“Oh, I don’t feel right about this at all.”
Gonzo nodded in sympathetic agreement from the backseat, though Fozzie couldn’t see it. The bear had started the engine but made no attempt to start driving. The trio sat hunched in miserable companionship until Rizzo cleared his throat.
“Uh, maybe we should get going. I don’t like the way that security guard is staring at us… or his cat.” The cat in question, an orange-striped tabby, was watching Rizzo intently, looking as hungry as a cat could.
Fozzie sighed unhappily. “Yeah, Rizzo’s right. We should go.”
Another heavy silence fell upon them until Rizzo spoke up yet again.
“Um… Fozzie… you’re driving.” The bear blinked. “Well, more to the point, you’re not driving.”
“Oh, right. Sorry.” He looked around sheepishly before putting the car in gear.
Gonzo turned to look up at the ugly, yet efficient building where they’d left Piggy. He kept his eyes on it until Fozzie made a right turn and it disappeared from view. He was startled to find Rizzo watching him uneasily when he turned around.
“Hey, pal. How’re you doing?”
Gonzo merely shrugged and looked away.
“C’mon, don’t worry. She’ll be up and driving us crazy in no time.”
Gonzo said nothing, hoping Rizzo would understand he didn’t much feel like talking at the moment.
No dice.
“If it’s any consolation, you smell like a burnt carpet.”
In spite of himself, Gonzo smiled. “Don’t try to cheer me up, Rizzo.”
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As messengers invariably were, Gonzo, Fozzie and Rizzo were mobbed on returning to the Muppet boarding house. It would have been overwhelming if they weren’t so accustomed to the chaos. Admittedly, they were usually among the mobbers rather than the mobbees.
“Wah!” Fozzie exclaimed in surprise as he was engulfed by questions from all and sundry. Gonzo was subjected to the overload and little Rizzo, easily overlooked when he so chose, made it nearly inside the building before his fellow rats spotted, and subsequently cornered him.
“Whoa, whoa! Hang on a minute, will ya?” Gonzo waved wildly trying to bring some order to the situation… but order really wasn’t his strong suit and they ignored his efforts. Realizing the futility of it, he started responding to those closest to him, trusting that word would spread, by osmosis if in no other way.
Fozzie too had given in to the mad rush and Rizzo had completely disappeared from his sight. Gradually they maneuvered their way into the foyer. Gonzo reported rapid-fire on Piggy’s condition, the trip to the hospital, and the hospital food they found therein, but he refused to speculate on the show and whether she would be recovered enough to perform. He was nearly certain of the answer, but he didn’t want to blurt it out to the myriad faces before him. Rowlf had managed to make his way into Gonzo’s field of vision, gesturing that they needed to talk. Gonzo tried to make his way over, but a flutter of wings distracted him.
“Camilla!” She flew into his arms and he pulled her to his chest in a crushing hug. “Oh honey, I’m so glad to see you!”
Her loving greeting did much to restore his confidence and he burrowed his face into her soft feathers, letting some of his tension ebb away at last. They held each other for a minute before Camilla finally drew back to look him over.
