What If They Were Competent?

by Mr. Chaos

The Stipulation: One chapter a day. 500 words or less. Every episode of Rugrats. The Challenge: What if the adults on Rugrats were actually good parents? Watched their kids? Thought ahead? DIDN'T think it was fine for babies to nearly die every 5 days? Tommy is about to have a very different life with Stu and Didi actually using their brains.

9. Baseball

Baseball

Tommy looked around the baseball stadium, entranced by all he was seeing. There was just so much interesting stuff! So many floors! So many people! Different noises and smells… and looking down at the ground so much yummy food people had dropped.

He reached down only to lose his grip on his balloon, letting out a gasp… just as his mommy caught it.

"Here sweetie, let me," Didi said, carefully tying the balloon's thread into a loop and putting it around Tommy's wrist; not enough to cut of circulation but enough that he couldn't wiggle it off without her help. That would ensure that the funny bear-faced balloon would stay put. Tommy looked at the loop and then tugged, letting out a giggle as he saw that no matter how he waved his arm about the balloon didn't go flying away! Didi watched her baby delight in the antics of the balloon before turning to her father-in-law. "Great seats, Lou."

"Yup, real good ones," he said, looking down at Tommy. He was glad Stu had called ahead and made sure that, because of Tommy's age, he could come to the park without actually needing a ticket. That meant Didi could come with them and actually keep an eye on the sprout, take him to change his diaper or walk with him if he got fussy, and he and Stu wouldn't miss a moment of the game. She'd already gotten him a stuffed bear that looked like the mascot for the team and a little hat for his head to keep his bald baby scalp from burning and was now helping Tommy eat bites of his hot dog; tearing off small pieces and letting him nibble on it. Once he was done with a piece Lou reached over and pulled Tommy onto his lap. "Now come here, Tommy… let me explain what you're seein'!"

Maybe, in a different life, Tommy would have managed to sneak away so he could explore. Went down and played with the men throwing balls and swinging sticks. Seen what everyone else was doing. Chased down that silly bear. But that didn't happen. There would be no adventures like that today. But sitting with his grandpa, his mommy, and his daddy, and watching the game, each taking turns talking to him and telling them what was going on… even he had to admit it was a good day.