Another episode in the continuing saga.
Shiela's perfume was heavenly as her blonde hair brushed against his cheeks. Horatio's nose began to twitch and fidget. His frenzied brain screamed out: Concentrate! As his tongue pulled the prize in... Suddenly he blasted out a huge sneeze........ swallowing the coin.
Immediately he was wracked with uncontrolled coughing. Sheila looked on, horrified. Her fair face taking the brunt of Horario's mighty blow. Angry, she informed Horatio he owed her 50 cents and stormed out. Horatio had bigger problems. Damn coin was stuck at the bottom of his throat. Alerted by the commotion, Warrior barged in. Grabbed a big glass of water and helped Horatio chug it down. Soon the coughing fit abated. Horatio breathed a sigh of relief. Warrior laughed.. then Horation chuckled and shook his head.
The next day, Horatio ate a lot of bran cereal, hoping to pass the coin. Later that night the pain began. Getting worse with each passing hour. Xrays revealed the coin was stuck, stool piling up behind it.
After surgery, Horatio awoke. Feeling normal except for surgical uneasiness. He breathed a sigh of relief. "What a stupid turn of events" he mused. Curious, he pulled up his gown, then screamed. Nurse Dexie came running. Pointing to the bag attached to his tummy, he burbled "What in the hell.... is that?" "Calm down Mr Heeb, it's just a colostomy." "A colosta.. what" he stammered. Dexie gave him a reassuring pat on the head and a sleeping pill. Nighty nite.
A week later he was discharged... a changed man. An Ostemate.
Relaxing in the dorm, he despaired.... "All that hell....and I didn't even get the coin." His surgeon Dr Terry had sent it out for lab analysis..... it never came back.
He tried talking to Sheila. She laughed at him... while walking arm in arm with Warrior. He whispered to himself: "This is horrible, mighty horrible indeed."
Back at Mulberry Inc, workers slowly returned to work. Horatio was eyeballing the golden gummie. He gently picked it up. Gave it a sniff. "Must be some new formula the lab boys are testing" he thought. Pressed it to his lips for a taste. Small stinging sparks leap out. Wow, this little beauty has some kick. Just then his colostomy let out a fog horn toot. "Oh quiet you" he mumbled. For over 20 years, he put up with this little beast. His wife didn't seem to mind, but refused to look at it. Forced him to wear a shirt around the house... even in the bedroom. He hated it.
Thinking about it, he frowned. Whispered: "Just sucks, totally sucks indeed."
He opened wide, tossing the golden gummy in. Slowly chewed, savoring the unusual flavor. "I think this is a home run, what a rush." His head began spinning, eyesight dimmed. "Whoa" he bleated. Dull humming in his head pulsated. Boom... boom! Flashes of golden color filled the lab. Distant voices shrieked, laughing manically. He tried to hang on, gripping the desk. Then.... sudden silence as cool breezes softly swirled around his overheated torso.
He awoke with a start. It was dark and cold. His desk was gone and he was sitting on cardboard. Wha... what happened? He tried to remember. There was this golden.... golden... something. He bit it... then poof... the rest is blank. He shivered. Where am I? He tried to stand, but the wind cut like ice. He rested his eyes. And soon was cast into a dreamless stupor.
Funky gummie indeed! Coming up next, part 4. The big switch-er-roo.