SIDE 1

ANNIE

Wow! Look at all of this food!

MR. PINCH

Yes, it's quite a spread, isn't it? No one ever leaves the Pinch's Purple Peacock hungry.

(TINY TIM tugs on MR. PINCH's coattails.)

TINY TIM

Please, sir, may I have a crust of bread?

MR. PINCH

What? No! Shoo! No greedy mice begging at my inn!

ANNIE

He only asked for a crust of bread.

ROBERTA

That's right, Miss. Only the parts that might be thrown away.

ANNIE

Here. You can have my whole plate.

(MR. PINCH snatches the plate away before TINY TIM can take it.)

MR. PINCH

Absolutely not! Bah! Foolishness! Rumors would spread that I give away food!

SIDE 2

FRANCOIS THE CHEF

It's my special creation, Mrs. Pinch! Leeks, beets, and celery!

(MR. and MRS. PINCH each taste a spoonful.)

MRS. PINCH

Mmmmm! It's delicious, Francois.

FRANCOIS THE CHEF

Monsieur?

MR. PINCH

Needs more pepper. Back to the kitchen!

(FRANCOIS bursts into tears, skulks away.)

MRS. PINCH

Really, dear? I thought it was quite tasty.

MR. PINCH

Bah!

(RESTAURANT PATRONS begin pointing offstage, as through the restaurant window.)

PATRON #1

Is that...? Is that?


PATRON #2

Yes. Yes. It is. Charles Dickens.

PATRON #3

He's coming this way!

PATRON #4

To the Inn!

(MR. and MRS. PINCH look out the window to see what all the hubbub is about.)

MRS. PINCH

Oh, my stars and garters, it is!