Nathan: The next day, at the San Carlos Art and Wine Festival, Eugene and I took a look at the Stooges' ice cream truck. It had a new paint job, thanks to Raunzel, and a new name.
"Sundrop Flavors?" read Eugene.
"It was originally called 'Ice Cream 4 U.'" explained Larry.
"Hmm, catchy." I said.
"Speaking of which..." Larry went on, handing us a couple of ice cream cones. "You're the first two rounds on the house."
Upon seeing my scoop of ice cream, which was vanilla, my top flavor, I asked. "Do you have anything that's cotton candy flavored?"
"Let me check our inventory." replied Larry.
Before Eugene could his scoop of chocolate ice cream, he noticed Max eyeing it and raising his eyebrows.
Figuring he wanted his ice cream, Eugene stuffed the cone into Max's mouth.
Max spit it out and laughed upon seeing Eugene having his cone as a nose.
Eugene retaliated by flinging his ice cream at him, resulting into a brawl, only to stop when they heard me clear my throat.
Upon seeing the serious look on my face, the only thing Eugene and Max could do was elbow each other in annoyance.
"Come and get your ice cream, folks!" Moe called out. "All the Sundrop Flavors you can eat! I tell ya, the best of the market aboard!"
As Moe tried to get everyone's attention, Rapunzel hopped out of the truck, asking. "You ready?"
"Just about." I replied. "Wanted to see if there's any cotton candy ice cream in the truck."
"Well, I'll be right over..."
As Rapunzel spoke, she felt her hair already getting stuck at the back door, which Curly reopened, saying. "You can't go out there with your hair down like that."
"He's right." agreed Moe. "We gotta bundle it back up."
Turning a corner and seeing a group of girls braiding each other's hair, Eugene let out a whistle.
Upon seeing Rapunzel's hair, the girls gasped in delight.
As they braided her hair, Larry came back, saying. "Here you go, fellas."
As he handed me my scoop of cotton candy ice cream on another cone and two scoops of mint chocolate chip and cookies & cream to Pascal and Max respectively, we all stared at the girls' work on Rapunzel's hair.
Not only did they braid it all up, but they also added flowers to make more lovely.
"Oh, thank you." said Rapunzel.
As we marveled at it, Curly let out a whistle.
"Quiet, wolf!" snapped Larry, who bonked him on the head.
Now that Rapunzel's hair was taken care of, she can venture through the fair without anyone stepping on it.
Little did she and the rest of us realize that Ham was spying on us.
While catching up with Rapunzel, I took notice of a small crowd gathering around a mosaic, where a little girl placed a flower at the bottom, saying. "It's for the lost princess."
"Lost prin..." I recalled, only to stop myself short.
While examining the mosaic, which surprisingly show the King and Queen of Corona, I saw that the lost princess had emerald-green eyes.
I turned and saw Rapunzel staring at the mosaic as well, taking notice that she had emerald-green eyes too.
Before I could say anything, upon hearing the sound of starting music, Rapunzel pulled me away from the mosaic.
At the same time, three familiar strangers, having grown up as well, have parked their car when one of them asked. "Is that Nathan?"
While getting out of the car, they could see me awkwardly staring at Rapunzel as she rounded up everyone into the dance.
"Not much of a dancer, are you?" Eugene asked once I made my way back to the Stooges' ice cream truck.
Upon seeing Rapunzel urging him to join in the dancing, Curly asked back. "Are you?"
He, then, pushed Eugene towards the dancing crowd.
I chuckled, but then gasped upon seeing that the Kankers are here at the fair.
"You gonna let that hussy steal your man, Marie?" Lee asked her enraged sister upon seeing Rapunzel and Eugene taking part in the dancing.
Pascal, Max and I looked at each other, knowing we have to do something.
"Get outta my way!" Marie demanded, pushing the crowd aside, only for her, Lee and May to come across me aboard Max.
"Kankers! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
"Like you?" sneered Lee.
Realizing the Kankers were, then, planning to hurt me, Max bucked me off into the dancing festivities.
"Get him!" shouted Lee.
Before they could charge into the crowd, Pascal hit Marie with a frying pan while Max pushed Lee away and butted his head at May, causing a potted plant to crash on her, while the three strangers watched in amazement.
"Ho, ho, ho." chortled the short one.
The tall one, on the other hand, upon seeing me stuck in the middle of the dancing, called out. "NATHAAAAAAN!"
"Ed, no, wait!" the middle stranger called back.
Sensing more danger, Max charged at Ed, who had pushed his way through the dancing crowd, resuming calling. "NATHAAAAAAN!"
"Ed?" I asked, but not before Ed wrapped his arms tightly around me.
"Reunited, and it feels so good!" he exclaimed.
"Goodness, Ed, give him some air, man!" said the middle stranger, who, along with the short one, to my surprise, were actually...
"Double D? Eddy?"
"The one and only." replied Eddy.
"Hey, give the kid back his air." demanded Larry. "What are ya trying to do, drain out his life support?"
"Oh, sorry." said Ed, who, then, let me go.
"What...are you...doing here?" I gasped while trying to breath.
"Well, not only are we to attend the festival." said Double D. "But we couldn't help but notice you stand up to the Kankers on your own. And we couldn't be more prouder."
"Well, as usual, I couldn't have done it without some help." I explained, seeing Max and Pascal heading back towards the Stooges' ice cream truck.
"And I see that you've grown a stache of your own." added Eddy, who looked at my mustache.
"Oh, well, I thought the ladies would dig the mustache* if I grew it all the way through high school." I explained.
"Really?" asked Flynn, who overheard our conversation. "That's the reason...well, look, it's not my fault that my face is perfectly suited to a goatee."
"Oh, I know, I know. No one's making fun of your perfectly sculpted face." assured Rapunzel.
"That's Eugene Fitzherbert for ya." I said to the Eds. "And this...is Rapunzel."
"Hi!" she greeted. "Thanks to Nathan, I've heard and learned so much about you."
The moment they saw Rapunzel, the Eds just stood there, sweating it out. Not a single word came out of their mouths. Even Eddy's three hairs acted like broken guitar strings just looking at her.
"What's the matter with the mini stooges?" asked Moe.
"Oh, they always act like that when someone as lovely as Rapunzel comes into the picture." I explained.
Eddy, soon, snapped out of it, and asked Rapunzel in his smooth-talking way. "Where have you been all my life, good-lookin'?"
"Sorry, pipsqueak." said Eugene, who shooed him away. "I know how good-looking Blondie is, but she's already been taken."
At that, Eddy groaned.
"I feel you, man." I said.
"We'll have you and your sexy friends for our husbands." fumed Marie as she, Lee, and May watched the reunion. "We swear it!"
"You can't swear in a PG-rated movie^." reminded May.
"So, tell us, Nathan." said Double D. "What have you been up to nowadays?"
"Well, I've been taking a 20-week cooking class at the Culinary Arts Program in JobTrain at Menlo Park." I replied.
"He's been with us since June." added Rapunzel.
"Well, congratulations, Nathan!" said Double D, who shook my hand.
"Uh, thanks, Double D," I said. "But, really, it's not that big of a deal."
"It is a big deal." said Double D. "Can't you just picture the responsibilities to take in life? Now, that's a sign of growing up, you know. A key to enter our social structure, a tip of the hat. No! A flag waved to the world proclaiming, 'Look at me, citizens! My name is Nathan Rosenberg, working man!' I like that. Why, if it wasn't for the working class, we'd still be living in caves!"
As he spoke, I heard my phone beeping. I took it out and saw that it was a text my mom.
"Hey, listen, guys, I'm sorry to leave you hanging," I said to my friends. "But I've gotta catch up with my mom."
"But what about the lanterns?" Curly asked sadly.
I let out a sigh when I heard him say that.
"I wish I could stay and watch 'em but I've got another show• to catch."
"We understand." said Rapunzel.
"Well, may I suggest taking a picture before you go?" asked Double D.
"Ask and ye shall recieve!" said Ed as he pulled out a camera from his pocket.
"All right, fellas. Gather 'round." said Larry.
Once we all got together, the picture was shot.
"Oh, now that's swell." said Moe as he looked at the picture. "You mind if we borrow this so we can make some copies?"
"Whew!" exclaimed Double D as he pinched his nose. "Better yet, you can have it, if you want."
Eugene took an sniff...and pinched his nose as well, realizing the stench was coming from Ed's clothes.
"Whoa, mama, that stinks!"
Pascal groaned upon smelling the same stench.
"Is that...moldy cheese I smell?" asked Rapunzel, who also pinched her nose.
"Trust me, Raps. You don't wanna know." replied Eddy.
"Well, I do know that it was nice catching up with you Eds again." I said.
Eddy smiled. "Same here, Nate."
Then, to my surprise, he hugged me.
"Best of luck to you, Nathan." Double D said, extending his hand, which I shook and replied. "Thanks again, Double D."
"Actually, we should be the ones thanking you." said Double D.
"What for?" I asked.
"For keeping the Kankers away from us." Double D replied, smiling.
I smiled back. "Anything to see my friends problem-free."
But as I started to leave, I noticed a lone quarter, which I picked up and flipped to Eddy, who caught it and smiled.
After smiling back at him, I hurried off.
"Now, there goes one of the good ones." said Eddy.
"Yeah," agreed Larry. "He's just about the best there is."
Author's Note:
*During my time in Burlingame High School, I always thought a mustache would get the ladies' attention, only to find out it wasn't getting me anywhere, especially when it comes to finding a date.
^"Nathan Rosenberg: JobTrainee" is, in fact, rated PG for action, language, slapstick violence and rude humor.
•The show that I saw later that day was "La Cage aux Folles," which was presented by Broadway by the Bay around that time.