Memories of the Dance We Shared
A Goofy Movie Fanfic
By Auburn Red
Chapter Three: Penny's Journal: That's As Close As I Get To Lovin' You
"I just had to sneak out again. I couldn't stand another of Mummy and Daddy's parties to introduce me to potential suitors. I felt like I couldn't breathe, so I opened my bedroom window, inched down the drain pipe and the creeping vine. Now, I am here in this café writing in my personal thoughts instead of attending a dinner party in which I am to entertain Bradley Uppercrust II-"
-Max read that name with a start. Bradley Uppercrust II, no doubt the father of Bradley Uppercrust III, Max's college rival! He had no idea that his mother knew the family. He shuddered at the thought that if the dinner party went the wrong way, Bradley and Max could have been brothers! Max continued to read-
"-Bradley seems more interested in his reflection than in anyone else. The last time we spoke, he talked so incessantly about his father's business, millions which he will inherit and their family dynasty, I whistled "You're So Vain" to him, which he didn't get.
Of course Bradley probably missed the irony and would think the song really was about him. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the man my parents want me to marry. Bradley isn't even the worst of them, the worst of the people that I am often surrounded by and suffocate me.
I know it would seem strange to grow up in a house with 14 rooms and to feel suffocated. I have a life that many would envy: a large home, plenty of clothes, always the latest toys and electronics. But the truth is, I want to escape it all. My parents are always trying to turn me into a perfect rich society lady with the perfect rich society husband and have our perfect rich society children. They think that I am going to university to get not an English degree, but an MRS degree. This morning Mummy even said, "Darling you are so featherbrained that you couldn't possibly find any sort of employment beyond being someone's wife."
In this café, I am reading a chapter of Jane Eyre, but really it just isn't doing anything for me this time. Perhaps, I wonder why a governess like Jane would want to love a wealthy man like Rochester. Some days I identify more with Bertha Rochester, the mad wife in the attic, imprisoned by her family and always looking outside. I don't think that I can read anymore so I will write instead.
I don't have any friends that I can talk with. The few people that I do know are the children of my friend's parents and aren't really mine like the Catterly Sisters, Margeaux and Adelaide two catty (pun not intended) sisters who look down on others and spend a
great deal of time mocking anyone who isn't in our stratosphere (which is everyone else according to them). These girls are nothing like the two best friends I ever had. The ones-But I can't think about them anymore. Mummy and Daddy forced them out of my life. Don't miss them, Penny, just don't.
Most of the people that my parents hang out with are members of the Status Seekers, club for the wealthy elite which is concerned about being wealthy and gaining further status. The only member of their circle that I really like is Scrooge McDuck, not a Status Seeker but wealthy enough to be invited anyway. That's because his stories about his adventures like panning for gold in the Yukon, or searching for buried treasure including the Lost Treasure of Cali Baba, fascinate me. My parents often invite him, but whenever Mr. McDuck speaks at these gatherings, Mummy and Daddy raise their eyebrows, and snicker behind their closed mouths, the "fake polite" face when they are amused or annoyed by someone and don't want to show it. Sometimes Daddy and Bradley even imitate Mr. McDuck's accent when he isn't in ear shot. Perhaps they look down on Mr. McDuck because he is a self-made millionaire and they inherited their wealth. I have a feeling if it weren't for his tremendous wealth, my parents wouldn't glance at him either way.
It's rather lonely to not be able to talk to anyone but this book which I just bought and my teddy bear, Bloomsbeary. I know it's kind of immature to be 19 years old and still have a teddy bear and I certainly know that the Catterly Sisters would never let me hear the end of it, if they find out. But, he's been my friend since my family trip to London when I was six and I saw him at a small toy store in Bloomsbury. He's always been there for me and is the only relief from my loneliness. Sometimes I am surrounded by so many people and I feel so alone that I want to scream but I don't think anyone would hear me. Or if they did, Mummy would tell me to keep the noise down. I wonder if I disappeared forever would anyone care to look for me?-"
-Max hung his head in empathy for his mother and shame. He remembered the many times when growing up in trailers and moving around a lot with his dad, he would envy other kids who had the cool toys and wondered what it would be like to live in those big houses. He always thought how terrific it would be to be rich and not to have to worry about where their next pay check would come from or watching his father collect toys from charity toy drives or buy second hand clothes that he realtered and resized so they would appear new. He wondered what it would be like to go on vacations instead of his father taking out the backdrop to make it look like they were going camping.
Growing up his mother had everything that Max ever wanted, but she was miserable. She never had anyone to talk to except a stuffed bear and her journal. She didn't even have parents that loved her and accepted her for who she was. Max breathed a silent thanks for his father and how he always supported him and never made him feel like he was anything less than the best.-
"-I look around at the people eating and sometimes I enjoy making up little stories about them. I see an older couple, a white female dog in a pink dress and hat and a black male dog in a blue suit. They sit on the booth across from me, talking quietly his hand on hers. I think that they come to this café every week because it's where they first met and they like to recreate their first date.
There is a businessman, a fox in a trench coat eating quietly and reading. He has a sad expression on his face. I wonder if he is dreaming about a lost love, maybe the One That Got Away or perhaps she died. Either way, he still misses her and now he only lives for his work to fill the empty void in his life.
There is a small group of friends talking and laughing in the corner. They look about my age. A couple of them look familiar, almost too familiar. I am curious so I see an empty booth right next to them and want to sit there.
I am right! The two were who I thought they were! The mouse woman in the blue dress and blue bow in her hair could only be Minnie Mouse and the duck woman in a pink dress and pink bow has to be Daisy Duck! I smile at seeing my old friends and long to go up and reintroduce myself. Then I remember when I waited outside my birthday party for my friends to arrive.
It was my seventh birthday party. Daisy and Minnie skipped up the sidewalk with presents for me. However, Duckjoy, our butler stood in front glaring at the two girls telling them that "they were not to attend Miss Penelope's birthday party." My friends just looked stricken. I longed to go outside and apologize and say that they can come in and of course they are invited. Mummy then stepped outside and explained further, "My daughter does not wish to be associated with such riff raff as yourself!"
"We are not riff raff," Daisy insisted angrily.
"We are her friends, Mrs. Pooch," Minnie said politely. "And she invited us."
My mother glared at the two girls like they were insects. I knew when she had that look she always got her way. "She invited you without the approval of myself and her father. Please leave, she no longer wishes for you to be her friend."
Minnie looked sad like she was going to cry, but Daisy looked angry. She put her arm around Minnie's shoulder and shouted loud enough for me to hear. "Well we no longer wish to be her friend either! Penny's the Riff Rafff!"
My mother glared at them. "Do I have to call a police officer to have you escorted from the premises?"
Daisy continued to glare hotly, but Minnie held her hand. "Come on, Daisy. Let's go." Minnie and Daisy walked off the porch and I never saw them again.
Slowly, after Minnie and Daisy left my parents began the transformation from Penny Pooch to the Frankenstein's Monster that is Penelope Glorybee Libertee Pooch
(Probably soon to be Penelope Uppercrust if my parents and Bradley have their way). My parents moved me from the public elementary school to the Lady Tremaine Private School For Fine Young Ladies. I was no longer permitted to go out for sports because it was unladylike. If I had any acquaintances, they had to be preapproved by my mother and father. My mother even paid to have my nose fixed so it would be smaller, my teeth straightened and the buck teeth removed, so I would be more attractive. ("Really you were such an awkward gangly thing, no man would have wanted you.")
The only bit of rebellion that I have is sometimes I sneak books that my parents don't approve of behind their backs. My father once caught me with an anthology of feminist poetry and short stories and he gave me a whipping because he thought the book
was "too subversive over what the proper role is for a woman." I didn't stop reading them, I just got better at hiding them. I think that's why I love to read and write. I love how those great poets and novelists captured such emotions with their words. I also love reading essays and books about issues like "Letter From A Birmingham Jail," "Silent Spring,""Hiroshima," "The Diary of Anne Frank," and others, writings that made great change in the world. Sometimes these books are the only escape and rebellion that I know.
I sit on the booth behind Minnie and Daisy's friends. So far they don't see me. Part of me wants to speak to them, greet them by name and apologize. Another part withdraws into myself shyly, out of fear. I wouldn't blame them if they never spoke to me again, so I hide and long to make myself invisible so they don't see me. I am so ashamed over how my parents treated them. I missed them so much, the only real friends I ever had, but I am too afraid that they would reject me. I should have stood up for them, but I didn't. Any rejection that they give me would be more than deserved.
A strange laugh breaks from my thoughts. It sounds like a gulp and someone saying something like "ahyuck." It's sincere and charming and it almost makes me laugh just to hear it. I look over my seat and try to make myself hidden. The laugh is coming from Minnie and Daisy's table. They aren't alone. They are with three men and one dog. One a male mouse with a high voice and dressed in red and black is doing most of the talking. He gives a sausage to the orange dog that wags his tail happily. The male mouse starts talking about a baseball game that he and the others participated in.
"Bugs and his friends never knew what hit 'em," he boasts proudly. "Even if he did try to play every position."
"Well at the very least, that was unfair," Minnie says.
The male duck who is dressed in a blue sailor suit said something which I really couldn't understand but it sounded like it ended with "the show off." Judging by the mouse's nod of approval and the others laughter, it sounded like they are talking about this Bugs.
"The best part though was the seventh inning stretch performance between Mt. Ducksuvius here," Daisy says pointing at the duck. "-and Daffy. Donald, you really could control your temper."
Donald, I guess that's his name, starts quacking angrily. I think he is saying, "He started it."
"I thought we was gonna have to pull you two off each other, "said the other man, a tall gangly black dog dressed in blue pants, green shirt, black vest and a long marrow-bone fedora. I can tell from his voice that he's the one who had the charming laugh from earlier. "Especially when he thought you called him a-"
"-I said-"Donald says a word which at first I thought was inappropriate but then I realized that he said "doggone little." He was clearly offended that someone would even assume that he would say the other word. He then softened. "But thanks for sticking up for me."
The tall man chucked him on the shoulder. "Hey no one says anything like that about my pal and gets away with it."
"And how about Minnie scoring that home run?" Daisy says pointing at her friend. "Good job."
"That's why she plays with us," The mouse says.
"Oh Mickey," Minnie says sweetly as Mickey kissed her.
"I can still see Bugs and Daffy's faces when Minnie made it," the tall man said.
Mickey and Donald's mouths drop open and they look upward, their eyes widened in surprise. I guess they are imitating Bugs and Daffy. Donald even mouths a couple of phrases like "son of a bitch," and "they're despicable" probably what Bugs or Daffy mouthed when Minnie scored the home run.
The others laugh particularly the tall man. He gives a long deep "ahyuck" laugh the same one I heard. I couldn't resist. The laugh is so cute, charming, and contagious-"
--Max shook his head not believing that his mother would have said that his father's laugh was cute or charming. "She must have been really in love," Max thought with a sigh as he continued.
"-that I laugh right along with them before I can stop myself. I just want to say that I hate my laugh. Oh it starts out alright, up and down like a music scale. But then if it becomes uncontrollable like now, it always ends with a hiccup and a snort. I get embarrassed whenever I do it so I try not to laugh very much. I cover my mouth hoping no one heard that-"
-And there it is," Max quipped remembering that his father said that his mother had the greatest laugh. Of course two people with the weirdest laughs in the world would gravitate towards each other. "It's kind of a cute in a weird, sick sort of way.-"
"It's too late now. Minnie and Daisy look upwards, both in surprise. My only hope is that they don't recognize me. "I know that laugh," Minnie says. She cranes her head to get a better look at my booth. "Penny? Penny Pooch! Daisy I think it's Penny!"
Daisy also cranes her head over the booth. "It's been almost 12 years but I think you're right!"
"Come on," Minnie jumps up to take her hand. "Let's go say hi!"
Daisy pulls her hand away. "You say 'hi!' Remember how she treated us?" I can tell she's still angry. I feel sad over the loss of a deep friendship that might have been between the three of us.
"Come on, maybe she's changed," Minnie says. "We'll never know if we don't try."
I feel shy and awkward around them, hoping for some untimely way of escape. I don't know what to say to them. Oh it's too late now. Here they come!..."
"…It's been a few days since I wrote in this journal for a very good reason. I didn't have it for a long time but so much has happened since then. Let's see, I last left off when Minnie and Daisy walked over to me at the café. Minnie screamed my name and gave me a big hug. "It's good to see you again! You look different," She said.
"Is that good or bad?" I asked shyly.
"You look great," Minnie said.
"So do you," I said. "And so do you, Daisy."
"Thanks," Daisy said.
"You should come sit with us," Minnie invited. I hesitated, but Minnie led me towards the others. She indicated the mouse next to her, "Guys, this is Penny Pooch an old friend from elementary school-"
"-Sort of," Daisy muttered.
Minnie walked me over to her friends. "This is my boyfriend, Mickey Mouse."
"Hello there," Mickey said shaking my hand. "Any friend of Minnie's is a friend of ours. This is my buddy, Pluto." He indicated the dog lying on the ground that leaped up at me all over my white blouse and green knee length skirt.. I stepped back nervously, but Pluto was so friendly that I couldn't resist scratching his head.
"Pluto that's not nice," Mickey admonished.
"Oh that's okay," I said. "He's seems friendly." I noticed that Pluto got some dirt marks on my blouse but I ignored it. Pluto then licked my face. I gave a small laugh, but stopped before the awful snort began..
"This is Daisy's boyfriend, Donald Duck," Minnie said.
Donald also shook my hand and said something that sounds like "It's nice to meet you, miss." But Daisy glared at him, so he stepped back.
"And this is Goofy," Minnie said pointing at the large man.
Goofy stepped on his friends' feet as he walked towards me. He held my hand in brief silence, but leaned down. "Goofy, Third Wheel at your service! An-chanty, mad-moi-sill," he said as he tried but missed getting the air next to my hand. "Uhh, I mean-"
"I know what you meant," I said smiling. Goofy then held a chair inviting me to sit. I sat, but Goofy pushed it too far and I landed on the ground. "Oh I'm sorry Miss," Goofy said. He helped me stand.
I laughed. Goofy is so polite and adorable, even when he is being awkward. "It's okay," I said, even letting out an embarrassing snort. It's refreshing how natural Minnie's friends are. "I've seen it happens in movies, hundreds of times. It's interesting to see it happen in real life." I said.
Instead Goofy led me to the booth where he seated me between himself and Minnie. It was a tight fit with all six of us and Pluto on the outside, but we managed. Goofy's knee and mine touch each other. "So, how long-"I said at the same time that Goofy says, "So what are you doing-" We looked at each other and I felt a blush creep up.
"So what have you been doing with yourself, Penny?" Minnie asked.
"Oh, um I am a sophomore at Elias University," I said.
"What's your major?" Mickey asked politely.
"English," I answered. "I love to read and write." It was hard for me to talk to these people as kind as they were. I felt out of place with them. I cleared my throat. "What about all of you? Are you in school or anything?"
"Well we are, sort of," Minnie began,
"What are all of you studying," I asked curiously.
Minnie pointed at herself. "Well I am studying Business Administration with a dual major in Cosmetology and Fashion Buymanship. Someday I'd like to run my own boutique."
I remembered. "I know you always liked your clothes and wearing your hair bows."
"She still does," Mickey said. "As for me, I'm studying Filmmaking and Entertainment Management. I would like to some day run a club or a theatre like Kermit the Frog does with his friends so we can perform and make people happy. My friends and I, we make these cartoons and movies and we'd like to show people."
"I wanted to go into the Navy," Donald said. "Still do eventually, but right now I'm learning Seamanship and Navigation. I'd love to be a sailor and go on adventures like my Uncle Scrooge does."
"Scrooge McDuck," I asked. Donald nodded. "I met him a few times. He does have some interesting stories."
"Someday, I'm going to live them," Donald vowed.
"I'm studying Broadcasting so I can be a TV reporter," Daisy said. She pretended to hold up a microphone and said. "This is Daisy Duck with all the latest news!"
The friends laughed and I turned to Goofy. "So what are you studying?" I asked.
"I'm studying to be a general!" Goofy said proudly.
Donald rolled his eyes. After a while I am starting to understand his speech somewhat. I suppose you just have to listen to him. "For the last time, Goofy, you aren't studying to be a general! You are taking general basic classes!"
Goofy slapped his knee. "Shucks, that's what I said."
Donald shook his head angrily and muttered "oh boy," "oh boy," while the others rolled their eyes and smiled like they expected an argument between the two.
"Anything in particular you're interested in?" I asked him.
"I don't rightly know yet," Goofy said. "I guess I'll know it when I find out what I'm studying for. Guess it'll come to me."
"Well you'll have a lot longer to decide anyway, fella," Mickey said. I looked confused, so Mickey explained. "We're working our way through school, so we're taking only a few classes at a time."
"That's impressive," I said admiring them and I do. These guys know what they want to do with their lives and made their own decisions. They are even willing to work for them. Even Goofy in his uncertainty that the right career will come along for him. My life has been programmed for me and I have no idea what I want to do yet or even if I want the life that has been planned for me.
I think Daisy interpreted my words and silence as sarcasm so she got on the defensive. "Yes, we all don't have rich relatives to pay our way through school."
Donald looked stunned. "Hey Uncle Scrooge won't pay for my schooling. He says I have to earn my way like he did!"
"I wasn't talking about you," Daisy said.
"Daisy," Minnie said shocked nodding in my direction.
"No," I said. "She has every right. Minnie, Daisy, I owe you both an apology. My parents had no right to make you stop being my friends. I'm sorry that they did that and I'm sorry that I didn't argue with them. I missed you both and I would really like it if we could be friends again."
Minnie held my hand. "Well I'm willing," she said.
Daisy crossed her arms but then lowered them. "Well I guess I could try," she said.
An unwelcome voice interrupted our conversation. "Miss Penelope, your parents have been looking everywhere for you," I look up to see Duckjoy glaring at my new friends. "You must come along with me."
"I'm talking to my friends, Duckjoy," I said.
"Well your time is up," our butler said. "You'd better come along, Miss Penelope."
Minnie stood up. "We were just catching up with Penny and we'll return her-"
"-That is Miss Penelope to you, Miss Minerva," Minnie blushed. Clearly Duckjoy remembered her. He sneered at the others. "As well as to all of you." I cower in embarrassment. "Miss Penelope, I do not wish to get your father involved."
I lowered my head and then attempted to rise. Goofy stood up with me and knocked me down. I bumped into Minnie, who bumped into Mickey, who bumped into Pluto, who bumped into Donald, who bumped into Daisy and down we fell like dominoes.
"Well that was intensely stupid," Donald said sarcastically.
"Oops," Goofy shrugged as we all stood at once, Goofy helping me to rise. I looked into his eyes and he looked into mine. There is something sweet and honest in them and I'm not sure what else. Is it loneliness? Sadness underneath the humor?
"Miss Penelope," Duckjoy interrupted. They stepped aside so I can follow him. I felt like a prison escapee caught by the warden to return to a longer prison sentence. He looked me up and down particularly at my dirty blouse. I also noticed my panty hose has a run in the knee. "I shall have to report this to your mother."
I returned home to a very frosty welcome with my parents and Bradley. "Really, Penelope," said my mother. "Must you look and dress like a wild thing? Your blouse is dirty and your hose has run. Where on earth have you been?"
I was about to explain when my father interrupted. "It does not matter, you have made a fool of us by being late for your own dinner party."
"We are truly sorry for our daughter's foolishness," my mother said to Bradley.
Bradley snickered. "Oh that's alrigh, Millicent, I should be used to this behavior by now from your daughter."
My mother pointed upwards. "Penelope, go upstairs and return dressed." I tensed. The way my father looked told me that he might whip me, regardless whether we had company or how old I was. I lowered my head and walked upstairs. On my way up, I overheard my father say to Bradley, "My apologies, Bradley. As you can see Penelope can be rather willful and spirited."
Bradley then spoke in a tone that made me quake with fear. "I have ways of dealing with that, Reginald."
It wasn't until I returned to my bedroom before I realized that my journal was missing…."
"…..The next day I walked downstairs to smell fresh paint. I recalled that my father wanted to have our ballroom repaired and painted for my upcoming birthday party so he hired a group from Ajax Home Repairs to work on it. I am surprised that I know the house painters.
Mickey looked up from where he placed blue paint on the wall, when he saw me.
"Oh howdy, Miss Penelope." He then whistled to his friends. "Fellas, we got company."
Donald, Goofy, and Pluto looked up and grinned. Goofy leapt down from his ladder and his foot landed right smack dab into the paint can. "Gawrsh," he said. "That's a strange place to put a paint can." He then tipped his painter's cap and bowed. "Nice to see you again, Miss Penelope."
"It's nice to see all of you again," I said. "But you may call me Penny. Never mind what Duckjoy said." I scuffed my toes shyly unsure of how to proceed. "What are you guys doing?" I asked.
Donald rolled his eyes. "We're knitting a sweater," he said sarcastically.
I was about to apologize feeling stupid at asking such an obvious question when Goofy interrupted. "I didn't know we was knitting! Good thing I brought my knitting needles and my yarn!" He reached into his pocket to pull out needles and yarn.
"Goofy, do you understand sarcasm?" Donald asked slapping his forehead, his hand moving down his beak.
"I don't understand what you are sayin' half the time, Donald," Goofy said. Donald rolled his eyes. "I'd have trouble learning a new language like Sarcasm."
I glance over at Mickey who shakes his head. "Don't worry, they're like this all the time." He then answered my earlier question. "Well remember that we told you that we're all working our way through school?" I nodded. "Well this is what the three of us are doing for now, well among other things."
"What are Minnie and Daisy doing?" I inquired.
"They work at Mortimer's department store," Mickey said glowering at the name of the department store with good reason.
"Mortimer Mouse?" I said with a shiver.
Mickey nodded and sighed. "Unfortunately."
"My condolences," I said. Mortimer Mouse is another friend of my parents, obnoxious, arrogant, and sexist are the kindest words I can say about him. The only good thing about him is my parents never tried to set me up with him. Maybe he's too obnoxious for them, but he inherited his family department store so he's in the club too.
"Oh Miss Penny-" Goofy said.
"Just Penny," I corrected him.
"Miss Just Penny," Goofy said again. I have no idea if he was kidding or not, but he reached into his pocket and pulled out an item wrapped in cloth. "You dropped this the other day."
I opened the cloth to see this book. I was surprised that he returned it to me. "Thank you. You wrapped it up."
Goofy said shyly looking downward. "Well I didn't want no paint to get on it."
I blushed equally shy. "You didn't read it or anything did you?"
Goofy shook his head. "Nope I didn't read one word, not even the part where you said my laugh was cute, charming, and contagious."
My mouth dropped open mortified at my privacy being violated like that. But before I could say anything more, Goofy interrupted. "And Mis- Penny, just for the record, I think you have a pretty laugh too and it ain't at all embarrassing."
I smiled at Goofy's words as I felt faint. To retain some normalcy to the situation, I apologized and ran upstairs to return my journal to my bedroom. I waited upstairs for a few minutes, holding my hands to my cheeks feeling them redden. I was embarrassed and exhilarated thinking about Goofy. Despite my better judgment, I returned downstairs to join Goofy and his friends.
I entered the room as the guys continued painting a light blue on the walls. Pluto also painted using his tail as a brush.
"That's a lovely color," I said.
"Well we thought it made a nice contrast to the primer," Mickey said.
"It's very lovely," I said. I walked closer to where Goofy painted. He was whistling a tune and then started singing a bit under his breath. "Up and down, up and down. That's the way to paint up and down." He nodded at me.
"May I try it?" I asked.
"Well sure," Goofy said. He put his hand in mine and placed the brush into it. He then gently moved my hand up and down while we painted. "See up and down, up and down. That's the way to paint up and down." He said.
"Up and down, up and down," I sang along with him.
He then sang a song softly to me, "The world owes me a livin." While Goofy sang and he continued to lead me to paint, I saw Mickey, Pluto, and Donald out of the corner of my eye. Donald shook his head and rolled his eyes and he snickered. Pluto guffawed rolling on the floor. Mickey shushed them, but he too hid a smile behind his hand.
"You're a natural," Goofy said.
"Thank you, Goofy," I answered. I looked in his eyes. Many probably wouldn't consider Goofy handsome in a conventional sense, but he just has this look of pure kindness, honesty, and generosity. Those qualities make him handsome in my opinion. I stepped back, "Well I guess I'd better get going. I wouldn't want your wife or girlfriend to get the wrong idea."
"Oh I ain't married, no girlfriend, never had one," Goofy said. "They're the lucky ones." He nodded at Mickey and Donald who smiled at their friend, teasing him but I wonder if they weren't also happy for him. I wonder why he never was romantically involved with anyone. "Never ever? I wonder why," I covered my mouth realizing I said that out loud not to mention it was none of my business. I stammered. "I mean I can already tell, you're sweet, kind, and gentle-"
He shrugged. "I don't rightly know. I guess I was never that lucky in love before."
"Before?" I asked.
Goofy cleared his throat as he let go of my hand. He was about to raise his hand possibly to tip his hat, but held up instead the one with the paint brush which he then ran along his forehead. "Oops," he said. He then was about to point the paint brush at me, but then placed it on the ladder. "Don't want to get your clothes dirty again," He said then walked towards me, "Penny I was wonderin' if you would do me the honor of-" His foot then got caught on the ladder and he tumbled right into me and we fell into each other.
"I'm sorry," Goofy said at the same time that I said, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah are you," Goofy asked. He cowered probably thinking that I would be mad.
I laughed hysterically. Despite Goofy's best efforts, my whole front was wet with paint. He struggled to get off of me, but we tumbled on the ground again laughing. We stopped to catch our breath as Goofy said quickly. "So will you go out with me?"
I was about to answer when I heard a shocked voice gasp, "Penelope Glorybee Libertee Pooch!" I looked up to see my parents glare at me ashamed and at Goofy, Donald, and Mickey like they were insects that deserved to be squashed. "Get up from the floor, young lady!" My mother hissed.
I rose up and Goofy with me. "We have spoken before about how you should not fraternize with the help not to mention the fact that you have dirtied yourself once more!"
"I'm sorry Mother-" I began.
"-It was my fault, Mrs. Pooch," Goofy said. "My foot slipped and I bumped into Miss Penny."
My mother glared. "Well I appreciate your candor Mr. Goof, but that does not solve the mystery of why our daughter Miss Penelope-" She emphasized my full name."-was even down here in this room in the first place!"
Daddy glared at Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. "Mr. Mouse, Mr. Duck, and Mr. Goof, I believe that your services will be no longer required."
I could hear Donald say in his distinct voice to Goofy, "Way to go!" Goofy shrugged and hung his head glumly.
Mickey stepped forward trying to be even tempered. "Well alright sir, we will send you an estimate of the work that we have done so far-"
"-Fine," My father said through clenched teeth. "Send it in the mail!" I knew my father would find a way not to pay it. He likes to put things over on people who work under him, because he thinks that many people in the lower classes are stupid and uneducated.
My mother grabbed my arm so hard that I felt like it would fall off. "You are not to see that boy nor his friends again!"
"Mother I am 19 years old-" I began.
"And until you are 21 or married, you are our responsibility and under our command," Mummy declared. "With the way you are behaving you will reach the former before the latter."
She then shoved me upstairs and pushed me into my bedroom.
Later that night while eating supper, Duckjoy entered the dining room. "Telephone call for Miss Penelope."
I was confused and wary. Who would call me? Then I rolled my eyes figuring that it was Bradley. I sighed and answered the phone in the main room. "Hello, this is Miss Penelope Pooch," I began.
"Hi Penny," said a familiar cheerful voice. "It's Goofy, you know the feller that bumped into you and spilled all the paint-"
"-I know who it is," I said politely. I guess he thought that I would forget all about him. How could I? "I'm sorry for the way my father treated you."
"Shucks, that's alright," Goofy said. "My friends and I are used to jumping from one job to another. I called because you never answered the question."
"Oh the estimate," I said thinking that they were still discussing business. "Well I'm sure that your time and duties will be itemized accordingly."
"Nah, not that either," Goofy said. "You never answered whether you would go out with me or not."
I blushed. "Really you want to after what happened with my parents?"
"Well I ain't asking to go out with your parents am I?" he asked shyly.
"No," I said.
"If you like, we can start on a group date, you and me, Mickey and Minnie, and Donald and Daisy. Shoot, even Pluto has a lady friend, Fifi."
In those words, I could feel that same sense of loneliness in Goofy that I saw in his eyes and I remembered how he introduced himself as "Goofy, Third Wheel." He was lonely and perhaps sad that his friends were with someone and he was not. "Of course I will, Goofy," I said. "If you like I can meet you at the café where we first met, Friday night at Seven."
"Friday it is," Goofy agreed. "I'll put on my glad rags and my best smile!"
I laughed and said. "I'll look forward to it."
"Me too. Oh I'll even show you that sweater that me and Donald was knittin' at your house," I laughed knowing that sarcasm really did miss Goofy by. Goofy said. "I have to go now." We said good-bye and hung up.
I looked at the phone, "Glad rags?" I said out loud with a smile. I don't know at this point what my feelings for Goofy are. All I know is someone strange and unique has wandered into my life and something tells me that my life will never be the same again…"
"….I told my parents that I had a Friday night class, so I was able to go out with Goofy and the others. The first date was a lot of fun. We all went to a disco and danced to the latest music: "Get Down Tonight, "Play That Funky Music," "Lady's Night," "I Will Survive," "The Last Dance," all the others. Even Pluto and his "lady friend," a Peke named Fifi were able to dance the night away. I'm afraid that Minnie and Daisy got a bit competitive on the dance floor, but they ended up okay and Mickey and Donald danced really well with them. Surprisingly despite his clumsiness, Goofy actually is a really good dancer! We were able to coordinate ourselves to each other's moves until by the end, we were in a synchronous beat with each other. It was a good night with a lot of laughs and good times. I think I could get used to this group.
Mine and Goofy's second date was more memorable. It came about because Goofy walked me home the first night, we came near the driveway of the house. I told him to let me out so I would be far from where others could see me. I made a casual comment that Goofy knew about my family and he's seen my house and I didn't know anything about his. He smiled in a way that I could almost describe as enigmatic. "You want to know about me and my friends, you'd best watch our movies….."
"….The next night was spent watching Goofy's friends' movies. I visited the apartment that Goofy, Mickey, Donald, and Pluto all shared while Goofy welcomed me inside. (The others were out with their girlfriends). I remembered that when we first met, Mickey said something about how him and his friends made cartoons and movies. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Probably some amateurish movies made with a hand held camera showing vacations, school days, holidays etc.
It was nothing like I expected! I never laughed so much in my entire life! The cartoons and movies that Mickey and his friends made seemed professional! They were edited and had titles to them. I saw so many different scenarios and hilarious scenes. There were Mickey, Donald, and Goofy hunting ghosts, cleaning clocks, reenacting Jack and the Beanstalk. I saw Goofy pretending to be a knight, a jungle explorer, and playing various sports including gymnastics, skiing, football, and soccer. I laughed so hard that I fell off my chair quite a few times.
After he finished one called, "Goofy and Wilbur," I paused to catch my breath. "Could you play 'Knight For a Day' and 'The Art of Skiing' again?" I asked. "Those were my favorites."
"As you wish, miss," Goofy answered and he played the films once more.
"Where did you learn how to do this?" I asked.
Goofy shrugged as he shut off the projector. "Well, Mickey, Donald, and I met at the Iwerks Children's Home. We used to get ourselves in quite a few tight spots with Mr. Oswald, our director and Mrs. Ortensia, his wife. One day Mr. Oswald had enough of our pranks and fighting and he just handed Mickey a movie camera and said that if we were going to cause trouble the least we could do is cause trouble on film. Them and Miss Alice, who also worked at the home, worked for a movie studio when they were younger so they had a bunch of props and costumes and stuff lying around so he more or less told us to go to town. He also told us about editing, storyboarding, creating titles so they could be actual movies. Some of these are stuff that really happened to us like the clock cleanin', but others are just stories that we made up."
"Wow, that's great," I said.
"Yeah, Donald and I like doing it, but Mickey really loves it," Goofy said with pride. "He'll be a great director or theatre owner someday." He then took down a picture from the mantle and showed it to me. He pointed at the human woman. "That's Miss Alice." He then pointed at a male rabbit and a female cat. "That's Mr. Oswald and Mrs. Ortensia."
The photo was in black and white. I could see Mickey down in front wearing shorts, his ears and nose were a lot longer. I recognized Donald wearing the sailor suit though his beak was a lot longer. Being taller than the others, Goofy stood in the back dressed in a vest and the long fedora.
I looked closely at the picture. They were smiling, but I looked at Goofy's face as he told me. I could feel that loss instantly. "That must have been awful to be raised in a children's home."
Goofy shrugged. "It wasn't bad. Mr. Oswald, Mrs. Ortensia, and Miss Alice were real nice and I would never have met Mickey and Donald if I hadn't been there. Losing my Dad was much harder." He lowered his head sadly and sank down on the sofa next to me.
"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," I suggested putting my hand on his shoulder.
"No, it's alright," Goofy said. "My Mama died birthin' me, so it was just me and my Dad for a long time. We lived in Spoonerville for a time, but we used to travel everywhere looking for work. We didn't have a lot of money, but we had a lot of fun. We went to lots of places, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon. Our favorite place was Lake Destiny, you ever been there?" I shook my head. "It's this great fishing spot in Idaho. Dad and I had the greatest times there just him and me. Someday if I'm ever lucky enough to have one, I want to take my son there."
He sounded so sad and wistful. "What happened to him?" I asked.
"He took sick and never recovered," Goofy said plainly. "'He passed on when I was 10, I felt like I lost my best friend. After he passed on, my granddad, I always called him "Pop" took me in, but they said he was too senile. So they sent Pop to an old folk's home and me to the Children's Home."
My eyes filled with sympathy for him. "I'm so sorry." It never occurred to me that such a sweet kind man could be filled with such tragedy already in his life-"
"-So am I Dad," Max said. He never knew that much about his father's childhood. He knew that Goofy was close to his father, but never knew how he died or how old Goofy was when it happened. He also never knew what happened to his grandmother, Goofy's mother. Max wondered how his father felt being sent out alone in the world at such a young age when the one person that you could depend on was gone? Maybe an angrier person like Donald or Max, shuddered at the thought, like himself would use that as a reason to challenge the world to fight anyone and everyone in their path. Goofy however took everything with light and optimism. It filled Max with puzzlement, but also admiration for his father's peculiar strength in that while he could be surrounded by darkness-the deaths of his parents and his wife, frequent unemployment and poverty, the rebelliousness of his son- he could take everything with a grin and pure love and feeling, because he chose to. Because he believed that things would get better. That was probably what Penny connected with, Max reasoned: Goofy's hopefulness.-
"-Don't be," Goofy said kindly. "You didn't have nothing to do with it. Besides, I still remember my Dad really well and all the good times we had. Mickey don't even remember his folks that much. They died in a fire at their farm in Marceline when he was about six. His sister was a lot older and she took care of him for a little while, but after she got married and had babies, she couldn't afford to take care of him too. So off he went.
Donald, well, he don't talk about his folks very much, but when he does I don't think he got on with them, especially his Dad. He grew up in a bad section of Duckburg, and I think they were killed. The way Donald talks he makes it sound like it was his Dad's fault like he lost his temper with someone. So, Donald and his sister, Della lived with different relatives: aunts, uncles, grandparents but for different reasons they never seemed to stay very long with anyone. I mean, you met Donald right?" I nodded. "He don't even get on with his sister, Della, and they're twins. I guess compared to him and Mickey, I'm lucky."
I smiled. "So you formed a family with Mickey and Donald."
"Yeah, I guess," Goofy said.
"What about Minnie and Daisy?" I asked.
"Well Minnie and Mickey have known each other since Mickey lived with his sister," Goofy said. "And I guess they'd been promising to get hitched ever since they were 8 or 9. I'd only known Daisy since we was in 9th or 10th grade but her and Donald have had a thing for each other since then."
"And they've appeared in your movies," I said. "I noticed that they appeared in some of the ones you showed me, especially Minnie."
"Oh yeah we all have," Goofy said. "You know you could be in them too."
I laughed and shook my head. "Oh no no no. Not me."
"Why not?" Goofy teased. He pretended to shine the film projector on me. "All you do is let the camera point at you and act silly."
I shook my head. "No, I couldn't. I get terrible stage fright. The second the camera is on me, I pale and completely stammer. I'd stare at the camera the whole time."
"Well we could always film you from the back," Goofy suggested.
"I'd be embarrassed," I said. "I'd make a complete fool of myself and feel stupid."
Goofy leaped down from the projector. "I never worry about that. I fall down all the time," He tumbled off the projector as if to prove his point. "And I definitely make a fool of myself, but I never feel stupid."
He led me up by the hand and turned on the radio. The song, "Blue Bayou" played. Goofy took me by the arm and danced with me. He held me closer and put his lips on mine.
The kiss was sweet and romantic. Part of me wanted it to last forever, but another part of me was terrified. I drew back. "I'm sorry, I have to go back home," I stammered. "My parents would miss me."
"I'll take you home," Goofy offered. He sounded disappointed that the night was over. Between this book and myself, so was I.
When we pulled up before the driveway, Goofy held the door open for me and led me out. "Goofy?" I asked. "I learned so much about you tonight."
"I'm glad," He said.
"Goofy-," I paused. "Is that your full name?"
"Nah, my given name is George," Goofy said. "Actually my full name is George Geef Goof. Everyone just calls me Goofy."
I smiled. "Good-night, George."
He smiled back. "Good-night Penny.-"
-The ring on his smart phone broke Max from his reading. Max was so caught up in reading his mother's journal that he didn't realize what time it was. He looked out the window and saw that it was late afternoon, almost evening. He answered the phone. "Hello…Yes this is Maximilian Goof…Yes, I'm Roxanne Canis Goof's husband," Max paled as he listened to the voice.
Goofy and Trixie had finished watching Zootopia when Max entered downstairs. When he looked at his father, Goofy almost didn't recognize him. He was so ashen and pale. He walked down in a daze. "Max, what's the matter?" Goofy asked wondering if Max discovered something in the journal.
When Max spoke next, he sounded quiet and monotone like his voice came from far away. "I got a call about Roxanne. Apparently, she left the wedding early and there on the highway, well um her car…She got in an accident. She's not.. but she's in the hospital."
Goofy sprang up and grabbed his car keys. "Let's go," he said. He led his son and granddaughter out the door.
Max only stopped long enough to tell Trixie to put her jacket on as they followed Goofy into the car.
Author's Note
The Status Seekers was a group in one episode of Ducktales that Scrooge tries to join but refuses when he finds out the club doesn't like his friends and family.
The name of the butler Duckjoy is a play on the name, Lovejoy, David Warner's character from Titanic. The school Lady Tremaine's School for Fine Young Ladies is named for Cinderella's stepmother. The name Elias University is a tip of the hat to their founder, Walter Elias Disney.
With the exception of Goofy, all of the gang's majors are based on careers that they have had in various sources: Mickey from House of Mouse (he owns the House and is referred to as the one who actually directs the cartoons that they show), Minnie from Minnie's Bow Toons (She runs Minnie's Bow-tique), Donald from Ducktales (of course his naval career and he has always had a lot of sea imagery around him like in 1UAC when the boys make him a sail boat from their wooden sleds), and Daisy's from Quack Pack (She is a TV news reporter and always seemed flashy).
Goofy's comment about "If you want to know about me and my friends, you'd best watch our movies" is similar to one that Charlie Chaplin said when people asked him about his private life.
I improvised a lot in describing the guys' orphaned backgrounds, their time at the Iwerks Children's Home, and their families. Since there appears to be no set "canon" to their back stories, I just sort of made it up as I went along. Since Goofy talked about his Dad in AGM and hardly his mother I just inferred that his mother died when he was really young, maybe in childbirth. Mickey's rural background is suggested not only from the early cartoons where he lives on a farm but Walt Disney's own. In fact the name of the town where Mickey's parents lived, Marceline is the same name as the Missouri town where Walt was born. Because of Donald's bad temper and Della's presumed flakiness, I always figured that they did not have happy childhood.
As far as I know Roxanne does not have a last name, so I gave her the maiden name of Canis since it's the Latin word for dog.