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Description

Spring had sprung in Cobalt Town. Like the flowers, many small businesses downtown re-opened to take in the year’s first sunshine and the buzzes that came with it. The Dimaguiba siblings were among the first families this weekend to take advantage of these re-openings, even though it was still early, because they figured they’d still be able to get a parking spot before the special events were in full swing.

“Hey, you were right, Ginger,” Marquis said as he parked the car, “This is the first time I’ve ever seen this parking lot with any empty spaces. We’re lucky we got here a little early, or we’d’ve had to park illegally again.”

“Uh-huh,” Ginger replied. She wasn’t surprised at all that she was right. They were even able to get one of the best spaces right in front of all the shops, which never happens.

The siblings excitedly poured out of their minivan. “So,” said Monty, “where do we start?”

“Well,” Ginger said, “I was thinking we’d hit up the street festival on Mechanic Street first, that way we can get the best pick of the farmers’ market. You know how quickly that stuff gets bought out!”

“Farmers’ market? No thanks,” said Miao, “I wanna go to those new fashion boutiques. I’ve gotta get my paws on that discount Lucas Verne stuff before it’s too late!”

“Yeah,” said Hulu, “and I need more versions of my favorite shirt! Word is, they’ve got it in more colors besides gray this year.”

Ginger scratched her head. “Uh. Well,” she said, “then I guess you guys can split up, and the rest of us can hit the farmers’ market.”

“Nah,” disagreed Scrappy, “the food festival on Contractor Street is where it’s at. They got every restaurant in town givin’ out free food, and I gotta go check that stuff out. Marquis and I was also gonna do the pie eatin’ contest.”

“Yeah!” Marquis cheered, double-checking the lock on the car with the key fob. “And this year’s prize is $500 and a medal from the mayor! I can’t let a tourist win that this time, like last year. Sorry, Ginger, but we’re gonna have to split up I think.” He stepped in front of Scrappy at the mention of the $500. The scrafty took a split second to notice, and then he stepped in front of the hitmonchan in return. Within seconds, what began as a simple, friendly, competitive gesture escalated into a somewhat serious shoving match.

Ginger looked around. Was there really that much to do? She guessed so. It is a pretty big town, after all. “Whatever you guys want. I suppose you can’t miss that.” She said. The other siblings, walking in pairs, already started dispersing towards their destinations. Ginger waved at them. “Don’t forget to text in the group chat about where you want to take lunch!” She called. She turned to Monty, who’d just been wall-flowering the conversation. “So, where are you gonna go?” she asked him, “you wanna come with me to the farmers’ market? There’s other stuff there, too, they’ve got all kinds of vendors and starving artists. I’ll give you a little bit of spending cash.”

“I’d love to,” Monty began, “but actually, Ginger, I was hoping we could go to this place first.” He gestured to the ice cream shop to their immediate left, “Cream of the Crop Home-Grown Ice Cream.” It had just re-opened for the season.

Ginger was inexplicably weirded out by the design of that shop’s logo, which featured two ice cream cones growing out of a patch of dirt like stalks of corn.

“Ice cream this early?” she questioned. “Alright, whatever, that should be pretty quick. And what the heck, if you’re getting ice cream at 10am, why can’t I?”

“Great! I’ve been wanting to try out their new sundae ever since they announced it: The Marble Column. It’s five different kinds of chocolate ice cream, with five different kinds of vanilla ice cream, swirled together in a graham cracker hazelnut bowl, with marbled brownies and hot fudge!”

“That sounds... Really bad for you. You think I’m actually going to let you order that?”

“Oh. Uh, well…”

“… Without sharing it?”

Monty laughed out loud with pleasure at that and tugged on Ginger’s sleeve towards the shop. “Ok, you got me, Ginger! Now come on, let’s go before the line forms!”

Description

Spring had sprung in Cobalt Town. Like the flowers, many small businesses downtown re-opened to take in the year’s first sunshine and the buzzes that came with it. The Dimaguiba siblings were among the first families this weekend to take advantage of these re-openings, even though it was still early, because they figured they’d still be able to get a parking spot before the special events were in full swing.

“Hey, you were right, Ginger,” Marquis said as he parked the car, “This is the first time I’ve ever seen this parking lot with any empty spaces. We’re lucky we got here a little early, or we’d’ve had to park illegally again.”

“Uh-huh,” Ginger replied. She wasn’t surprised at all that she was right. They were even able to get one of the best spaces right in front of all the shops, which never happens.

The siblings excitedly poured out of their minivan. “So,” said Monty, “where do we start?”

“Well,” Ginger said, “I was thinking we’d hit up the street festival on Mechanic Street first, that way we can get the best pick of the farmers’ market. You know how quickly that stuff gets bought out!”

“Farmers’ market? No thanks,” said Miao, “I wanna go to those new fashion boutiques. I’ve gotta get my paws on that discount Lucas Verne stuff before it’s too late!”

“Yeah,” said Hulu, “and I need more versions of my favorite shirt! Word is, they’ve got it in more colors besides gray this year.”

Ginger scratched her head. “Uh. Well,” she said, “then I guess you guys can split up, and the rest of us can hit the farmers’ market.”

“Nah,” disagreed Scrappy, “the food festival on Contractor Street is where it’s at. They got every restaurant in town givin’ out free food, and I gotta go check that stuff out. Marquis and I was also gonna do the pie eatin’ contest.”

“Yeah!” Marquis cheered, double-checking the lock on the car with the key fob. “And this year’s prize is $500 and a medal from the mayor! I can’t let a tourist win that this time, like last year. Sorry, Ginger, but we’re gonna have to split up I think.” He stepped in front of Scrappy at the mention of the $500. The scrafty took a split second to notice, and then he stepped in front of the hitmonchan in return. Within seconds, what began as a simple, friendly, competitive gesture escalated into a somewhat serious shoving match.

Ginger looked around. Was there really that much to do? She guessed so. It is a pretty big town, after all. “Whatever you guys want. I suppose you can’t miss that.” She said. The other siblings, walking in pairs, already started dispersing towards their destinations. Ginger waved at them. “Don’t forget to text in the group chat about where you want to take lunch!” She called. She turned to Monty, who’d just been wall-flowering the conversation. “So, where are you gonna go?” she asked him, “you wanna come with me to the farmers’ market? There’s other stuff there, too, they’ve got all kinds of vendors and starving artists. I’ll give you a little bit of spending cash.”

“I’d love to,” Monty began, “but actually, Ginger, I was hoping we could go to this place first.” He gestured to the ice cream shop to their immediate left, “Cream of the Crop Home-Grown Ice Cream.” It had just re-opened for the season.

Ginger was inexplicably weirded out by the design of that shop’s logo, which featured two ice cream cones growing out of a patch of dirt like stalks of corn.

“Ice cream this early?” she questioned. “Alright, whatever, that should be pretty quick. And what the heck, if you’re getting ice cream at 10am, why can’t I?”

“Great! I’ve been wanting to try out their new sundae ever since they announced it: The Marble Column. It’s five different kinds of chocolate ice cream, with five different kinds of vanilla ice cream, swirled together in a graham cracker hazelnut bowl, with marbled brownies and hot fudge!”

“That sounds... Really bad for you. You think I’m actually going to let you order that?”

“Oh. Uh, well…”

“… Without sharing it?”

Monty laughed out loud with pleasure at that and tugged on Ginger’s sleeve towards the shop. “Ok, you got me, Ginger! Now come on, let’s go before the line forms!”