Author's Name: Jolly
Title of Story: Pants to Fill, Time to Kill
Type of Story: AU
Rating of Story: PG-13 Characters in Story: Joe and Frank and FentonWarnings: Just an extremely simple moment in the lives of our favorite brothers.
Plot Blurb: How long does it take to solve a mystery? Just as long as you have a little time to kill…
Splash Page: None
Special Notes:
This was written for a friend and also for my old love of playing Logic Problems. Yes, there is a logic problem embedded in this story, so for those who are game enough, you can actually play it! The solution is given at the end of the story by the Hardys.
Thanks again to JD for her fantastic work, and for pointing out a little glitch in the stitches – Thanks!
Pants to Fill, Time to Kill
By Jolly
It is a lovely Sunday afternoon and you are sitting at the back of your father's car as he drives down to Chan's Professional Tailor just off Baker Street. Your father is heading there to collect his business suit and your mother's fancy dress for a friend's wedding tonight. You and your older brother Frank have decided to tag along. There is, after all, nothing better to do that afternoon since all your friends are away somewhere. There is time to kill.
And it is never boring following Dad around. There is always something new for Dad to point out, to teach, and for Frank to explain later. You wriggle excitedly in the back seat, stretching your neck to make sure you have a good view of everything rushing past your car window.
You sigh and wish that you could have followed some of your friends to summer camp too. But you are too young, only eight. You have to be at least nine to go for those outdoor camps. That is just so unfair! you grouch. Not all eight year olds are kiddies and you know some ten year olds that behave like they were five.
Not your brother of course! you amend as you throw your brother an admiring glance. Frank may be only nine, but he is as smart as any adult. And Frank knows everything! Really! Big brother Frank never fails to give you a logical answer to any of your questions. And Frank is the best big brother one can have. Unlike all other big brothers who went to camp leaving their younger sibling behind, Frank chose to stay behind with you.
And Dad – Dad is the greatest dad in the world. He is a detective, and the best detective out there. He even had to go to the White House once to meet with a very important person…yes, the President. You are so proud of your dad. When you grow up, you want to be just like him, catching the bad guys and saving the good guys. The best part is you know that Frank has exactly the same dreams as you do.
You are the luckiest boy in Bayport, in New York, and in the whole world!
Then the car turns into a driveway and slows to a stop. You eagerly open the door and step onto the pavement right next to your big brother. Together, you follow Dad into Chan's Professional Tailor.
"Ah Mr. Hardy, your stuff are ready, if you please wait a moment." A cheerful voice with an Asian accent carries over the counter.
"Sure, Mr. Chan," your father responds, and then turns to tell you and Frank in a clear and firm voice, "Stay close, and stay out of trouble."
You return your father a wide-eyed look full of innocence, and he laughs. Frank shakes his head, a long-suffering expression on his face.
"Don't worry Dad, I'll keep him in line," Frank says in a tone filled with self-importance so typical of big brothers.
But you know Frank does not mean that, not really. Frank is not that type of a big brother. You shoot him a mock scowl so fierce it brings a tiny smile to his playfully serious countenance. All the while, you know Dad is watching with an indulgent look on his face.
That playful family moment is interrupted by a loud commotion coming from behind the counter. Dad signals to you and Frank to behave then heads back of the counter.
You and Frank follow, of course. You see Mr. Chan admonishing his two female helpers in a loud voice and looking very irate.
"Is there any problem I can help you with?" your father enquires.
That is your dad, always helping people. You puff up with pride, happy to be the son of such a good man.
"Ah Mr. Hardy. These two girls, Nina and Mina, mess up my order receipts! And misplaced my record log! And these four are my best and oldest clients too! Now I don't know which order of pants belongs to whom, and the tailor need to know today too!" Mr. Chan wails in despair.
"Ah, sounds like you have a little mystery here!" your father says.
Your ears perk up at the mention of the word 'mystery'. You notice your brother's eyes lighting up too.
"What am I to tell the tailor?" Mr. Chan continues. "And none of my VIP clients are picking up their phones at the moment…"
You watch your father give Mr. Chan a sympathetic look before turning to the girls.
"It's okay; let's see if we can still work out what belongs to whom," your father says to them in a soothing tone. "Mr. Chan, what are the four items and who are they for?"
"There are four pants of size of four different colors: blue, green, black, and yellow. There are four different sizes: 30, 32, 34, and 36. And are to be made from four different materials: cotton, linen, polyester, and silk. And the four clients are Mr. Ford, Mr. Dean, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Hall. All these orders of pants…and how can I tell who orders what?" The Chinese man continues with his melodramatic wailing.
You wish he would stop his melodrama as it is really getting on your nerves and that is not helping him solve the problem in any way. And you are starting to think even adults can behave like five year olds. Your dad is speaking again, and you quickly return your full attention to his words.
"Now, Nina, Mina, is there anything you can remember about the orders at all?" You watch your dad ask the girls.
They look a little fearful, but that is to be expected after the mouthful they just received from the cranky Mr. Chan, you think. But after a while, and some gentle and persistent words from Dad, they start to talk.
"I remember that Mr. Ford said he wanted his yellow," Mina murmurs, so softly you can barely hear. "And Mr. Dean chose to have his made of pure cotton."
"That's very good, Mina." Your father praises her then turns to face Nina with an encouraging smile. "What about you, Nina, can you remember anything else?"
"I remember that the person who chose green color has a size 34 waist," Nina slowly replies as she concentrates on remembering. "Mr. Brown is definitely a size 32 waist, and I remember the blue color order is definitely one size larger than the linen order."
"That's very good, Nina!" your dad tells her and turns his attention finally back to Mr. Chan. "Both Mina and Nina have fantastic memories, Mr. Chan. Now, can you remember anything else that might be useful?"
Mr. Chan looks a little flustered as he answers, "I only remember that the smallest size order, which is the one with the size 30 waistline, is to be made of silk…do you have enough information to work on, Mr. Hardy?"
Mr. Chan looks hopefully at your father.
"I believe so," your dad says, and then turns to you and Frank.
Yes! You exult. He is going to let us help! You stand up straighter next to your much taller big brother.
"What do you think? Frank? Joe?" your dad asks.
"Well, if the pair of green pants is size 34, then it clearly can't be for Mr. Ford, who ordered a pair of yellow pants. Nor can it be for Mr. Brown for he is size 32," Frank starts off his analysis.
"Very good, Frank." Your dad praises your brother, who turns pink with pride at those words. "And what do you think, Joe?"
"I think Mr. Ford ordered a pair of yellow pants made of silk and he is the smallest size one…am I right? Am I?" you gush out, your eyes glued to your dad's face.
Your father smiles at you and shakes his head indulgently. You feel crestfallen.
Are you wrong?
"You are correct Joe, but how did you arrive at that conclusion?"
You open your mouth to answer, but for a long while, no words come out of your throat. You really have no idea how to explain, but you know that the yellow one has to be the smallest….
"I know that green can't be the smallest size, and since blue is one size larger than something else, it can't be blue either so it has to be either yellow or black," you finally mumble self-consciously, and then finally turn to your big brother for help.
"That's correct, Joe," Frank says, and your face lights up in a smile. "Go on, you're doing very well," Frank says encouragingly.
You take in a deep breath before continuing, "I know that the smallest pair of pants order is for silk, so Mr. Dean cannot have the smallest pants since his order is for cotton. And it cannot be Mr. Brown because Mr. Brown is size 32. So either Mr. Ford or Mr. Hall ordered the smallest size pants."
You chew your lips and sneak a peek at your dad, who gives you an encouraging smile.
"Very good, Joe," your dad praises you and you feel really proud of your accomplishment so far. "Go on…" your dad prompts you, and suddenly you feel a little anxious. You realize you have no idea how to continue.
"The blue pair is one size larger than the linen one…" Frank whispers into your ear. You shoot him a grateful smile.
"Since the blue color pants is one size larger than the linen, and linen cannot be the smallest since silk is the smallest, that means linen is at least the second smallest. If linen is at least the second smallest, then blue is at least the third smallest. But since green is the third smallest, that means that blue is the largest, and since linen is one size smaller than blue, that means that the green pants is to be made from linen is the third smallest…so Mr. Brown cannot have ordered green linen pants since he is size 32, neither can Mr. Ford because he ordered yellow pants. And that leaves Mr. Ford with the smallest sized order since he ordered yellow, not the largest blue or third smallest green, and Mr. Brown is the second smallest size…"
Suddenly your voice starts to fade off as you start to just feel totally confused. The line of logic is working out yet breaking down. This is just far too long and bothersome! What's the problem with them, can't they see the solution is so clear?
"… and his pair of pants is to be made of silk." You finish in a huff. "And I can tell you that Mr. Brown, who is the size 32, is also the one who ordered the black polyester pants, Mr. Hall ordered the size 34 green linen pants, and that leaves Mr. Dean with the order for size 36 blue cotton pants."
You stand there and dare your dad or Frank to refute you. You look at the amused expressions on their faces, then the opened-mouth ones on the girls' faces, and then the contemptuous one on Mr. Chan's face.
"I may be only eight, but I know I am totally right," you tell your audience in a firm and loud voice, and even stomp your foot for emphasis.
"Now, Mr. Hardy…" Mr. Chan starts to comment but your dad interrupts him saying, "Joe has all four orders sorted out correctly for you, Mr. Chan."
You watch Mr. Chan's shocked expression at your dad's declaration with much satisfaction.
"Would you like me to explain the reasoning, Mr. Chan?" your dad asks politely.
"Yes…please…" Mr. Chan stutters.
"Dad, can I try?" your brother Frank asks.
You watch your father give a smile and nod and Frank takes up the explanation bit.
"The green pair of pants is size 34, so the linen one cannot have been size 32 or 36; the size 30 pants were to be made of silk, so the linen one must be green and size 34; and thus, the blue one must be size 36. Mr. Dean ordered the cotton pants according to Mina; the linen one cannot be ordered by Mr. Ford who ordered yellow or Mr. Brown who ordered a size 32, so it must have been ordered by Mr. Hall. So we now know the color or size of pants ordered by Mr. Brown, Mr. Ford, and Mr. Hall. Therefore the order for size 36 blue pants must have been placed by Mr. Dean, and that is to be made from cotton. Finally and by elimination, Mr. Ford's yellow pants must be the size 30 silk ones, and Mr. Brown's size 32 pants must be the black polyester ones." Frank concludes his analysis.
You stare at your big brother in awe. His ability to structure his thoughts so clearly never fails to amaze you. You can only wish that you could do the same.
It is also clear to you that Mr. Chan is very impressed with Frank's performance, and that he is currently eyeing you with a speculative gleam in his eye.
You watch as your dad writes the answers down on a piece of paper as Frank was running through his commentary.
Mr. Dean size 36 blue cotton pants
Mr. Hall size 34 green linen pants
Mr. Brown size 32 black polyester pants
Mr. Ford size 30 yellow silk pants
Then your dad passes that piece of paper to a very grateful Mr. Chan, who promptly rewards both you and Frank with a handful of chocolates, which you stuff into your own pants pocket.
"Come on, boys, it's time to go home," your dad calls out as he collects his suit and Mom's dress and turns to walk out of the door.
As you turn to follow Dad out of the shop to the car, you realize that whenever there is time to kill, there are always pants to fill…with the rewards from solving the little mysteries in life.
THE END