Fred minus Freaky part 8

Fred minus Freaky part 8
So, it was finally the weekend, I had survived a week of Barbara, and I could finally rest assured I would have 2 days grace. I was relaxing in my pajamas watching some Doctor Who, when the telephone rang. I sprang up from the sofa and seized the phone thusly proceeding to press the talk button.
“Fredrick Endsly’s residence, Fredrick speaking.” I said with a splash of excitement in my voice.
It was my beloved Aunt Muriel; I felt my eyes well up upon hearing her endearing voice, “Fred? M’ fine lad, how would ye like to come over for some pancakes?”
I smiled, I replied into the telephone, “Indeed I would love it ever so much, I will be over soon, Aunt Muriel, thank you.”
“No problem m’ dear. Just drive safely.”
Soon, I was dressed in my grey suit, I had my hair gelled back, and I was driving across the town of No-where, down the highway and down a short gravel road until I reached the farmhouse. I parked my car next to Eustace’s truck and I went up to the doorbell of the house and rang it.
Courage opened the door for me, and upon seeing me hugged his tail out of fear. I smiled jokingly at him and said, “Oh come now, cur, you know I no longer lust for fur.”
My short stanza had made Courage go pale, but then I hugged him, and I whispered to him, “Sorry I tease, it is a touch bit funny to see you react this way.”
Courage was a bit un-amused but soon he forgave me.
Aunt Muriel stepped out of the kitchen to see tender Courage and I hugging, and she said, “That’s good of ye to get along so well, soon the pancakes will be done.”
I ceased my hugging of Courage went into the kitchen and saw Eustace, he looked up from his news paper and muttered a few words towards me, “How are ya, yeh freak?”
Freak, the word that hurt the most, all my life I was called a freak, and I wanted to stand up for myself, but Aunt Muriel stepped in.
“Eustace, that is very rude, you should know Fred is no longer in that home for barbers, he is a professor now.”
Eustace wanted to say something, but Muriel looked at him as though to say, “I will not tolerate such rude behavior.” And sure enough, he said nothing.
Courage joined us at the kitchen table as we all enjoyed a lovely pancake breakfast together, at first it was just Aunt Muriel, Courage and I talking, but when I started talking about the No-where College’s football team, the Saber-toothed-Katz, Eustace was joining in the conversation, as him and I talked about who would win this coming final game, then Eustace and I talked about politics and even what we thought was a waste of tax payer’s money, and him and I were not so estranged with one another. Aunt Muriel was happy, and Courage even enjoyed my company.
When breakfast was done, I washed the dishes for Aunt Muriel as she has done so much for me through out my life. Courage stayed back and kept me company in the kitchen.
“So, how’d ya do it?” Courage asked me
“How did I do what?” I replied
“How’d ya kick the “naughty” habit?”
I smiled and said, “a lot of years of psychotherapy, many shorn dolls, group therapy, and rechanneling of my energy.”
Courage felt reassured that I was no longer naughty, and then he asked, “Is there anything you want me to do to help you with dealing with Barbara?”
I replied sadly, “Unless there is a way to make her nicer, then I have no ideas.”
Courage went down into the cellar and came up with a small vial of what appeared to be homemade fabric softener. He then said, “this is the fabric softener I mentioned in my poem that I submitted during the first week of class, and I feel this will help in dealing with Barbara.”
I stared blankly at the pink furred pooch, as I was very much confused. How could fabric softener turn the cruelest hearted monster into a person who would be able to tolerate me?
“Trust me, it will work.” Courage said to me
“But how will I get it on her?” I replied
“Well, I could give it to her, and then we will see on Monday?”
I hugged Courage as I cheered quietly, “Splendid! Thank you Courage!”
Courage laughed and said slightly bashfully, “Ah, anything for Muriel’s cousin.”
Soon after that I left and went home, spending the rest of my weekend grocery shopping, marking homework, writing a story and watching a Doctor Who marathon, but who knows what Monday will bring?

To Be Continued