The Big Day Arrives

           Thesunwasshiningbrightlyonthemorningofthebigday,butthegroundwasstillwhitewithsnowandtheairwasverycold. 

           OutsidethegatesofWonka’sfactory,enormouscrowdsofpeoplehadgatheredtowatchthefiveluckyticketholdersgoingin. Theexcitementwastremendous.Itwasjustbeforeteno’clock.Thecrowdswerepushingandshouting,andpolicemenwitharmslinkedweretryingtoholdthembackfromthegates. 

           Rightbesidethegates,inasmallgroupthatwascarefullyshieldedfromthecrowdsbythepolice,stoodthefivefamouschildren,togetherwiththegrown-upswhohadcomewiththem. 

           ThetallbonyfigureofGrandpaJoecouldbeseenstandingquietlyamongthem,andbesidehim,holdingtightlyontohishand,waslittleCharlieBuckethimself. 

           Allthechildren,exceptCharlie,hadboththeirmothersandfatherswiththem,anditwasagoodthingthattheyhad,otherwisethewholepartymighthavegotoutofhand. Theyweresoeagertogetgoingthattheirparentswerehavingtoholdthembackbyforcetopreventthemfromclimbingoverthegates. ’Bepatient!’criedthefathers.’Bestill!It’snottimeyet!It’snotteno’clock!’ 

           Behindhim,CharlieBucketcouldheartheshoutsofthepeopleinthecrowdastheypushedandfoughttogetaglimpseofthefamouschildren. 

           ’There’sVioletBeauregarde!’heheardsomeoneshouting.’That’sherallright!Icanrememberherfacefromthenewspapers!’