... Bugs Pond (our hero!) returning from the kitchen where he had gone to save Octopussy from sure slicing and dicing.
Bugs was empty handed, and looking forlorn.
Muffy made eye contact with Bugs. He stopped in his tracks, maintained eye contact for a few seconds, then dropped his gaze to the floor.
Muffy feared the worst, and began uttering a slow, woeful moan.
Erroll the hamster (aka: PEST Control) had risen from his chair as soon as he noticed Rusty Irons' recognition of the newcomer to the restaurant. Erroll walked directly over to where he could intercept the newcomer.
CLIMATE Control, whose group was enjoying lunch in a separate area of the restaurant, had also spied the baseball bat carrying newcomer. CLIMATE Control jumped up from his chair and hurried over to where he could also intercept the newcomer.
Precious, as astute as always, had noticed Rusty Irons tensing up when he recognized the newcomer. She counted the furrows in his worried brow, then asked "What's up, Rusty? Why the look of consternation?" Precious just LOVED to use those big words. She picked up that habit back in the orphanage when that nice English professor from the local Community College taught her how to use the appropriate words at the appropriate time. She had really enjoyed some of those verbiage lessons. Especially some of the private ones.
"What's up with all these baseball bat carrying newcomers?", thought Muffy.
Rusty explained to them that the newcomer was the ringleader in a subversive group of sports nuts. They belong to an internet group called "Online Users Teaming Against Homeruns", or "OUTAH" for short.
"OUTAH?", thought Muffy. "That's a weird acronym".
Rusty continued ... the leader of their group is, of course ... OUTAH Control. Their primary goal in life was to promote stellar defense in baseball games. And, since there's no defense for home runs, they were intent on passing legislation to outlaw them. Of course, Rusty Irons, being both a baseball fan and golf enthusiast, was dead set against that. "Another danged conspiracy!", he muttered. "And, since baseball is America's favorite pasttime, then ALL of America is somehow tied in to this sinister conspiracy to undermine our freedom."
Precious tried really, really hard to understand what Rusty meant ... but since she didn't understand the game of baseball, none of this made sense to her. All she knew is that when one of her male companions invited her to a game, she spent all of her time counting the people in the stands. As exciting as that is, she didn't see why it was any better than spending time down at the bus station. There were plenty of people to count there, too. She did have to agree, though, that it was fascinating to count strikes ... and even more so to count balls.
Muffy watched as PEST Control, CLIMATE Control, and OUTAH Control met in the middle of the restaurant and exchanged greetings. Their discussion centered around the venue of their next Control Knights' meeting.
Bugs motioned to Iggy, the Iguana. They both returned to the kitchen.
Muffy felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe Octopussy was still alive? |
