AN INTERESTED PERSON HAS CALLED THE PARTY WHO IS SELLING BUNNY RABBIT.
CALLER
Hello, is this Mr. Mikkelsen, the seller of the Bunny Rabbit puppet?
MIKKELSEN
Ya, de rabbit. You like to buy?
CALLER
Hold on, sir. I'm just calling to ask you some questions about the
puppet and maybe your association with the Kangaroo people.
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
No, I'd just like to ask about the Bunny Rabbit puppet.
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
Yes. Sir, please, if you don't mind, tell me how you came to own the puppet.
MIKKELSEN
I got the rabbit puppet from a friend. He was cleaning out his basement.
CALLER
Sir, are you German, or what?
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
I don't know. I knew you weren't American. I mean, with the accent and all.
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
So, getting back to the hare puppet. Do -
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
Ok. The rabbit puppet is made of wool. I won't call it a hare any more.
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
How did you know it was the actual, real Bunny Rabbit puppet? It such an
odd-ball thing for anyone to have for sale.
MIKKELSEN
My friend had known Hugh Brannum and he had gotten the puppet and other stuff
from him when Brannum retired. There was a lot of other stuff as well.
CALLER
What type of other stuff?
MIKKELSEN
Well, I think I have an stack of Glenn Miller demo 78's from
the late 30's and early 40's.
CALLER
What? I don't believe you, Mr. Mikkelsen.
MIKKELSEN
I don't care. It's the truth.
CALLER
Why aren't you selling some of that too? Chattanooga Choo-choo?! Come on!
MIKKELSEN
No. No Choo-choo. Only various takes of In the Mood and Moonlight Serenade.
Maybe I will offer some of that stuff later. I thought this call was
about the bunny rabbit toy.
CALLER
Is the acetate your ad speaks of one of those from the collection you have?
MIKKELSEN
No. A different stack. Little Orley Blues. Hugh really had something back
then. It's in great shape, though. I think that the demo is in B-flat but
the 78, when it was released, was in A. Buy the rabbit and the record
is yours! Ya.
CALLER
About the Bunny Rabbit puppet, who originated the COA's? Keeshan?
MIKKELSEN
Brannum, I was told. He foresaw the time when people might question
the origin of the puppet, I guess.
CALLER
What was the origin of the Bunny Rabbit puppet?
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
No, where did the Bunny Rabbit puppet come from, Mr. Mikkelsen?
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
No, who actually made the puppet?
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
Wait, his wife was named Bunny?
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
No, Mr. Mikkelsen, that was an exclamation: What a coincidence that
Brannum's wife's name was Bunny and she made the Bunny Rabbit puppet.
MIKKELSEN
CALLER
Have you had any serious inquiries about the puppet yet?
MIKKELSEN
Ya. One woman was calling me a lot until she found out that the Mr. Moose
puppet was not in the package. I never had the Moose puppet.
CALLER
So, she didn't care about the bunny puppet alone? You know, that reminds
me of an old joke: There once was a - ah, never mind.
MIKKELSEN
Huh? No, bunny rabbit is no joke. It's real.
CALLER
MIKKELSEN
This puppet needs a home. To tell you the truth, it's tattered and
I'm afraid that complete dry-rot may take hold soon. It would be a shame
for the infamous Bunny Rabbit to essentially turn into dust because
nobody would give him a good home.
CALLER
Aren't you trying to preserve it, yourself?
MIKKELSEN
I don't really care about the old American TV idols like others do.
CALLER
What the ... ? How dare you talk about the likes of Captain Kangaroo and/or his sidekicks
so irreverently!
MIKKELSEN
Nobody said anything about Mr. Kangaroo. I've got the puppet right here.
It will be declared officially dust soon. And about the Brannum
record ... it may be valuable, but not so much to me. I'd prefer some
Lolita memorabilia, even if she was only a stupid Austrian pop
flash in the pan.
CALLER
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