Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.
The First Year
The Traffic Jam
Arnold and Helga are on their way to visit his parents and get stuck in traffic and try to pass the time...singing.
Late June
It was a sunny Saturday in Hillwood and Arnold and Helga Shortman were on their way to the Boarding house to visit his parents and grandparents. Mikes and Stella had recently taken a trip to San Lorenzo to visit Eduardo and his family and they wanted them to watch the vacation video from their trip.
Unfortunately, the happy married couple had been caught in a traffic jam and they were still quite a long way from the Boarding House.
"Criminy!... I knew that we should have left early.." Helga said as she saw the many cars ahead of them.
"Helga, early or not, we couldn't have predicted a police detour..."Arnold said to his wife.
He and Helga actually lived just about 15 minutes away from the Boarding House by car, and they always went to the same route but because of that detour, they had to find another route and it seems everyone else was as well...They have been stuck here for over 15 minutes now...
"Hmpt. .." He heard his wife grumble and Arnold tried to stay focus on the road.
However 10 more minutes have passed and they barely moved at all, and it was obvious that Helga was growing very impatient by the minute.
"Oh...what's going upon up there? Is the guy in front of us asleep. .." Helga muttered impatiently.
"Relax honey...at least we are moving again..." Arnold said, trying to keep her calm and himself as well.
"I'm going to turn on the radio...if we're going to be stuck here...I rather be stuck with music..." Helga said as she turned the knob.
She got static and tried to find a station only to find either polka or techno pop...which she nor her husband liked at all
"Come on...there has got to be something decent..." Helga said as she kept searching only to hear a Dino Spumoni song...
"Oh leave it there...I love this song..." Arnold said from the driver seat.
"Dino Spumoni...Man, it's been like what, 15 years when you met the guy and helped revive his career..." Helga commented as she watched her husband sing along to the old, classic song.
"Darling you left my heart...in pieces on the floor...so tell me why shouldn't I . ...break some things of yours..." Arnold sang as he sent him wife a playful look.
Helga smiled at him and knew what he wanted to do. She soon found herself joining in on this little singalong.
"I'll smash your lamp, the antique chair...that stupid thing you like to wear..." Helga sang as she started snapping her fingers...
"I'll smash a vase, the radio...those little teacups from Limoges..." Arnold sang, enjoying this very much.
"Your wacky paintings on the wall..." He continued and now it was Helga's turn in this duet.
"Darling. ..POW... I'll smash them all..." Helga sang as she imitated punching something in the air for effect.
"Lover it's just a game...Cupid can take the blame...I'll take this place apart..." They were now singing in union now, looking at each other as they sang along to the classic song.
"But darling..." They sang in unions before continuing..."I won't smash your heart!..." They finished.
Once they were done, the married couple soon found themselves laughing, the sing along had improved both of their moods.
"Oh man, this takes me back...remember when we were kids and you would come over to my house to listen to my Jazz records..." Arnold said to his wife.
"Yeah, good times..."Helga said.
"I also remember listening to another song...A Dino Spumoni song that wasn't like the rest..." Helga started.
"Which one?..." Arnold asked.
"Remember when you and Gerald did for the fourth grade talent show...and how I personally asked you to sing it to me after we started dating..." Helga said.
"Oh I remember that one...I'm nuttin' without you..." Arnold said.
"That's the one...I love that song.." Helga said.
"Why is that one your favorite?..." Arnold asked.
"Because...I dunno...I remember seeing you all dressed up and singing it to the whole school...and...I guess the song stuck with me..."Helga said with a shrug..."I just really liked hearing you sing football head and it was really cute watching you perform at the talent show back then..." She answered.
"Cute...Huh. ..." Arnold said with interest.
Without Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel wouldn't show...
And there ain't no romance, in a solo Romeo...
Without Sacajawea, Clark would still be in Duluth;
Without you with me baby, I'm nuttin'-that's the truth!
Arnold began singing, sending his wife a playful look while she looked on in amusement as he continued to sing that song from their childhood.
Without Tweedledum, Tweedledee ain't worth a thing...
Without Quasimodo, the bell wouldn't ring...
Without , Sherlock wouldn't have a clue...
Without you with me baby...
I'm nuttin'. ...no, nuttin'...
I'm nuttin' without you...
Yeah!
Arnold finished singing that song and turned to his wife, who was smiling at him. He sent her a grin...
"Am I still cute?..." He asked playfully.
"No..." Helga said, surprising her husband until she was kissing him on the cheek.
"You're even cuter now..." She said with giggles, making her husband grin goofy like at that.
The couple continued to song to a few more songs until they noticed that the cars in front of them began moving again.
"Looks like things are moving again..." Arnold said as he continued to move forward until they were finally out of that traffic jam.
At the Boarding House
Arnold and Helga soon arrived to the Boarding house and we're let in by his grandmother Gertie. Soon they entered the living room where they joined grandpa Phil, Miles and Stella.
"Hey there Short-man. ..Helga..." Grandpa Phil greeted.
"Hey kids, how are you?..." Miles asked.
"Hi dad, we are fine..." Arnold answered.
"I heard that there was a pile up in town and the traffic was all a mess...we're you both alright?..." Stella asked.
"Eh...We were stuck in traffic for half an hour but it wasn't anything we couldn't handle..." Helga said with a shrug.
"Well come on, we got a lot of pictures and videos to show you about our trip..." Stella said as she guided her son and his wife to the couch.
The three generations of Shortman soon watched the vacation video, saw photos and chatted about life, the vacations and just about everything a bit. The younger married couple enjoyed their afternoon with their family and when it was time to leave, they found themselves singalong once again to the old singers tunes since, despite being dated and no longer their style, it just stuck to them and it was a good way to help pass the time whenever they get into another traffic jam.
-To be continued-
Next time on The First Year
The in-laws part 2
REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:
metalheadrailfan and Guest(2): It's coming up next...
Guest(1): How this?
Invader Johnny: Yeah. That's why we gotta love'em :)
Ajay435: Yeah, she finally has both Arnold and a great family that loves and accepts her...
HAFanForever: Yeah, I can definitely see them doig something like that...
:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)