Disclaimer: Me know that I no own, so you no sue...That means everyone at CBS, Fox Fam, Bob Brush, and 3 Character Productions too.

Oh and of course a BIG thank-you goes out to the lovely and talented actor who brought Gary Hobson to life, Mr. Kyle M. Chandler. For without him, Shanesia Williams, and Fisher Stevens, I for one would have no one to play with. ; )

Spoilers: None really, except for the teaser of "Hot Time In The Old Town"--Deals with only this part of the epi. (Is a PRE-EPISODIC exploration.)  And a "small" one for "Fourth Carparthian".

Category: Humor (Who, me??? Yep. I'm crossing over from the dark side of the force for this one folks...so tell me was if it was a good idea, ok? :  )

Rating: PG to Mild PG-13 (You can decide better than I can.) <grin>

Summary: A little look at what Gary had been doing the day before the events of "Hot Time in the Old Town" occurred. You know, the one with all the rain, with him in the yellow Paddington Bear get-up...<grin>

WARNING: SILLINESS DOES ENSUE!!! YOU HAVE BEEN DULY WARNED.<GRIN>

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Fun in the Rain
by Snow'sLuckyCat (Sharma S.)

Trailer park mudslide, poodle down a storm drain!

As Chuck starts joking about the similarities between me and Paddington Bear, I debate whether or not to answer with a retort of my own, letting him have it for all the recent jests he's made at my expense...

The 'not' wins out, and I continue through the room, repeating the above thought for both he and Marissa's benefit as my explanation for being late.

       *

What could I have told him? This I ask myself as I trudge up the stairs. Knowing them, they'll both probably be downstairs, formulating what happened that'd got me so wound up anyway. Maybe they'll figure it out by themselves this time, hopefully...

But, they know me too well, and will probably just ask me in the morning, even if only to confirm their own thoughts. I even consider returning down to tell them. But, the shower halts me in my tracks. Now, normally I wouldn't give a shower a second thought and would wait till the next morning, but today I feel so damn slimy, that the stall practically beckons me toward it. I go willingly. : )

The shower is nice and hot, and, after having dealt with the cold outside and the equally dank underground, is a blessing. I let the water cascade over my head, face, then down to my broad shoulders...the sore one especially...

I breathe in the heady scent of the soap I'm using, though I have no clue as to what it is.

Rubbing a tired hand across my forehead, I cover my eyes eyes briefly, trying to shut out the harrowing events of the day. If only I hadn't had to go out in the rain, on a Sunday no less. I am tired and I wish that Cat would leave me alone for just one week. Hell, I'd even take a day, but I guess I'm too SPECIAL to lead a normal life, aren't I, Cat?

I sigh. That's all I can do really. Because tomorrow is a new day, complete with new stories to change, new lives to save or at least make better...

Soon, the sliminess of the sewer ebbs away, washing itself down the drain and out of sight. The only thing left to assure me that tonight's little adventure did happen is a dull ache in my left arm and shoulder. The reason for that reminder is simple: the poodle didn't want to get wet, and jumped into my arms like an excited child. Suffice to say, I'd fallen backward with the awkward extra weight, and cracked my shoulder against the side of the flooding tunnel, causing pain to stem up and down it like wildfire.

Thankfully, upon escaping the torrent within the enclosure, I was met by the dog's owners on the street above. They had witnessed me going in after their dog, FEFE (I should have known), and thanked me profusely. It was all I could do to get away...

The mudslide before had been an entirely different story though. No one had appreciated being waken from sleep and dragged out, by a complete stranger, into a downpour. But, when they saw the wall of mud sliding down toward their mobile homes for themselves, it became not a problem of rousing people up, but an issue of keeping them calm.

Luckily, no homes were severely damaged, and the story changed, from 'Several Injured In Mudslide Fray' to heralding 'Residents of Calgary Towne Trailer Park: The Lucky Ones During Late-Night Storm'.

I hadn't bothered to wait for any thanks from the mottled assortment of people in underwear, boxers, sweats, and bathrobes. I just hadn't. Besides, I'd still needed to make another stop, one that involved a certain canine...

So, by the time I'd gotten home, I not only had gotten cold and wet, but felt tired, sore, and pretty much bothered by the whole ordeal. And that was the reason I hadn't stopped to chat about the miserable time to my two annoyed, albeit waiting, friends. I just didn't care to share...

Reluctantly, I relinquish myself from the shower before I use up all the hot water. Immediately chilled, I hurry up and don a T-shirt and sweats, practically jumping and falling, simultaneously, onto my bed and under the covers.

The moment my head touches the pillow, I'm out like a light...

The last thought that consciously registers in my mind is hope that a certain orange-yellow tabby will give me a break on the morrow...

       *

MEANWHILE...

Chuck and Marissa were, as Gary suspected, preparing to discuss him what the events which had transpired earlier that evening might've been.

"I wonder where Gar is?"

"He must not have been joking around when he said he needed a shower and sleep", Marissa thoughtfully replied with a shrug.

"So, what do ya think happened?" Chuck started innocently enough.

"Oh, I don''t know, Chuck. It could've been anything."

The only reason they were even discussing the issue was the fact that neither had really heard Gary's reason for being so late and drenched from head to toe.

"I thought he said something about oddles of noddles soup...and a mudpie..."

"Righhttt...And I suppose you want me to believe that Gary went out this morning to save a cup of noodles from gettting dirty and wet? Really, Chuck...I thought you could do at least a little better than that..."

"So, if my explanation is so silly, then what's yours, o seer of future??? Huh. What's your big theory?" Chuck shot back.

"He said trailer park mudslide, P-O-O-D-L-E down a storm drain..." Marissa pieced together her friend's mumbling expertly.

"A poodle?!" Chuck spat out a mouthful of beer, bursting out into a loud laugh. "Our Gary was chasing down someone's pet ball of fluff...I can just picture it now. First, the monkey, and now this. What's our friend coming to? The Pet Crusader?!"

"Your guess is about is good as mine. I do hope he gets some rest though. It sounded like he needs that tonight."

"...I can see him now : Gary carrying a poodle afraid to get its paws wet in a sewer full of the stuff...HAHAHAHAHAHA....."

"That's funny, Chuck. Real Robin Williams material..."

"What?!"

"I think it's not funny, that's what. Gary could've drowned and here you are making cracks. Besides the owners were probably glad to have their pooch back..."

"I guess you're right...." Chuck said, though inwardly he was thinking *Party Pooper*.

"I'll be back, Marissa."

"Ok."

When Chuck had gone back into the main bar, a smile slowly spread itself across Marissa's face. Though blind, in her mind's eye, she imagined what her friend might've looked like with a prissy pink dog in his arms. And, she had to admit...It was pretty funny looking.

"He he he he...." She laughed quietly to herself for the next few minutes, a picture of Gary The Crusader in her mind, framed for all eternity there.

       *
               THE END

Email the author:  negotiator0417@msn.com
 

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