Gregory walked into the Milk Bar with a distinct penguin swagger. Saturday nights are the best nights in Gregory’s opinion. You see, Saturday nights are for Milk Bar Stand-Up and it was Greg’s turn at the mic. The barkeep, Michael, started Stand-Up night two months ago because he’d found a book of jokes and wanted to share (boy, howdy, was that a night). There’s no real rules about what your Stand-Up performance has to be and Gregory certainly wasn’t planning on doing a comedy routine.
“Hey, Mike. Got a request for ya,” Gregory said as he approached the bar.
“Sure. Anything for you, Gregs. Good to see ya,” Michael responded as he finished mopping up a spill.
“Likewise, friend,” Gregory said with a smile. “I found a recipe while I was researching for tonight’s presentation. I know it’s not really milk-based, but think you could throw it together for the group?”
Gregory handed over a small slip of paper and Michael took a look. “It’s a bit outta my comfort zone, but I’ll give it the ol’ Michael try!”
“Thanks buddy,” Gregory slapped the bar in appreciation and ordered a small glass of his favorite (The Magician; a glass of 2% milk with a purple swirl that tasted like blueberries) and took a seat. After a few sips, the lights in the bar began to dim. Greg tidied the stack of notes he’d been reviewing, smoothed his front feathers, and stood. There was a small podium set up on a stage in front of the six and a half tables scattered throughout the parlor. Gregs stepped on stage and nodded to Michael who nodded back and flipped a switch. The lighting dimmed further and a purple glow began to slowly fade in and out as a Phil Collins instrumental began playing.
“Greetings, fellow penguins,” Gregory began. “Tonight, I wish to elaborate on an ancient story, one that many of you know and may think is only a children’s tale, but one that I insist, after much research into ancient archives, is very real and based not in myth, but in fact! This tale is,” Gregs paused here for dramatic effect, “the legend of Jolly Pops!”
Gregory took a swig of his drink as he waited for the excited mumbling to die down. “It is well known that Jolly Pops is a kind, funny man who invented bedtime stories, Joke Stories as he called them. This is truth. I have verified these claims myself.” Gregory looked into the crowd and saw a few nodding heads. There had always been Jolly Pops believers. “It is indeed also fact that Jolly Pops has aided Santa Claus in playfully keeping children in their rooms on the Eve of Christmas. I have found photographic evidence to verify my claims!”
“I knew it!” shouted Lewis from his table below. “My Deep Magic texts link someone named Benjamin with Santa and I always had a hunch that Benjamin and Pops were the same! I knew it!”
Gregory was pleased that his presentation was going so well. He continued, “I dug deep into penguin tabloids. Rumor has it that Jolly Pops even knows how your brain works! My research here is still in progress, but there seems to be evidence declaring that, without Jolly Pops, Dr. Penguin comics would not exist!”
Gregory heard a loud gasp and looked up to see Melissa’s eyes filled with fear imagining a world without the joys of her beloved Dr. Penguin.
“With all this said, let us give thanks to Jolly Pops! Thank you, my friends,” Gregory finished with a magician flourish and bow.
As the applause died down, Michael finished his jaunt through the parlor. He had deposited Gregory’s special recipe drinks, called “Freezies,” on everyone’s tables during the excitement.
Gregory left the stage, returned to his table, and took a sip of his Freezie. His eyes opened wide and he took a deeper swig. It was one of the best flavors he’d ever tasted.