After watching "Homer and Lisa Exchange Crosswords" for the 15th time, I couldn't help but feel sorry for Doreen and that other guy who got dumped by that alcoholic hypocrite known as Ms. Hoover. As an enthusiast for Simpsons romance, it's my duty that every character, major or minor, deserves love, even these two.

Man, Hoover rejected the one man who was blind enough to actually ask her to marry him. Looks like Edna ain't the only one who'll die alone. :P

"Now this next piece of news won't seem so bad," Homer Simpson told Doreen Maddison as they sat between a bar table.

"Is there something I should know about?" Doreen asked as she looked around the bar for her boyfriend whom she had no idea was

hiding behind the bar tender's table, awaiting the results of his announcing break-up.

Homer took a deep breath as he took her hands in his. "Well, there comes a time when two people who get to know one another and

start dating...suddenly, it seems like you feel like you hardly know the person anymore. And that's what Lenny finds in your

relationship."

"What?" Doreen asked softly, her heart twisting like a pretzel.

"Doreen," Homer began, "it's not that Lenny doesn't like you...he just thinks you could do so much better. I mean, SO much better."

Doreen pondered for a moment, reflecting on her previous dates with Lenny. Sure he was sweet, funny, and really nice...but it was

obvious there was no spark between them. He might as well have Carl in his life...like that hasn't already happened.

"You're right," Doreen said, standing up, "I can do better. His black friend can have him if he wants to."

"Excellent," Homer encouraged, "now you know your life is so much more meaningful without a guy like Lenny involved."

"Thanks for your help!" She told him as she dashed out the door.

"Way to go, Homer!" Lenny exclaimed as he jumped out from under the table. "But did you have to tell her I'm not worth it and

assume I was gay? I mean, it's bad enough your wife thinks so!"

"Hey, it's better than telling her how attractive you really are," Homer retorted.

Charlie Darwin could only watch in painful sadness as the message proposal on the giant screen slowly exploded and revealed the

words, 'she wants to see other people'. He could only stare at the screen, his heart shattering while Ms. Hoover took her hand away

from his delicate hold. Homer rushed to his side and comforted him.

It took Charles a few moments to regain reality. He looked over at Ms. Hoover, the woman he thought he was madly in love with, with

saddened eyes.

"But why?" He asked weakly.

Hoover sighed as she shook his head. "Don't take this the wrong way," she told him, "but you are a total dork." And with that, she

stood up from her seat and just left him to be comforted by Homer.

"Eliza, I-" Charles began, but was cut off by Homer.

"Forget about her," Homer told him, "she drinks more whiskey than Barney Gumble could in a week."

"But..." Charles's voice trailed off as he lowered his head, "it felt like she was the one."

"Hey, come on," Homer assured him, "you don't need her. I mean, you're snappily dressed, you still got hair, plus you work at...um,

where do you work at?"

"Springfield University," Charles answered, his sadness slowly seeping out.

"Springfield University?" Homer gasped. "Man, why spend your big bucks for someone like her?"

"Because I thought she was a woman I could love and start a family with," he answered incredulously.

"Oh, trust me," Homer told him, "you do not want her to be the mother of your kids. She can hardly teach a class, what makes you

think she can raise a family?"

It took Charles a few moments to let all this sink in. Suddenly, it dawned on him that he almost made a terrrible, life-changing mistake.

He stood up and shook his hands. "I can't thank you enough!" Charles told him. "Maybe the right woman for me is still out there!" And

with that, he walked off in the opposite direction Ms. Hoover had gone.

"I'd rather have donuts as a thank-you, if you don't mind!" Homer hollered to him.

It had been a week since the breakup, and Doreen was doing fine with her life; her heart still ached, though. Working as a nurse,

tending to Dr. Hibbert's orders and playing with sick, but happy, children, the breakup was still plagued in her mind as well as deep

within her heart.

She had came over to Homer Simpson's house to bring him a gift of thanks for help in making the aftermath of the break-up seem

easy. She was surprised to find that Homer had stopped doing the breakup business and was now assisting his children in selling

popular lemonade.

The same following day, Charles had came to the house shortly after Doreen left. He decided to give Homer a box of donuts as a gift

for helping him go through the painful breakup...which was still aching him badly. As a former teacher of Springfield Elementary, he

should've known better than to date Elizabth Hoover.

To ask Edna Krabappel...certainly not.

Charles sighed as he entered the National Museum of History. As a fan of the wonders of evolution as well as a teacher of it, Charles

loved to talk about it and express his opinions of it, which must have been a reason to why Ms. Hoover had dumped him...

Charles heart still ached after what had happened that crucial day. Hoover's last words to him, and they were far from pity. It was

more of an insult, a discouragement toward him.

But being at the museum, it took his mind off her and back to basics on the wonders of scientific history. Grabbing a nearby brochure,

he observed to see where the new hall of possible biblical eras was. He was so engrossed in the brochure, he had no idea where he

was going.

"Oof!" he exclaimed as his harm bumped into another one.

"Sorry," said the woman.

"No, no," he told her as he brushed himself. He looked up to see who he had bumped into...his heart stopped.

"Um, sir?" The woman asked carefully as he looked at her. "Are you alright?"

"Wha-?" Charles shook his head. "Forgive me, miss. I'm Charles. What's your name?"

"Doreen," the woman replied.

"Nice to meet you," Charles said as he extended his hand to her.

Go to my Deviantart page, cartuneslover16, to see more Simpsons couples such as this one. :)