August 1999 would mark college time for our three amigos. Max couldn't be happier, it was the first real taste of freedom from years of living with his father. Moreover, Max was looking forward to the college X Games and taking away the title from the five time winning Gammas. While Max was on this all time high, Goofy was at an awful low. Here he was, almost verging on middle age and now he was going to be left all alone as his son went off to start a new chapter of his life at college. On the night before leaving when Goofy was helping Max pack, Goofy tried desperately to get Max to take that ol' stuffed bear to college with him, the one his mother gave him all those years ago. He wanted him to take it to remember him and his mother by. But Max was far to pre-occupied with wanting to be grown up that he left the stuffed animal behind. The next day the kids were off in Bobby's old Volkswagen van. Max happily waved his father goodbye while Goofy waved as well, totally crushed at the aspect of living in his house and no longer hearing the voice of his beloved little Maxie. He slugged up the stairs and entered his room, that seemed larger than before now that it was stripped of all his personal belongings. He tucked away an old sock he found on the floor and neatly put it in his dresser drawer. He looked up at himself in the dresser's mirror, and wondered how he got so old. Goofy could see the onslaught of age in his appearance, and those lines on his face were slowly starting to form and creased his complexion. It was then he noticed that Max left his bear behind on his bed. Goofy sat on Max's old bed, and hugged that bear his mother gave him, and felt like the loneliest goof in the world.
Max on the other hand was having the time of his life at college. He, along with Bobby and P.J. skateboarded in and made quite the impression on the campus grounds, enough attention to attract the popular Gammas who thought there was an opening on their team for Max. They followed Max and company to the Bean Scene, which was quite the mellow hangout for the school's more poetic, rhythmic students. This was where a well-known performer took the stage in the single lit spotlight to perform her writings. Many did not know her by name, but for those who knew her well she went by the name of Bridgett. She captivated P.J. in the way she spoke, but his daydreaming would be interrupted as the Gammas made themselves heard. They wanted Max to join their winning team, but didn't care for his two other friends. Max rejected their offer and with the help of Bridgett, the Gammas were "snapped" out of the club and Bradley, the head leader of the Gammas, vowed to get revenge.
Later that day, Goofy went to work at Beekins and could not shake the depression that he had sunk into. The fact that his job was to stand at an assembly line for eight hours a day didn't do much for his self confidence either. Everything felt so mediocre, and Goofy started to think about Max and overlooked the toys coming down the line. He accidentally tripped the conveyer belt switch to 'fast' and toys flew down the chute onto the line. He tried to fix the problem but hit the 'reserve' button out of panic and somehow got sucked into a large machine and blew the warehouse right up. And of course, he was fired. So Goofy went back to a place he knew all to well – the unemployment office. The solution was simple. He was unable to get another good job without a college degree, and he really kicked himself that he didn't complete his courses the first time around. Goofy promptly headed over to Max's campus and enrolled in the classes alongside his son. The day Goofy showed up in his son's modern history class, in his ridiculous 70's outfit, Max thought he had died and gone to hell. Goofy was happy at this turn of events to spend time with this son once more, but poor Max was mortified.
Max quickly turned sour over his dad invading his life again, and he needed a plan – a scheme to distract his father and give himself a little freedom to manoeuvre. While at the library with Goofy, he quickly decided to pawn his father off on the school's librarian, Ms. Marpole, to get a library card so he could get some X Games practice in. Little did Max know he had just played matchmaker with these two lost and lonely souls. Ms. Marpole, whose first name was Sylvia, had hit her forties and came from the same timeframe Goofy was hopelessly stuck in. As soon as Goofy saw her, in her red-framed glasses and short cut orangey-red hair, something inside of him just…clicked 'on' after so many dormant years. He noticed she had a genuine mood ring on her finger, and found she was a lover of all things 70's as he was himself. Goofy felt a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time, and for one reason or another got enough courage to ask Sylvia out on a date for some dinner and dancing. She looked beautiful as she glimmered in the presence of the sunlit library. Sylvia herself was sort of like Goofy in a way – she was lonesome. She never found the right man in her life, never found true happiness and was reduced to nothing but a "sexless bookworm" lifestyle staying home on Saturday nights reading at her apartment. They both could not wait until their date Saturday night. Meanwhile, Goofy had to tell Max his good news about getting a date. Sorry to say, it was bad timing as Max was practicing for the X Games on a skateboard ramp and Goofy climbed up onto it unaware of what might happen. It resulted into Max crashing into him and losing his skateboard, which his father somehow had gotten onto and was now flying high in the air off the ramp. The Gammas noticed Goofy's "talent" on a board and offered Goofy to join their team. Goofy was hesitant at first, but Max urged him to join so he could unload his dad to let someone else deal with is goofiness.
After all the fuss, Max along with P.J. and Bobby went to hang out at the college's hottest dance spot on campus, Club Rave – a great place to hang out and to eat cheesy nachos at half price. Bridgett walked by their table, and after unsuccessfully trying to be picked up by Bobby, she coinsured her way over to P.J., who was immediately open about his profound poetic ways – and the guys were stunned. She was attracted to him right away and they went to cut a rug on the dance floor. Coincidently, Goofy and Sylvia were at the club that night on their date, and boy did they ever make an entrance. Goofy came out on the dance floor totally decked out in his old disco dancing outfit, something that had been collecting dust in his closet for the past two decades. He felt he was in his zone once again. Sylvia came in at the other end of the dance floor; jaws dropped as she walked out with her hair up sporting a one-piece lime-green outfit that complemented her curves very well. People were shell-shocked at how this peaceful librarian had suddenly morphed into this stunning, sexy lady. Goofy was floored with Sylvia and her attractive ensemble. They amazed the younger generation at the club with their slick and smooth dance moves, and Max was even blown away by his father's talent. As Goofy danced with Sylvia, spinning around to the beat of "Shake Your Groove Thing", it was almost like a throwback to the days he had shared with Penny. It was a total flashback, and as they danced time around them all but stopped and the people around them ceased to exist as they encased themselves in this moment of passion and desire. Both of them had not felt like this for a long time. So young…so alive.
After the dance, Goofy and Sylvia took a stroll outside in the campus' park down by the lake. It was a cool summer's night, and was like deja-vu for Goofy all over again when he and his former wife used to spend time together in the same setting. Both of them settled on a bench. The atmosphere was embracing, and it was a clear and starry night as the moon glistened upon the water. At first, Goofy was unsure of what to do next, as he didn't want to blow it with one wrong move. It had been a long time since either of them had dated, and it was kind of an awkward moment. Goofy coyly walked his hand over to Sylvia, as she did the same, and the most amazing thing happened. Both of their mood rings that they were wearing lit up, and glowed brightly against the dark night surroundings. Both of them were mystified, and took an immersing look into each other's eyes. Sylvia's beauty was only enhanced under the glow of the ring. It was there – that longing and happiness Goofy thought he'd never feel again from another woman had returned. It was like the mood rings were a sign; a sign for Goofy to move on, from the burdening weight he had been carrying around for years.
"Oh Goofy, this is the best night of my life." she said, as she nuzzled her body close to his.
"Mine too." he replied as he put his arm around her.
On that night, two wandering hearts had found the one they had been looking for.
It soon came time for the qualifying round at the sixth annual college X Games as Team 99 of Max, Bobby and P.J. made their way to the street skateboarding competition along with the Gammas featuring Goofy. To make sure they won, Tank, one of the Gammas members, put a small rocket engine device on Goofy's skateboard so they cloud "boost" his performance in more ways than one. His score was top notch. Then it was Max's turn, and he was pretty phased out by his father doing so well. He started out perfectly with his jumps, but Bradley took out a mirror and directed it toward Max so they sun's rays would blind him. This resulted in Max losing his concentration and falling down a ramp, which really hurt his score. But he balanced it out by doing a signature move of his own that made him end strongly. With barley above a six-point average, Team 99 made the semi finals by the skin of their teeth. Max was angry with his father for once again intruding on his lifestyle. He totally invaded and overshadowed his performance. It was supposed to be his time to shine, not his dad's. Hadn't he learned his lesson before to get his own life?
Goofy's mid-term exam for modern history eventually came up, and he couldn't pay attention at all. He had the same problem – he couldn't stay focused on the main task. The first time, his mind was always on Penny. Now he was thinking about Max and doodling his name on his exam paper. He had a very strange daydream, in which he saw himself as a younger man when he knew all the latest hypes and fads. He questioned where he fell out of touch with the modern world of today. Goofy like to immerse himself in a fantasyland, where the disco ball never stopped turning and where his son was his best friend. This image was shaken though, as the surrounding thoughts of recent events that happened shot rapidly through his brain. During this hallucination, Goofy had totally forgotten to write the test. He moped around the college grounds, and sat by the water fountain for hours just thinking about things and feeling sorry for himself. All the while Sylvia had a special fondue dinner set up for the both of them at her apartment, and Goofy was a no show. All Sylvia could think about was that maybe she had made a mistake, and this was just another man that let her down and broke her heart.
Goofy needed a break, and during a leave of holiday went back to his house as Pete invited himself over. The only reason he loved going over to Goofy's place was because of his brick barbecue, which he used every chance he got to grill up miscellaneous items as he was too cheap to buy his own. It was while Pete was playing horseshoes that Goofy remembered his old lecture he had told the boys before they left for college – always stay focused on your goals. He realized his lack of concentration was going to ruin his chances of graduating again, so he headed back over the college to start studying. Without delay he looked for Sylvia who he thought would help him with his studies, but his presence was not welcome as she was still hopping mad over the dinner he had forgotten about. He was truly sorry for letting his mind get filled up with useless fiddle-faddle, and apologized for his actions. Sylvia couldn't help but forgive him, and with her help they crammed night and day at her apartment to get his grades up to snuff. And he did – Goofy blew the other students away with a perfect 'A' average. Sylvia was thrilled and Goofy was as well, but there were still some things to settle…
If it meant ruining his relationship with his son, Goofy did not want to be part of the Gammas anymore. He quit their team the day before the big tournament, and they hit the roof and literally kicked Goofy to the curb. Upon realizing he still had their pin, he went back into the Gammas house and placed the pin on a nearby desk. It was then he overheard they were planning to foil Team 99's chances of winning the X Games. Goofy swiftly rushed over to Max and told him about the Gammas cheating, but Max was far too blinded with rage and didn't believe a word his father said. The games started with the eight qualifying teams in the semi finals. The Gammas had the whole place readily rigged with traps and henchmen all around. Eventually, the two remaining teams were Team 99 and the Gammas. This was it – the final round in which two teams would battle it out for the title of X Games king. Just as things were getting underway, P.J.'s manipulated inline skates rocketed him into the sky, courtesy of the Gammas. Without a third team member, they would have to forfeit to the Gammas. Luckily, Goofy came to the rescue and saved the day. The triathlon was gruelling and just made worse by the Gammas sabotaging everything. It was soon down to Max and Tank, and Bradley would not take any chances on Tank losing. So he activated the rocket device that was strapped under Max's skateboard. He went flying, and scooped Tank up in the process and flew right into the huge X Games 'X' structure that fell to the ground and burst into flames. Goofy went to save his son and Tank. While this was happening, Bradley had made his way down the track and was going to cross the finish line. In a flash, Max caught up to him and drove it home and won the championship and was awarded the X Games trophy, while Brad was awarded some sweet revenge from Tank.
Graduation time came for Goofy and he received his degree in April 2000. He just needed to complete one more term to finish where he left off back when his first went to college. Max was very pound of him, and gave his father the X Games trophy as a token of his affection. Sylvia stopped by with Goofy's '56 Bel-Air and went out to celebrate that night. What a time it had been.
o----o
Max continued in his classes at the college. The first term was wild with his father on the campus. Now that things had settled down, his mind started to float toward a person in his life he felt he had left behind. Roxanne had gone to the same college as Max, but they almost never saw each other during their first term. They both were swept away in the freshman fashion of a new and exciting life to explore. While Max had his X-Games, Roxanne was more cultured, and was on the music club and often went to the auditorium to see the up and coming actors and actresses put on various stage productions. If they ever did see one another, it was often a quick look as they shuffled around with their own groups of friends. It was strange how everything was now.
Sweet Roxanne had a few guys chasing her many times while on campus. But being loyal to Max, she turned them down. She still had feelings for him, as Max did for her, but Max had towed a risky line while dealing with the opposite sex. Yes, he did flirt once in a while with them, and never turned down a dance when he was at Club Rave. After winning the X Games competition there seemed to be a never-ending line of girls at his dorm door. He aimed never to let his hormones get the best of him, but one night his willpower almost fell to pieces. After coming home from Club Rave with a beautiful young women hanging off his arm, things started to get a tad hot and heavy in his dorm room. At first, Max just went along with the flow and got lost in the moment. They started to make out on the couch, but just as things started to get to that point of no return, Max collected himself and abruptly stopped. What the hell was he doing? He almost let himself be taken away in a rush of thriving sensations. He bid the disappointed lady goodbye, and took out a small photo album. He scanned the pages, full of pictures of him and Roxanne from years before. He longed for her touch, and wanted to be with her once more. Meanwhile, at the other end of the campus, Roxanne was watching an old VHS tape of their high school graduation that Goofy had recorded on his camcorder. They were so happy back then. She too, felt an emptiness in her heart.
Goofy and Sylvia were now going steady as a couple, and she had moved into Goofy's house. Goofy could not believe love would come a second time around for him, and it appeared that things in his life were stable and finally coming along. Sylvia still continued to work at the college library, while Goofy tried to find work with his degree. It was during this time that Goofy had learned his old friend Mickey Mouse was in town, and in the process of building his own nightclub that was located in the heart of downtown Spoonerville. Goofy asked his old pal if he could score him a job; as luck would have it, Mickey found that they were in need of a waiter. Not the best profession for a person who trips and falls and awful lot, but Goofy did his best. The club opened spring 2001 under the name House Of Mouse, and soon became to town's hottest hang out.
Back on campus, Max's second term was coming to a close. One the last day of classes Max and Roxanne ran into each other in the hallway, alone from the herds of friends they'd usually be dragging around with. It had been a long time since any of them had really seen much of each other, and they wanted to peruse that relationship they had put on hold. They went for a walk out on the campus. It was the first time either of them had really spoken to one another since the ending of high school, and they had a lot to share. While walking, Max slowly grasped Roxanne's hand. She stopped in her tracks and turned to him. They stared into each other's loving expression for what seemed to be an hour. They never realized how grown up they each had gotten. Roxanne was now a young woman, and had formed quite the nice looking figure, while Max looked handsome as ever with his neatly styled head of hair that always seemed to fall in the right place. Both had a warm, flushing "stomach upside down all around" feeling inside as they inched closer and closer to their faces. He lightly brushed her hair away from her face, and they passionately kissed. That one single kiss bridged the gap between their two drifting hearts, and Max and Roxanne were together once more. Young lovers in their prime. Yes, that's right – lovers. It took an eternity of them being apart that they found they could not live without one another, and Max had finally found and understood that feeling his father told him about all those years ago.
With summer vacation on the way, and Roxanne in his life once again, Max thought it wise to get a part time job to supply him with some more – as Bobby would put it, "spend-age". He was aware of his father's job at the House Of Mouse, so he asked his dad if he could hook him up with a job. With the help of Mickey, Goofy did so and Max became the club's parking valet. It was fun with working there, although his father no matter how hard he tried did embarrass him from time to time. But it appeared Max could finally stand and accept his father's goofiness – but only to a point. It was perfect timing that Max got the job over at the club. He could take advantage of working there as he planned a date out with Roxanne, which was their first in a long time. To reassure Goofy didn't mess anything up, the House Of Mouse staff vowed to keep Goofy pre-occupied as possible. The plan unfortunately backfired, as the staff themselves made the dating environment more of a hassle than ever. Max just wanted Roxanne to be happy, and she indeed was – it was the best date she had ever been on with him.
By spring 2003, Max and his friends were finishing up their final days of college life. What a ride it had been, and he could not believe it was over. It felt just like yesterday they rolled into campus in Bobby's van, admiring the Gamma jerks. Max would often sit outside and watch the freshman roll in, and remembered a time when he himself was that new. The end of college marked an ending and a beginning, just as high school did. Team 99 had won the past four X Games competitions, and were proudly going home undefeated. Now it was time to be let out into the cold harsh world to start their careers. On a personal level, Max and Roxanne were deeply in love and it made Bobby sick, being the unsuccessful ladies man he was. P.J. and Bridgett were also slowly moving along with their relationship, and they had been going out for quite some time.
On the last day they would be on the campus, Roxanne and Max took an all too familiar night stroll in the park down by the lake. It was to their surprise that in the nearby distance, Goofy and Sylvia were sitting on a park bench. They quickly ducked behind a tree, as not to attract any attention to themselves…
Goofy was very happy again for the first time in a long while, and he loved Sylvia very much. He knew that time was ticking – he was already 45 and wasn't getting any younger. So he decided to take that jump again, and to plunge into newlywed ecstasy once more.
…Suddenly, Goofy got down on one knee in front of Sylvia and Max along with Roxanne subconsciously knew it was coming, and couldn't believe they were witnessing such a tender moment. You could barley hear what they were saying, and then Sylvia screamed as she tackled Goofy to the ground and smothered him with kisses. Roxanne giggled, while Max got goose bumps at what he himself wanted to do. After things settled down between Goofy and Sylvia, Max and Roxanne made it so they popped out of nowhere acting as if they hadn't seen a thing. They were warmly greeted by the happy, soon to be married couple.
"Hey guys." Max greeted as he walked to meet them, holding hands with Roxanne.
"Hiya Max! Roxanne! Guess what! Me and Sylvia are getting married!" Goofy exclaimed.
"That's great you guys!" Max replied.
"So, what are you two doing down here?" Sylvia questioned.
"Oh…us? Well…I, uh, um. You see…" Max suddenly froze up and couldn't speak.
"Max? What has gotten into you?" Roxanne enquired.
All three of them stared at Max curiously as if he had something to hide…well, he did.
"Well, I was going to wait till we were alone – but now seems like a perfect time as ever." he admitted as he turned to Roxanne, getting down on one knee.
Roxanne was taken back into a state of shocking surprise. She gasped and covered her mouth in nervousness as she started to quiver. Goofy and Sylvia also stood back in amazement to what they were witnessing. Max pulled out a small box to uncover a small ring. He almost couldn't hold in his emotions.
"Roxanne…" he quietly spoke, "the first time I saw you, you grabbed a hold of my heart and wouldn't let go. You were the most beautiful creature in the world to me, and you still are today. It wasn't until I was without you for over a year, that I knew I couldn't live without you for the rest of time…"
Roxanne could barely stand and was sincerely trying to hold back the joyous tears.
"Roxanne…will you marry me?"
Roxanne almost forgot how to speak, but whispered out a barley audible, "Yes…of course I will."
Now Max's tears could be seen flowing down his cheeks, as he gently slipped the ring on her finger. Before Max could get back up and kiss his soon to be wife, Goofy grabbed him and hugged him so tight he almost couldn't move.
"Ah-yuck! Hot-dog Max, you're getting married!" Goofy yelped.
"I know dad…cough I know, but p-please, I can't breathe!"
"Oops, sorry son, ah-yuck!"
Love was in the air, and there was magic everywhere – two times as much because two loving couples were getting hitched. With the perfect timing that both of them were getting married, they decided to have a dual wedding together in one big wedding extravaganza! The girls went crazy with organizing the event, while the guys hung out and Goofy gave Max many insightful tips about marriage. The mood around the Goof household was full of marriage franticness; it was a feeling of excitement and yearning that you could only experience once in a lifetime…and in Goofy's case, twice if you're lucky.
Soon the day came in a large ceremony hosted at the House Of Mouse. It was winter, but luckily the first snow had not fallen and everything was clear as day. The club was packed to capacity with relatives and friends as far as the eye could see. Matilda flew in from Florida to attend her son's second wedding. Pete was Goofy's best man while P.J. was Max's – and with the way things were going with Bridgett, it appeared Max would be P.J.'s best man soon enough. Bobby and Stacey were in the audience, along with Peg and Pistol among a slue of others. Goofy and Sylvia where married first, then Max and Roxanne came next. They were beautiful ceremonies, and everyone had a great time. George and Sylvia Goof; along with Maximilian and Roxanne Goof, were married on December 5th, 2003. Yes, it was the date that Penny died. But why not make the worst day of your life the happiest as well? While both couples jogged to the limo they had rented amongst a fury of rice and confetti being thrown at them, Goofy and Sylvia paused as Roxanne and Max got into the limo. Goofy looked towards the sky. It was a chilly but otherwise sunny outside with hints of clouds. Through the sun and its rays…Goofy could have sworn he saw an image of Penny in the clouds, sliming and waving, and nodding as if to say, "It's alright, be with her."
"C'mon guys, what are you waiting for?" Max said as the older couple stood out in the cold.
Goofy sighed a happy sigh, "Nothing son." he said as he glared off into the heavens, "I'm not waiting anymore."
After a while, the limo pulled up in front of the house. Goofy had a surprise waiting for Max in the backyard. The old small sliver streamline trailer, the same one that was his hideaway with Penny all those years ago, was there and it was hooked up to the Bel-Air.
"Dad, are you sure?" Max questioned.
"Why of course, Maxie. A young couple like yourselves should go out and explore the open road." he said as he tossed Max the keys. "You take it son…" he said as he and Sylvia walked into his house, "…and have a good time at Lake Destiny." he modestly winked, smiling.
Max winked right back at him, "Oh, don't worry dad," he said as he put his arm around Roxanne, his new loving wife, "I will."
o----o
Let's end at the ending – present day Spoonerville…
…is where Goofy and his loving wife Sylvia still live at their residence in the massive suburban area of Spoonerville, and it is quite the different time and town than it was fifty years ago. The town is now very large, consisting vastly of everything you ever needed to live and raise a family. Huge malls and plazas so big it's like walking into another city. It is a town full of culture and history, and continues to prosper to this very day.
Goofy and Sylvia now manage their own bookstore, which is located just off the college campus. Whenever they have time, they head down to the House Of Mouse for dinning and dancing. Goofy eventually put the Bel-Air into storage and drives a used but reliable '94 Mazda Protégé. Peg is still in real estate and is still living at her townhouse with Pistol, who is now a teenager in her last year of high school. Pete is currently on the run from the I.R.S. and people haven't seen or heard of him in a while. Stacey works as a fashion designer while Bobby became head of the largest manufacturer and distributor of canned aerosol cheese. P.J. and Bridgett are still currently together and have their own place. Bridgett now owns the Bean Scene, while P.J. works at a sports store fixing skateboards and such. They are happy in their relationship, and plan to get married in a year or two. Max and Roxanne eventually bought back Max's childhood home at 357 Main and enjoy working on the fixer-upper. Roxanne works in advertising, while Max went on to be a sports announcer/anchor for ESPN to sort of live out his mother's goal of becoming a broadcaster – a profession his mother would have loved, and would no doubt be a line of work she would be proud to see her son in. He also teaches skateboard classes on the side at the Spoonerville Community Center. Most recently, Max and Roxanne proudly gave birth to their first child. A beautiful baby girl, born on April 7th, 2005 – and they named her Penelope Roxanne Goof, after Max's dearly departed mother.
Now Max and Roxanne are the young married couple, working and thriving to live out their dreams and goals, while Goofy and Sylvia have become somewhat of the old married couple – but their burning love and adoration for each other keep their relationship young and kicking. Soon, little Penelope will grow up, and go to school, hopefully meet someone – and the cycle of life will begin all over again, as time marches on and the clock of life ticks forward. And so another page turns and another season changes, in the life and times of the Goof family and their friends.
