Chapter 2 - Getting Paid and Starting a Business

Later that afternoon, Brian had raked some autumn leaves while Vinny held a bag and Stewie held a calculator.

"So, Stewie," Brian began, "how will I have saved up enough at my current allowance?"

Stewie pressed a few buttons on the calculator, and was disappointed with the result.

"I don't think you'll live long enough to have saved enough," he said shaking his head. "It would take 140 dog years. And you're eight."

Vinny sighed. "Well, I guess you'd better get a job then."

"I guess you're right, guys," Brian replied.

"Aww, dammit," Glenn Quagmire's voice said, rather disappointed.

This got our trio's attention, and they ran right next door.

"Got a problem, Quags?" Vinny asked.

"Yeah," Glenn answered. "My autorake went south on me. Now I can't make my lawn leaf free in seconds."

"Gee, that's too bad, Glenn," Brian replied, disappointed.

Glenn then thought of something. "Hey, while I take my autorake to the repair shop, would you rake the leaves in my yard, too?"

"You mean, the old-fashioned way, Mr. Quagmire?" Stewie asked, brightening.

"Sure," Glenn answered. "I don't know how I'm able to understand you, though, Stewie. I'd gladly pay you guys for it."

"Pay us?" Brian repeated, his tail wagging, as Glenn got a few dollars out of his billfold. "Sure!"

"Here you go, fellas." With that, Glenn handed each a dollar.

"All right," Vinny said. "This is good. This is good."

"Hey," Brian replied as Glenn got inside the house. "Glenn just gave us an idea on how I can get that collar."

"Yeah," Stewie agreed. "Getting paid by neighbors for raking the leaves off of their lawns sounds like a great idea. It's a cooler way to pitch in and help out in the community than mowing lawns."

Later that day, over at the Fuller house, Mrs. Fuller nodded in agreement to Brian's question on getting paid for raking the leaves off of her lawn.

As she watched Brian and Vinny put the leaves in the bags while holding a box of Tasty Juice, Olivia was impressed.

"This is great, Stewie," she said. "It's hard to believe that a baby and his dogs would get paid for relieving neighbors' lawns of autumn leaves."

"Well, you know what they say, Olivia," Stewie replied. "Nobody gets a job done better than a sentient canine."

Minutes have passed, and after a job well done, Mrs. Fuller paid both Brian and Vinny for raking the leaves.

"Wow," Brian thought. "Getting paid for raking leaves would get that collar quicker for me. If only my friends would see me now."

Cutaway/Fantasy: Brian was walking in the Quahog Dog Park, wearing the Razzle-Dazzle Collar around his neck. The girl dogs were impressed at seeing the collar he wore.

"Oh, Brian," a girl Basque Shepherd wearing a blue collar said. "You really know how to please a crowd."

Brian chuckled. "Why, thank you."

Author's note: The Basque Shepherd pretty much resembles and sounds a bit like Barbara from Villains' Bad Girl's Family Guy fanfics. However, I want this Basque Shepherd to sound like Grey DeLisle Griffin instead of Evanescence lead singer Amy Lee.

Our trio then drove over to the Quahog National Bank.

"Gee, Brian," Vinny said as all three got out of the car. "Putting our money in the bank to earn interest would take a long time."

"I know, Vinny," Brian agreed. "I sure wish there were a faster way to do this."

"Don't look now, fellas," Stewie said wearing a sarcastic grin, "but Grandpa Carter's here, too."

Speak of the devil, Carter Pewterschmidt was at the bank, agreeing to buy another company.

"So, what's your point, Stews?" Vinny asked.

Stewie replied, "If anyone knows how to make money faster, it's my Grandpa."

As Carter was about to go out, Brian got his attention.

"Excuse me, Carter. Stewie, Vinny and I are starting a business, and..."

"Oh, business starters," Carter understood. "I remember my first business. I started making my own sculptures and sold them. Eventually, I became rich. So, I hired a lot of people to do it for me, and look at me now."

"That's great, Carter," Brian replied, impressed. Turning to Stewie and Vinny, he continued, "I bet if I hired people to help me, then the money will really roll in. You guys are my first two, so you're hired."

Stewie and Vinny were delighted.

The next day at the Griffin house, Jasper and New Brian were called over from Los Angeles for a meeting.

"What's this all about, guys?" Jasper shrugged.

"Yeah, what's this about?" New Brian added.

"Brian, Stewie and I are startin' our own leaf raking business," Vinny answered.

"And you guys are hired," Brian added.

"Raking leaves?" New Brian repeated. "You sure this is a gold mine?"

"Positive," Stewie answered.

"So, since you're the boss, Brian," Jasper began, "what are you going to call this business?"

Brian thought about it for a few seconds.

"Well, there are four dogs and a baby in this living room. How about I name the business 'Four Dogs and a Baby'?"

"Yeah," Vinny agreed. "I like it."

"It's sounds like a better business than a combination lemonade stand and computer specialist booth," New Brian added.

Cutaway: We're at what appears to be a lemonade stand. Two first-grader kids were busy counting money and checking their computers.

"Okay," the boy began. "If my calculations are correct, then the amount we made on selling lemonade is $15.26 in coins."

The girl added, "And the amount we made on helping with educational computer games is $30.52, also in coins."

"I guess all of it adds up to enough money to get that video game we wanted," the boy guessed.

"Yeah!" the girl agreed. "Let's celebrate."

Within the next few days, Four Dogs and a Baby raked leaves from lawns all over Spooner Street. Eventually, they took lemonade breaks. Every time a lawn was cleared of autumn leaves, they got paid, and the money rolled in. However, it rolled back out when Brian daily paid Jasper, New Brian, Vinny and Stewie, leaving himself with only a few bills.

"Oh, boy," he sighed. "I need another way to make money faster."