The Berenstain Bears in the Wax Museum (2 page)

“Beautiful day, eh?” said Gramps as they began inching their way down the sidewalk. “What are you cubs up to?”

“Pizza Shack,” said Brother. “We're starving.”

Gramps noticed that both cubs looked a little tense. They were staring straight ahead, as if they were afraid of what he might say next. He chuckled and said, “Oh, don't worry. I'm not gonna invite myself to have lunch with you. And I'll only walk with you as far as Grizzly Avenue.”

The cubs relaxed.

“Bet I know where you're headed afterward,” Gramps said. “The same place I'm headed now. The Bearsonian Institution.”

Brother shook his head. “Why would we want to go to the Bearsonian, Gramps?” he said. “We've been there at least a million times.”

“Didn't you know?” said Gramps. “There's a special exhibit on the Great Bear War in the Hall of Bear Country History. This week only.”

“We're going out to Birder's Woods for a hike,” said Fred. “Then, if there's time, we'll play some catch at the schoolyard.”

“You mean you came all the way downtown just to have lunch?” said Gramps. “That seems kinda odd.”

“No, it doesn't,” said Brother. “There's nothing to do in this town, anyway. Except eat pizza.”

“Or burgers,” added Fred. He had wanted to go to the Burger Bear for lunch, but Brother had held out for pizza.

“You gotta be kiddin',” said Gramps. “What about takin' in a matinee at the Bearjou Theater?”

“The Bearjou's an old dump,” said Fred. “It doesn't even have cup holders.”

“And it never runs the kind of movies we like,” said Brother.

“Such as what?” asked Gramps.

“Such as weird sci-fi thrillers and creepy, disgusting horror movies,” said Brother.

“Yeah!” said Fred. “Like
Invasion of the Bruin Snatchers
and
The Eyeballs from Outer Space
.”

“Thank goodness for that,” Gramps muttered to himself. Then, to the cubs, he said, “I guess you have a real gripe there.”

“You bet we do,” said Brother. “I'm tellin' you, Gramps, this place is Dullsville. Right, Fred?”

Fred was about to nod in agreement, but suddenly he stopped walking and stared straight ahead. Somehow they had reached the corner of Bruin Street and Grizzly Avenue without noticing the long fence just across the street. “Hey, that's new,” said Fred. “What's it all about?”

The fence was painted in all kinds of bright, jazzy colors with the words:
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR THE MOST EXCITING DEVELOPMENT IN THE HISTORY OF BEARTOWN!

“Hmm,” said Gramps. “Don't know what it's all about. But whatever it is, it sure doesn't look like it belongs in ‘Dullsville.'”

They crossed the street and sidled up to the fence. Brother peered through a crack, but all he could see was a bunch of building materials piled and stacked in various places. He turned to Gramps and said, “Maybe it'll be something really cool!”

But Gramps had already decided it wouldn't be. Gramps wasn't a big fan of change, especially when it happened in the town he'd grown up in and lived in all his life. “I doubt it,” he muttered. “Probably one of them big ol' chain stores that sells everything a bear doesn't need. Like Bearmart or Bears Roebuck. The kind that chases all the little mom-and-pop stores out of town.”

“Not likely,” said Fred. “They don't use Day-Glo paint to announce new Bearmarts. But I guess we'll find out soon enough.”

“'Fraid so,” said Gramps. “Hey, why don't you cubs meet me at the Bearsonian after lunch? I can show you around the special exhibit.”

Brother was tempted to say yes. Gramps may have been a slow walker, but he could be a real fast talker. And an interesting one, too. The Great Bear War was kind of a hobby of his. He knew everything there was to know about it. He could tell you about all the famous battles, and about the lives of the great generals, like Ulysses S. Bear and Grizzwall Jackson. He even knew the Gettysbear Address by heart.

But then Brother remembered that this was the first day in quite a while that he and Fred had had a chance to spend time together—just the two of them. So he said, “Thanks, Gramps, maybe next time.”

“Okay, you two,” said Gramps. “But remember: this week only …” And he ambled off down Grizzly Avenue in the direction of the Bearsonian.

Chapter 3

Dullsville No More?

Brother and Fred spent several days hiking, fishing, and playing catch before they decided it was high time to take another look at the mysterious building project on the corner of Bruin Street and Grizzly Avenue. Maybe construction had already begun. And maybe they could figure out what it was all about.

As they approached the corner of Bruin and Grizzly, the cubs could see that things were progressing. Or, rather, they could hear that things were progressing. From behind the multi-colored fence came the sounds of high-powered digging equipment and cement mixers. Then they noticed a new sign on top of the fence. It read:
AT LAST! EXCITEMENT COMES TO BEARTOWN! A FABULOUS ENTERTAINMENT CENTER GOING UP ON THIS SITE!

Brother and Fred looked at each other in astonishment. “An entertainment center?” said Fred. “In Beartown? I must be dreaming. Pinch me.” Brother obliged. “Ouch! Hey, I'm not dreaming!”

“Come on, let's have a look,” said Brother.

They raced across the street to peer through the cracks in the fence. They saw huge mechanical scoops and shovels lifting and hauling dirt from a vast hole in the ground. A fleet of cement mixers was lined up alongside, churning merrily away.

“They're getting ready to lay the foundation,” said Fred.

“Wow! Whatever it is, it's gonna be huge!”

With their noses pressed against the fence, the cubs traded guesses about what the new entertainment center would be like. Maybe it would be an amusement park with cool rides and a funhouse. Or maybe a sports center with miniature golf and an arena for rollerblading. Or an enormous arcade, with every kind of pinball machine and electronic game ever invented. Or a multiplex cinema, with twenty screens and shops and cafés. Or a huge theme restaurant, all made up like a rain forest or a prince's palace or a haunted mansion …

The possibilities seemed endless. They couldn't wait to find out which one it would turn out to be!

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long. Just until later that afternoon, in fact. When Brother got home from rollerblading with Fred, he found Papa relaxing in his easy chair in the living room. That afternoon's
Beartown Gazette
lay folded neatly on his lap.

“Papa,” said Brother, “have you seen anything in the paper about the new entertainment center that's going up downtown?”

“Entertainment center?” said Papa. “You mean that thing with the Day-Glo fence at Bruin and Grizzly? Gramps told me about it, but he didn't say anything about it being an entertainment center. Oh, the paper? Nothing so far. But I haven't checked today's yet.” When he unfolded the paper and had a look, his eyebrows shot up. “Well, well,” he said. “Have a look at this.”

Papa turned the paper around so that Brother could read the top headline. It said:
MADAME BEARSAUD'S FAMOUS WAX MUSEUM COMES TO BEARTOWN.