Title: Cocoa Pebbles

Category: Humor
Rating: PG
Summary: Josh and Noah try to find a spoon on the back of the Cocoa Pebbles box

Disclaimer: Ha!

Author's Notes: Loosely based on a true story

Writing Commenced: May 28, 2005

Writing Ended: August 20, 2005

Josh studied the Cocoa Pebbles box intently.

"Did you find it yet Daddy?" Noah asked.

"Nope, but I'm close, I can feel it," Josh replied and put his arm around his son, pulling him closer. They continued to stare at the box. "It's a spoon, right, that's what we're looking for?" Noah nodded.

"It's hidden somewhere in the picture on the back of this box."

"Ok, I got this, we're men, we can do this…how about we just draw it in, and then we can say we found it!"

"No, Daddy," Noah giggled, his father was so silly sometimes.

"Ok, I know who I'm gonna call." Josh stood and turned towards the kitchen before his son's voice piped up and stopped him.

"Ghostbusters?" Noah smiled at his father. Josh turned back towards Noah, picked him up and threw him over his shoulder.

"Ghostbusters, huh? What are you, Mr. Funnyman?" Noah giggled. "Donna," Josh yelled up the stairs as they passed by. "Our son's a comedian."

Her laugher filtered down towards them and a satisfied look spread across Josh's face. When they reached the kitchen he put the phone on speaker and hit one of the speed dials.

"Hello?"

"Sam!"

"Josh, what's up?"

"Say hi to Uncle Sam, Noah."

"Hi Uncle Sam!" Noah said through his laughter as his father swung him up to sit on his shoulder.

"Hey Buddy."

"Sam, I need you to get your Cocoa Pebbles box out."

"Cocoa Pebbles? What makes you think I own a box of Cocoa Pebbles, or even eat that children's cereal?"

"Sam…"

"Fine," he said. "Give me a minute." Noah and Josh heard some rustling around as Sam located the item. "Ok, I have it."

"Good, have you read the back of the box?"

"I am a middle aged man, Josh; do you think I've read the back of the box?

"Sam, I have know you for many years, I know you've read the back of the box. But the information I really need is the location of the spoon?"

"Ah, that was a tricky one."

"Yeah, we thought so."

"I can see how that might have eluded you. But actually, if you look in the upper left corner you can see…hold on…wait a second." They heard a nervous cough. "...Let me call you back." And the line went dead.

"Ok…"

"Uncle Sam's funny, Daddy." Noah grinned, and Josh put him down. His little boy was getting too big to carry for very long.

"Ok, big man, you are calling Uncle Toby."

"Yay! Uncle Toby!" Noah cheered. He always cheered for his uncle when Toby's name was mentioned and Josh couldn't figure out why, but little did he know that whenever his son saw Uncle Toby there was always some surprise in store; either a game, candy, or playing airplanes. But this was always a secret between the two; Toby didn't want it getting out that he actually was a nice guy.

"No, you're right," Josh said to his son. "He'll just laugh at us, let's try CJ." He hit another speed dial.

"CJ Cregg."

"Yes, can I have a large pepperoni pizza delivered?"

"Daddy!" Noah shrieked with delight.

"Oh, hey buckaroos, what's shaking?"

"Not too much. CJ, do you eat Cocoa Pebbles?"

"You called me to ask that?" She laughed. "Would either of you like to try, oh, I don't know, a better question?"

"Hey, CJ! I resent you saying that my and Noah's question is irrelevant! How do you know that there's not something wrong with the cereal according to a recent study by the FDA and we were just trying to warn you?"

"Is there?"

"…No…"

"So there you go. Anyway, Noah, why do you want to know if your Aunt eats Cocoa Pebbles?" A beep indicating call waiting interrupted Noah before he could answer.

"Hold on one second CJ, there's a beep, we'll be right back." Josh switched over. "Hello?"

"Hey Josh, it's Sam."

"Yeah Sam, what's up?"

"Well, I think I figured out the answer to the spoon question. It's actually quite interesting. I think…" Josh cut Sam off.

"Hold on Sam, I have CJ on the other line and we were discussing the same thing, let's put this on a conference call."

"You asked her? I told you I was going to call you back," Sam said, sounding a little hurt.

"I thought Noah was the youngest person here, but now…"

"Ok, ok," Sam laughed. "I get it, I wasn't serious, just thought I'd throw some guilt in for good measure."

"Hold on, let me try to figure out how to do this." Josh pushed a few buttons. "CJ?" When he was met with silence he called out for Sam.

"Yeah, I'm still here. I guess you did it wrong."

"I'm gonna try again."

"Kay." Josh pressed another series of buttons.

"CJ?" Josh asked again.

"I'm here."

"Good, Sam?"

"Yep, I'm on the line. Hey CJ."

"Hey. These guys called you up too?"

"They called me first actually." Sam sounded a little proud.

"Ok then… Why don't you guys explain what is going on one more time for me?" Sam, Josh, and Noah all started talking at the same time.

"Noah and I were looking…"

"Josh called me…"

"Daddy was getting fustated…"

"Whoa, whoa, hold on Moe, Larry, and Curly," CJ interrupted them.

"Which one am I?" Sam asked.

"Doesn't matter. Josh, you tell me what's going on."

"Ok, Noah and I were eating Cocoa Pebbles and I was reading the back to him and it said that certain items were hidden in the picture on the back of the box. So Noah and I searched for them and we found all but one…the spoon. We need the spoon, CJ, it's imperative!"

"Inpertive!" Noah repeated, giggling at the passion his father had displayed while telling his tale. Josh grinned at his son.

"Is that it, Josh?" CJ inquired.

"Well," Sam began. "They called me and I thought I knew where the spoon was, but I was wrong. It wasn't in the upper left hand corner, that was actually a tree branch that took the form of a…" Sam was cut off by laughter.

"I tried, I really, really did," Toby's voice was heard through his amusement. "But I couldn't hold it in anymore." CJ's laughter soon joined his while Sam asked what was so funny. "Honestly, I can't believe the both of you are considered among the top minds of your generation. We are so screwed."

"Uncle Toby!" Noah screeched with delight. Josh knew the teasing would not stop for years now that Toby was involved.

"Go ahead and laugh, Toby, I'm sure that you have a Cocoa Pebbles box in your house too," Josh said.

"As Noah knows I most definitely do. I have twins that couldn't live a day without eating it."

"So," Josh said. "Mr. High and Mighty, where's the spoon?" They heard rustling around as Toby got his Cocoa Pebbles box out.

"Give me a second; I haven't looked at it yet."

"Sure you haven't," Sam said, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"I haven't," Toby answered sharply, sending CJ into giggles again.

"I would look with you men, but I actually don't have a box of Cocoa Pebbles." Josh could hear steps coming down the stairs. Donna walked into the kitchen with Noah's little sister, Megan.

"Hey everybody, what's going on?" Donna asked, putting Megan in her high chair.

"We're trying to find this godforsaken spoon on the back of the Cocoa Pebbles box!" Toby's frustrated voice came over the speakerphone.

"You mean the one right next to the rock, in the middle right of the box." Silence was heard over the phone lines and Josh ran into the living room to get the carton and ran back, staring intently at the picture.

"Donna!" he screeched.

"Mommy found it!" Noah said happily, and then ran towards his sister to bother her.

"You could have saved me a lot of time with the wonder boys over here if you came down a little sooner, Donna," CJ said.

"How did you…where…ohhhhh," Sam's voice came through. "I have to call Ainsley and tell her about this, talk to you guys later."

"You mean you didn't ask Donna before calling us, Josh? You could have saved yourself so much future embarrassment," Toby said.

"Hey! You didn't find it either!"

"Yes, but I had a total of two minutes to look for it. You were probably staring at it for an hour." Josh stayed quiet and looked desperately at his wife.

"Josh has to go give Noah a bath while I feed Megan, so we'll talk to you later guys. Thanks for helping us out." Donna shut off the speakerphone and turned towards her husband who was smiling sheepishly at her. "I could have told them that Megan was the one who actually found the spoon but I took pity on you."

"I am one lucky man, Donna. Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah. You can make it up to me by changing Megan's diaper. According to the look of disgust that just crossed Noah's face she probably pooped."

Josh groaned.

"And then give your son a bath."

"Fine," he replied, lifting his daughter out of the high chair and walking up the stairs mumbling about calling Post cereals and making them change the back of the box.

THE END

A/N: I was having trouble writing the ending but I hope you liked it. Please leave feedback, my birthday's Monday and it's the greatest gift ever…plus it's free. Thanks for reading!