"I met Erik's eyes. He seemed to read my mind. I grabbed his cloak. In an instant his hand shot out from his ornate cuff and clasped me about the wrist. I threw myself backward away from him and screamed with as much theatrical terror as I could muster, clawed at my own wrist with my free hand, and screeched as though in pain. An instant later Erik released his grip and I fell, quite naturally, onto my derrière in a most unseemly fashion, then scrambled to my feet and darted from the room. Erik followed, trudging like marauding death. Christine and Raoul "escaped" somewhere."

I had wondered why the Persian was dressed as a clown...what a delightful way to incorporate that scene into your story--as usual, you have thought ahead and surprised me!

Glad to see additions to the story! A fun chapter--I think it could work on its own as a short story of Erik visiting his mother. Happy to read your work again!

Oh GAWD. Erik! Work on the adhesive next time, dude, it's too bad about the soup. And I love Rasheed's f- it response to the whole thing, "Well, if Erik drops his NOSE into his soup, I can eat it any damn way I please." And poor Erik's mom, you just don't show up after getting a nose job without proper warning, man!

LOL! You certainly haven't lost your touch. "Avoid soup"? ROFL!

What made me laugh most were Erik's mother's "that's nice, dear," and his nose plopping into his soup. Oh, and Rasheed cramming bread into his mouth to keep from laughing. XD (He's lucky he didn't choke.)

Wonderfully entertaining, as always.

Barb

Wow, it's been a while since I got an email that this story was updated. Good times. This chapter was hilarious- from Erik's mother's utter non-reaction to the nose in the soup. And in retrospect, the humor warning becomes ten times more amusing. I look forward to the next deleted scene, whenever it comes around.

I've simply been rushing through and not at all stopping to review. I've been laughing, of course, and there were a few places where I was quite sympathetic to Rasheed. Wonderful work!

Ah! You addressed it. And so cleverly, too! Well done!

I am curious about something--Erik, in Leroux, refers to the Persian as "Daroga" because it is a police officer's (or inspector, I can't recall which he was, specifically) title, yes? And the Persian is some sort of official? So, why would Erik here refer to him as such if the Persian is chronically unemployed, as you so cleverly put it? Forgive me if this point has already come to your attention.

I'm chuckling already!

So Erik doesn't care if people see his face?

What a journey!
Seems appropriate to say Bravo, I do believe. That was an incredible interpretation of The Persian - excuse me, I mean Rasheed - and Erik, and Christine and Raoul. They were hilariously two dimensional.
I highly doubt I will ever see POTO in the same light again when I've seen it like this.
Oh, and... The Ghost of Leroux is behind you. He has a Punjab lasso.
Good job! <3

Just pick your damn nose already!
Absolutely classic.

once again thoroughly enjoyable. just thought i'd say that :)

I woulda crapped myself laughing if you'd said *facepalm*

Nice. End of the chapter, almost a direct quote from the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.