H Is For Howard Wolowitz
The Pasadena street carnival radiated energy and excitement, and Howard Wolowitz urged his friends to hurry, anxious lest they miss any fun. "Quick, now, and get through the crowd. If we hurry we will enjoy front row seats for the magic show."
"Really, now," Sheldon complained as he tripped on a piece of loose pavement. "I daresay this magician's bag of tricks could trace its roots in a small child's magic book. It is therefore not necessary to kill ourselves to get there."
Adjusting his glasses, Leonard frowned at Sheldon and hissed in annoyance, "Stop with that and quit putting down Howard's activity. You know how excited he is about this, Sheldon. Just let him have some fun for once without destroying the anticipation, ok?"
"Yeah," Penny added, examining the contents of her purse with a critical eye as she walked. "He went to your choice, Sheldon, the Gravity exhibition, the very first thing when we arrived today. Actually, we all did, and stayed even though it had no entertainment value. And I do mean it had zilch in the entertainment department."
She pulled out her bright pink lip gloss and applied it as she hurried along.
Secretly in agreement, Raj smirked at her assessment but Sheldon turned and scowled at Penny.
Howard pushed eagerly forward, choosing to ignore any verbal hindrances to his fun.
The group had gotten to the Carnival when it opened, and each had chosen one favored event for the group to experience together. Besides the gravity exhibit, they had visited the petting zoo, Penny's selection, and spent time in the arcade to satisfy Leonard.
After the magic show they would deal with Raj's selected choice, but he had mysteriously opted for his to be last in their day's roster.
Leonard and Penny exchanged glances at they walked. Leonard nodded conspiratorially towards Howard and the couple smiled. This had turned into a well needed distraction for him, having just been dumped by a girl he had managed to date for three consecutive weeks.
His moping had overshadowed all of his interaction with the group since the devastating breakup.
This Carnival arrived at a perfect time, and had succeeded in capturing his interest and getting his mind off of the young woman's rejection for a few sweet hours.
Thanks to Howard's haste, they managed front row seats for the show and were generous in congratulating Howard for insisting they locate the arena and pinpoint their places early.
It was hard not to get more excited as fellow viewers began to fill the rest of the empty seats. Chatter revolved around what possible sleights of hand the audience would see in the next few minutes.
As soon as the others sat down Sheldon jumped back up and scurried from one side of the seating area to the other. His friends rolled their eyes at the activity, then quickly ignored him, hoping that other attendees would not connect his embarrassing behavior to their group.
The security guard near the entrance chose the opposite reaction and ordered Sheldon back to his seat, refusing to listen to his complaints of germs from strangers contaminating the only seats available for viewing.
Practically jumping up and down in his seat with little boy like excitement, Penny could not help smiling at Howard's unrestrained glee.
Who could manage to resemble such an excited adolescent at his age, post college, other than Howard?
The vacant seats filled quickly and the much anticipated magic show began on time.
Despite their pragmatic natures, Leonard, Howard, and Raj lost themselves in the excitement of each trick performed by the resident magician. Even Sheldon appeared to enjoy himself, and Penny proved almost as enraptured an audience member as Howard.
They oohed and aahed and stared wide eyed at feats designed to shake up their perceptions of reality.
When the show concluded almost an hour later, the lead magician spread his red cloak, put an arm around his pretty assistant, and gave a quick rundown of other activities the spectators might enjoy.
Much to the shock of Wolowitz's friends, the illusionist pointed straight at Howard with a glitter encrusted scepter. "I have a message for you, young man, a communication that you are to proceed immediately to the Gypsy tent to the right of the arena entrance. Madame Monique insists that it is imperative she read your palm and share with you some crucial information before the sun sets today."
Howard practically swelled with the attention, and his friends slapped him genially on the back and urged him to hurry and follow the instructions.
The group jumped up and Howard puffed out his chest and pivoted to regard them.
"Where will all of you be when I get done?" he asked as the group made its way to the exit. "Never mind, I'll come find you."
Raj leaned over and whispered to him, and Howard nodded thoughtfully. "Ok, then, I will just make my way to the caricature booths when Madame Monique is finished. I wonder if she plans to ravish my body after she lays open my soul." He chuckled, pleased at the opportunity to inject humor in a situation which actually un-nerved him a bit, despite his sudden celebrity status.
"Doubtful," Sheldon replied, "doubtful that she'll put a finger on you since she dabbles in the art of hocus pocus."
"Sheldon, stop it!" Leonard ordered, wringing his hands. "Let Howard have his good time without sucking out all of the fun."
Penny chimed in, "Yeah, try not to ruin Howard's entertainment, Sheldon. Be a party pooper some other time."
Sheldon glared at the others but refrained from making any further disparaging remarks.
Leaving Howard at the Fortune Teller's booth with some parting words of advice, the rest headed to the picture area of the venue. Raj wanted a caricature drawn of himself, and Leonard agreed to pose, as well.
Sheldon and Penny declined any drawings, but planned to watch.
Three quarters of an hour later Howard joined them, his expression so thoughtful and calm that it unnerved them.
Instead of immediately babbling all that he'd experienced, he rubbed his chin as they crowded around and demanded details of his solitary appointment. Despite their impassioned pleas, he refused to divulge any details until they left the carnival for good.
Not sure how to react, the others declared it was time to leave.
Once they exited, though, he proved very eager to share the highlights of his visit. Madame Monique had accurately described his mother and could even imitate her voice. Further, she described his home in some detail, and even named furnishings in his bedroom.
Before he spoke a word to the Gypsy, he reported, she had determined he was Jewish and worked at Cal Tech.
Incredibly, Madame Monique had only erred on one fact, his occupation. She had insisted he was an astronaut who would rocket to the moon within the next four years.
Howard shook his head.
Sheldon responded to that last tidbit with incredulous facial expressions and gestures, while the others laughed at the idea of their Howard orbiting in space.
Howard bristled and became defensive at their reaction, responding in annoyance that his so called posse certainly needed to learn what supporting a friend meant.
Rubbing his forehead he added, "Listen, though, she also told me I would meet a pretty blond girl and would have a long, long relationship with her."
Penny immediately reacted to that admission by sucking in a breath, "Don't even go there, Howard. You know I don't want you as a romantic interest. Believe me, it's difficult enough just trying to be your friend."
"Don't flatter yourself," he retorted, quickening his pace. "Madame Monique assured me that my Princess Charming will be just that- charming. That knocks you off the list."
Leonard laughed at the clarification and Penny elbowed him, then grinned and winked at Howard.
Raj leaned down and whispered to Howard, who nodded emphatically and replied loudly enough for the others to enjoy, "Correct, Raj, without a doubt you could call my solo-without-any-of-you- cramping-my-style-meeting with Madame Monique a super duper win for future astronaut and lover of a gorgeous blond woman, Howard Wolowitz!"