CheeBee Request

"Go on, son. Don't be afraid. They're Mommy and Daddy's friends."

Solomon ushered his shy, small son towards the smiling men (well, one smiling, one frowning) sitting in his living room. Best friends and colleagues since their undergraduate years, Paul Cheechoo and Arthur Beeman were visiting Solomon and Drew Saturday to team up on a mission. They also came to see little Zak, who had just celebrated his third birthday. Drew was in the airship hangar, readying the airship for another flight.

"Aww, he's a cute little fella. I can't believe it's been three years." Paul cooed as the adorable young boy stood before them.

"Apprehension, this little monster-in-the-making's has survival skills." Arthur commented, earning an angry glare from the boy's father, "What, if he's not choking on a happy meal toy now, he'll be wrecking the airship in fifteen years."

"You should write a book on parenting." Paul retorted back before addressing the giggling little boy, "Hi there, Zak. I'm Dr. Cheechoo."

"You're talking as if you're an elementary school teacher for crying out loud."

"Hush up. Anyway, Zak, I study Geology."

"What's Geology?" Little Zak asked.

"Uncle Paulie looks at rocks all day and if any of them are shaped funny, he studies them and sells them to the Black Market." Arthur chided.

"Arthur! He's only three!" Solomon protested.

"He's never too young to learn, Doc." Arthur retorted.

"Okay, one, I do more than look at rocks all day and two, I don't sell anything to anyone, Artie." Paul hotly retorted, "And two, If you think what I do for a living is so hilarious, why don't you share with little Zak here exactly what YOU do for a living?"

"Guys, really-" Solomon argued.

"No, no, Doc, I WANT to share my vast knowledge with the youth," Arthur insisted before turning to the amused Zak, "Young man, I study Paranormal Activity. For your amusement, I study and look for aliens."

"What are aliens?" Zak asked.

"Uncle Artie's a good example of an alien, Zak." Solomon laughed.

"He's really trying to find a way home because his mommy, the Alien Queen, sent him here a long time ago to learn about humans. In fact, he's wearing a disguise so that his alien flesh can't burn up in the sun." Paul added, making the little boy laugh.

"Ha-ha. You two are hilarious. Two can play at story-time, Paul. Kid, Uncle Paulie's really a hairless yeti that learned to speak English. He studies rocks to find currency."

"And you study aliens because you can't logically exist in the real world!"

"Neither can you, faux-hawk."

The two men stared intently at each other until Arthur unexpectedly pulled Paul towards him and kissed him tenderly.

"OKAY! I think story-time's OVER." Solomon gasped, quickly picking Zak up before the boy could question what Uncle Artie and Uncle Paulie were doing, "You two are impossible!"

They ignored him, continuing their sudden make-out session right on the couch as Solomon scrambled away with the curious and amused Zak in his arms. Eventually they pulled away from each other.

"Honestly, you pick a fight just to do that." Paul huffed.

"Hey, if it traumatizes Doc Jr., I'm all for it."

"You realize our friend thinks we're perverts now, right?"

"He'll get over it when he asks one of us to babysit Doc Jr." Arthur waved off, getting off the couch.

"We're leaving Zak with Odelei!" Doc shouted from down the hall.

Paul shook his head and followed Arthur to the airship hangar.