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Music. The comedy4cast network. Let's dog ear that for now.

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This is the 2023 comedy4cast Podcast Spectacular, brought to you by the fantastic Patreon patrons.

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Thank you. Why not join Charlotte, Amy, Howard, and the other amazing individuals

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who support the show for as little as a dollar a month.

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This year's original 20-chapter story is called Big Shot.

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To hear it from the beginning, go to comedy4cast.com/2023.

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And remember, comedy4cast is all one word, with the number 4.

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Now, here's Chapter Three, Puzzles Galore!

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Music.

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Previously in our story, a mysterious stranger arrived in Chasm Valley by train and then,

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quickly made his way to the Venus Arms Hotel and Towers.

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It's easy. You just take the funicular over there up to the top of the hill, then walk

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up the stairs to the Middling Fair monorail, take that downtown, then get on the Middling

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Fair trolley and hop off when you get to the Venus Arms.

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Can you repeat all that? Not even if I wanted to. Good luck.

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The stranger told Giles, the front desk clerk and assistant manager, that he wanted to speak

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to Danny Hillcrest, but Danny was not all there.

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Ah, I mean, Danny was not there, and no one knew how to contact him.

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He left in a hurry after lunch in our restaurant.

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Perhaps the maitre d' can help you.

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As this chapter begins, the stranger has made his way over to the host station at the entrance to the restaurant.

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He is speaking with the maitre d' who does not seem all that pleased to hear Danny's,

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name. May I suggest you look in the nearest sewer, monsieur.

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That clumsy ox is no longer welcome here. But he was here earlier, right?

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And he left in a hurry? This is true. Tell me what happened.

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Maybe something can help me find him. What happened?

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Danny Hillcrest happened.

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He came into the restaurant for lunch. Of course, I had his customary box of crayons and paper placemat ready.

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I'm sure I can make my exit-y way out of the maze this time.

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15th time is the charm!

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It was not. But on with my flashback.

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During April, when business is slow, we implement a reduced menu.

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Naturally, this means smaller portions of our confit de canard.

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But I state the obvious. When I explained the situation to Danny, he changed his order to...

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A vanilla shake and continentally french fries.

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And don't spare the toothpicks.

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I amore it! This was the l'anche finale! Get out!

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Allez, vite! And never again darken the doors of this dimly-lit restaurant!

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Go! And take your package with you!

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Perhaps my tone of voice was une erreur. Hillcrest panicked, running about the restaurant like un animal sauvage.

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The restaurant is now une catastrophe. It will be closed for weeks.

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Interesting story, but it doesn't help me a bit.

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Perhaps this will assist you. What is it?

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His paper placemat. He was scribbling something on it just before the incident.

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What's this here? A ram sang. A ram sang what?

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Je ne sais pas. I do not know and I do not care. Now, if you will excuse me, monsieur, I am going to retreat into the dark and cry.

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With determination, the stranger again crosses the hotel lobby, barely noticing the large

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Venus de Milo statue positioned near the elevators.

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Do you have any rams around here? Sir, this is a hotel, not a zoo.

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On most days, there are no rams here. Figures.

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Okay, it looks like I need a hotel room for the night while I search for Hillcrest.

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You mean, you want to stay here?

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Now? During April? Is that a problem? Is the hotel full?

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Will Danny ever be allowed back in the restaurant? If he is, will he ever find his way out of the maze?

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What does a ram sang mean?

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And what does Giles find so funny about renting a room in the Venus Arms during April?

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For answers that are no laughing matter, be sure to come back for Chapter 4, further on down the road.

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Are you liking the show? To support it, for as little as a dollar a month, go to patreon.com/comedy4cast.

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All one word with the number 4.

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As a way of saying thank you for becoming a patron, you'll get episodes before everyone,

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else, plus behind-the-scenes notes and exclusive content.

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In this episode, as the Grassssssside Greene resident John Bell from the Bells in the Batfry podcast,

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thebatfry.com, as the stranger Grant Johnson, voicegranted.com, as the maitre d, Nathan

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Alvord. And the narrator was played by Gary J. Chambers. Garyjchambersvo.com. Additional voices,

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as well as story and music by Clinton Alvord. Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. See you,

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See you in the next one, but for now, that's it, we're done done done done done! Bye bye.

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Music.