Woody held his trusty Doodle Pad in his hands. The magnetic center still worked, as his handwriting scratched all over the surface could attest to, but the blue and yellow cardboard edges were becoming worn and frayed. He knew it wouldn't be long until Mom threw it out and he would have to scrounge up a replacement.
Right now though, he and Buzz were reviewing for the upcoming Staff Meeting. "So after New Business, we open the floor for five minute discussion."
"Is that five minutes total discussion or five minutes for each thing discussed?"
HOOONK!
Woody shrieked at the blast in his ear, jumping in fright. He whipped around to see Jessie, holding Andy's brass bicycle horn. She grinned as she squeezed the bulb. HONK-A-HONK!
"Jessie!"
Clutching the horn close, she spun on her heel and ran, laughing loudly. Woody huffed as they watched her. "Lord, she can be so…Never mind, where were we?"
He looked at Buzz. The Ranger's mouth was twitching, as if he were fighting some urge. "What? Don't tell me you find that funny."
"What? Who me?" Buzz coughed and looked away. "No of course not."
"It's not funny."
"Completely immature."
As Woody held up the Doodle Pad again and started to review, Buzz avoided eye contact. He started to knit his fingers together, twisting his thumb while biting his lip.
Woody put down the Pad. He sighed. "Buzz…"
HOOONNNKK!
For the second time in five minutes, Woody jumped and screamed in fright. "QUIT IT!" he yelled at Jessie behind him.
There was a muffled choke. Both Cowtoys looked toward the sound. Buzz had covered his mouth with his hands, futilely trying to suppress the snorts and snickers coming out of his face. His shoulders had begun to vibrate.
"Uh, Buzz?"
Buzz broke. Doubling over, he began to laugh hard, gasping for air in between hooting hysterics. When he finally straightened up back up, he was calming down, but still chuckling under his breath.
Woody looked sourly at Jessie. "You just think you're so cute, don't you?"
"Cute and lovable," she said sassily. "Right Buzz?"
"I love her," Buzz murmured dreamily. The other two stared at him and he turned red. "I, uh, I gotta go…"
Woody and Jessie watched as the Ranger bolted across the room, head ducked down. "You broke him," said Woody.
"I know," said Jessie. She pulled her braid over her shoulder and began to play with it. "Woody," she said almost shyly, her eyes fastened to the floor. "There's somethin' I gotta tell you," she said quietly. "Somethin' important."
Woody looked concerned. "What?"
Jessie stared at him with her big green eyes. Then she put the Bike Horn in his face. HOONNNKKK!
As she ran, taking a merry leap in the air as she did, Woody sighed. At least it wasn't an air horn…