Gobo laughed his greatest laughter at Travelling Matt's joke and he wasn't alone in the response.
Everybody in Fraggle Rock thought it was a pretty good 1 and their laughter proved it.
"Alright, everybody, settle down," said Travelling Matt right after a few minutes. "We need to figure out how that worked. "Who wants to offer an explanation? Gobo?"
"Well, Uncle Matt," said Gobo as a kind look formed on his face, "I would say that when you used the-"
Gobo's voice stopped suddenly and Travelling Matt's heart sank when he saw what happened next. A confused look of alarm formed on his nephew's face just as he gently touched his throat. Travelling Matt knew all too well what that gesture meant, he and most of the other Fraggles and Doozers had made it back in 1983 just before the original classic Fraggle Rock premiered on television.
"G-Gobo," he said silently to him. "y-you'd better go see the Fraggle Dr.."
Gobo silently nodded his head and with a look of incomprehension on his face, he headed right out the cave.
Travelling Matt looked after him for a few minutes right before turning depressingly back to the other Fraggles and saying, "Everybody back to playtime."
The Fraggles and Doozers looked right at Travelling Matt with shock at that announcement just as according to the Doozer's clock, playtime and work time wasn't even half over yet.
Nevertheless, they filed outta the cave, taking advantage of their newfound free time, all except for Mokey.
"Travelling Matt?" she asked him tentatively. "What's the matter with Gobo?"
"I can't say just yet, Mokey," said Travelling Matt silently. "But you'll know soon enough now."
Mokey looked at Travelling Matt with incomprehension for a few minutes right before she too filed outta the cave and headed for the Fraggle Dr.'s office to see what was troubling her good friend and 1 true love.
When she was gone out, Travelling Matt picked up his cell phone and punched in a certain number. "Storyteller Fraggle?" he said to him when the other Fraggle on the other end picked it up. "we've got a problem, I think Gobo just lost his voice."
When Gobo walked right outta the Fraggle Dr.'s office, he saw a worried looking Mokey waiting for him.
"Hi there, Gobo," she said to him with concern. "Are you feeling alright?"
Gobo smiled weakly at her and silently shook his head. He pointed futilly at his throat then his tear drops began flowing uncontrollably just as he silently wept without making 1 single sound.
"Oh dear." said Mokey as she rushed frontwards to embrace him. She knew
full well what Gobo had not been able to say meant and she did her best to help him out.
Right after weeping silently her right shoulder for a few minutes, Gobo stepped right back and looked inquisitively at Mokey.
"Would you like me to walk back to the cave with you?"
Gobo nodded then and taking Mokey's right hand in his own, they slowly
walked right back to Gobo's house.
When they got there, Gobo looked at Mokey with thankfulness in his eyes and gestured towards the cave's entrance.
"You wish to be alone for a little while?" she asked him.
All Gobo could do was nod, but it was enough.
Giving him an affectionate kiss on the forehead, she said to him, "I'll see you real soon, let me know if there's anything I can do to help you out."
Gobo nodded again depressingly right before turning slowly around and walking right into the cave.
The depressing news spread right through Fraggle Rock like wildfire 'cause the great Jerry Nelson, the 1st and original voice performer for Gobo Fraggle and many other Muppet characters passed away from natural causes at the age of 74 on Thursday, August 23, 2012 and his good friends were really broken up over it.
Gobo was the 1st Fraggle to ever face this problem and while the others were worried about him, they couldn't help but think about facing it themselves some other day.
Everybody in Fraggle Rock was also concerned, more outta sympathy over having been there though.
The passing of Jim, Jane and John Henson only a couple of years ago was still a heavy memory for most of them.
Junior Gorg who had lost his voice back in 1992 when Richard Hunt passed away from AIDS related complications at the age of 40, felt a super special sympathy over being the 1st Gorg so afflicted. They knew that as such it was an even harder blow for Gobo to bare.
Gobo sat right at his desk in his bedroom and let out a depressed silent sigh.
He got plenty of support and sympathy from his good friends, but it was still very difficult for him.
In any single event, he knew what he had to do and while he wanted to do it, he knew it would never be an easy task.
Going downstairs, he saw Red, Wembley and Boober waiting for him and ready to go.
"Now, Gobo," said Red fighting back the tear drops. "it's gonna be alright, we know this is hard for you and we'll do whatever we can to help you along."
"That's exactly right, Gobo," said Boober to Gobo. "are you ready to go right now?"
Gobo looked up at them and just as a faint smiling face tugged right on the corners of his mouth, he nodded and went out to the Fraggle Mobile.
It didn't take them long to reach their destination: Muppet World Studios, where a memorial service was being held in Jerry's memories.
Just as Gobo entered the main work room, he saw that it was filled with Muppet characters, all of them having come to honor Jerry's memories and to offer condolences to those of their fellow Muppet friends that were the most greatly impacted by his passing.
Being 1 of those so impacted, Gobo looked around to meet the gazes of his fellow mourners.
Count Von Count and Herry Monster were both huddled in 1 corner of the room and not moving around.
Pa Gorg was with Farley who was shedding silent tear drops.
Marjory the Trash Heap looked depressed just as she starred at a picture of Jerry hanging in the wall with all of the other voice cast members. Emmett Otter looked even more sorrowful than usual just as he mumbly shook hands with Fozzie's mother, Emily Bear and Mr. Johnson looked depressed just as he stroked his mustache and stared off into space.
These and all of the other Muppet characters that Jerry gave his voices to would smile weakly just as good friends and co-workers offered condolences.
Gobo made his way over to the others and he was relieved when they welcomed him to their circle without any hesitation, offering the silent condolences to him that they had already been sharing with 1 another.
Right after a while though, the others began eying him questioningly and he knew exactly what that meant.
As the best major Muppet character that Jerry gave his voice to, it was his responsibility.
Taking 1 deep breath to build up his courage and bravery, he walked right up to the podium, and tapped the microphone to get everybody's attention.
Just as the room was silent, Gobo took 1 long look over at the door to the room and just as 1 single tear drop came down his right eye, he said to them in a faint, unrecognizable whispering voice, "Goodbye, Jerry."
End of fan story sequence…
This story is dedicated to the loving memories of the great Jerry Nelson who originally performed the voices for Gobo Fraggle and many other wonderful Muppet characters over many years of voice performing.