Note: I would like to thank LoveofVelma for coming up with the title. I know this was an old story to me, but I decided to get it done so I hope you all enjoy this story!
One bright and sunny day, Chachi Arcola was up bright and early that Thursday morning. He remembered he had to be in town that morning at eight o'clock. His cousin, Fred Jones, had wanted to see him but he had no idea what Fred wanted to see him for. He ate breakfast first and then was out of the door. Before leaving, he left his girlfriend, Joanie Cunningham a note, telling her he would be gone for a while so he would see her later.
When Chachi arrived to Fred's office, he saw the time now was 8:20. Chachi told the secretary who worked for Fred and his partner to tel Fred he was there.
"Yes, Mr. Arcola," the secretary said to Chachi as she got up from her desk and disappeared for a couple of seconds and was back again.
"Mr. Jones is expecting you, Mr. Arcola. He said to enter his office right away," the secretary told Chachi.
"Thank you, ma'am," Chachi said and headed for Fred's office.
Once Chachi got to Fred's office, he knocked before entering. Fred opened the door for his younger cousin.
"Good morning, Chachi," Fred said as the two cousins hugged one another.
"Morning, Fred," Chachi returned as he walked into his cousin's office as Fred closed the door behind him.
"Why did you want to see me for?" Chachi asked.
"I have something for you, Chachi. My news is I'm retired from the private eye business. I'd like you to take over my business now. I'm giving you my office," Fred said.
"Do you really mean it that you're retiring? I don't even have a license to take over this place, Fred. You should know that," Chachi reminded his older cousin.
"I know that, Chachi. I'll help you get your license. Once you get it you can take over this agency," Fred told Chachi.
"Okay," Chachi said.
The two didn't say much after that.
"I'll let you know when I get my license," Chachi said on his way out.
Chachi walked back to his car and got out the car keys and unlocked the car and got into the driver's seat and started the engine. He turned on the radio and listened to some 90's music and drove away from the detective agency and headed back home. Joanie woke up finding Chachi gone. She saw his side of the bed empty. She thought she'd check the kitchen to see if he was there, eating breakfast or making it for the two of them.
"Chach?" Joanie called her boyfriend's name and got nothing once she entered the kitchen.
That's when she spotted Chachi's note on the kitchen table. It read: Joanie, I went to town to talk to my cousin Fred. He wanted to see me about something. I'll tell you about it when I get back Love, Chachi
"So that's where he went? He sure made me worried," Joanie said.
She thought she'd get dressed while waiting for his arrival. Chachi parked the car in the driveway and locked it as he headed for the front door to the house.
Chachi opened the front door and yelled, "Joanie, I'm home!" and shut the door behind himself.
He was greeted by the shower running.
"What kind of greeting is this? I don't get any 'Hi Chachis' or a kiss?" he asked himself.
"Oh, well. Wait till I get back at her. I'll come up with something," he said.
Joanie was rinsing her hair when she heard Chachi come home and yell hello to her. She knew she couldn't answer back because of the running water.
Once Joanie shut the shower water off, she got out off the shower and grabbed her towel. That's when she saw Chachi standing in front of her. Joanie screamed.
"Chach, you scared me! I'm not even dressed yet!" Joanie told Chachi.
"I know you're not dressed yet, Joanie. I just wanted to say hello and that I'm back from town," Chachi said.
"You can tell me when I'm dressed and when my hair's dry, okay? I'll see you when I'm through. Shoo!" Joanie said, pushing Chachi out of the bathroom.
Once in the living room again, Chachi said, "That wasn't very nice of her to shove me out like that."
Joanie came out into the living room five to ten minutes later, feeling freshed.
"Now that I'm dressed, I can give you a welcome home hug and kiss."
"Thanks, Joanie. I wanted that when I walked into the bathroom and all I got was a shove out," Chachi told her.
"You didn't deserve one then, but now you do," Joanie said and the two kissed.
"Aren't you going to tell me about your trip to the detective agency?" Joanie asked.
"I was going to. Thanks for bringing it up. Remember my and Fonzie's cousin, Fred?" Chachi asked.
"Kinda. What about him?"
"Fred told me he's retiring from the private eye business," Chachi told her.
"So? What about his partner, Barbie? Is she still there?" Joanie asked.
"She's still there. He's the one who's leaving, not her. Fred wants me to take over his office once he retires and share the agency with Ms. Smith," Chachi said, "and I told him I don't have a license and as soon as I do I'll take over and he can retire."
Joanie was so happy for Chachi that no words came out of her motuh and the only thing she could do was hug him.
"Aren't you going to say something? Aren't you proud of me, Joanie?" Chachi asked.
She still couldn't find the words to tell him how happy she was of him that he finally got a job so all she could think of right now was hug him.
Later that night, Chachi had a flashback how he and Fonzie (his cousin) met Fred for the first time. To tell the truth, Fred was a leader in the most famous detective group, Mystery Inc. Back when he and Fonz met Fred, the four friends had separated and wanted to work on their own, which made Fred go into the private detective career.
Flashback:
One morning in September of 1994, Cachi and Fonzie were sitting at a malt shop. It sure wasn't Arnold's they were hanging at, but this place was a popular malt shop. It had a lot of history there, so he and Fonzie thought they would check it out for themselves and see if Cousin Fonzie would find anymore people who were interested in Arnold's. No such luck yet.
"This is a neat place, Fonz," Chachi said.
"I know, Chachi, but it sure is different from Arnold's."
Chachi nodded in agreement.
Chachi watched as Fonzie pulled out a small photo.
"What's that, Fonz?" he asked.
"A photo I found in my apartment. I had a letter from my mother when I was a child but I found this very recently. Mom mentioned somewhere in her letter there was a relative I've never met. She somehow was related to a Mr. Jones. This is what her letter said:
'Dear Arthur,
I am writing you this letter. You may not know this but I would like to hope you will meet a relative you've never met before. The relative's name is Fred Jones. I used to be related to his mother, Peggy. It was always one of our dreams the cousins would meet together in person one day. It may happen for you when you're old enough to understand this.
This is his picture so you can have luck on trying to find him. I hear he's around your age but a bit younger, maybe a year or so. I hope you will both get along when or if you first meet. We always thought you and your family members would have something in common.
Love, Mom
"Looks like your mother didn't have much to say in the letter, did it?" Chachi asked.
"Guess not. This is the picture she left in her note," Fonzie said, handing the small photo of Fred.
"He does look a bit familiar. This picture was taken when you were little, huh?" Chachi asked.
"It looks like it but since we've followed him in the newspapers and television, he's changed a lot since when," Fonzie said to his younger cousin.
"Sounds like it. How many relatives do you have?" Chachi asked.
"How am I supposed to know? Grandma never said anything about it so I guess it's just me and this Fred Jones person," Fonzie said.
Chachi didn't say anything, but yes, Fonzie's grandmother was really kind and loving person.
Fonzie showed Chachi the little photo. In the old photo, Fred was wearing a white T – shirt with an ascot. He looked like he was starting to loose his teeth. His blonde hair was messy like it wasn't combed. The background showed it was in the outdoors on a chilly sunny day so Chachi and Fonzie saw the weather that day when the picture was taken looked like it was jacket weather.
The child Fred in the photo was wearing blue jacket was matching the blue pants. He also had an ascot. That's when Fonzie and Chachi kept the photo so they could be on the lookout for the older Fred Jones. Fonzie could tell this would be the same Fred Jones that was in the photo because he and Chachi had seen previous photos in the newspapers and television so he had grown up since then.
"I thought I'd bring this picture with us so we wouldn't get confused from the Fred now and the Fred then," Fonzie said.
"Are you going to show him this picture when we find him?" Chachi asked, scratching his chin.
Chachi did know it was a good question, so he had to ask it.
"I might."
Just ten minutes later, Fonzie and Chachi saw a blonde man with an ascot. He looked like he was bringing a folder or something with him but the two cousins couldn't tell to be sure. The two cousins could tell the blonde man didn't seem to pay any attention to their presence.
"I'm going over there, Chachi. I would like to find out if he knew we were here," Fonzie said.
"Good idea, Fonz."
Chachi watched as Fonzie headed to Fred's way. Fred was sitting about five tables away from them. Chachi couldn't quite tell what the blonde man was holding in his hand. Could be either a folder of a case he was working on or something else. He watched Fonzie march over to the table. Fred thought that he heard someone enter his table. That's when Fonzie cleared his throat so he could get Fred's attention.
Chachi kept watching the two. Chachi did think he was not interested in becoming a private investigator for a career but he had this feeling this was some work of a private investigator he and the Fonz have done. He'd never been a fan of private eye series or television shows, but he did know what a private eye did for a living.
He watched as Fonzie tap Fred on the shoulder. Fred jumped, startled.
"Hey," Fonzie said in a friendly tone of voice.
Fred looked at Fonzie.
"Who are you and what are you here for?" Fred asked.
Chahci watched as Fred pulled out a small – sized wallet that looked just like the ascot he was wearing.
"A cousin of mine and I were looking for you. We've seen you on television and the newspapers a lot. We thought we'd come and find you and meet you," Fonzie said.
"Interesting. I don't remember anything meeting with someone today."
"Neither did my cousin and me, but we thought we would find," Fonzie said.
"Somehow I don't recognize you," Fred told him.
"Hmm. Does this look familiar to you?" Fonzie asked, pulling the tiny photo from his blue pants.
"What's that?" Fred asked.
"A photo."
"I see that, but what kind of photo?" Fred asked as Fonzie handed him the picture.
"See for yourself," Fonzie said.
Fred could tell this guy he was talking to sounded tough.
End Flashback
When he finished the story, he said, "That's how Fonz and I met Fred."
"Wow. That was quite a story."
"You better believe it."