Veruca and the Chocolate Factory

Veruca Salt had been to all kinds of factories: bread factories, purse factories, pencil factories, fake Christmas tree factories. But never had she ever been to a chocolate factory. She had passed this particular chocolate factory countless times with the "Wonka" sign lighting up the smoke that came from the factory chimneys and fantasize about all the magical and mundane on-goings that happened in the mysterious factory. To her, Willy Wonka's chocolate factory was a magical world inside our own world, a little piece of heaven that excluded everyone but god himself. Willy Wonka, Veruca thought, the mysterious chocolatier. At every thought of the man, Veruca imagined him, face in the shadows, in the factory surrounded by pounds of chocolate of every kind. She had never even seen his face before.

Unlike most traditional stories, this doesn't start with a poor hero or a dashing youth. Not at all. This story begins quite differently. Truthfully, honestly . . .

It all began with peanuts.

"Salt's Peanuts," that is. Her family own a chain of peanut factories making them the most wealthy family owned companies in the city. Her family, meaning her mother and father, were all about peanuts, they lived and breathed - and ate - everything peanuty. Her mother collected porcelain peanut figurines and would spend hours going about the mansion wondering where to place her new one. Whenever Veruca met someone new at the many parties her family attended, the very first question her father would ask would be "Do they fancy peanuts?" She would usually follow that question with the roll her brown eyes and an "I don't know, father. I failed to mention it while we conversed between cashews and hazelnuts."

She hated peanuts.

It was her deepest, darkest secret and would most likely bring her parents to ruin if they ever found out. Being the only child of the Salt's, she will be the one to take up after her father and run the "Salt's Peanuts" company. When that day would come, it would be, without a doubt, the worst day of the rest of her life. Since she was born, she had been looking for a way out of the peanuty business. When Veruca was seven years old she asked her mother if she did have any other options besides running the factory. Surprisingly, her mother replied, "Yes," she said, "Marriage." In other words, "Yes, as long as you get a rich man to run business for you." Not exactly what Veruca had in mind. So since then, she had been attending every wealthy party in the city in hopes she may, somehow, secretly find a way out of "Salt's Peanuts."

The latest party she attended was her own birthday party. She had just turned fourteen. Her mother ordered for her the finest blue silk cocktail dress and party shoes. Many boys from her private school were invited, and she was now at that age where her peers couldn't take their eyes off her long brown curls and smooth skin. She was now old enough to be getting noticed, but not nearly old enough to be getting really "noticed." She was still awaiting for any marriage proposals that were yet to come. But her parents were not going to let their daughter marry just any millionaire. No, sir, they will only arrange her with the most wealthiest, most connected, most debonaire, whatever the heck that means, man. What scared Veruca slightly was her parents took no regard to the age of the man she might marry. She always shivered at the thought of being matched with a wrinkled sixty-year-old bachelor. She cringed when she imagined having to kiss such a man, so much as having to sleep next to him!

It was during Veruca's fourteenth birthday party when the greatest news was announced around the world, and would change her life forever. She was in the middle of opening her usual birthday case of Wonka bars, without peanuts, when a group of boys attending her party came running into the ball room.

"Wonka is letting people into his factory! Willy Wonka is letting people in!"

Every guest caught their breath as the boys explained further. Veruca felt the chocolate bars slip from her fingers as she listened.

"Only five people are allowed in, but you have find a golden ticket that are hidden in his chocolate bars."

"Just five!" Another boy remarked. "It says on the news! And the five winners get a prize beyond imagining from Wonka himself!"

It was then that every pair of eyes drifted to the case of Wonka bars Veruca had opened before her. She gulped. Right when she thought they might all leap at her like animals, Father thankfully spoke up, grabbing their attention.

"Are you sure boys?" He shouted, his portly face going red with excitement. Every boy nodded and then whoops of joy could be heard shouted from the streets outside the Salt mansion."Nuts!" Her father remarked, stepping closer to Veruca's case of Wonka bars."The whole world's going to go insane over this! Only the wealthiest would be able to win!"

Veruca's mother stepped up to Father, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Dear, you don't mean-"

"Oh, yes, I do." Her father replied, his voice rising. He spun to face Veruca and pointed a thick finger at his daughter. "Our Veruca Salt is going to win! She is the only one in the world who deserves that prize beyond imagining! Only our Salt deserves the best!"

"But the whole world will be looking, dear." Mother said behind tight lips. "Shouldn't we get her hopes up?"

"But think of the media, my little walnut, all of the attention she will get. She would surely catch the eye of a wealthy business man."

Of course, Veruca thought, suppressing a grimace, it's all about finding her a rich man.

"Hm, yes, that is true." Mrs. Salt titled her head, and scrutinized her daughter. Then she said as though Veruca were not there, "But suppose she doesn't want to."

"Of course she wants to!" Mr. Salt replied, despite the fact that Veruca had been silent the whole time. This was nothing new, her parents always made her decisions for her. But this time she was in for a surprise. Her father actually looked at her and asked, "Don't you, Veruca?"

Her mouth hung open in silent reply. The first thought that crossed her mind was "YES! Of course I want to!" But for once, she was speechless. All of her wildest dreams could come true if she accepted. She would finally be able to see the face of the man that was god of her favorite thing, chocolate. A man of something so sweet and powerful must be exciting and eccentric. Willy Wonka would, no doubt, be a joy to meet. But what if she doesn't get the golden ticket? What if she never gets "noticed," or what if she never gets married? At this moment her future hung in the balance. If she accepts, she will change her life forever, for better or for worse.

Veruca bit her lip, looking away from the crowd of people that stared at her and her case of chocolates in awe. As her father's intense gaze and her mother's pleading one stared her down, only one thought popped in her mind.

What have I got to lose?