Monty Short Story & Audiobook Series: Episode 7 - A Bouncing Breakfast

A Bouncing Breakfast

Things were very busy at the Gristling Inn Bed & Breakfast. They were hosting a large breakfast party for Mrs Chinch’s young twins. The dining room was full of monster families eating yummy, fluffy pancakes. Monty walked from the dining room into the kitchen. Snort and Plonk were busy working at the grill.

“We need six more orders of pancakes and SqueakBacon™,” Monty said, handing the order to Snort. Snort stood at the hot grill, squishing strips of SqueakBacon™ with a spatula. 

*squeak-sizzle*

“Get me another vat of pancake batter,” Snort snorted.

“Uh...that was the last one, sir,” Plonk said, standing at the open fridge.

His big hamster teeth clicked as he talked.

“Fools!” Snort fumed. “Why didn’t you make enough batter?”

“Sorry, sir. I—” 

“I don’t need excuses. I need pancakes!” Snort blasted. “Don’t just stare back at me. Get battering!” 

“Eggs, milk and flour!” Monty shouted. 

“Salt, sugar and...uh...baking powder!” Plonk quickly grabbed all the ingredients as fast as his furry hands could go. 

The boys poured, sifted, cracked and stirred! Within moments, they carried the heavy vat of batter and set it down near Snort. 

*CLUNK*

“About time!” Snort snorted. “Now go back out there.  Clear the dirty plates to prepare for our guests’ second helpings!”

Monty and Plonk did just that. It wasn't long before everyone had been served another round of hot, fluffy pancakes. Monty and Plonk came back to the kitchen. 

“Phew! Those folks sure do like their pancakes,” Monty said. He wiped his furry, green brow with the back of his hand.

“Everyone seems happy, sir,” added Plonk.

“They’d better be!” said Snort, wiping the counter. “You two almost blew it.”

*AAAAAAAAGH!*

Screams and howls came from the dining room. 

“What in the blazes?!” 

Snort, Monty and Plonk hurried out of the kitchen. In the dining room, they all stood with their mouths hanging open when they saw the scene: the air over the tables...was filled with pancakes! They were flipping, twirling and bouncing off the ceiling and walls. 

“The pancakes are...jumping!” Monty said. 

There were even pancakes hopping around the floor like frogs. They had a life of their own! Some of the screaming guests crawled under the tables for safety.

Snort scowled at the boys. “What did you put in that pancake batter?” he asked.

“Just the normal ingredients,” Monty said. 

“Show me!” Snort marched the monster boys back into the 

kitchen. On the counter was an empty jar labelled “jumping powder.”

“Which one of you numbskulls used jumping powder instead of baking powder?!” 

“Oh, no!” Plonk said, nervously. “I— I meant to grab the baking powder instead.”

“You dimwit!” Snort yelled at Plonk. “That jumping powder is powerful. I use only a tiny pinch for my meatball recipe. Exactly how much did you put in the pancake batter?”

“The whole jar,” Plonk said with his head down.

It seemed like steam might shoot out of Snort’s ears. His fur turned even redder than it usually was. 

“Aarrrgh!” Snort blasted. “Don’t just stand there. Fix this!”

Monty and Plonk returned to the dining room. Wild pancakes were still springing everywhere. Guests ran around covering their heads and diving under tables.

Plonk helped pull up a very angry guest from the floor. It was a yellow penguin-woman who had been knocked off her chair by a bouncing pancake. She was furious. Her child thought it was very funny; she giggled as a pancake flapped in her little beak.

“I know what might work,” Monty called to Plonk.

Monty scoot-stepped out of the room. He quickly returned with two large butterfly nets. 

“Great idea, Monty!” Plonk shouted. The boys ran around trying to catch the flying pancakes. 

*SWISH!* “Got one!” Monty yelled. 

Plonk swung his net high. *SWOOSH!* “Me too!” 

Their nets were filled with pancakes. Guests were still running around screaming and covering their heads. Some of the monster children came up to Monty and Plonk.

“Can we have a go at catching the pancakes?” one blue dog-boy asked.

“I don't know,” said Monty. “We’re in pretty big trouble for this. We can’t mess around.” 

“Pleeeease,” a duck-girl pleaded. 

“Well, I guess you could help by holding down these pancakes we’ve already caught. We’ll go and catch the rest,” Monty said. The monster children giggled and sat on the stack of pancakes.

Within a few minutes, they had caught every pancake and secured them all in an old trunk until the effects of the jumping powder wore off. 

That afternoon, Monty and Plonk sat in Snort’s tiny office. Their warthog-monster boss looked calm. Too calm. That made them even more nervous. 

“I’m firing you. Today was your last day,” said Snort.

“But, sir! It was an honest mistake,” Monty said. “You shouldn’t fire Plonk.” 

“Plonk? I’m firing both of you! Tell your grandpa to pack his bags as well. You’re all out!”

“But, but—” Monty stammered.

“GO!” 

Monty and Plonk rode the lift upstairs. 

“What are we gonna do?” Monty said. “My grandad and I can’t afford to live anywhere else.”

“It’s all my fault,” Plonk sniffled. “I’m sorry, Monty.” A tear fell from his eye.

 Monty stood in front of room number nine - the one he shared with his grandpa. “I gotta tell Grandad the bad news,” Monty sniffed.

Just then, Beatrice appeared in the corridor.

“Wait! Boys!” Beatrice said, as her orange feathers ruffled. “Mrs Chinch says the children had SO much fun at the party. She’s booking the dining room every Saturday this month...for a jumping pancake party! And they want you to lead the kids in the catching game. So, you’re not fired!”

Later in the dining room, the boys swept up the crazy breakfast mess into dustpans and bags. They looked up and saw one final pancake stuck to the ceiling. Snort walked in.

“You fools got lucky this time,” Snort sneered. “You won’t be so lucky next time.”

Snort walked out and slammed the door. 

*SLAM!*

 The pancake on the ceiling came unstuck. It landed on Plonk’s head. 

*PLOP!*

“Ha ha ha!” Monty and Plonk laughed.

Plonk tore the pancake and gave Monty half. They kept laughing as they ate.

The End