Whiz lived
here.”
“It’s as big as a hotel,” Stella said.
They walked up to the front door and rang the bell.
“Hello, you must be Vincent,” Calli said, greeting them.
“Yes, and this is my sister Stella. We’re here for the toy contest dinner,” Vincent said.
“We’ve been expecting you. Come on in. My name is Calli Callosum and I will be your host this evening. Welcome to Whizzer
Toys,” Calli said as she stuck name tags on both of them.
“Let me introduce you to the other contestants.” Calli led them up a large staircase to a ballroom that overlooked Central
Park. A dozen people, children and their parents, sat around a table in the middle of the room.
“Everyone, please allow me to introduce Vincent Shadow and his sister Stella. Vincent has invented a windless kite that, by
the way, Vincent, we are all very eager to see,” Calli said.
Vincent smiled nervously and Calli continued the introductions. “The twins here are Seamus and Liam O’Toole. They invented
hockey skates that allow you to skate on air. Very cool,” Calli said. “And this is Gabriella Guzzi. Gabby has invented a sprinkler
toy she calls Elli-Squirt. It’s a very cute elephant that, well, let’s just say it’s full of surprises.” Gabby smiled and
nodded in agreement.
“Next to Gabby is Isabel. Isabel has invented a musical pacifier that plays music when it is in the baby’s mouth. Very clever.
Alli here has invented a remote-controlled Slinky that doesn’t need stairs to walk. And last, but not least, this is George
Spinowski, Junior. George’s invention is the Story Time Toilet Seat, and I don’t need to tell you what that does,” Calli said
as she let out a giggle.
“Hello,” Vincent said.
“Well, you two have a seat and dinner will be served shortly,” Calli said.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” George Jr.’s dad, George Spinowski Sr., said. “When will Mr. Whiz be joining us?”
“Oh no. Oh no, I will be your host this evening,” Calli said.
“Well,” George Sr. continued, “isn’t that a little rude? We came a long way to be here, and little George Jr. would like to
meet the great Mr. Howard G. Whiz.”
“I am so sorry, Mr. Spinowski, but Mr. Whiz was otherwise occupied this evening. But rest assured, little George Jr. will
get a chance to meet Mr. Whiz at the Toy Fair competition tomorrow,” Calli said as she walked away.
“So, Vincent. A windless kite, eh?” George Sr. said. “What does it do?”
“It flies, you know, without wind,” Vincent said.
“What, do you have a fan attached to the kite or something?” George Jr. asked.
“No. No fan. Actually, it has no moving parts,” Vincent said.
“Yeah, no moving parts,” the two Georges said in unison, and laughed until they realized Vincent wasn’t kidding.
“How did you do that?” George Sr. asked, now sounding a little nervous.
“You’ll have to wait and find out tomorrow,” Stella said.
Waiters started to bring out the food. And they kept bringing it. Course after course. Vincent was completely stuffed by the
end of the eighth course and decided to pass on dessert.
“Okay, if everyone will follow me, we would like to get a few pictures of all the young inventors with their spectacular inventions,”
Calli said as she led them into an adjacent room where the inventions had been carefully placed on a table.
“Wow, that looks so cool,” Liam said as he ran over to Vincent’s kite.
Seamus tried to pick up Alli’s remote-controlled Slinky, but got a shock.
“Please, boys, please put the inventions down,” Calli said. “We don’t want anyone’s invention to break before tomorrow’s competition.”
“So this is the kite?” George Sr. asked.
“Yup.”
“I see you have wire instead of string. What, this big box zaps the kite somehow?” George Sr. asked.
“Yeah, something like that,” Vincent said as he grabbed the high voltage spool out of Mr. Spinowski’s hands.
“Be
here.”
“It’s as big as a hotel,” Stella said.
They walked up to the front door and rang the bell.
“Hello, you must be Vincent,” Calli said, greeting them.
“Yes, and this is my sister Stella. We’re here for the toy contest dinner,” Vincent said.
“We’ve been expecting you. Come on in. My name is Calli Callosum and I will be your host this evening. Welcome to Whizzer
Toys,” Calli said as she stuck name tags on both of them.
“Let me introduce you to the other contestants.” Calli led them up a large staircase to a ballroom that overlooked Central
Park. A dozen people, children and their parents, sat around a table in the middle of the room.
“Everyone, please allow me to introduce Vincent Shadow and his sister Stella. Vincent has invented a windless kite that, by
the way, Vincent, we are all very eager to see,” Calli said.
Vincent smiled nervously and Calli continued the introductions. “The twins here are Seamus and Liam O’Toole. They invented
hockey skates that allow you to skate on air. Very cool,” Calli said. “And this is Gabriella Guzzi. Gabby has invented a sprinkler
toy she calls Elli-Squirt. It’s a very cute elephant that, well, let’s just say it’s full of surprises.” Gabby smiled and
nodded in agreement.
“Next to Gabby is Isabel. Isabel has invented a musical pacifier that plays music when it is in the baby’s mouth. Very clever.
Alli here has invented a remote-controlled Slinky that doesn’t need stairs to walk. And last, but not least, this is George
Spinowski, Junior. George’s invention is the Story Time Toilet Seat, and I don’t need to tell you what that does,” Calli said
as she let out a giggle.
“Hello,” Vincent said.
“Well, you two have a seat and dinner will be served shortly,” Calli said.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” George Jr.’s dad, George Spinowski Sr., said. “When will Mr. Whiz be joining us?”
“Oh no. Oh no, I will be your host this evening,” Calli said.
“Well,” George Sr. continued, “isn’t that a little rude? We came a long way to be here, and little George Jr. would like to
meet the great Mr. Howard G. Whiz.”
“I am so sorry, Mr. Spinowski, but Mr. Whiz was otherwise occupied this evening. But rest assured, little George Jr. will
get a chance to meet Mr. Whiz at the Toy Fair competition tomorrow,” Calli said as she walked away.
“So, Vincent. A windless kite, eh?” George Sr. said. “What does it do?”
“It flies, you know, without wind,” Vincent said.
“What, do you have a fan attached to the kite or something?” George Jr. asked.
“No. No fan. Actually, it has no moving parts,” Vincent said.
“Yeah, no moving parts,” the two Georges said in unison, and laughed until they realized Vincent wasn’t kidding.
“How did you do that?” George Sr. asked, now sounding a little nervous.
“You’ll have to wait and find out tomorrow,” Stella said.
Waiters started to bring out the food. And they kept bringing it. Course after course. Vincent was completely stuffed by the
end of the eighth course and decided to pass on dessert.
“Okay, if everyone will follow me, we would like to get a few pictures of all the young inventors with their spectacular inventions,”
Calli said as she led them into an adjacent room where the inventions had been carefully placed on a table.
“Wow, that looks so cool,” Liam said as he ran over to Vincent’s kite.
Seamus tried to pick up Alli’s remote-controlled Slinky, but got a shock.
“Please, boys, please put the inventions down,” Calli said. “We don’t want anyone’s invention to break before tomorrow’s competition.”
“So this is the kite?” George Sr. asked.
“Yup.”
“I see you have wire instead of string. What, this big box zaps the kite somehow?” George Sr. asked.
“Yeah, something like that,” Vincent said as he grabbed the high voltage spool out of Mr. Spinowski’s hands.
“Be