Don't Taurus Apart -- Episode I of Oxbrain, C.E.O. -- Crossword Adventures with Oxbrain

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Crossword Adventures with Oxbrain__

Oxbrain, C.E.O.
Episode I: Oxbrain finds a little girl in the forest.
He takes her back to her anxious parents. Alexi demands that she keep her new "pet".
The rich father, realizing the Ox's intelligence and likely investor appeal, has different plans.
But little Alexi, who was "saved by the bull", pleads
"Don't Taurus Apart!"
by John T Sherman
Illustrated by Katie Burgess

_____"Oxbrain, where are you? You need to haul this corn to market," Farmer Breakneck called out. "Where are you, you lazy ox!"
_____ Oxbrain, who was typing on an old computer in the barn, heard the Farmer. As he was in no mood to work, he nudged the barn door open, trotted outside and hid behind a cluster of trees.
_____ As Breakneck came closer, Oxbrain saw that the fence gate, usually always locked, was ajar. He pushed it open and ventured out into a field that fringed a forest, now ruddy with fall colors. Further in the distance were the towering peaks of the Appalachians.
_____ The wind picked up, and the sudden chill made Oxbrain snort, blowing clouds of vapor into the cold air. Above, the slate sky looked heavy with impending rain.
_____ In the distance he saw park benches with picnickers, who were now hurriedly packing up their belongings. He hesitated, and turned instead towards the nearby woods, with its scent of water and greenery.
_____ As he ventured deeper into the woods, he heard sobbing. Walking closer to the sound, he saw a little girl, perhaps 6 years old, sitting under a tree and looking very sad indeed.
_____ "Why are you crying, little girl?" Oxbrain inquired.
_____ "I want my mommy!" she said between sobs, without looking up.
_____ "Hop on my back, and we'll find your mommy!" said the Ox.
_____ The little girl looked up, and using a stump, climbed up on the massive animal.
_____ "You're just like my horse. Her name's Savannah. She's a Welsh pony. But she can't talk like you. You're different." Alexi chattered away, already forgetting that she was ever lost.
_____ With a squeeze of her legs, Alexi nudged Oxbrain forward. "Let's go. But where's your bridle?"
_____ Oxbrain began walking back towards the field where he had seen picnickers. "Hold on!" he said.
_____ "I think you're a magical cow."
_____ " I'm not a cow!"
_____ "You're funny" said the little girl, giggling. "What's your name, Mister Cow?"
_____ "My name is Oxbrain, and I'm not a cow!"
_____ Oxbrain cantered towards the two remaining two picnickers in the field as it started to drizzle. The mother and father looked on in amazement, relieved yet frightened. They stood transfixed as they watched this huge, powerful beast come towards them, with a little girl perched on its back.
_____ "Hi, Mommy and Daddy!" She waved to them like a rider in a parade.
_____ "Alexi, where have you been! You had us worried sick. And you're riding on a bull. Don't you know that bulls are dangerous! Get off of it this instant!"
_____ Oxbrain brought her right up to their white Lincoln Navigator. The father quickly grabbed the little girl from off the Ox's back.
_____ "I'm calling the Park Ranger. This bull shouldn't be running loose in the park", said Father.
_____ "But Daddy, he's tame. Can we take him home please. He can stay in the stable with Savannah and the others."
_____ "Alexi, that's crazy talk. Bulls aren't pets. We need to leave now!"
_____ "Daddy, Mommy, pleeez" said Alexi, close to tears again. "He saved me. He can tell me stories at night!"
_____ "What are you talking about, Alexi?"
_____ "Hello, Mommy and Daddy" said Oxbrain.
_____ "Eeeeeeeek!" said Mommy.
_____ "Oh no! Where's my medication?" said Daddy.
_____ "Oxbrain, Oxbrain!" said little Alexi, jumping up and down.
* * *
_____ After they had recovered from the shock of being face-to-face with a talking Ox, little Alexi was hugging her new "pet", and Daddy Farnsworth was on the cel-phone with his Executive Assistant:
_____ "Roger, I have this fantastic discovery that I think will put Billowy Technologies back in the black and riding high on Wallstreet again.... The public will go wild, I tell you... Picture a C.E.O. charging into the market... Never mind, I'll tell you about it later, but it'll absolutely make the investors 'bullish' about the company all over again... Hold off on the Robertson appointment... Yeah, I'll tell you all about it at the meeting tomorrow... Remind the other directors... Call Annie... Tell her to send a horse trailer to Vista National Park... yes, the goose-neck's fine. Oh, and have that ridiculously expensive tailor... yeah, him... show up at my office at 10:00 A.M. We'll give him a real job to do."
_____ Farnsworth, looking excited, said to himself, "Well, after the last C.E.O. messed everything up, I'm ready to try anything. Let's see how this one will turn out."
_____ He turned to Oxbrain. "Okay, Ox, have you ever heard of a "bull market"?
_____ "Why, yes..."
_____ "Can you do as you're told?"
_____ "Why yes. I always obey Farmer Breakneck." (Are you sure?)
_____ "Have you ever run a multi-million dollar corporation and steered it back into profitability?"
_____ "Uh, no..."
_____ "Ok, you've passed the interview. I personally think you're more qualified than all of the other candidates we've seen so far. How'd you like to be C.E.O. of a very big company?"
_____ "Wow, I don't know..."
_____ "I'll take that as a yes. We'll meet again Monday morning and talk about it some more. Hmm, who's your owner?"
_____ "Why, Farmer Breakneck over yonder."
_____ "Linda, get the checkbook. We're going to 'pay' this Farmer Breakneck a little visit."
_____ Hmm, Oxbrain, this is all so confusing. Does the major stockholder of a high-tech conglomerate actually want an ox to run his company? And what about little Alexi? Will she even get to play with her "pet" again? Well, let's solve the crossword below to sort out the raging issues swirling about this new development. Oh, and don't forget to check back soon for the next episode!

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Oxbrain , C.E.O. is a crossword fantasy-adventure in 5 parts.

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