I've been having several conversations about Augustus Gloop and his family and their characterization with several people. And out of my boredom, I decided to turn some of the ideas that we came up with in those conversations into a little array of drabbles and ficlets. And because it's final summer vacation, I'm willing to take prompts for this as well as other drabbles involving other characters, so send me your ideas! Reviews would be very much appreciated~

A Loss

Like many deaths regarding old age, her death was expected and unexpected. Cared for so deeply by all the family, the murmur of her imminent passing was on everyone's mind; but when it actually happened it took the Gloops by surprise. Just like that, she was just gone.

She had been a humble little thing and she wasn't the prettiest, either. Nothing fancy about her and she might have needed something akin to a makeover towards the later days. Or at least something to mask some of her pungent odor.

When she sang, she rumbled and moaned, stubborn as a mule at some points. But she got the job done one way or another.

She sure had a large appetite. It was natural - she was theirs after all.

She wasn't fond of new technology either - she only liked to play cassette tapes. This of course meant she liked the oldies but goodies. She'd brighten up their days as she played outdated copies of the hits of the 80's, bringing Mr. and Mrs. Gloop back in their own personal time machine once they decided to dig some of their favorites out.

But no more "99 Luftballons"to carry them all away.

She was dead.

Bittersweetness followed the moments after they carried her away. Augustus watched as the truck pulled her down, down the road and then finally, turning the corner, out of site.

"We knew it was her time, anyway," Mr. Gloop said briskly. The mourning needed to be over with soon as possible because the shop opened in twenty minutes.

"I can't believe she made it this long," Mrs. Gloop mused, shaking her head. "How old was she, Dietrich? Twenty?"

"It's such a long time for a refrigerated truck to keep working," he said with a sigh. "But we needed a replacement for a long time."

"I'll check the newspapers if there's anyone selling theirs," Mrs. Gloop said as she and Mr. Gloop and their son went back inside their butcher's shop, ready to start a new day without their truck.

Their loyal meat truck.