I wouldn’t if I were you. You’re a good nut. I thought so.” He then relinquished his grasp on her arm.

“Mariella, stay there,” Mr. Salt ordered his daughter before climbing down the steps.

The Oompa Loompas began singing again.

Veruca Salt, the little brute,
Has just gone down the garbage chute
And she will meet as she descends
A rather different set of friends

A rather different set of friends
A rather different set of friends

A fish head, for example, cut
This morning from a halibut.
An oyster from an oyster stew,
A steak that no one else would chew
And lots of other things as well,
Each with a rather horrid smell

Horrid smell

These are Veruca’s new found friends
That she will meet as she descends
These are Veruca’s new found friends

Who went and spoiled her?
Who indeed?
Who pandered to her every need?
Who turned her into such a brat?
Who are the culprits? Who did that?
The guilty ones, now this is sad,
are dear old Mum and loving Dad

At the word “dad”, a squirrel ran up and kicked Mr. Salt down the chute.

“Daddy!” Mariella screamed.

At this point, an Oompa Loompa tugged on Mr Wonka’s coat. He then bent down, and the Oompa Loompa whispered something to him.

Mr Wonka smiled at Mariella. “I’ve just been informed that the incinerator’s broken, so there should be about three weeks of rotten garbage to break their fall.”

“Well, that’s good news,” said Mr. Teevee.

Mariella sighed in relief. “So, Daddy and Veruca will be all right?”

“Sure. On with the tour?” Mr Wonka asked, offering Mariella his arm like a gentleman would.

Mariella thought for a moment. “Am I allowed? I mean, I only came to accompany Veruca…”

“Sure. They’ll be fine — smelly, but fine — and it should teach them both a valuable lesson,” Mr. Wonka replied.

Deciding Mr. Wonka was right, Mariella smiled and took his arm.