I want to thank everyone for reading my stuff. I am going on vacationa nd am going to be really busy, so I might not make it back. I hope my submissions are up sometimes,and that all of ou remember tht true, unconditional love is possible. And, our Lord Jesus Christ alone can provide it. He will fill all the holes in your heart. It's a bit scary for me to say this even ina blog - I never liked posting thigns a lot, but I've managed. Don't think it's anything like Asperger's, I always made friends pretty easily, but it's something but, you know, each of us is special in our own way. Some are just more special than others. I cannot stand any of the shows on today, it seems the world's getting worse. But, the Lord will protect you from thsi terrible stuff, and only give you what He knows you can handle with His help. Yes, I've been there - I've had problems. And, He's always been faithful. So, so long, and thanks to all for reading and enjoying. God Bless, and remember - ou're just a single, sincere prayer of repentence to Jesus away from eternal life, forever in that perfect Heaven, where nothing can hurt you, no suffering, you won't feel pain...I just get so excited thinking about it! Halleluah, Christ arose!

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2041064/1/ is a great and humorous attempt to explain why any stars on TV shows age several years. It's mostly about Chrissy on "Growing Paints," but includes mention of a few others, including Chuck Cunningham. It is awesome and well wortht he read - "Sometimes They Grow Up Way To Fast" is the title.

You can keep your characters in character and just with your imagination, create a hidden scene in an episode that explains things. There is no excuse for caling something an error when you know we don't see everything that happens. Would we like to be told - yes. But, soemtimes the writers must be like the old fashioned storyteller who people would sit by the campfire and listen to. And, while some asked questions, they cannot here - it's true. But, they can still let their imaginations wander, like... Well, like this scene from a Hogan's Heroes episode that explains why Kommandant Klink's steps were brick and then wood for the rest of the series, the bricks being painted gold bars that the Heroes used, replacing gold the Germans had stolen with regular bricks. Only Wood Is Patriotic Col. Robert Hogan caught the look of one of his men as he sat on the steps to Klink's office. He motioned the man over with his eyes, and instructed him to get some red paint. Quickly, while other men played ball and milled around, the paint was applied tot he one little smidget of gold that was sticking out. Hogan breathed a sigh of relief - it looked like the men were simply being occupied so they wouldn't escape, making Klink look good. Hogan had explained that it was necessary, after all, what witht eh Gestapo in camp looking for the stolen gold. "It would make a great diversion,a nd I don't want my men getting ideas," he'd told Klink. Now that the job was done, he ordered mustached Sergeant Kinchloe to prepare a memo. One he typed it up, Hogan snuck over and placed it in Klink's mail while necking with Klink's secretary. Hogan followed Klink into his office, and watched as Klink read the proclamation. "Bad news, Sir?" "Well...listen to this. 'Attention all prison camp kommandants. It has come to our attention that various camps are using brick instead of wood. This is an outrage and an affront! Only wood - the symbol of our illustrious Black Forest - shall be allowed in our camps, especially in the areas of steps to buildings. Therefore, it is ordered that all bricks be replaced with wood immediately, as only wood is a truly patriotic material!'" "That's an outrage!" Hogan said loudly, feigning upset. "Yes, yes, I know...but your men will work to replace those bricks with wood!" "At what cost." "An extra slice of bread per week?" asked the often noncommittal colonel. "Two extra slices," Hogan insisted. "And an hour more rec hall time!" When Klink started to refuse, Hogan cried, "Where's your patriotic duty to your country!" "I...Hogan, why are you so interested in my performing my patriotic duty? You're my enemy!" "Just trying to protect you, Sir," Hogan said humbly. "From what? My record is flawless!" Hogan jabbed a finger at the letter. "And unpatriotic, according to Berlin! The Gestapo knew already,wbefore they came out here!" "They said they were after..." Klink shuddered. "You don't suppose..." "Come on, Kommandant, the Gestapo couldn't lose a shipment of gold. That's a tale fromt he American Wild West!" Hogan, having surreptitiously grabbed a cigar from Klink's box, pointed it at him. "They somehow knew you were replacing patriotic wood fromt he illustrious Black Forest with unpatriotic bricks! And there another word for unpatriotic." Klink gasped. "According to Berlin, those bricks are tantamount to treason!" "Three extra slices of bread per week! And all red cross packages on time! Now, please, get those bricks out of here and replace them with wood today...!" Klink pleaded. A few days later, General Burkhalter was making a routine inspection. The Heroes had gotten the gold out the previous evening. Klink beamed as he opened the door of Burkhalter's vehicle. Almost before the general stepped out of his car, Klink declared, "Herr General, as you can see, I once again have the most patriotic building material, wood from the illustrious Black Forset, adoring my steps!" Burkhalter stared at Klink like he was insane. "Klink! What on Earth are you babbling about!" "Why, the wood, Herr General. I know, that bricks are tantamount to treason, and I will not tolerate them in my camp! I will only use wood fromt he illustrious Black Forest in constructing our buildings!" Burkhalter simply sighed and shook his head. "If you are trying to get me to yearn for your bragging about your no escape record, you are getting close." Hogan - who had joined the discussion as Burkhalter got out, couldn't help but make a jab at Klink. "Well, Sir, you know, Klink doesn't allow any gold bricks - you know, that's American lingo for lazy troops - on his staff." Grinning broadly, Hogan added "Instead, he just looks for blockheads." Burkhalter smirked dispite himself.

Mr. Bear tried to think positively. He began to relive things, as stuffed animals were wont to do when frozen. Still, thoughts of Alphie brought one thing to the forefront. His mind drifted back to a spring day two years before. It had begun like any normal day. Stephanie had spoken to him and to several other animals, talking about the joys of spring. He grinned. Mr. Bear hadn’t lived through a spring yet. And it would be just like Stephanie to take that detective bear exploring with her, or at least tell him all sorts of amazing things later. He expected her to run back up to show him a birds’ nest, or maybe one of those butterflies that couldn’t possibly be as pretty as Stephanie was saying, could they? Instead, after a while, he’d suddenly heard Stephanie running up to her room. It was a sound far different than any he’d heard before. Far worse than the “I’m in big trouble and going to my room” cry, or the “I just skinned my knee” cry. Stephanie had grabbed him, crying her eyes out. And, as he was carried downstairs and hear people talk, he felt as awkward as any toy had ever felt. He knew he was seriously under-trained. Toys were supposed to be for fun. Oh, some could be comfort objects. But, he was not your typical comfort object - especially for a girl. He’d heard stories, from other toys whose owners had come to play, of children who slept with fire chief bears, with action figures, even with toy trucks and trains like Thomas the Tank Engine. But, those were mostly boys. Yet there he was, being carried by Stephanie, away from the rest of the animals, and longing to break toy rules and cry out for assistance. He knew it would be a very long day, and it was. He couldn’t believe the places he’d gone, the sad places. The places no animal ever dared take his owner, but where owners sometimes had to take their animals. It wasn’t until very late that night that Stephanie had finally gotten to sleep. Weary, deflated, and sopping wet, his being sapped of strength, Mr. Bear unfroze, yet felt still almost lifeless. He sensed he couldn’t leave the sleeping girl’s side - she was holding on for dear life, with him hugging her back. And yet, he needed help. He fretted until Alphie and Pillow Person came into the room. Pillow Person had been under D.J.’s bed, until Alphie, noticing D.J. wasn’t around, had gone into D.J.’s room to get him. Mr. Bear gestured with his head. “You heard the news,” he asked somberly. Pillow Person nodded and sighed as he and Alphie walked over. “I just can’t believe it’s happened.” Alphie laid a comforting paw on Mr. Bear’s arm. “Want me to cover for you?” Mr. Bear bit his lip. He had no training in being a comfort object. If Stephanie did get sent to her room as punishment, she was just as likely to hold Alphie or another animal as she was him. But yet, he sensed one very important truth about his new situation. “I can’t leave her. I mean, she’s lost the most important thing in her life,” he exclaimed. “Her whole world has been turned upside-down.” Alphie sensed Mr. Bear’s nervousness. “But, how are you holding up?” “The truth?” The others nodded. Heaving a deep sigh, Mr. Bear admitted “I feel like a newly sewn ball of fur. Like I don’t even have my head or my limbs yet. Let alone that...consciousness little kids can give you.” Rollie the Rhino offered to take over in Stephanie’s arms for Mr. Bear. “You need a break.” Pillow Person, the most experienced of the stuffed creatures, showed Mr. Bear how to wriggle free. He got out, and let Rollie slide in. “We have to be ready to change back at a moment’s notice.” Alphie nodded. “She could wake up crying any second.” “You think I don’t know that?” Mr. Bear threw up his hands and ranted. “All this time it’s been ‘Mr. Bear, how should I handle Kimmy Gibbler here,’ or ‘Mr. Bear, let’s figure out where ice cubes go when they melt.’ I was even ready for ‘Mr. Bear, let’s figure out how far up my nose I can stuff a bead.’” A rabbit gave a “been there, done that” look. “But I am totally unprepared for ‘Mr. Bear, my mother has died unexpectedly, I’m scared of who might go next, and I feel like my life is falling apart.’” Pillow Person wrapped an arm around him. “It’s hard on all of us. These aren’t the nightmare monsters we’re supposed to fight,” Pillow Person stated bluntly. Alphie agreed. “It’s really scary for you too, huh?” “It’s not just that.” They gave him blank stares. “Don’t you see,” Mr. Bear complained. “I’m a comfort object now. She knows her mom gave me to her, so she picked me. I’ve been promoted to a new level. But, there’s a big difference between that and a mere toy, which I was before; even if she was holding me during a timeout. And it was mostly you, then,” he said, pointing to a bunny who had been there since Stephanie was two. The rabbit nodded. “And, one of the main job requirements for a comfort object is that they shouldn’t be scared out of their wits themselves.” Alphie hummed momentarily. He could tell Mr. Bear was frightened. But, he also knew that children clung to certain animals for a reason. And, it wasn’t always just their looks. “Maybe that can be a good thing.” “What,” Mr. Bear and Pillow Person spoke at once. Alphie paced slightly as he spoke. “Mr. Bear; I was just a grandma’s gift. And grandparents give all sorts of animals. But, you and Stephanie share something in common. Right now, Mr. Bear, you’re both scared. And confused.” “So what do I say? I don’t exactly sound like I mean it when I say ‘It’s going to be all right.’” Pillow Person threw up his arms. “You’re right. This is a disaster. A tragedy.” “I’ve fought nightmare monsters before,” Mr. Bear mused, “but Stephanie helped. And we beat them through our cleverness. She’s one bright girl. But neither of us is clever enough to handle what’s happened, and what’s going to come. The funeral home was sad enough tonight. But the funeral itself? We stuffed animals can keep pouring out love in incredible ways. But I don’t know if I have enough strength to give all that she’ll need from me.” Alphie smiled and put an arm around Mr. Bear. “Look, you don’t have to know how right now. She needs you to just be there to listen. Later, you can provide a few comforting words, and then more as you go. But what she needs right now is to know you’re there for her. Because you are a link to her mother.” Mr. Bear smiled at the dog. He always seemed wise beyond his years. “Thanks.” Rollie cleared his throat. “She’s shaking a little, you better get back here, this looks like a nightmare.” Mr. Bear was amazed at how collected Rollie - won by Stephanie’s dad’s friend Joey for her at a carnival when she was three-and-a-half - could be. He sighed as he leaped up and went back into her embrace, freezing at he did. Though she didn’t awaken that time, she did several minutes later. “Mr. Bear, what’s going to happen now?” Mr. Bear’s eyes grew wide. He thought he was just supposed to stay frozen. Was he supposed to answer that?! “Uh...everything’s going to be all right.” He wished stuffed animals could pray like he’d seen these people pray. He whispered “maybe you should go wake your dad or grandma.” Stephanie rushed from her room to her dad’s room to D.J.’s - their dad was still up with her. Pillow Person had snuck back under the bed where he’d been. A doll had been standing as a lookout, lest she start to look for him and find him not there. Stuffed animals could sometimes change positions a little. But, this was a very bad time to do that. These girls needed to know things would stay put. Mr. Bear remained quiet as Stephanie and Danny talked. He would try to glean as much as he could, and hope for the best. Mr. Bear’s mind shifted back to the present. He had helped Stephanie so much then. Even after she met Allie, her first day of Kindergarten, she still clung to him. She got agitated a lot more easily than D.J.. In a way, he was glad D.J. hadn’t relied on Pillow Person quite as much. But, that pillow could only guess how to handle things. Alphie almost seemed more able to handle things, more able to help him cope. Stephanie had carried him around a fair amount, although that amount decreased quite rapidly as the months wore on. And now, was Alphie able to help another kid? Or would he just lie somewhere, forgotten? And, How long would it be before someone opened that piano bench? In most households, it could be a long time before he was found. But, in a household with a toddler, the average length of time was two hours, it seemed. And if not - he needed to figure out how to check for time, so he could get out and catch up on things when it was nighttime. Sure enough, just as he thought of that, Michelle opened the bench and pulled him out. Stephanie seemed elated to see him. She still clung to him a lot sometimes. After they finished watching home movies, Mr. Bear wondered if the others had seen him leave. He hoped they weren’t worried about him. Once he got placed upstairs and Stephanie left her room again, Mr. Bear noticed two things. Pillow Person was back on D.J.’s bed. And, Rollie appeared baffled, to say the least. “Do you have any idea what’s been happening here,” he exclaimed as soon as they could safely move. Mr. Bear looked around casually. “No, can’t say as I do. Except that our friendly neighborhood pillow here seems to have been found.” Pillow Person threw up his arms, then beckoned Mr. Bear out the door. “Follow me,” he insisted. Mr. Bear gasped. In Michelle’s room were literally dozens of new stuffed animals. “Didn’t anyone tell the bunnies they weren’t supposed to multiply with us,” he shouted. Pillow Person shook his body - he really had no head per se. “That’s just it, Chief. Stephanie was so bummed because she thought you were gone, so she got the chance to pick from one of all these animals their grandparents brought. Except Michelle got into them on the couch and claimed them all for herself.” Pinky, Michelle’s pig, oinked adamantly “I haven’t even begun to get the names straight. And some don’t have names. And don’t think they won’t all stay Michelle’s, either. She’s already named the panda here Peaches. ‘Course, she was thinking about dinner at the time.” Mr. Bear rubbed his chin and mused, “At least she didn’t have to go to the bathroom. I’d hate to think of what she would have called him then. Well, I guess we’ll have to have one massive welcoming party, then.” Mr. Bear grinned. “All you guys still couldn’t take the place of me, huh? Boy, that would really warm my heart - if I weren’t made of stuffing, of course.” After several minutes of telling the animals about the family they’d just come into, Mr. Bear and Pillow Person received a shout from Rollie. “Hey, some girls might be coming this way.” They raced back into their former positions and froze. Stephanie was coming upstairs with a classmate who Mr. Bear had seen a couple times. But, most amazingly, there was Alphie! “Look, Mr. Bear. Sally, I used to have a dog just like that,” Stephanie remarked. “Wouldn’t that be funny if it was Alphie?” The visitor shrugged. “Could be. I just know I got him today.” While the two played, Alphie managed to sneak over to Mr. Bear. “Poor girl’s parents are filing for divorce. She’s really going through some hard times. I’ve heard lots of stuff just in the last hour.” Mr. Bear grinned. “Well, I guess you got to the place you were meant to go.” Stephanie quickly looked over that way, and the two froze. “Mr. Bear, Sally says she doesn’t know if that’s Alphie or not. I think it’s gotta be. I mean, I’m sure you teach all these other animals so much about friendship and love and stuff. Don’t you?” And in the wonderful, timeless imagination of a little girl, Mr. Bear smiled, and nodded his agreement.

You can do childrens' stuff with great ease, and not just by making a parody. This is a story that exposes stuffed animals to be like toys, and yet is different than just another "Toy Story." It also comes out of an actual episode of "Full House." If you liked “Toy Story,” you’ll love this look at a day - including one episode - in the life of Stephanie’s best friend. And, you’ll never look at stuffed animals the same way again. :-) BEAR STORY The stuffed bear dared to blink once. Out of the corner of his eye, he could tell the little girl was asleep. He paused, unsure of whether or not to get out of her grip. It was so much easier for the toys. They could wander around much more easily. “Unnhh. Ergh. Okay, come on, I need my other foot,” whispered Pillow Person as he crawled out from under Stephanie’s mattress. A leg was caught under it still, and he tumbled backwards several times when he finally pulled it out. “Phew, Stephanie’s getting heavy for a seven year old.” He looked up at Mr. Bear. “You comin’ out?” Mr. Bear squirmed out and adjusted his hat. The dark brown bear wore a spiffy detective’s outfit, and spoke in a light British accent. It was cordial, sensitive, yet with an air of authority that reminded Pillow Person a little of Star Trek’s Captain Picard. “Hmmm, I might spare a few minutes. It’s tougher, of course, with they sleep with you.” “Hey, you don’t have to tell me about that. D.J. used to sleep with me all the time when she was little. Stephanie got you when Michelle was born less than three years ago.” The pillow’s eyes twirled, and he flailed his arms. “Tell me something I don’t know, Number One,” Mr. Bear remarked wryly. Pillow Person harumphed. He was much more direct that the whimsical Mr. Bear, and sounded a little like Woody on Toy Story, but not totally. “Must you call me that? Just because my initials happen to be P.P.,” he groused, but with a grin. “Ah, well, it figures. It sounds like one of Stephanie’s jokes. I don’t know whether she rubs off on you or you rub off on her.” Mr. Bear shrugged. “She’s got an imagination. Maybe not quite like Calvin’s, but still, there are qualities of her that I’ve gained over the years. You know, D.J.’s just about given up looking for you. Care to be one of the toys going to charity tomorrow?” Pillow Person rolled his eyes. “Every toy gets lost for a while. She’ll find me soon enough.” “Well, spring cleaning will be the time. If not, I suggest you plan to stay in Michelle’s room for a few years.” He turned to several rhinos. He considered himself lucky - how many houses had stuffed rhinos with whom he could pal around? Especially where the little girls didn’t think they were unicorns? But his owner, Stephanie Tanner, was one smart, witty, adorable little girl. And, she knew her animals. The pillow waved an arm. “Come on, let’s not argue about that now. We’ve got work to do.” He called all the animals to attention. Numerous toys also stood up and took notice. “Face it, Pillow, you’re the toy of a girl who’ll be a teen in a year,” Mr. Bear analyzed thoughtfully. “And according to Peter Pan, she’s already at the age when she’d move out of the nursery and be considered grown up. She’d stop playing with us.” He grinned. He could never imagine Stephanie not playing with him. He knew D.J. had never had as close an attachment to that pillow. “In fact,” he added, “D.J.’s never referred to you as ‘friend.’ At one point, she preferred an invisible duck named Norton to you. Now that really quacks me up.” Pillow gazed at Mr. Bear with a look of amusement. Mr. Bear had quickly risen in the ranks of stuffed animals there for one reason. After Pam Tanner - the mother of Stephanie, D.J., and the toddler Michelle - died just about two year ago, he and Stephanie cried together all the time. Of course, an outsider couldn’t tell, but to a child, there was something special about a stuffed animal. If D.J. were bugging her, or if Stephanie just needed to talk, he’d be there. And, unlike many toys, children could tell when a stuffed animal had a sort of life to it. D.J. had had her best friend, Kimmy Gibbler. So, she hadn’t need Pillow Person quite as much. Still, he’d been there, too, for her. And, Pillow Person tried to defend his owner’s small attempts to maintain that little girl attitude while getting older. “You and your pointless ramblings. You’ve been good for Stephanie. But I am a sophisticated toy; D.J. says so herself. She’s growing into a fine young woman. And I’m proud to say that she used to drool on me when she was little.” Mr. Bear gave a whimsical grin. He knew D.J. wouldn’t part with Pillow Person. Besides, with Michelle in the house, he could always get handed down. So could any of the other stuffed animals during tomorrow’s spring cleaning. In fact, he hoped one in particular would stay. One of Stephanie’s stuffed bunnies looked up from a calculator. “Hey, are we gonna start the meeting? ‘Cause if not, we’ve got some multiplying to do.” Mr. Bear cleared his throat, and brought the meeting to order, standing on a chair at the little table Stephanie and D.J. shared. First, he checked to ensure Stephanie was still sleeping. It would really be a mad scramble if she awakened now. “All right, now as we all know, tomorrow is spring cleaning day. Which means it’s also the day when some of you will be going to help more needy boys and girls.” “It’d be a shame to leave this place,” Rollie the Rhino uttered in a deep voice. Mr. Bear grinned. “Well, Stephanie’s told me about a few of you who I know made the cut. However, I’d advise you all to remember that this isn’t about you, it’s about helping other kids.” He paused. He thought he heard footsteps in the hall. Pillow Person creeked open the door and peeked out with the corner of his...well, his head. Michelle was attempting to go potty; she’d called for her dad to get her. “Everything okay?” “Yeah. If Michelle spots us, she’s young enough we can make her think it’s a dream,” Pillow Person said confidently. He had experience that Mr. Bear didn’t with toddlers. “You’re good at that sort of thing, I imagine, being around D.J. when she was little.” Turning back to the crowd, he added that, “The key to this is sometimes just how a child thinks of you. It’s very rare that you become a real friend, not just a toy. Don’t think of being given away as the end of your career. It could be a great beginning.” As he rambled on, and then answered questions, Mr. Bear considered that even before Pam’s accident, Stephanie had enjoyed him. But, she’d had other animal friends, too. In fact, even a few months after her dad’s best friend Joey and her Uncle Jesse moved in to help raise the girls, she’d been carrying a stuffed dog with a yellow ribbon named Alphabet - whom she called Alphie. He turned to Alphie as he finished. Asking to speak to him privately, he told him “Alphie, Stephanie’s sort of forgotten about you.” “I know. But, it could just be my time to move on,” the dog said with a shrug. Mr. Bear smiled. He like this dog’s attitude. It was a humble, unassuming voice. The duty of an animal, as with a toy, was to facilitate enjoyment in children. Stephanie had had him since she turned five. And, Alphie knew it might just be time for a change. Still, Alphie had been important in helping Stephanie after her mom’s death. “Look, I know the toys really don’t get a chance. But the way Stephanie is with me, I might be able to mutter something, and remind her to keep you here...if you want to stay.” “Mr. Bear, you’re her best friend. Better than Harry, better than Allie, better than anyone.” He scratched behind an ear. “I’ve seen the way you work. You may not have a Hundred Acre Woods, but in some ways you’re better than Winnie the Pooh. And, I’d be proud to go to some other young kid who’s hurting, and say to myself ‘I served under the Master.’” Mr. Bear blushed - as much as that was possible for a stuffed animal. “Well, I’d hate to see you go. I relied more on you than you could realize after their Mom died.” Alphie raised his eyebrows as the others went back to their places. “Really?” “Dogs are naturally loyal and understanding. Bears can be. But, look at my outfit. I’m a mystery-solving bear. I could just as easily have been Sherlock Holmes to some child’s Watson. Instead...” He smiled wistfully. “Instead I got to swim in a current of tears. I got to go through the whole grieving process with that girl. Sure, I helped. But, I couldn’t have done it without you.” “Thanks.” They embraced. “Look at us, Mr. Bear. Over time, we become just like our owners, don’t we?” “We certainly do.” Mr. Bear checked on the toys in Michelle’s room, then crawled back up into Stephanie’s clutches as she lay sleeping. Spring cleaning day dawned as usual, with Mr. Bear sizing up the piles of toys which were being put in the corner. Stephanie informed him of what they were doing. As if we haven’t known for weeks, he thought to himself. Suddenly, Michelle wandered into the girls’ room. He grinned. Maybe Michelle would take Alphie. He certainly hoped so. He hated to see that dog leave. “Yikes,” he thought to himself. “Michelle wants me! She’s been after me ever since she could crawl.” He wasn’t used to children younger than about five at all. It was ironic that - even before Pam’s death - he was the target of affection for not one, but two children. That wasn’t what he’d expected when he flashed that big grin, and Pam had picked him up for Stephanie. “Stephanie’s so curious, always asking questions like a little detective. Always talking about anything, really,” Pam had muttered to him - though most people would have thought it was to herself - at the hospital gift shop. “D.J.’s getting big, she’s gonna get a bracelet, but you look like you’re made just for Stephanie.” When he arrived at his new home, he found just what he expected. A bright, witty, charming child. Stephanie was a little younger than he’d pictured, but she was beyond her years in some ways. At age four, she could already read, for instance. Those first few months with Stephanie had been so much fun. He sighed as he watched Michelle pick up a few little toys and animals. Alphie was not one of them. He hated to see that little dog go. But, he himself had come from a hospital gift shop. He knew there were many hurting kids. Maybe Alphie would go to one of them. And, he would move on without him. Indeed, Stephanie herself could help him. He failed to notice Michelle until it was too late. The toddler was carrying him away, unseen by anyone else. He watched as she went downstairs with him. Michelle stopped for a moment and examined the bear’s outfit, making Mr. Bear very thankful. A toy’s job was to provide entertainment, and allow children to use their imagination. He wasn’t sure what he’d have done if she’d carried him off while going somewhere she shouldn’t. He supposed at her age he could have come alive for just an instant. It hadn’t happened often, but he’d heard stories, legends, really, from around the world. And, if he had to... Someone was coming. Good, soon he would be back on Stephanie’s bed...oh no! He fretted as he went into a very dark piano bench. He could just hear someone saying “there you are, Michelle” as she closed the lid and began pounding on the keys. He was thankful it wasn’t the oven. Michelle had put her shoes there several months before, according to Stephanie. But, still, it would be a very dull time. And, who knew how long he’d be there. Mr. Bear shook his head. He sincerely hoped Alphie wouldn’t suffer the same fate. Lost and ignored for years.

Sometimes, you just want to make fun of something. There's a right and wrong way to joke around, just like you learned in school. You can have lots of fun without being vulgar, as this piece shows. Basically, like some of my Elmo's world segments on www.muppetcentral.com, it takes something for little kids - in this case, a fairy tale - and puts a funny twist on it. Like Elmo thinking about speech pathology - then realizing he can't be b/c he doesn't know what that is :-) - this takes the three bears and puts a funny twist on it. My good church friend is a huge Packers fan. His five-year-old nephew likes me to tell him stories when I'm there. Being creative, I have come up with a version of the Three Bears he loves; especially because it keeps changing and getting sillier. But, here is the general gist of (voice of NFL Films narrator) The Real Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears Once upon a time there were three bears. There was the Papa Bear, a big, hulking, 300 pound linebacker. The Mama Bear, a running back with the moves to outmaneuver any defense. And a little Baby Bear kicker, because he hadn't grown big enough yet to actually play any other position. One day, the Three Bears were getting ready to finish off a huge postgame spread - turkey, roast beef, pasta, and of course, porridge. With ice cream for dessert - if they're good. But, when it came time for them to sit down to eat, suddenly Papa Bear, in the middle of woofing down six racks of ribs, said "Thfporrbddooot...er, This porridge is too hot. See, kid, that's why you never talk with your mouth full." Mama Bear said "My porridge is too hot, too." And Baby Bear said the same thing. So, Papa Bear suggested they all go for a walk in the woods. And they would have made it back in time, except that upon leaving their home, they were met by hundreds of screaming autograph seekers. And, they stopped to sign every one. Along came Goldilocks. Now this girl was assumed to have gold hair, but of course nobody really knows if Goldilocks had gold hair because she was constantly wearing her brightly colored Green Bay Packers helmet when out in public. Well, Goldilcoks saw the postgame spread, and tasted Papa Bear's porridge. "This porridge is too hot," she declared, although she did help herself to a few dozen chicken wings. She then tasted Mama Bear's porridge. "This porridge is too cold," she said. When she got Baby Bear's porridge, though, it was just right. And she ate it, too. Then, she went and had dessert. She tasted Papa Bear's ice cream. "This ice cream is too cold," she said. "It has little chunks of ice in it; it looks like the frozen tundra of God's Paradise on earth, historic Lambeau Field." She then tasted the Mama Bear's Ice Cream. "This ice cream is too hot," she said as the last seconds ticked away and the final bit melted. (Of course, Mama Bear's other stuff was too cold, so it figured this would be too warm, since ice cream is supposed to be cold but porridge is supposed to be hot. That's how I explain if any kid asks.) However, Baby Bear's ice cream was just right. She ate it all up - and then got a great big ice cream headache. "I need to sit down," she said as she held her head and gritted her teeth, the cold pounding at her brain. She sat down in Papa Bear's chair, just under the picture of his papa, the original Papa Bear, George Halas. "This chair is too hard," Goldilocks said, taking a minute to get out of the chair because she was still pretty little, and it was the chair of a 300-pound Bear. Then, she sat in Mama Bear's chair. "This chair is too soft," she said, though she did like the picture of Walter Payton above it. "There was an enemy that even us Packer fans could truly love," she said to herself. Next, she sat in Baby Bear's chair. Suddenly, the bend but don't break defense that had allowed it to withstand thousands of bottoms for nearly four quarters broke. Like a herd of stampeding elephants, Goldilocks broke through that chair with incredible determination, shattering it into a million pieces as she crashed into the end zone...I mean as she crashed to the floor. Having accomplished that task, she set her sights on a bed. She tried Papa Bear's bed, though, and said "this bed is too hard." Then she tested mama Bear's and it was too soft. Then, she got into Baby Bear's bed, put her Packers' helmet on the nightstand to cover up the bobblehead doll Baby Bear had sat there, and fell asleep. Well, the Three Bears finally arrived home, their fingers numb from signing so many hats, t-shirts, and game programs, and finally decided to get into their postgame spread. "Somebody's been eating my porridge," Papa Bear said. "Somebody's been eating my chicken wings," Mama Bear said. "Oh, yeah, I guess they tasted the porridge, too." Baby Bear then said, "Somebody ate all my porridge, and all my ice cream. Boy, if it's the same person who ate your chicken wings, Mama, she must really be tired. Maybe she's even sleeping in our beds," Baby Bear suggested. Papa Bear shook his head. "Don't be silly, Baby Bear. That only happens in those dumb criminal stories like you hear on Paul Harvey's news and comments sometimes." So, next they went into the living room. "Somebody's been sitting in my chair...ooh, they must have dropped some chicken when they came in here," Papa Bear said as he picked a piece off the chair. (Goldilocks had forgotten to wipe her hands; in fact, she never does in any version I know. But, I guess that's how Papa Bear knows she was sitting there.) "Papa Bear, will please stop eating for a minute; somebody's been sitting in my chair, too," mama Bear complained. "Somebody's been sitting in my chair, and broke it into a million pieces," Baby Bear sobbed, still thinking about the fact he didn't have any more ice cream either. Next, they went upstairs. "Somebody's been sleeping in my bed," Papa Bear said. "Somebody's been sleeping in my bed," Mama Bear said. Baby Bear stared at Goldilocks for a second, that looked away. "Somebody's been sleeping in my bed, and she...hey! What kind of a dummy would put a Packer's helmet over my bobblehead doll!" Upon hearing Baby Bear's complaint, Goldilocks was roused from a deep sleep. "Eeek! Bears!" she cried. "Why did you put this...this abomination on top of my bobblehead doll," Baby Bear shouted. "Goldilocks grabbed the Packers helmet in her arm, then twisted and swerved through the bedroom, juking and sidestepping with the grace of a ballerina, as she eluded the usually sure-handed tacklers of the ferocious Monsters of the Midway. In the blink of an eye, she had danced around the tacklers on her way to a sensational 85-yard touchdown...oh, wait, sorry. She ran out the door.

You can do comics? Yes, but you need to be careful. You have to decide when int he canon - here, the younger or older Sally in Peanuts, as she ages while other characters stay the same age. You then need to make things realistic - sure, like here, you can have Snoopy thinking things, or even use some imagination and have him on a date or something. Just don't have the laws of physics violated too bad (having Snoopy vaguely get 'something fromt he refrigerator" like here is fine Or, you can have it all Snoopy, and make it like one of his adventures w/the Red Baron or something, just don't mix and match.) When you do it right, you can come up with something like this: Hope you like this. I've always loved Peanuts - they formed my first fanfics when I was knee high to a grasshopper than just drawing picture stories. I first had this idea years ago, after having to put a younger cousin in timeout. It's hard to put characters in really unusual situations for them, but I think I did okay. BTW, I actually beaned an on- deck hitter, too - in whiffleball. DECISIOSN, DECISIONS "Go to your room, young lady." Sally Brown stared, disbelieving. "Big brother, you've never made a decision this fast in your life," she remarked. "I know." He sighed. "I know. But, Mom and Dad left a note saying I'm in charge," he said, as he began to get more uncertain. "And what you did at school...well, I mean, you know better than...well, of course you do." He said more meekly, "You'll still go, won't you? I mean, you don't have to. Yes you do." "All I did was throw a kickball at someone's head because they were being mean. The teachers didn't even see it," Sally cried. "Yes. That's right. And you need to learn you can't do that! Sally, I've never thrown at a batter In my life," he exclaimed. "You beaned the on-deck hitter once," Sally countered. "Okay, I mean on purpose. Sally, that could have hurt, and you know it. Now, I know you're only in second grade. I'm not going to ground you....I don't think. Or maybe I should." He rubbed his chin. "I can't believe my own big brother would punish me at all," Sally said. "You're usually nice." Charlie Brown thought for a second. "Sally, I would never let a pitcher stay in the game who was throwing at someone's head. That is bad baseball, and it's just bad. Now, go!" Sally was stunned that Charlie Brown, nine, had been as steadfast as he had. But, somehow, he was. She stormed off in a huff. And, the extremely blonde, round-headed kid stood in stunned silence. "Good grief. What have I done," he asked himself. Just then, the phone rang. "Hello," Charlie Brown said as he answered. "You better come over here. I think Linus has flipped," Lucy sneered. Linus, Lucy, and Rerun Van Pelt lived next to Charlie Brown and his family. Lucy was in Charlie Brown's class, while Linus was a grade lower. Rerun was in first grade. "I can't. Mom and Dad left a note. They had to take Grandma to the hospital; she felt and broke her hip. And, I just sent Sally to her room for throwing a kickball at someone." "You?!" Lucy burst out in a fit of laughter. "I'm sorry, ha, ha. I mean, just that idea that you, as wishy-washy as you are, would..." The laughter came again. "Oh, Charlie Brown, that's the funniest joke I've heard all year. The idea that you would have the courage to discipline someone is...well..." Charlie Brown sighed. "Maybe you're right, Lucy. It was a mistake. I'll go let her out." "Wait a minute, you blockhead. Don't tell me you're going to just let it slide." "But you just said..." "Never mind what I said. You need to show her who's boss. If I were you, I'd say no TV for a whole year! And no dessert, either! She has to learn to be nice," Lucy exclaimed. "Fine, I'll think about that. Thanks." Charlie Brown hung up, and opened the door. His dog, Snoopy, had knocked at it. The beagle walked in carrying his supper dish. "Good grief, Snoopy. I'm taking advice on teaching someone to be nice from an eternal crab. And, I still don't know what Linus is doing." Meanwhile, over in the Van Pelt household, Linus was putting tape on his blanket, and taking it off. Rerun was gazing at him in amazement while tearing off pieces of tape. Lucy walked in from the kitchen. "What did Charlie Brown say?" Linus asked her. "He has his own problems. You and that stupid blanket," Lucy complained, letting the thought hang. "I thought you wanted him to get rid of it," Rerun said. "You said you didn't like that he always carried it." "Getting rid of it does not mean writing all over it and framing it on the wall!" Linus ingored Lucy. "Now, John 3:16 is a little longer. It would make a nice centerpice; the letters wouldn't be too big. But, it might almost be too many letters, unless I get a really big frame." "Why don't you just print the whole Bible on the blanket, if you want to write all over it?" "Because, Lucy, then I wouldn't be able to read the words late at night." He looked back at Rerun. "Although, that gives me a thought. What if I put two or three verses on there? Tear off some more tape. Put some on top here, and some on the bottom here." Charlie Brown absent-minded pulled out a can after setting Snoopy's dish on the table. He opened the can, and began pouring. "What should I do, Snoopy? I mean, is Sally going to be mad at me now? Should I make the punishment more or less if she talks mean? I mean, I can understand, I don't like getting sent to my room for a timeout. And, I've never punished anyone anyway. Did I even do it right?" he asked as he sat the dish in front of Snoopy. "Should I have just said 'no TV' right away instead?" Snoopy looked stoic. "Oh, sorry, Snoopy. I gave you green beans by misake." Charlie Brown picked up the dish and emptied it. He got another can out, opened it, and emptied its contents into Snoopy's dish as he spoke. "I don't like to say no going outside at all. I think this is too little to say she's grounded for a week or anything. But, what am I saying? Who am I to judge? And, she might suggest that, anyway. Or is she remorseful? Or, maybe shes ready to run away. After all, she almost left school one day in first grade, except she forgot her locker combintion. I'll tell you, having a sister is hard work," he said as he put the meal in front of Snoopy. Snoopy looked questionsingly at the dish. "Oh, what am I doing, Snoopy? I gave you carrots this time." As he sat the dish back up, the phone rang. "Hello?" "Charlie Brown, guess what?" Linus sighed. "I decided on several Bible verses on security that I think are my favorites. I'm ready to write them on my blanket and frame it." He blinked. "It's a weird feeling, Charlie Brown. But, I think I'm ready for this." "Great, hey, listen. I had to send Sally to her room for throwing a kickball at someone's head. I need to know what you think? What should I say to her? How should I act? How will she act?" "Well, I think the first thing you need to say to her is the Golden Rule. 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'" Linus slapped his forehead. "Of course, that verse would be perfect framed. Rerun, put the markers away, we're not coloring on that blanket yet!" He left the phone. After about a minute, Lucy got on the line. "You blockhead!" she screamed. "I don't know what you said to Linus, but we were this close to losing that dumb blanket and at leaast having it framed. But, now he's going to keep carrying it! I hope you're satisfied!" She slammed down the receiver. "What a weird day. Snoopy, did you..." He looked around. Finally, he saw Snoopy leave with something from the refrigerator. "Well, he might as well. I'm too distracted to pour dog food." He walked into Sally's room next. He saw her looking forlorn. She sat on her bed with her head in her hands. He sat besides her and sighed. What was he supposed to say? How did one start such a conversation? "You know better," was the first thing that came out of his mouth. He winced. Not only was that a dumb thing to say - even if he hadn't said it earlier - but he could tell from her face she didn't need a lecture. "Oh, I suppose you're going to yell at me, too? Why don't you just stop being my big brother, you Benedict Arthur," she said bitterly. "Sally, I know how you feel. It probably doesn't feel that much different than when Mom or Dad sends us." She shook her head. "The truth is, being a pitcher, I might have been more upset then they would." "I wondered how you had guts to do that," Sally admitted "True. I think I was thinking about that. People have been killed by baseballs, Sally. You could have hurt that kid very seriously. I'm sure you were upset. But, there is never a reason to throw anything at anyone. Understand?" She nodded. Charlie Brown gave her a brief hug. "Benedict Arthur, huh? You know, you don't like all the hard work of learning. But, you've tried to be nice at school. That's saved you a couple times, the reputation you have of being good and listening well. But, if you let yourself get carried away like that again, when soemthing really bad happens, you might not be so lucky. We need to be a team. I'll help you, but you need to help me, and be good. Okay?" "Okay." Sally grinned. "That really wasn't too bad of a lecture." "Really? I wasn't even trying. Look, I don't feel right making this decision." "You mean, you're so wishy-washy you can't?" 'That too. You either have to write a letter of apology, or you get no TV today." Sally thought for a minute. "Writing is what I would have to do at school. Do you think I want to write?" She sighed, and spoke forlornly. "I probably should though, huh? You're right. Mom and Dad have taught us well. That was mean, and I know it. Just leave me alone here. I'll be done in a little bit." Linus and Lucy met Charlie Brown and Sally along a brick wall early in the evening. Linus was still carrying his security blanket. "Couldn't give that up, could you?" Charlie Brown said. "Not yet. I'm down to 3,122 verses that I'd want on it. So, how did it go with Sally?" "Fine. Mom and Dad said I handled things perfectly. The timeout, giving her a choice of punishments, everything worked well. I think the letter shows she really thought about what she'd done. My dad was even surprised I had the guts to do what I did." "Dad showed me what can happen if you get bleeding in your brain," Sally said. "He let me look in a book. It's called a mannerism. I'll never throw at anyone again. Mannerisms are scary." "Especially mannerisms involving carrying or framing security blankets." Lucy harrumphed. "Who would ever put favorite Bible verses on a security blanket?" "I don't know, but one thing's for sure. When I get older, I want to be just like my big brother," Sally said. "Except, I'd really like to be more successful at..." Lucy knew she wanted to say it. "Come on, admit it. Everything." Sally didn't want to be as harsh as Lucy. And, now she wanted to show how good she could be, too. "Well, especially pitching. Big brother, how about letting me pitch sometime? I promise, I won't throw anywhere near the batter's head. You're right. Throwing inside is fine, but we don't want to hurt anyone." Charlie Brown sighed. He didn't like giving up his favorite position. But, if it would let his sister see that he had confidence in her being good, he would let her. "Sure. I guess it is boring to pitch when you're behind 20-0 With our team, I'm sure you'll get plenty of chances."

I don't have room to post a 25000_ word story, but I will give you a link to a Cheers one I wrote back in '97 when I still knew the show. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1476436/1/ This is a good example of how to expand a story while putting the characters in a unique spot - it aalso is a good example of the alternate universe, as it covers a time when sam has a very good career and frazier owns the bar. The keys to this are, don't write a little,, post, then forget about it. Writing soemthing this long takes lots of work, and it needs to be all ready, or almost so, before you start posting, or readers lose patience fast.

She sighed as she sat the phone down, and told him what happened. "Did I do the right thing, Uncle Jesse? I mean, I just gave up on a friendship, just because...she was..." She closed her eyes for a second, unsure of what to think or say. Jesse sat beside her and put his arm around her. "Yeah, you did. I'm proud of you. Deej, sometimes we have to take a stand. And, the most painful thing of all is when that stand affects our relationships. But, those who do split apart from us are going to realize we're different, and that we were right someday. And, they can't realize that while we're on the same slippery slope they are. There's lots of times when someone makes a few mistakes, or is just a little weird like Kimmy. Even though we tease her a lot, someone like Kimmy needs someone like you. But, someone like Kathy, that's the kind where, sometimes they need us to totally break away from them." "Thanks, Uncle Jesse. I just don't like the idea of losing touch with someone I've known since first grade," D.J. complained. "I know how you feel. There's one or two daredevil guys I had to break apart from because they started drinking, and cussing, and stuff like that. I may have been Dr. Dare in high school, but I lived a clean life, and I wasn't going to let anyone drag me into temptation. It hurt, but I know I did the right thing." "Thanks." They embraced. "Hey, we better get down to that party." "Yeah, right now the band's just The Rippers. What kind of a name is that?" Jesse joked. Stephanie finished her story by explaining that, "Kathy had her baby that fall. D.J. went to the baby shower, but they've hardly spoken since the birth, and not at all after graduation." She considered that the friendship might have stood a chance if Kathy had given the baby up for adoption. But, then again, if Jesse and Becky's offer to take him had been accepted, a lot of other things might also have never happened, especially the bitter rivalry between Stephanie and the Flamingoes. Michelle nodded slowly, looking a little downcast. "I hope that doesn't happen to any of my friends. I don't think it's happening yet, but we're only in sixth grade." "I know. So, you can tell I'm apprehensive about babysitting for Kathy. What would you suggest?" Stephanie didn't know if Michelle would have any ideas. But, she always had such a unique outlook on things, and was able to help quite a bit at times. They had become very close since Michelle's accident several years earlier. Michelle rubbed her chin for a moment. "D.J.'s always been committed to waiting for that stuff. And, she and Dad and all the others taught you, right?" Stephanie nodded. "Is that why you have that card taped to you diary?" "My True Love Waits' pledge card? Yep, I...hey, have you been reading my diary!?" Michelle grinned sheepishly. "Well anyway, sometime in the near future, I'm going to give you a pledge card all your own. It's in a secret hiding place right now. And that day, you and D.J. and I can talk all about those dreams we've got - and that I hope you have - of our wedding days, and the wonderful times to follow," Stephanie declared excitedly. "Super. Thanks, Steph!" Michelle still didn't totally understand, but she knew that it was something important, and that Stephanie was dedicated enough to it to have signed a card and taped it to her diary. However, Michelle had one concern. "But, who's going to teach Kathy's kid?" "Well...I don't know," Stephanie said with a frown. "If Kathy's still like that, maybe you need to." "Hmmm, I never thought of that. You know, Michelle, you really have ways of getting to the heart of a problem sometimes. Thanks," Stephanie said with a smile, rising and mussing Michelle's hair a little. Stephanie Tanner showed up at Kathy's door with small butterflies flapping in her stomach. She hesitated, then rang the doorbell. As she studied the home, the butterflies became more intense. It was rather clean, so she wasn't too concerned. However, . As the door opened, she couldn't help but think of the girl she'd seen...well, much less well dressed than she was now, that was for certain. She didn't know what to say. "Hey, Stephanie, glad you could make it," Kathy said in a frazzled voice. As she showed Stephanie in, the sitter had lots of questions. The fact there weren't two or three more little ones besides the one conceived at D.J.'s party relieved her somewhat, but the place was a pretty big mess. "Hi, Stephanie," spoke a boy, slightly over four years old. He was obviously well cared for, but it was equally obvious that Kathy had little time to do much about her house. Oh well, Stephanie thought, at least she seems to know her kid's the most important thing. "Hey, Scott, right? I've heard a lot about you." "My Mommy said her and your sister useta be friends." Stephanie bit her lip. How would she explain this to him. It had been a long time ago. And, D.J. really showed little interest. The next move was clearly up to Kathy. Still, though, "She...might like to be again. I don't know. I guess...it's up to your mom." She laughed for a minute. She'd blurted out something that - if Scott were anything like Michelle at pestering people at times - would put Kathy far more on the spot than she'd intended. Kathy tried to avoid thinking the many thoughts going through her head about D.J.. She simply said, "Phone numbers are on the refrigerator, Scott usually has a light snack before bedtime. If he's really naughty just send him to bed right away- I doubt you'll have that problem, though. He's Dennis the Menace at times, but he really is good overall." "Oh, I'm very familiar with the Dennis kind," Stephanie said with a smile. She considered that, with their dad being so lenient, Michelle had, at times when little, been a little like Dennis. But, also like Dennis, she was really sweet and good-natured - and compliant when she knew her boundaries. After all, even the wilder Dennis knew to stay in the corner when sent. "Our sister Michelle was very good at testing limits when she was his age. Maybe not so much as Dennis, but of course, Dennis is a boy, and they're usually more ornery and boisterous, so if you're talking about a girl Dennis..." Stephanie laughed. "Sorry, I'm sure you have to get going." "You know, I can remember when D.J. and I were in grade school, and I'd come over there to play. You haven't changed, Stephanie. You're still the same girl D.J. and Kimmy and I used to call Motor mouth Tanner.' I remember when you were four, maybe five, your dad once said you'd have your own talk show. Then your mom joked that the problem was, the guests would never have a chance to say anything." Stephanie laughed. "Well, I better get going," Kathy said, reliving those wonderful years. Where had the time gone? Scott, of course, had been listening in. "Do you have a talk show, Stephanie? Can I see it? What's a talk show?" "As you can see, he's at the stage where he asks a million questions. See you later." She hugged and kissed him. "Be good for Stephanie. I love you." The tender embrace made Stephanie feel much better about the situation. As Stephanie expected, Michelle was up waiting for her. Michelle put down the book she was reading and quickly asked, "How did it go?" "Great...you were right. Thanks. Is D.J. up?" "She's in college, Steph. Is she ever not up?" "Good point." Stephanie walked over to D.J.'s room. "Hey, Deej. Can I ask you something?" "As long as it doesn't have any medical aspects, go ahead?" she said with a sight, not even bothering to take the pen out of her hand before resting her head in it. Stephanie could tell D.J. needed a study break. She didn't know if this would provide one or not. She explained about babysitting for Scott, and then said, "You know, Kathy really seemed to have changed. I mean, she's nothing like Mom was. But, she's still a good mother. Her house isn't in the best of shape, but neither are the dorm rooms of the kids who live on campus." "You've got that right." D.J. sighed, and put her pen down. "Steph, you know what she did at my party." "I know. I told Michelle the whole story, but she suggested I go, anyway, to babysit. And, she was right." "She told me. Even she thought you might have to be the good influence on Scott that her mother couldn't be." "True. But, Kathy is being a good influence on him. The boy I babysat tonight has a mother who made a big mistake. But, I can tell she at least tries. And, I don't think she'd let anyone around Scott that would cause him harm, emotionally or otherwise." "Good." "She also wanted to say she was sorry. And, before Dad picked me up, she said she wants to get back together with you." Stephanie grinned. She was always honest enough that she wouldn't have much trouble saying something like that. D.J. was troubled. She knew she should forgive her. But, while the memory had faded of her sixteenth birthday party, she also didn't want to be around someone who would do something like that. And, while Stephanie hadn't seen any evidence of problems, she also knew that Kathy might still not be as stable as some parents would be. "So, how about it, Deej? I'm babysitting for her again next Friday? Why don't you come?" D.J. was about to ask how Stephanie would feel if that happened at her sixteenth. But, she and her friends had had arguments over boys before, and Stephanie and Darcy had even broken their friendship off a couple times for very brief spans. In a way, Stephanie had learned to become very forgiving, especially since Michelle's accident. Maybe she need to do that, too. "I guess it's time to see her again. She probably isn't too bad of an influence anymore huh?" "Nope, you know I know the kinds of things to look for," Stephanie said. Sensing a little uncertainty still, she added, "I could always send Michelle in to pester you to do it." "Please, Steph, with the amount of work I have, I'd do anything before I had to have that." The sisters laughed. That Friday, the sisters purposely left early for Kathy's. D.J. was still uncertain, even after Stephanie had reassured her, of what she'd find. Even in their smaller high school, she'd heard of a number of cases of girls becoming pregnant. And, some of them did so because they were involved in much worse things than just that. "It's weird, usually you'd be the one asking me for help," D.J. said. "Well, don't feel too bad, that'll come soon enough. After what you said about Dad and Uncle Jesse trying to teach you, I've decided you'll be the one to help me get my drivers' license. My first lesson can be tomorrow if you want." D.J. managed a weak chuckle. "Fine. Just don't drive anywhere near a kitchen, and I'll be calm." "Right, no kitchens." Kathy opened the door at that moment. A weak hello emerged from their lips. The awkwardness was similar to the last time they talked to each other. Kathy had told D.J. she was glad Michelle had recovered from her riding accident, and D.J. had uttered a weak thank you. Scott rushed to the door with a couple toy cars. "Come look at the parking lot I've got set up," he insisted. Stephanie turned to D.J. and Kathy. "I'll let you two talk for a minute." She then walked toward the massive array of cars. "Scott, that's not a realistic parking lot - in a real one there is always at least one car which takes up two or more spaces," she joked. "She's a really nice sitter." Kathy snickered. "At least she lets her charges talk. Unlike when we'd have her babysit our dolls." "Yep. Our dad has some funny videos of that." D.J. gazed at Steph and Scott playing on the floor. She was really glad to see that everything was...well, as messy as any dorm room would be. Her dad would throw a fit, but Danny Tanner was always a neat freak. "Look, Steph probably told you...I'm sorry for the way things have gone." D.J. blinked once. "Yeah, me too." "If you'd wanted to talk...I would have been there. You know, about Michelle. Scott was at the age when emergency room trips are not unusual." "Tell me about it. I committed to nursing last year. Had a round in pediatrics last semester." D.J. began to ask what Kathy was doing with her life, then hesitated. Would Kathy feel right saying she was just a homemaker? And, a single, struggling one at that - she could tell the clothing and some household items looked to be from places like the Salvation Army. Certainly not what they dreamed about growing up. Kathy, fortunately, spoke next. "That sounds like a fun profession." "It is." Inside, D.J. studied the surroundings more. She began to wish she'd helped Kathy a little more in the last four years. Sure, Kathy had caused her own problems. But, that didn't mean she couldn't have helped her a little. D.J. finally spoke. "Kathy...I'm sorry. It's just so hard coming here. I mean, we just wasted years being upset..." "I know. I'm sorry. I've thought about you, too, but...I don't know, sometimes what the Flamingoes would do fighting her over boys and things wasn't all my younger sister; in fact, most of it wasn't. But, still, maybe how they fought Stephanie, too, made me wonder if you could ever be friends with me again." "Kathy..." D.J. and Kathy gazed at each other for a moment, unsure of what to say. "It might have been hard, but all your sister ever did was try to steal our dad's phone card for you." D.J. chuckled. That seemed so little now. When it had happened, though, D.J. figured for sure that Kathy had gone over to the "dark side," as it were - just like those friends of Jesse's who started drinking and cussing, and who basically had told him he had to go along with them, because they weren't going to do the clean stuff he wanted to do. Now, howevfer, Kathy's actions seemed pretty small, especially since no harm had been done. As for the other Famingoes, "Well, Steph and her friends have started to be friends with the Flamingoes. They've had a truce, so...I guess we should, too." "Yeah." They embraced. "I'm sorry, D.J.." "I know. Me, too." D.J. and Kathy looked into each others' eyes, remembering those wonderful days, long ago, when they were in grade school. They shared a tender chuckle, as Stephanie had broken into one of her famous rambles - Scott had said something about one of his cars, and now Stephanie was commenting about the many odd things that BMW could stand for. "Some thins never change, huh, Kathy?" "Nope, Motor mouth Tanner' is still the same." "Look, I know you're probably anxious to get going. But, maybe tomorrow, we can meet for pizza. I've got a student driver who will probably want to go there, anyway." Kathy was amazed. "Stephanie's going to be driving? Oh, boy, that just sounds so unreal." "Doesn't it, though? Michelle babysitting, though - that's the really weird one. I mean, I practically was an assistant at times when she was a toddler and preschooler, since our dad could be pretty lax at times. She's helped a lot with Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky's kids, but this will be the first time it's just her there. Dad says it'll happen in the next month or two." D.J. sighed. "There's another area I really could have helped you with," she said with a frown. "At least I had some experience helping to teach Michelle soem things." "Hey, I'm always open to help when it comes to Scott." "Great. Well, I'll see you tomorrow about two or so?" She nodded. "Great. Bye, Kathy." "So long, D.J.," she said with a smile. Michelle had been taken by their dad to a high school football game, which she'd attended with Cassie, Mandy, and several others. Danny and Michelle picked Stephanie up on the way home. "So, how did it go?" Michelle asked quickly. Stephanie grinned knowingly. "First I want to know if you had fun watching Jeff." "What do you mean, Steph? His older brother's the one who was playing." Stephanie stifled giggles. "I'm serious, Steph." "Tell you sister what you kept calling him, though." Michelle blushed slightly. "Okay, I kept calling him Jeff. In fact, I called our quarterback and a couple other players for our team that when I cheered for them." Stephanie roared with laughter. "This is it, Michelle. It's meg-crush land." "Come on, Steph. I...boy, my cheeks feel warm. I must really be blushing." "Yep. Better be careful you're not the one to ditch all your friends in favor of going boy crazy," Stephanie warned. Michelle shook her head. "I would never do that, Steph." Danny didn't think Kathy had planned to, either. "Well, yeah, Dad, but she didn't have older sisters like Steph and D.J. to look out for her." "That's true. You girls always do such a good job with Michelle, Steph," he was quick to compliment her. Once she thanked him, Stephanie heard Michelle ask how Kathy and D.J.'s reunion went. "It went really well. They're getting back together, and I think they might start to be good friends again." Stephanie smiled. Michelle grinned happily. "That's great. Still, it's a shame they fought for so long," she said more lowly. "It is. But, the important thing about friendship is that true friendship stands the test of time. And, maybe what D.J. did had to be done; maybe it was the key to Kathy getting better at first. But, true friends like that get back together. Because the friendship is more important than any boy or anything else. That might come between them."

Kathy Santoni looked up from the floor. "Oh no. Please, don't tell anyone." "You better hope we don't all find out in about nine months," Stephanie cracked. "What does that mean?" Michelle asked. "We'll explain later," Stephanie said. She quickly turned Michelle around while keeping her right hand clasped over Michelle's eyes. As they walked back upstairs and closed the door, Stephanie instructed Michelle, "Go find D.J. and get her to go down to the recording studio right away. I need to go get Dad." "You want D.J. to get my panda?" "Just go!" Stephanie ordered as she ran upstairs. Michelle ran into the living room and grabbed D.J.'s pants. "D.J., Steph says you have to go to the recording studio right away." "What?" D.J. grumbled as she was led away by Michelle. "Can't Stephanie handle whatever's down there?" she asked, thinking Michelle imagined a monster was down there. "I don't know, it must be scary. It looked weird. Then, she covered my eyes." "I'll be back, guys. This better not be a trick, Michelle." D.J. said as Michelle led her to the door, then opened it. Meanwhile, Stephanie burst into Danny's room. "Dad, you need to come quick." Danny rose quickly and exclaimed, "Why what happened?' "Well, let's just say that I tried to cover Michelle's eyes fast enough, but after what was happening in the recording studio, I think you're going to have to explain the birds and the bees." "I've never seen your dad run so fast," Becky said a second later, as both felt the breeze from Danny's running. D.J. had ordered Michelle to go up to her room and wait. She saw her Dad breathlessly running to the top of the stairs leading to the recording studio, and held up a hand. "Can I have a minute to lecture them first?" she asked, trying to conceal her anger. "Be my guest," Danny said haltingly, still trying to find words. D.J. fumed as she glared at Kathy and her boyfriend. "I come down here because my baby sister tells me to, and I think she's just wanting me to find her bear or something! Instead, what do I find, Kathy?! You shamelessly and selfishly using my Sweet Sixteen party to...to...I don't even want to say it! I can't believe how you would destroy a friendship so treacherously! This is my moment of glory, and all you can do is..." She paused for a moment, and shouted, "Get the rest of your clothes on, and get out of here! I never want to see you around here again, after what you did to my party!" D.J. screamed tearfully. Danny hugged her as she began sobbing. "It's your turn, Dad," she mumbled. Danny sighed. "I don't think I have anything I can add right now." Back in the living room, Kimmy looked around after several minutes. "Huh, now D.J.'s disappeared." She walked into the kitchen, only to see Kathy and her boyfriend leaving. "Kathy, where were you? Where are you going?" "Oh...we just thought we'd go for a drive," Kathy said absently. Kimmy couldn't tell she was lying. "Oh, well, okay. Glad you came. I'm going to look for D.J. now." She walked upstairs to see if D.J. was in her room. She found Danny comforting a tearful D.J. as they sat on her bed. "Hey, Deej, what's wrong?" She sat on the other side of D.J., and placed a hand on her back. "Kathy and her boyfriend, that's what's wrong. They said they came to celebrate my party, but they disappeared so fast after they came. And, when I found them, they were down in the recording studio just..." She shook her head. "I hope she does have a baby! She deserves to have to struggle through life after this," D.J. ranted. "This is supposed to be the biggest night of my life, my sixteenth birthday party." "Whoa baby. You mean they were actually...?" Kimmy was shocked. As crazy as Kimmy was, she would never have dreamed of doing anything like that. She placed a hand on D.J.'s. "Wow. It sounds like both of our Sweet Sixteens have been real bummers, huh?" D.J. nodded. "Now, Deej," Danny said, "it's true that what they did was very wrong. But, we don't know what they were thinking. They might have come with all intentions of honoring you, and they just got carried away." D.J. wiped tears from her eyes. "Yeah? Well, why did they have to do it here? Why couldn't they have done it in their car even? You and Mom did it at a ball park!" "Well, in the car, actually. We were just so in the mood, and the wait for traffic to let up was so long anyway. It's true you couldn't have walked in the way we did it that evening, but even doing it in a parking lot, I can remember telling Pam it seemed like something Jesse would do." "You and Mom really loved each other. You knew what was right, and when to do that," D.J. mumbled, trying hard to think of something other than what Kathy had done. Forget "Sixteen Candles" - the theme song of this party was becoming, "It's My Party, and I'll Cry If I Want To." Danny remembered that he had to comfort his daughter, so he stopped rambling and got back on the subject. "We sure did. But, you're right, what they did was awful. This was your night, and it was so full of good fun for kids your age." Danny shook his head. "It almost makes me wish I'd let Kimmy host the party." "Hey, believe me, Mr. T., I would never allow people to do that. Making out's one thing, but..." Kimmy whistled. "Good thing Blondo and Blondo Jr. didn't see it." "I'm afraid they did. I think we're going to have to explain all about that now." He sighed. "I'd been hoping to wait and gradually tell her over the next three, five, maybe ten years. I'll understand if you can't help, Deej. Aunt Becky's here, she'll be able to help like she did when Steph was asking questions." "Thanks, Dad. Maybe in a few minutes, before I go back down," D.J. muttered. "I just need some time to talk with Kimmy." "Okay." He hugged her and left. Back in the present, Michelle's eyes lit up. "Kathy sounds like a Flamingo." "If we hadn't grown closer to the Flamingoes on our trip last summer, I know Darcy, Allie, and I would have never gotten this call. Kathy's younger sister's the one who tried to get me involved in that group in the first place, so they could steal Dad's phone card and Kathy could call her boyfriend once he moved across the country. Now that we're in high school, things are a little calmer between all of us." Stephanie hummed. "I'm just not sure if I can stomach seeing her now, let alone learning who Kathy might have around. Do you have any advice, Michelle?" "Maybe. First, let me hear the end of the story. I remember you guys all telling me about that stuff," Michelle revealed. "Okay, you're right. Dad asked what you'd seen, you asked a bunch of questions, and D.J. did come in a while later," Stephanie said as she continued her story. Michelle was sitting on her bed looking at an anatomy book. It was quite intriguing. But, Stephanie, Allie, Danny, and Becky could tell she was still a little skeptical, and very grossed out. "Do you have any more questions, Michelle?" Becky asked. "I still don't believe I'm going to lay eggs someday," Michelle responded. "It's not laying eggs, Michelle," Stephanie said in an exasperated tone. "It's okay, Steph. This is pretty far over her head, at this age. But, now you understand what you saw, right, honey?" Danny asked. Michelle nodded. "And why it's only something for a Mommy and a Daddy to do, when they're ready to have babies?" "Is Kathy really going to have a baby now?" Michelle asked. "That's gross." "We know it looks that way to you. And, that's good, at your age." Danny patted her hand. "When you get older, and get married, that's when it's special. It was always very special and fun for your Mom and I. We don't know if the seed got into Kathy and connected with an egg or not." "It could have, though. That's why I made that joke about all of us finding out in nine months," Stephanie explained. A light bulb seemed to come on above Michelle's head. She finally understood that part. "You also should never tell your friends any of this. It's something for parents or, in your case, aunts and big sisters to help their parents explain," Becky added. "Yes, when they're much, much, much older," Danny said. Michelle spoke as D.J. entered the room. "They wouldn't believe it, anyway." "I'm going back down to my party now. How are you doing, Michelle?" "Okay. But, I'd rather be playing Candyland." "Did you wait till you were married, Dad?" Stephanie inquired. "Yes, I did. I wanted my wedding night to be the most special time possible, and so did your mom. Because we each planned to share our bodies only with someone who meant so much to us that we were determined to be together till death," Danny said wistfully. "See, Michelle, that's another reason why what Kathy did was so selfish," D.J. said as Uncle Jesse entered with the cordless phone. "She only thought about how she could please herself, not about how what she did now would spoil the fun of that wedding night and beyond with her husband years down the road." "Hey, speaking of that, Kathy's on the phone for you, Deej," Jesse said. "Tell her I don't want to talk to her," D.J. complained. "Don't you think you should at least hear what she has to say?" Jesse countered. Danny could tell D.J. was about to refuse. "Look, honey, what she did was wrong. And, I really think you're right to not want her around here anymore. But, she deserves a chance to be heard. Because she needs to know that her mistake isn't the end of the world, even if it does result in a baby." D.J. sighed deeply. "Oh, okay." She walked out of the other bedroom into her own and said hello in a tired voice. "D.J., look; I just wanted to apologize," Kathy said. "Hey, look, it's not the end of the world if you're pregnant," D.J. said briskly. "D.J., please. I haven't even thought about that. Although, if it did happen, I'd at least want you to come to my baby shower," Kathy related. "Is this really that small a thing to you, Kathy? You act like it's no big deal, and you're talking about some movie night you're going to host in a few months. Well, it is a big deal! Because you could not only wind up with a baby and having to drop out of school, you could have some terrible disease. You could even have gotten AIDS! We used to be good friends in grade school, Kathy." D.J. sighed and frowned mightily. "And I don't like what's happened to you." "D.J., look...first of all, this wasn't our first time. When we're together, my boyfriend and I just get too caught up. We don't stop to think. But, when you kicked us out, I started to think...maybe we should start to think about you a little. I wouldn't have wanted someone to use my Sweet Sixteen party for their own lusts." "Thank you, Kathy, for using that word for me. Because it's not love you and he feel." D.J. grumbled. "But, that just means that you're not thinking about the future at all. And, you haven't since Junior High." "Look, I'm really sorry, D.J.. I know it really isn't fair. I don't expect things to get any worse, but maybe if I do become pregnant, things will change. It hasn't happened yet, though," Kathy said defensively. "Yeah, well it could! It might have happened in the last few weeks, or maybe even tonight." D.J. closed her eyes and thought for a second. "I'll come to your baby shower if you have one. But, you have to promise not to be doing that with him, and not to be around here. I won't have my sisters being influenced to be like that!" "Well, if that's the way it has to be, D.J., goodbye. I'll let you know if there's a baby shower, just so you can come and...wish me luck." The phone clicked. D.J. stared at it in disbelief for a second, not realizing that Uncle Jesse was standing in front of her.