Hey StoryPirates podcast listeners, Lee here. Today's brand new story is dedicated to all of the picky eaters out there. Grunups, the StoryPirates are on tour in October. Come see your favorite StoryPirates songs live and improv based on ideas from kids in the audience all performed by some of the funniest StoryPirates we got. Starting October 4th, we'll be in Napa, California, San Francisco, California, San Jose, California, San Luis Obispo, California, Ketchum, Idaho, Kalispell, Montana, Missoula, Montana, Salem, Oregon and Boise, Idaho. Head to StoryPirates.com slash live to get tickets now. We'd love to see you. Today's brand new story coming up after a few more words for the Grunups. I'm very different from everybody. Tissue is the step for curiosity. Okay, that's a really funny idea. We have to send that in. I just get some joy when I hear other people giggling. I believe all of the things in that story. Human beings are just able to create the StoryPirates. Welcome back to the StoryPirates podcast. If you are a picky eater, then going out to eat at a restaurant can be complicated to say the least. But the picky eater in today's new story has an interesting strategy to get what they want. See what you think. Here's the author to introduce it. My name is Henry. I am 10 years old and I live in California. This is my story, Nuclear Spaghetti. Isn't this exciting, Jonah, my boy? A family dinner at the Grand Restaurant. The menu has over 1,000 items, so you're bound to find something you like. We know, we know, you're a picky eater. Oh, here comes a waiter. Welcome to the Grand Restaurant. Here is our menu. Wow, that is big. Over 1,000 items, something for everyone. I'll have the Sog Panier. Excellent choice. I'd like the Eggs Benedict. It's only the finest Hollandaise sauce. And for the young gentlemen, what would you like? My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. We know. Unfortunately, we do not have a Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered meatballs. But I'm sure you can find something you like from our menu. Why don't you take a look and I'll be right back. Jonah, please. We took you here because you weren't eating anything at home. And we are starting to worry about whether you're getting the right nutrients. If you would just try something, maybe you would learn that you like that too. So will you please try something off the menu? Please? My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. What? Hello, I heard screaming. Please stop. Are you ready to finish ordering? My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. Yes, well, as I said, we do not have Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. Perhaps you would like Non-Nuclear Spaghetti with Regular Non-Rocket-powered Meatballs? My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. You see what we're working with here? Well, what do we have here? A picky eater? Who are you? I was enjoying my fruit salad over there when I noticed that you were having a little trouble ordering your food. We sure are. My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. I've dealt with a few picky eaters in my day. I've got kids, grandkids, and a pure breadcat. Would you like me to help? We'd appreciate that. My pleasure. I'm going to use reverse psychology that always works on kids. Hi there, sweetheart. Are you enjoying this nice fancy restaurant? My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. Oh, well, did you know this restaurant makes a very special dish called macaroni and cheese? Oh, but kids aren't allowed to eat it here. I'm just going to set some down right in front of you and turn my back. Keep going. I think it's working. I'm not going to look at that big plate of macaroni and cheese, which kids are absolutely not allowed to have in this restaurant. He's picking up his spoon. My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. Oh, my gosh. Well, good and dog. Pardon me for interrupting, but I am the renowned child psychologist Dr. Kinder-Arbst. Oh, my gosh. I've read your articles. I was enjoying a delicious coconut curry a few tables over, and I could not help but notice you're having some issues with a picky eater. A case of pickyitis this severe requires hypnosis. Let me get out the hypnotizer. Is that an umbrella with a black and white swirl painted on it? Yeah, pardon pending. Now, young boy, look into the umbrella as I spin it. You are getting very sleepy. Your favorite food is no longer Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. You enjoy many items on the Grand Restaurant's gigantic menu, perhaps a steak tartare or vegetable lasagna or even chicken tender with French fries. Now, when I snap my fingers, you will wake up and order. Three, two, one. Jonah, are you ready to order? He's nodding his head, yes. Tell us. What would you like? My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. Oh, that's nice. Really? Well, this is a note in the literature. Hey! We heard you're having some trouble with a picky eater. Who are you? I'm just a guy about town and the whole town and I have been talking about how Jonah won't eat anything but Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. We're all here. Hello! Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Have a good day. Do you all have a reservation? Oh, we're not here to eat. We're here to perform a choreographed musical number to convince this kid to try something new. What? A five, six, seven, eight. Different days, you have different moves. That's why it pays to try new foods. Try new foods. Wow. That was incredible. I'm so excited. And this is dinner. I saw that one in Hammond. Impressive. Jonah, the entire town got together and performed a Broadway style, 11 o'clock number just for you. Do you think you could please? Please try a food that isn't Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs? My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. Oh, yeah. I feel like I need to step on the floor. I'll try her, so. I guess we should go home and figure out how to somehow cook Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. Wait just a darn minute. It's the chef. I've never seen him so angry. Look here, kid. I bust my keister to make over 1,000 menu items each and every night and not a single one is good enough for you. My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. Yeah, I heard. Well fine. You want Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs? I made it for you. Here it is. My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. Go on, Jonah. Eat it. How is it? Jonah? Oh my gosh. He's blasting off. Jonah! My favorite food is Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs. Our boy. Our boy got his Nuclear Spaghetti with Rocket-powered Meatballs and flew off into space. What do we do now? Well, there is the matter of paying the check. The end. Suck lemme. We'll be right back after a few words for the grown-ups. Hey, guess what? Season 8 of the StoryPires podcast is right around the corner and we need your new story, so right now is a great time to sit down and finally write that story that you've been thinking about. You know, that one. The one that's so weird, so silly, and so bizarre that it just makes you kinda giggle to yourself when you think about it. Remember, stories can be as short or as long as you want. And though we can't put every story we get onto the podcast, we do respond to every single story we receive. Stories can submit stories at StoryPires.com. We can't wait to read what you've been cooking up. That's it for today's episode. Thanks for listening and a big thanks to today's author, Henry. We'll be back next week with more brand new stories. Until then, stay creative and stay kind. Bye! The StoryPires podcast is a production of StoryPires Studios. Executive produced by Lee Overtree and Benjamin Salca. This episode was produced by Sam Baer, Peter McNerney, Andrew Miller, and Lee Overtree. Recording sound design and mixing by Sam Baer at the Relic Room in New York City. Theme song by Bobby Lord. Roll call theme by Andrew Barbada. Musical scoring by Jack Mitchell. Artwork by Camilla Franklin. Nuclear Spaghetti was adapted by Alexis Simpson and features performances by Sarah Morgan-Ashie, Andrew Barbado, Matt Cox, Brandon Zirco, Lindsay Ford, Peter McNerney, Megan O'Neill, and Tony Rodriguez. My favorite food is nuclear spaghetti with rocket-powered meatballs. Ha ha ha!
