Spike+Supermodel

__Spike: Supermodel__

One Sunday evening Mr du and Spike were watching CSI: New York on television, when the ads came on. There was a funny ad for a bank and then a new ad flicked onto the screen. TV3 were advertising for contestants in a new programme, New Zealand’s Next Top Model.

Spike got very excited. He wanted to walk on the catwalk and show off to the crowd. He persuaded Mr du to send away for an entry form. Then he waited and waited and waited. He got very grumpy. He really annoyed the postman, asking about his letter everyday. Finally the entry form arrived.

“Hurray!” shouted Spike and he climbed up onto Mr du’s head to watch as he opened it, then he danced on the table until he knocked over a vase of flowers.

Spike asked Mr du to help him fill in the form, because he wasn’t very good at writing. There was no space to enter ‘monkey’, so they left that out. Next they had to go outside and take some photos. Spike wanted his photo taken up a tree, but Mr du didn’t think that would work so well. Spike looked quite stunning in the outfit Mr du found for him. Later that day they put everything in an envelope and took it to the post box. Now the waiting started all over again.

Later that month Mr du got an e-mail saying your daughter has been selected for New Zealand's Next Top Model. It listed all the things Spike would need to bring and gave a date and flight number. Spike was so excited that he did the hula.

Two weeks later Mr du took Spike and his twenty one bags to the airport. He had to pay a huge baggage fee. Mr du went home and waited to hear how things would go. Spike was picked up at Auckland airport by a limo and taken to the Top Model house where he met the other models. They were surprised and excited to be sharing with a monkey.

Because Spike is a stuffed toy monkey, he can be either a boy or a girl. Spike thought that it would be best to dress as a girl. He fitted in very well, entertaining the girls with his tricks. He taught the girls how swing from the rafters and jump on the beds. He showed them his walk. Everyone was very impressed.

While the girls ate all sorts of healthy foods, like roast beef and dumplings, Spike filled up from the fruit bowl and always hide all the bananas under his bed.

The next day was the first challenge. All the models had to walk the catwalk wearing a fancy haute couture costume and carrying a handbag. Spike had brought a big bunch of bananas to eat while he was getting dressed, made up and waiting to go on. When he was called to go on he was nearly finished the bunch, so he quickly ate the last one, then stuffed all the skins in the handbag.

Spike was really excited. He wanted to make the audience cheer. First he did his walk, then he waved his hand and finally he decided to improvise with some special tricks. As he did his spins and twirls the banana skins came flying out of his open bag and landed on the run way behind him. Spike didn’t notice a thing until he heard the screams as the other models slipped and slid along the run way, diving onto the laps of the audience and crashing into the poles.

Everyone thought it was a marvellous show. The audience rose to its feet and cheered and cheered. They didn’t realise that it wasn’t planned this way. No-one was hurt and the designer was very happy with all the attention her collection was getting. The next day there was a big photo of Spike on the front of the fashion section of the newspaper. He said the designer had planned it all.

The next day however Spike was eliminated from the model house because the organisers thought he was too dangerous. Spike was happy to go home. He had his photo in the paper and he’d been the star of the catwalk. Mr du picked him up from the airport and he had banana cake for tea.