Next up is... 'Quantity Time', which is going to be different... a little bit. You remember how that episode focused on Helga? Well, it'll be offscreen-y a bit, but it's going to involve Olga. How? You'll see! Anyway, enjoy!
"...A fishing contest. Really. J-just a fishing contest?" Nadine glared at me and Phoebe as I was putting our names in the sign-in sheet.
"Pretty much." I nodded.
"...How many contests does Hillwood City have every single week?" Nadine frowned.
"Trust me, they have TOO many to count." Phoebe said.
"Besides, we're not really killing these fish, we're just putting them in pails and showing them to the judges... then we're throwing them back." I explained. "It is so simple..."
"Okay, fair point..." Nadine said as she saw Tucker coming in. "Hey, Tuck!"
"Hi, Nadine." Tucker smiled as he was reaching for the pen. "I was just signing myself up for the fishing tournament! I don't have a partner yet, but..."
"Hi, Tucker!" Nadine smiled a little. "If it's all right, I wouldn't mind... but..."
"Don't worry, I eat fish the food, but I don't like seeing live fish being gutted." Tucker said.
Nadine gave a gleeful smile. "Then I wouldn't mind being your partner!"
"Awesome!" Tucker said as he signed his and Nadine's names up there. "Meet you tomorrow for training?"
Nadine blushed a little as she said, "S-sure."
"Great!" Tucker smiled as he left.
Me and Phoebe gave some short smirks as Nadine turned. "Oh, what?"
"You and Tucker working together... it's cute!" Phoebe smiled.
"I would imagine you two would be a great couple." I smiled.
"Oh, like you wouldn't do the same if it was Arn-" Nadine started, but I panicked and shut her mouth with my hand as I saw Harold, Sid and Stinky come in.
"Oh, hey Rhonda." Sid said. "Signing for the fishing tournament too, I see."
"Yep..." I nodded as Sid, Stinky and Harold signed themselves in.
"Well, I'm a shoo-in to win for sure!" Harold said. "I'm going to capture the biggest fish and..." Phoebe then put her hands on Nadine's ears. "...and have it for supper."
"Guys, that doesn't work effectively, I can still hear what Harold says." Nadine frowned as she grimaced.
"Well, what do you know, Veggie eating girl?" Harold rolled his eyes.
"Plenty, actually." Nadine said. "Sure, fish can be good to eat, heck, I don't mind eating it if it came down to the fact that I don't have enough meat or acids in my body, BUT actually seeing one being gutted..." She shuddered. "There are days I'm glad I don't believe in non-violence. Like Sheena."
"Hippie." I rolled my eyes as Nadine just gave a side glance towards me. I looked outside and noticed Arnold and Gerald sitting out at the curb. "Hey, isn't that Arnold and Gerald? Wonder what's up?"
Curious, we all decided to go out to see what was going on as I asked, "Hi, Arnold, hey, Gerald. What are you guys up to?"
"Oh, we're still trying to figure out what we need to do today." Gerald said as he tapped his foot.
"So far, we're not thinking up anything..." Arnold said.
"Hey, if you're looking for something to do, why not try the fishing contest on Saturday?" Stinky asked.
"The what contest?" Gerald asked.
"Fishing contest." Phoebe said as she pointed towards a poster. "There's one on Saturday, and the prize goes to the one who catches the biggest fish."
"You mean... like Big Caesar?" Gerald said in curiosity.
"...Who the heck is Big Ca- is this another one of the legend stories you guys have?" Phoebe groaned.
Sid coughed as he said, "The legend of Big Caesar is as old as the rotting tailors at the bottom of city lake and our own Gerald is the keeper of the tale. Take it, Gerald."
Phoebe just groaned. "Of course it is."
"Quiet, maybe this one'll be good." I whispered.
And so, Gerald proceeded to tell the tale of a huge fish called Big Caesar. Phoebe decided to keep quiet this time as she listened to the story, of when dinosaurs ruled the earth and a large fish was amongst the dinosaurs. And he was not known by many names, except for the Romans who called him 'Big Caesar'.
Phoebe wanted to make a snide remark about dinosaurs and Romans living in the same era, but decided against it. Gerald continued the story about how Big Caesar got trapped due to the shifting of the Earth and was living in what was now our city lake.
Everyone clapped as Phoebe said, "What are we, fish? Come on!"
"You're not going to diss this legend, too, are you?" Gerald frowned.
"Oh no, no, you have some... solid points... BUT... how can a giant fish live in a trapped lake?" Phoebe asked. "That's what I want to know!"
"Come on, Phoebe, anything is possible." Arnold said.
"I'll believe it when I see it." Phoebe said as Sid, Stinky and Harold left.
"You know... this could be a good life lesson for you, little Phoebe." I smiled. "Why don't we go out there and catch 'Big Caesar'?"
"Yeah, I mean there could be a prehistoric fish in our city, who knows?" Nadine shrugged.
"Yeah!" Gerald said. "We can prove to the world there is a Big Caesar!"
Phoebe sighed. "You really are going to do this, aren't you?"
Phoebe shrugged. "Okay, but I'm only coming along so that I can laugh at your disappointed faces when you realize I was right."
"Meet you there, then!" Gerald smirked as he and Arnold ran in to sign up.
I smiled to Phoebe as she glared at me with that cute glare. "Oh, come on, you can't possibly BELIEVE this?"
"Come on, Phoebe, you've been dissing every urban legend. At least give this one a shot." I said.
Phoebe sighed. "Fine... I can't believe I'm doing this, but fine. I'll go with you to look for your mythical sea creature!"
I smiled at her. "Thanks, Phoebe. Nadine, you better get Tucker with us as well."
"Oh, I'm sure he'll be willing to go with it." Nadine smiled. "After the last adventure we had, I'm sure he'll be curious enough to see our next one."
I smiled towards Nadine.
A little later, as I was shopping in my favorite clothing store, I noticed an interesting sight... one of my favorite shopping clerks, Sharlene was talking with Olga. Curiously, I decided to come over and hide so I can overhear their conversation.
"Wow... must suck, huh, Olga?" Sharlene sighed.
"A little..." Olga said. "But Mom's gotta visit grandma, and we can't make our own hours..."
"So it's just YOU and that complete bongo of a dad for the week?" Sharlene asked, pretty angry.
Well, okay, maybe Sharlene didn't say the word 'bongo', but she said a really bad word that gave off that impression.
"Hey, Dad's not THAT bad..." Olga paused. "When he actually pays attention to me and treats me as a person... not an object. It gives me and him a chance to bond."
"Olga, that dad of yours is a complete lunatic, and he has a temper tantrum that can rival the Hulk!" Sharlene complained.
"...Okay, so he's not the best socially... and he's a bit of a big eater at times..." Olga sighed. "But it's fine, it's totally fine. If anything, I at least spend time with him, that's important."
Sharlene sighed. "Olga, the problem with you is that you look at the positive side of things."
"I realize the negatives of living with my parents... and I know it's affecting my life... but it's okay. Really. Living with my parents... it's just a small step." Olga smiled a bit.
"Olga, I know you want to try and stay here for your parents, help them improve, but... you're not making progress. They won't change why they are, Olga. They never will." Sharlene said.
Olga looked down sadly. "I know... but I still have to keep trying. I want to pull through... I seem to be succeeding in winning, that's a good thing for my parents..."
"That's the 'parents treat you as an object' talking!" Sharlene said.
"I realize that, but I feel it's the only way my parents would be happy." Olga said as she tried to keep happy. "Anyway, are you still up for the fishing tournament Saturday?"
"Oh, girlfriend, I'm definitely there!" Sharlene smiled. "Just make sure you bring your boat, and I'll bring my gear!"
"Will do!" Olga smiled. "Well, I better get going, Dad is probably wondering where I am... see you around, Sharlene!"
Olga then started to walk off as Sharlene sighed sitting down. "Poor Olga... she needs to someday have independence."
It was then I decided to walk up to Sharlene. "I didn't know you were friends with Olga."
"Oh, Rhonda!" Sharlene jumped as she turned to me. "So, you know Olga too, huh?"
"Yeah..." I nodded. "I feel sorry for her... I really do..."
"Yeah..." Sharlene said. "Sometimes, I feel like I'm the only sensible friend of Olga's..."
"You and Olga must have went a long way back." I said.
"...Ever since elementary school." Sharlene said. "I was there for her when she was ignored by her parents, but once they started to treat her as someone different, she and I met on several occasions... Olga and I see and realize what her parents are really treating her as, the perfect person that should be practically perfect in every way. Olga likes being treated like it, but in reality... she is pretty hurt that her parents see her as more of a object that they can use to collect trophies than a person to care for..."
"Why didn't you tell your parents about Olga's parents?" I asked curiously.
"Have you seen Big Bob Pataki's temper?" Sharlene sighed. "Trust me, it's not pretty... and I'm afraid it may be worse if they lost custody of their object... but it doesn't matter now. Olga's out of high school, and almost out of community college! She should be making a world for herself, not be a slave to her parents!"
"I know..." I sighed. "I really wish we could help Olga..."
"Trust me... I'm trying in my own way to save her from this horrible family... maybe I can convince her to get a new job... she is studying teaching as a bit of a major." Sharlene said.
I paused. "So... you and Olga are doing the fishing thing on Saturday?"
"Yep." Sharlene said. "It's a little boring out on the lake, but it gives me and Olga a chance to catch up... and some time to listen to my tunes... why? Are you participating with your friends?"
"Yeah, I am..." I nodded. "I'm also going with some of my friends to the deepest and foggiest part of the lake to see if we can catch Big Caesar."
"That childhood myth?" Sharlene raised an eyebrow.
"Well, it could be possible." I said. "I mean, I don't know if I believe it myself, but..."
"If you guys are going out to the foggiest part of the lake, you need two adult supervisors." Sharlene said. "Me and Olga will go with you guys."
"Cool!" I smiled.
"Just want you girls to be safe, that's all. I'm sure Olga would want the same thing as well." Sharlene smiled. "Anyway, Rhonda, I got some brand new shoes that I think are your style!"
"Oh man, I so want to see them!" I smiled. "But I have to be careful with my money, Sharlene. I don't want to spend a lot of it... I don't want another complaint from MY parents."
"Don't worry, they're pretty cheap." Sharlene laughed. "Step this way, and I'll show you the shoes!"
And so, after looking over some brand new yellow sneakers, I smiled as I gave a purchase on them. They did seem to be my style.
And come Saturday, I will be prepped for a fishing adventure with my friends!
That's the fifty-seventh episode! How do you like it? Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks!