A visit of friendship (closed/Attn Fatatatutti)

[Fatatatutti]

"It's a good thing when the deadliest weapon used is cheese," The Prime Minister smiled. "I assume that the cheese crisis has been resolved peacefully. All of the people that we saw on the streets seemed to be very friendly."

Harmony leaned over to speak quietly to the First Lady. "I should probably tell you, a friend of Choo-Choo's died recently from an allergic reaction. She's been sad, as you can imagine, and she's been in and out of school. That's one of the reasons we brought her along on this trip, for a change of pace. As you know, she's likely to talk about anything, so if she mentions it, you'll be prepared."

"You know, I think we have a NoordeindeTown in Fatatatutti," the Prime Minister said, "I think we'll have to go down there and find a good place to eat, every time we feel homesick for Noordeinde."

[Noordeinde]

"It's a good thing when the deadliest weapon used is cheese," The Prime Minister smiled. "I assume that the cheese crisis has been resolved peacefully. All of the people that we saw on the streets seemed to be very friendly."

Harmony leaned over to speak quietly to the First Lady. "I should probably tell you, a friend of Choo-Choo's died recently from an allergic reaction. She's been sad, as you can imagine, and she's been in and out of school. That's one of the reasons we brought her along on this trip, for a change of pace. As you know, she's likely to talk about anything, so if she mentions it, you'll be prepared."

"You know, I think we have a NoordeindeTown in Fatatatutti," the Prime Minister said, "I think we'll have to go down there and find a good place to eat, every time we feel homesick for Noordeinde."

"That's so nice to hear sir, and as I sad before it's a real honor fur us to have you here in Noordeinde and I hope that the Noordeinde people who live in Fatatatutti's NoordeindeTown will cure you from your homesickness when your thinking of our country." President Roosevelt smiled.

"And yes luckely the "Cheese situation" has been resolved peacefully, it was a couple of years ago when I still was a Senator, the Government decided to lower the budget of the Cheese Industry, and well those farmers became verry angry. But the Senate did understand why the farmers were angry and the majority of the whole Congress decided to accept a bill which ordered that immediatley afther the budget was lowered to give it a boost, and well that worked out pretty well."

On the other side of the table the first Lady was talking to Harmony.

"How terrible I can imagine that she has been really upset, poor child. But hopefully I'm right that she's having a great time now, it looks like she is enjoying everything around here. And well I really don't have to be prepared I guess for what she might say, she is a young, bright and beautifull girld with great potential for the future, it's only good that's she's such curious about her envirement."

first Lady Roosevelt said to Harmony.

While lunch was comming to an end, Jim Kennedy the Chief of Staff entered the room.

"Mister Prime Minister, Mister President, the motorcade outside is ready to drive everyone to the Grand Duke at the Grand Ducal Palace, so please follow me so that we can leave as soon as possible."

(ooc: the Grand Duke has no powers anymore, he is the "ceremonial" Head of State and he advises the Cabinet and the President.)

[Fatatatutti]

"That's so nice to hear sir, and as I sad before it's a real honor fur us to have you here in Noordeinde and I hope that the Noordeinde people who live in Fatatatutti's NoordeindeTown will cure you from your homesickness when your thinking of our country." President Roosevelt smiled.

"Yes, we have so many ethnic communities in Fatatatutti," the Prime Minister smiled. "I really should make more of an effort to visit them all. I can travel all around the world without leaving the island, really."

"You know," Shoshone interrupted, "I've heard of places where they have international festivals, where you can go around and sample the food and music and dancing and so on from different nations. I think we should have something like that every year."

"That's a good idea." The Prime Minister turned to the President. "I'm afraid I can't take credit for my brilliant children. I'm just a simple man. I think their mother must have done something right." He turned back to Shoshone. "I think we should put you in charge of organizing that."

"And yes luckely the "Cheese situation" has been resolved peacefully, it was a couple of years ago when I still was a Senator, the Government decided to lower the budget of the Cheese Industry, and well those farmers became verry angry. But the Senate did understand why the farmers were angry and the majority of the whole Congress decided to accept a bill which ordered that immediatley afther the budget was lowered to give it a boost, and well that worked out pretty well."

"You can't please everybody all the time, can you?" The Prime Minister was still smiling. "That's why they need us politicians to blame. Hopefully, we come up with solutions that are fair to as many people as possible."

On the other side of the table the first Lady was talking to Harmony.

"How terrible I can imagine that she has been really upset, poor child. But hopefully I'm right that she's having a great time now, it looks like she is enjoying everything around here. And well I really don't have to be prepared I guess for what she might say, she is a young, bright and beautifull girld with great potential for the future, it's only good that's she's such curious about her envirement."

"Children are very resilient," Harmony said. "I don't know if she understands what death really is, but she misses her friend. He had a peanut allergy, though he died from a different allergy. She doesn't eat peanut butter any more because it makes her think of him."

"Mister Prime Minister, Mister President, the motorcade outside is ready to drive everyone to the Grand Duke at the Grand Ducal Palace, so please follow me so that we can leave as soon as possible."

"Yes," the Prime Minister pushed back from the table. "The food is so good, if we don't stop, we'll get very fat and probably bankrupt your country."

[Noordeinde]

The whole delegation left the Blue Room and walked behind the Chief of Staff to the Main door, where outside the motorcade was waiting.

While walking the President spoke to Prime Minister Chang.

"I didn't know that about all the etnic communities in Fatatatutti, and I think it's really great most of all that they can live peacefully next to eachother and with the Fatatatuttian people. And well abouth the cheese situation it has been resolved peacefully and they still make the best cheese in the world in my opinion, so I think we couldn't have handled the situation any better than how we did it during the strikes."

The President made a quick turn to Shoshone. "And you know how to find us while sending tickets for the festival." President Roosevelt smiled

Behind the Prime Minister and the President walked the first Lady and Harmony with Choo-Choo in the middle holding their hands.

"Did you enjoy your lunch?" the first lady asked to Choo-Choo who was still eating one of her last chocolat croissants.

The delegation arrived on the driveway in front of the Presidential Residence, a big motorcade was formed; suv's of the Noordeinde Secret Service, a motorcycle escort of the Marechaussee, the Ford Scorpio Limousine for the Fatatatuttian delegation, the Presidential Cadillac Limousine etc...

The Presidential Cadillac Limousine

The President accompanied Prime Minister Mickey Chang and the family to the waiting Ford Scorpio Limousine. "Well enjoy the ride through the city centre, I hope all of you will really enjoy the ride, I always do so hopefully all of you as well." President Roosevelt said.

[Fatatatutti]

The President made a quick turn to Shoshone. "And you know how to find us while sending tickets for the festival." President Roosevelt smiled

"I certainly will," Shoshone said. "After all, I got the idea from you. And I'm sure our Noordeinian community will be proud to have you or your representative as honorary chairman of the Noordeindian Pavillion."

Behind the Prime Minister and the President walked the first Lady and Harmony with Choo-Choo in the middle holding their hands.

"Did you enjoy your lunch?" the first lady asked to Choo-Choo who was still eating one of her last chocolat croissants.

"Yes, thank you," Choo-Choo said. "My daddy has a restaurant. I'm going to tell him to have these chocolate things in his restaurant. Sometimes I help in the restaurant. I help the man with the big hat and then he tells me to go and help somebody else."

[Noordeinde]

"I would be honored to be the chairman of the Noordeinde pavillion and the Noordeinde delegation at the festival." said President Roosevelt

The first lady was still talking to Choo-Choo before stepping in the Presidential Cadillac.

"How nice, I like cooking to, we might ask the Grand Duke, which were going to visit now if me might help his chef while preparing the state diner of tonight, wouldn't that be fun?" The first Lady said.

Afther everyone stepped into their vehicles the motorcade started moving and eventualy entered the public road. The motorcade drove quite fast and within 10 minutes the motorcade arrived in another part of the city's centre at the Grand Ducal Palace.

The Motorcyle escort with the guard of honor and the two Limousines drove through the gate to the official entrance where an aide of the Grand Duke waited to welcome the Fatatatuttian Prime Minister and President Roosevelt to the Grand Ducal Palace.

The Grand Ducal Palace.

[Fatatatutti]

"I would be honored to be the chairman of the Noordeinde pavillion and the Noordeinde delegation at the festival." said President Roosevelt

"You'll be at the top of the list of invitations then," Shoshone said.

The first lady was still talking to Choo-Choo before stepping in the Presidential Cadillac.

"How nice, I like cooking to, we might ask the Grand Duke, which were going to visit now if me might help his chef while preparing the state diner of tonight, wouldn't that be fun?" The first Lady said.

"Okay," Choo-Choo said. "I help my sister cook too.

"Sometimes we make fireworks. One time I fell off the dock and I broke my finger and I had a stick on my finger. Then I helped my sister make fireworks and the stick caught on fire. Then the doctor put a new stick on. Then I went surfing with my brother and the stick got bent. Then the doctor told me not to do anything any more."

[Noordeinde]

The motorcade came to a stop in front of the official entrance of the Grand Ducal Palace, multiple aides of the Grand Duke opened the doors of the limousines and everyone stepped out of the vehicles.

The whole delegation was welcommed by Sir George Walls, the Chief of Staff of the Grand Duke.

"Mister President, nice to see you again, Mr Prime Minister, it's an honor for me and to the Grand Duke to finnaly meet you, were really gladd that you made an exeption for us and came to the Grand Duchy of Noordeinde to pay us an official State Visit, well let's go inside and meet with the Grand Duke, he's waiting for us."

The President then started to explain the role now of the Grand Duke to Prime Minister Chang who might be confused about a Grand Duchy with a President and Grand Duke.

"Well Mister Prime Minister I guess you might be asking yourself, a Grand Duchy with a president?!?! Well Noordeinde was untill 200 years ago lead by the Grand Duke and no one else. Well 200 years ago the grand grand father of the Grand Duke now changed that, he wanted his country to be a democracy. So he surrendered all his power to the people, so now we have elections for the House of Representatives, the Senate and for the President. The only role of the Grand Duke now is that he is the "ceremonial" Head of State and he is the highest advisor of the Government, and further he cuts a lot of ribbons."

[Fatatatutti]

The President then started to explain the role now of the Grand Duke to Prime Minister Chang who might be confused about a Grand Duchy with a President and Grand Duke.

"Well Mister Prime Minister I guess you might be asking yourself, a Grand Duchy with a president?!?! Well Noordeinde was untill 200 years ago lead by the Grand Duke and no one else. Well 200 years ago the grand grand father of the Grand Duke now changed that, he wanted his country to be a democracy. So he surrendered all his power to the people, so now we have elections for the House of Representatives, the Senate and for the President. The only role of the Grand Duke now is that he is the "ceremonial" Head of State and he is the highest advisor of the Government, and further he cuts a lot of ribbons."

"I see," the Prime Minister said. "That is not so very different from our own history. We had a king going way back to tribal times, a chief warrior, really. It was a feudal system where the warriors protected the people. When the white people arrived, two hundred years ago or so, they tried to exploit the native Fatatatutians and the King took their side. I suppose he saw the way of the future, because the white people did prevail in a way.

"But unfortunately, our King didn't fare quite as well as your Grand Duke. The people overthrew him and... if I may... they ate him. So there hasn't been much demand for his job since.

"Under our constitution, we have a President, who has duties similar to your Grand Duke's, I think, whereas the Prime Minister's duties are similar to your President's. However, the position of President has been vacant for several years and nobody seems to be in a hurry to fill it. That may be part of the reason why we don't shine on the ceremonial side as brightly as you do."

[Noordeinde]

"Well I heard of my Under-Secretary of State that Fatatatutti is great, so I think nothing has to be changed as long as everyone is happy, and the Fatatatuttians are, and that is the most important of all." President Roosevelt said while walking throug the corridor.

Chief of Staff of the Grand Duke George Walls stopped halfway through the hallway at a brown wooden door with gold doorknocks.

"Mr Prime Minister, were now standing outside the Reception Room, and the Grand Duke will be there within a couple of minutes to meet you."

The Reception Room

George Walls opened the door and the whole delegation walked inside the Reception Room, the Grand Duke would arrive within a couple of minutes.

[Fatatatutti]

"Well I heard of my Under-Secretary of State that Fatatatutti is great, so I think nothing has to be changed as long as everyone is happy, and the Fatatatuttians are, and that is the most important of all." President Roosevelt said while walking throug the corridor.

"Yes, I think things are going pretty well at the present time. But we can't afford to be complacent. There are always new issues coming up and we shouldn't fall into the trap of always doing everything the same way."

Chief of Staff of the Grand Duke George Walls stopped halfway through the hallway at a brown wooden door with gold doorknocks.

"Mr Prime Minister, were now standing outside the Reception Room, and the Grand Duke will be there within a couple of minutes to meet you."

George Walls opened the door and the whole delegation walked inside the Reception Room, the Grand Duke would arrive within a couple of minutes.

Choo-Choo looked at the piano but decided it would be best not to touch it without an invitation. Everything in the room was so shiny and children's fingerprints are so easy to see.

[Noordeinde]

The doors opened and a young guy from in his twenties in militairy uniform stood in the door and walked in.

"Hello everyone, hello mister President good to see you, and well our guest of honor mister Prime Minister Chang how verry nice to finnaly meet you, let me introduce myself, James of Noordeinde, and well I'm the Grand Duke of Noordeinde since 2 years now. And how are you doing sir?"

[Fatatatutti]

"Hello everyone, hello mister President good to see you, and well our guest of honor mister Prime Minister Chang how verry nice to finnaly meet you, let me introduce myself, Jim of Noordeinde, and well I'm the Grand Duke of Noordeinde since 2 years now. And how are you doing sir?"

"I'm doing very well, thank you," the Prime Minister said. "You have a beautiful country here and everybody is treating us like royalty... if you'll excuse the expression.

"Forgive me if I seem surprised, but I was expecting somebody much older. I guess it's a fact of life with hereditary positions that one can have reponsibility thrust upon him at an early age.

"Permit me to introduce my younger daughter, Harmony, and my younger son, Shoshone. And this... is our good friend Choo-Choo. I'm afraid that her friend Alphonse wasn't able to make the trip because of a prior commitment."

"He was sleeping," Choo-Choo said, still eying the piano occasionally. "And they always make him go in a cage on airplanes. He doesn't like cages."

[Noordeinde]

"I'm glad to hear that your doing well sir, may I say that it is a real honor for me to welcome you here in the Grand Ducal Palace, and well Fatatatutti is really a friend of Noordeinde and therefore you absolutely deserve to be treated like royalty, and it's actualy more like a compliment that wee doing a good job by letting you feel like that."

The Grand Duke smiled. "And it's not the first time that people look verry surprised at me if they hear that I'm the Grand Duke, my father is now 56 and at age 54 he decided to quite the job, and he works with the World Assembly now as a special envoy. And I had to take over his job, so immediatley afther I returned from an International mission with the Noordeinde Air Force I have been inaugurated as Grand Duke. So that's quite a story."

Then the Grand Duke and the Prime Minister turned to Harmony, Shoshone and Choo-Choo.
"Hello everyone welcome to Nooreinde I hope all off you enjoy your stay so far?"

Then Choo-Choo started talking about Alphonse, and the Grand Duke was quite confused about stories of cages in airplanes, Jenny Roosevelt, the first Lady, saw the reaction and walked over to the Grand Duke and whispered in his ear who Alphonse was. The Grand Duke had to laugh.

"Well to bad that Alphonse couldn't be here but tell him I sad "Hi" to him and that I hope that we will meet another time. And I'm seeing you looking at the piano, can you play, because I would like to hear you play if you can." Said the Grand Duke to Choo-Choo.

[Fatatatutti]

"I'm glad to hear that your doing well sir, may I say that it is a real honor for me to welcome you here in the Grand Ducal Palace, and well Fatatatutti is really a friend of Noordeinde and therefore you absolutely deserve to be treated like royalty, and it's actualy more like a compliment that wee doing a good job by letting you feel like that."

"In Fatatatutti, we sometimes have a bad opinion of royalty. But I can see that here in Noordeinde, it isn't very different from our idea of family. Everybody deserves to be treated like they belong."

The Grand Duke smiled. "And it's not the first time that people look verry surprised at me if they hear that I'm the Grand Duke, my father is now 56 and at age 54 he decided to quite the job, and he works with the World Assembly now as a special envoy. And I had to take over his job, so immediatley afther I returned from an International mission with the Noordeinde Air Force I have been inaugurated as Grand Duke. So that's quite a story."

The Prime Minister smiled. "I retired too when I was fifty-five but then the people elected me again. Then I retired again when I was sixty and they elected me again. So I haven't been very successful at staying retired. But like your father, we have to do something, don't we?"

"Well to bad that Alphonse couldn't be here but tell him I sad "Hi" to him and that I hope that we will meet another time. And I'm seeing you looking at the piano, can you play, because I would like to hear you play if you can." Said the Grand Duke to Choo-Choo.

"I can only play one song," Choo-Choo said. "It's called 'Chopsticks'." She walked over to the piano. She stayed standing up because the bench wasn't high enough and slowly, with one finger, she played 'Chopsticks'.

[Noordeinde]

"Isn't that lovely how she playes." Jenny Roosevelt whispered in the ear of her husband, President Roosevelt looked at his wife and he nodded.

The Grand Duke stood next to Choo-Choo and was surprised by how well she played the song. Everyone applauded when she was done.

It was becomming evening shortly and the Chief of Staff of Grand Duke James walked inside. "Ladies and Gentlemen dinner will be served please follow me to the Noordeinde Hall where dinner will be served."

The Noordeinde Hall.

[Fatatatutti]

It was becomming evening shortly and the Chief of Staff of Grand Duke James walked inside. "Ladies and Gentlemen dinner will be served please follow me to the Noordeinde Hall where dinner will be served."

Shoshone Chang leaned over and whispered in his sister's ear, "They eat almost as often as Fatatatutians over here."

She jabbed him with her elbow. "Behave."

[Noordeinde]

The delegation entered the Noordeinde hall, the Presidential Marine band playef "Hail to the Chief" when the President and the Grand Duke arrived with their guests in the Noordeinde hall. The Noordeinde hall was filled with diplomats, bussines accosiates and other people with the best interest in having relations with Fatatatutti, further the Fatatatuttian Ambassador and his support staff were there as well."

The Chief of Staff of the Grand Duke announced the arrival of the President, the Grand Duke and their lovely guests, and afther that he announced that dinner will be served later but that they would start with a cocktail so that everyone would have some time to meet with eachother and talk to eachother before the main dish would be served.

[Fatatatutti]

The Chief of Staff of the Grand Duke announced the arrival of the President, the Grand Duke and their lovely guests, and afther that he announced that dinner will be served later but that they would start with a cocktail so that everyone would have some time to meet with eachother and talk to eachother before the main dish would be served.

"I don't suppose you have any coconut wine?" Harmony asked jokingly. "We always ask that to see how people will react. It doesn't seem like anybody makes coconut wine but us. We'll send you a couple of cases if you like.

"Choo-Choo drinks coffee, but I think maybe she should have milk instead, if that's possible."

[Noordeinde]

"That will surtenly be possible m'am one milk has been noted, and well I think we actually have something like coconut wine, especially imported for your father's visit." The waiter said.

The Grand Duke interfered a bit in the conversation. "We have ideed imported multiple crates of coconut wine so if you would like to have your favorite sort of wine that's possible, and waiter may I have one coconut wine next to my cocktail as well, just to have a little taste."

"ofcourse sir, I'll be rightback." the waiter said.

A couple of minutes later the waiter came back from the kitchen with one milk and two coconuts wines. " Here you go Sir, M'am, enjoy!" And the waiter walked away.

Now their was some time to talk the President had still some questions for Mickey Chang.

"Well I hope you are enjoying everything so far?"

[Fatatatutti]

Now their was some time to talk the President had still some questions for Mickey Chang.

"Well I hope you are enjoying everything so far?"

"Yes, we certainly are," the Prime Minister smiled. "It's like a little bit of home," he raised his glass of wine, "and like the other side of the world at the same time.

"I'm glad my children dragged me away from home. It's almost enough to make me want to travel more. But I don't think every place is as pleasant as Noordeinde."

[Noordeinde]

"Yes, we certainly are," the Prime Minister smiled. "It's like a little bit of home," he raised his glass of wine, "and like the other side of the world at the same time.

"I'm glad my children dragged me away from home. It's almost enough to make me want to travel more. But I don't think every place is as pleasant as Noordeinde."

"Well I'm glad to hear that, and I just received tommorows programm. You will be visiting Congress and the Departments of Treasury and Commerce to discuss trade between our countries, and in the evening a reception will be held at the Fatatatuttian embassy. If it was up to me it sounds like a great day!"

[Fatatatutti]

"Well I'm glad to hear that, and I just received tommorows programm. You will be visiting Congress and the Departments of Treasury and Commerce to discuss trade between our countries, and in the evening a reception will be held at the Fatatatuttian embassy. If it was up to me it sounds like a great day!"

"Excellent. I'm looking forward to seeing your Congress in action. Our Parliament meets in a cocunut grove, you know. I don't suppose that's practical here.

"And we're going to have to discuss increasing our wine and cheese trade. Maybe pineapple pizza with Noordeindian cheese will become our national dish.

"And I wonder what our ambassador has planned, a Fatatatutian extravaganza or a Noordeindian extravaganza?"

[Noordeinde]

''Well it will probably be a Fatatatuttian extravaganza, so even I am verry curious about tommorow evening" President Roosevelt said with a big smile on his face.

"And we can seriously discuss our cheese and wine trade, both markets are verry serious so I hope the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce have some good ideas about how we can improve trade in both the interests of our countries."

[Fatatatutti]

Choo-Choo was looking up at the President over the rim of her glass. "My daddy used to be an ambassador. We lived on Embassy Island. That's where I found Alphonse. He followed me home." She was holding her glass very carefully with both hands. "The lady said I could play with the ducks."