"OUCH!" The muffled exclamation echoed through the darkness. "I think I missed", the purple and yellow costumed cuke groaned, as he pulled his super suction ear off his face. "Maybe I'll just use the fire escape!" He retracted his plunger, and made his way up onto Mr. Chang's roof.
Through the skylight, he could see Bob at his table. Junior was still a bit dazed, but he was now sitting beside the tomato. They both had been joined by Junior's dad. Mr. Lunt was taking their order, and one of the pea bus boys was clearing the table next to them.
LarryBoy summoned all his super strength, bounded up, and came crashing down through the skylight--landing in the middle of Bob's table. "The deception you have purloined upon the unsuspecting cucumber. Larry, has been unmasked, evil-doer!", he spouted and sprayed in Junior's dad's general direction.
Silence fell over the little group for several moments. Finally, Mr. Lunt regained his composure, and, looking up, he said, "You're going to have to pay for that, you know."
"Larry..." Bob began, still in shock, "What are you doing?"
"Larry is not here! It is I, LarryBoy! Here to right the wrong that was imposed upon the cucumber of which you speak"
"Um, Larry, we all know it's you." Bob said quietly.
Almost in unison, the entire restaurant nodded and grunted in affirmation.
LarryBoy fell back into a chair. He grew pale green as he asked, "What do you mean". LarryBoy's breathing quickened as he felt his secret identity slipping away. He rolled over onto the floor and began to sob uncontrollably.
Noone knew what to do. Finally, Junior jumped off his chair and went over to LarryBoy's side. "Mr. LarryBoy", he said shyly.
The cucumber lifted his cowled head and dried his eyes with the napkin that Junior was holding out to him
"I'm so sorry", Junior continued. "When my dad and I were walking past the park, we found the box that I had trusted you--I mean Larry with, so we decided we should give him a lesson in responsibility."
"So that's why you took the box--and then pretended you were mad because I--I mean, he lost it?" LarryBoy asked, raising himself up a little
"Yes, sir. We never intended to cause all this trouble. I feel so bad"
LarryBoy bounced to his--to a standing position. "Fear not, citizen! This superhero holds no grudges against you! Larry has learned his lesson, I'm sure, and you have learned one, as well, I suspect."
"Yes, I learned that we need to be honest with our friends, and tell them how we feel about the things they have done, instead of taking it upon ourselves to teach them a lesson" Junior said proudly
Junior's dad stood up and put his--He stood up next to his son and said, "I think that's a lesson we all learned today"
Pa Grape came out from the kitchen. "Now who gets the bill for all these damages?" he asked.
"Just give it to Mr. Vischer." Bob said with a sly grin.
Everyone learned a lesson that day. Junior and his dad stopped trying to teach everyone a lesson by deception, Larry was much more trustworthy with other people's possessions, Mr. Chang boarded up the skylight, and told LarryBoy to use the front door from now on, the nameless scallion stopped eating Poprocks because he heard something about Mikey and soda, and Bob decided to never eat out again!
...and they all lived happily ever after --at least until next time...
Oh, by the way, did you want to know what was in the box? It was a gift for Junior's Dad--an Art Begotti coffee mug! How's that for an ending???