Legends Live On ~ by Patrick Councilor
Black smoke bellowed into the blue morning sky of Milwaukee. A newspaper / magazine stand was engulfed in flames. Howard, Chachi, and Fonzie had split up to cover more ground in search of Danny, but the fire had brought them all to this point - watching the smoke roll into the sky. There was a fire truck already on location when they had arrived and the firemen were working on the fire.
"How could his have happened?" Fonzie asked aloud. "News stands just don't burst into flames. If Danny had anything to do with this..."
"We don't know that Fonzie," Howard said. "We need to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"I don't think Danny would do anything like this Fonz," Chachi added.
"I'm going to call Mrs. C. to see if he showed up at home." Fonzie headed for a payphone.
They had dropped Marion off at Fonzie's house earlier just in case Danny came home.
There was nothing the fire department could do to save the stand. It was a total loss. A police car arrived on the scene.
Fonzie returned. "He showed up back at the house. Thanks. I appreciate you guys getting up in the middle of the night to help me out. I will make this up to you."
"Don't be ridiculous," Howard said. "That's what family is for."
The two policemen from the squad car were headed their way. "Mr. Fonzarelli," one of them said. "What might you be doing at the scene of a fire in the middle of the city at this hour?" His voice was accusing.
"Officer McMillan," Fonzie addressed him with disgust. "Shouldn't you be behind some billboard somewhere?"
"And look at you: in a suit and tie. This is a photographic moment. What happened to your little leather security blanket, Fonzarelli?"
"If you're asking because you're interested in borrowing it, I don't think it will quite fit over that mid-section."
"Very funny," the officer said defensively.
The other officer spoke up. "Did any of you see how this got started?"
"No," Howard answered. "We saw the smoke and followed it."
The fire was now just a smoldering pile of ash.
"Alright," Officer McMillan said. "Clear out of here. Nothing more to see." As the guys turned to leave, McMillan added, "Catch you later Fonzarelli."
Howard opened the door to his house and let Marion step in first followed byChachi. Joanie was awake in the living room with Howie in his crib. "Is Danny alright?"
Chachi gave her a kiss. "Yes. He's back home now. Everything's okay."
"Yes, why don't you two take Howie upstairs and go back to bed," Marion spoke out rather quickly.
"You don't have to tell me twice," Chachi said in a sleepy voice. He picked Howie up from the crib and the three of them went upstairs. "Goodnight."
"You mean good morning," Joanie corrected him as she followed him.
Howard headed for the stairs himself, but Marion stopped him.
"Howard, come into the kitchen. I'll cook you some cornflakes."
"Cook me some cornflakes!? Marion, I'm tired. I just want to go back to bed."
"Get in here Howard."
He knew she meant business by her tone. He followed her into the kitchen. "Jiminy Crickets Marion, what's this all about?"
"Something is terribly wrong Howard."
"Well, what is it?"
"When Danny came home this morning, I made him take a shower because he smelt of smoke."
Howard was silent. He didn't know what to say.
"I didn't think too much of it," she continued. "...until you mentioned the news stand on fire."
Howard didn't need anymore time to think. "Marion," his voice was firm. "We have to go over there right now and tell Fonzie."
"Alright Howard." Marion knew just as well as Howard what needed to be done. Howard locked the door on the way out.
Fonzie sat two plates of eggs and ham on the table next to the plate of toast and orange juice. He knew that if he were to go to bed, he would oversleep and miss Shishuichiu. So he decided to shower and make breakfast. "Danny! Get up! Breakfast!" Then he said to himself, "And boy do we have to talk over breakfast." He called out again. "Danny, get up! I'm driving you to school this morning!"
There was an aggressive knock at the door.
"Who could that be at this hour?" Fonzie asked himself as he headed for the door. He opened it to find two policemen in uniform (one being McMillan).
"Arthur Fonzarelli?" McMillan asked.
"Officer McMillan, you know who I am. What? Do they make you be this formal when you're selling Girl Scout cookies?"
"Funny Fonzarelli. We are looking for Danny."
Danny walked into the living room - wiping the sleep from his eyes.
"There he is." The officers stepped into the house. One of them pulled out hand-cuffs. "Danny Fonzarelli, you are under arrest."
They started to put the cuffs on him when Fonzie snapped his fingers at the same time he said, "Cool it!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked his way.
"Time-out here. What is this all about?"
McMillan stepped forward. "We have an eye witness who saw three young boys set fire to the news stand. The witness didn't know the other two, but recognized Danny."
Fonzie sat in a chair in the kitchen. "Danny, get over here."
Danny walked over. The two officers followed on his heals.
Fonzie gave them a scolding look and the both of them took two steps back at the same exact time.
"Danny, were you part of that news stand fire this morning?"
Danny's head dropped. "Yes Dad."
The two officers took one step forward but Fonz gave then another look that caused then to step back again.
"Danny, what happened?"
"The guys wanted to sneak out. They said they wanted to do something. I didn't know what they were planning."
"Now Danny, did you help them in starting that fire?"
His head dropped again. "Yes Dad."
"ARE YOU CRAZY?"
Fonzie's yelling caused both officers to take even two more steps back.
"A... Fonz," Officer McMillan's voice was much softer this time. "The news stand owner wants to press charges and we have to make this arrest."
"My boy is seventeen years old. I think you can give him five minutes to get dressed."
McMillan looked at his watch and then to Danny. "You've got five minutes kid."
Fonzie looked into his son's eyes. "Danny, sometimes we make mistakes. For big mistakes, there are consequences. I'm going to be by your side the whole time. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Now go get dressed."
Danny went back to his bedroom. Just at that moment, Howard and Marion came running through the doorway. "Take it on the lamb Danny!" Marion yelled as they came through the doorway - before realizing that the police were already there.
"What's going on here?" Howard asked.
McMillan stepped forward. "We are about to apprehend an actual arsonist."
"Not Danny," Marion pleaded. "Lots of things smell like smoke: a bar BQ, the exhaust from a city bus, some of Howard's old cologne (though I'd never tell him that because he'd stop putting cologne on all together and I don't want that)..."
"What IS she talking about?" McMillan asked.
"Nothing officer," Howard said. "She hasn't had much sleep lately."
"There's a witness that identified Danny as one of the three who started the fire," Fonzie said.
"The witness could be wrong," Marion snapped.
"Danny admitted it," Fonzie replied.
"Danny could be wrong," she snapped again.
"Marion!" Howard exclaimed.
Danny came out of the bedroom dressed in street clothes. The police hand-cuffed him.
"McMillan, couldn't you take off the hand-cuffs this one time?" Fonzie asked. "He will not try anything funny."
"Sorry Fonzarelli. It's standard procedures." They escorted Danny out.
"Mrs. C," Fonzie called to her.
When she came over, Fonzie put his forehead on her shoulder and collapsed in anxiety.
By ten o'clock, Danny had been processed into jail and was there for ninety minutes. Marion had the police set a chair outside Danny's cell for her to sit in. She sat with him the whole time. Howard waited in the front of the police station. The police would allow Danny only one visitor at a time.
"Where's Dad? He said he'd be here for me. I've been in here for an hour and a half."
"Now Danny, your father will not rest until he gets you out of here. You know Shishuichiu will be a lawyer shortly and maybe she can defend you. Maybe Arthur is talking to her about that right this minute."
"Yeah, I don't think so. If he went to go see her, I doubt that he even remembers where I am."
"Now Danny, that's not fair. Arthur has never let you down."
The jail guard came in. "Alright Marion, that's it."
She stood. "What? Are visiting hours over?"
"Nope," he said as he moved her chair to the side. He took out the keys and unlocked the door. "Danny, you're free to go. The owner of the news stand has dropped the charges."
"Oh," Marion gasped. "Thank you officer." She hugged Danny when he walked out of the jail's gate.
"No thanks to Dad," he said underneath his breath.
When they walked to the front of the police station, Howard and Fonzie were standing there.
"Arthur," Marion sighed a sigh of relief. "There you are."
"I tracked down the news paper sand owner and talked him into dropping the charges."
"Oh Arthur," she said. "You didn't..."
"Nah, I didn't rough him up. It did cost a pretty penny to bay for his stock that burnt. I also had to offer him 75% of my profit intake from the garage - that is until Danny and I rebuild his stand. Ain't that right, Danny?"
Danny nodded.
"You see," Marion said to Danny. "I knew Arthur was doing everything he could to get you out. Now Shishuichiu won't have to defend you."
Fonzie threw his arms up. "Shishuichiu! I lost track of time." He looked at the clock on the wall. "Her flight takes of in an hour. I was supposed to drive her to the airport."
"I'm sure Arnold drove her," Howard said.
"Go to the airport, Arthur," Marion said. "Catch her before she leaves.
"I can't. Danny has to get a shower and I have to run him over to finish the school day."
"You worry about getting to the airport," Howard said. "We'll take care of Danny and get him to school."
Fonzie gave Mr. C. a pat on the shoulder and gave Mrs. C. a kiss on the way out. "Thank you." He turned to his son. "I'll pick you up from school. We'll talk tonight. By the time I get through with you, you'll wish that you were still in jail."
"I know," Danny said softly.
Fonzie turned and ran out the exit.
Fonzie ran through the airport. He ran down to the terminal and found Arnold looking out the window at the plane docked at the terminal.
"Arnie, where is Shishuichiu?"
"Fonzie, where you been? She already on da plane."
Fonzie hurried over to the ticket agent but the agent insisted that only ticketed passengers could go past that point. Fonzie hurried back to the window to see if he could see her through a window on the plane.
"Here Fonzie. She want you to have dis." Arnold handed him a wallet size photo. It was a picture of Shishuichiu smiling. He turned it over and it read:
"Fonzie, I'm sorry to have missed you on the morning of my flight I hope you get this and everything is fine. I am worried, but I keep telling myself that you had just over slept. Our conversation did take us into the early morning hours. Our time together was short, but I'll never forget you, Shi."
"That's amazing how much she can fit on one wallet size picture," Fonzie said aloud. He turned to Arnold knowing that he was running out of precious minutes. "Arnold, did Shishuichiu say anything about me?"
"She very confused Fonzie. Not know what to think. She talk abut you all morning."
Fonzie hurried back over to the agent who was just about to close the door that lead to the plane. He hesitated for several moments. He then took off his leather jacket and gave it to the agent. "Could you see that Shishuichiu Takahashi gets this? She's on that flight."
The agent nodded.
"Shishuichiu Takahashi," Fonzie repeated. "Tell her to take care of it for me."
The agent hurried toward the plane.
Fonzie took a deep breath and let it go. He turned. Arnold was standing there with mouth wide open. He stood there motionless - not believing what he had just witnessed.
Fonzie looked at the picture again and then back at Arnold.
"Fonzie, you must really care for Shishuichiu."
"Yeah Arnold, I do."
Fonzie and Arnold stayed to watch the plane taxi away from the terminal and then take off.
Arnold put his arm around the Fonz as they headed back through the airport. "Come on Fonz, I make you a great big Arnold burger."
"With fries?"
"Oh, with lots of fries." As they walked further into the depth of the airport, Arnold added, "Ah, cheer up Fonzie. I ask Shishuichiu to send photo of your jacket."
Fonz stopped to give him the look.
