Meeting the New Boy VIII: Diego Luis

 

Pete Dakota: BR, BR, BR!

Benjamin Roy: What, Pete? What, Pete? What, Pete?

Pete: Chance is home from the Festival!

BR: That's not news; we were expecting him back.

Pete: He didn't come home alone!

BR: Whoa.  Now that's news.

Chance Victor: Hi, fellas.  This is our new brother Diego Luis!

Diego Luis: Hola, mis amigos.  Well, mis hermanos, now, I guess.

Chance: Daddy John adopted him from Aunt Florence.  

BR: Hi, I'm BR

Pete: And I'm Pete Dakota.  Welcome!

Diego Luis: Oh, er, ay Dios mío...

Chance: Okay, too much.  Just breathe.  It's all good.

Can I get you anything?

Diego: Well, could I have a shower?  And a change of clothes?

I feel like I've been wearing these for 50 years.

Chance: Of course.

A bit later...

Chance: Hi, there he is!  Feel better?

Diego: ¡Sí! That helped; I can do this.

Diego: But pobre de mi, these are the only other clothes I brought with me.

I have nothing else to wear.

Chance: That's okay.  I'm a model and I have tons of outfits.

I'll share.  I know they'll fit you.

Diego: ¡Gracias!

Chance: Did you have a chance to meet any of the other kids?

Diego: Well, I did meet a girl in the kitchen...

Diego: Hola, I am --

Uli: --Ach, too skinny!  I vill fatten you up.

Chance: Oh, yeah, that's Uli.

Diego: Then there was another girl...

Diego: Buenas días, señorita, I ---

Holly Belle: Enchanted, dear.

Be a pet and bring in those bags from the other room for me.

Chance: That sounds like Holly Belle.

After her, meeting everyone else will be a cake walk.

Even Stephen Orange.

Diego: Other than those other two boys this morning, I have 

not yet met any other brothers.  Well, there was one who said he was a model.

Chance: >Sniff< That was me.

Diego: Ay chihuahua...Uh, shall we kick the football around a bit?

Chance: >Hmmpf< I suppose...

Diego: Ay, Diego Luis, mijo, what have you gotten yourself into?

Big Fun in Columbus

 Daddy John: Chance Victor and I escaped the Sasha Festival for about an hour and visited a toy store that we were told we simply MUST visit.

Daddy John: Who's ready for some big fun?

Chance Victor: Me-me-meeeee!

Chance: Superhero action figures--Daddy John's 

favorite toys when he was my age.

Chance: Oh, Kirwan Mahoney would love one of these!

Chance: So many Hot Wheels!

Chance: Classic old Hot Wheels!

I'm pretty sure Daddy John is drooling...

Daddy John: I had to remind Chance that this wasn't a library.

Chance is slightly dubious of 

Daddy John buying a couple more dolls...

Goodbye, Bobby

 In memory of Bobby Sherman, 1943 - 2025

Packing for Columbus

 

Scot-Michael: And where are you off to with all those suitcases?

Nicholas Sahara: Dear Chance Victor is accompanying Daddy John to the

Columbus Festival, so I offered to assist him with his packing.

Scot-Michael: Why am I suddenly suspicious, I ask myself.

Chance Victor: Er, and why Nanny Wendy's carpet bag?

Nicholas: You won't want to pack everything in your steamer trunk, you know.

The porters will store that deep down in the ship's hold!  You can place

things you'll immediately need in the bag and keep it with you.

Nicholas: I've also railway timetables for when you reach this Ohio place.

Chance: So much to unpack here...

Scot-Michael: I know, but he's got a good heart.

Nicholas: Great Richard the III's Ghost, what have I got wrong now?!?

Chance: First of all, we're flying.  Can you even sail to Ohio?

Nicholas: An aeroplane?  Oh, of course.

You'll still need the railway schedule!

Chance: Daddy John is renting a car.

Nicholas: Oh.

Nicholas: You can still use the bag to pack your clothes.

Chance: We're going to be gone for only 4 days. 

Daddy John is packing my clothes in his suitcase.

Nicholas: Oh.  >Sigh<

Nicholas: Will you at least need the valise?

Chance: Actually, yes!  I'll bring it along for souvenirs.

Nicholas: Lovely!  Happy I could help.

Later...

Nicholas: >Sigh< I try so hard.

Scot-Michael: I know.  You're a good soul.

You're an old one, but a good one.

Fearless Fashion

 

Nathan: Going for a walk?

Pamela: No, just to the kitchen to put the kettle on for tea.

Nathan: Then what's with the shades?

Pamela: Frank and Rhoda are in there, and, well, you how know they have

a rather...>ahem<...fearless fashion sense?

Pamela: Sometimes it can be just a bit overwhelming.

Nathan: Wow, when I close my eyes, I can see flashes of light and color.

Rhoda: We'll take that as a compliment.

Rhoda: Didja hear that, Frank? We have a 'fearless fashion sense'!

Frank: Cool.  I wonder if I could trade mine for a candy bar.

Rhoda: Why don't you go ask Holly Belle.

(from the other room)

Frank: Hey Holly Belle, I'll trade you my fashion sense for a Milky Way bar.

Holly Belle: Go away, you fool!

Frank: How about a Kit Kat?

Rhoda: >snort<

Rhoda: >Sigh< Some things just never get old.

Moving Clothes

Daddy Steve:  In the New York City of olden times, all residential leases expired simultaneously on May 1st, causing thousands of people to change residences all at the same time.  

Here at Gregoropolis, we have a spring rite that's only slightly less chaotic: the changing of the outfits.  Our standards may be a bit lax here at times, but there's one thing that I absolutely will not give up.  All the kids must have their outfits changed seasonally, in spring and fall.  When you have this many kids, it's a major undertaking!

Moving Day in Little Old New York, 1827

Clothes Moving Day in Little Old Gregoropolis, 2025

I actually got an early start this year, changing some of the girls who were wearing more wintery dresses in March, thus buying me a little more time for them.

Sally: We did an early spring change.

Robin: Well, well, aren't you clever.

Farrah: As a matter of fact, we are.

Sally: It's about time you realized that!

Right now, the big push is to get all of the boys in summer clothing.  I make sure to rotate outfits every year.

Frederick: Are you sure I didn't wear this last year?

Lewis: Oh, no, Daddy Steve has a good memory for that kind of stuff.

Logan: He just can't remember anything else.

There are a few exceptions to this rule.  Patrick and Ravi are two of my favorites, so they naturally always wear the same favorite outfits.

Patrick: It's illogical to change a successful strategy.

Ravi: And just plain silly.

Patrick: That too.

Another boy who always wears the same two outfits year in and year out is Rolf.  You see, Rolf is just not big on change...

Rolf in winter.

Rolf in summer.

This year, however, I thought it would be really cute to have him and Hermey wearing matching outfits.

Hermey: But Rolfie, it will be fun!

Rolf: Nein!

Helpfully, Gino provided a little push...

Gino: I'm wearing your outfit now!  If you want it, you'll have to catch me!

>Tee-Hee!<

Rolf: >Mutter, mutter, grumble, grumble<

Eventually, Rolf gave in.

Hermey: Don't we look swell?

Rolf: >Humpf<  I vear it better.

Stripes for Saturday

 

Pete Dakota

Noah Conrad (with Wilbur)

Nicholas Sahara and Scot-Michael