Sassy, will you marry me?

The moon was a ghostly galleon tosseth on a partly-cloudy sea, the path was a ribbon of Moonlight downeth which a Tiger the size of a small Winnabego streaked anon, like a bolt of orange Lightening. Clinging to the back of this Noble beast, as a knight dresseth in modest, but servicable, stainless-steel armor
and carrying the Sword of Truth which he had just liberatd from a band of evil, but well-dressed, dwarf CPAs who were using it to blackmail Republicans.

“On Nimbo! To the Temple of the Alpha Red. Faster, my Beauty. Faster!” urgeth the Knight, removing his helmet and tying it to the saddle of fine Corrinthian leather. The Tiger Paws dug deeply into the soft brown underfooting, hurling the duo onward, faster and faster into the darkness.
Over the river and through the Snowy Woods, across furrowed plains of the Four Heads, between the great Limpid Pools of Glare, around the Bottomless Caverns of Snoz and, ever so daintily, across the Iron and Politically-Correct Imitation-Ivory Bridge at Dentura.

Then back up to speed! Racing down the Isthmus of Greatneck with it’s mysterious red blotches; through the Awesome Alps of Pointy Pleasure and across the Broad Plain of the Solo Plexus. But, there, at the Well of Moist Lint, the Brave knight suddenly and without foreshadowment, pulled the frothing Tiger to a dead stop, anon. He dismounted and footsied forth fearfully, glaring into the cool darkeness.

“The Chasm of Nagging Doubt.” spoke the Knight in a hushed and terrified tone. "I cannot let the Tormented Sirens of Worry lead me astray and unto the Reefers of Despairagement. “Oh, Nimbo, how shall I ever trespass this Godawful Gulf of Gloom?”

The great Tiger, somehow sensed this was another occasion of the Master’s penchant for catfish and anchovy pizza too close to bed time. He just rolled his great eyes and yawneth a mighty yawn.

“I have it!” sayeth the Knight, who then ran to the Well and pulleth forth two soggy globs of Lint. “Yes,” he sayeth as he stuffeth said globs into his Dumboian ears. He banged the Sword of Truth against his Stainless Breast Plate and laughed like a school boy who had just fooled his Matron into believing he had a Cold on test day.

“Totally Excellent!” he cried. “I can nay hear-eth a thing!”
He remounted the Striped Cat and circled back to allow Nimbo room to attain Maximum Warp. After a few strides, the Knight tossed some coins at the hallucination of an automated tollbooth and lean-eth fore. With a yodel akin to an ailing goose just trod upon anon, the hyperventilating Knight dugeth the heels of his Bunny slippers into the underbelly of the Great Cat.

“Onward, Nimbo! Leap as Thou hath never leapeth afore!”
The Ferocious Feline rolled his eyes again and dutifully launched himself toward the partly-cloudy sky. Hanging there for–oh–three or four seconds, before landing softly and again galloping off into the darkness.

“We doth made it! Nimbo, you magnificent Bastard! Huzzah! Huzzah! At last, I am beyond the Chasm of Nagging Doubt! Nothing willst halt-eth me hence, anon!”
Finally, and happily, the duo approacheth the tangled and dark Fragrant Forbidden Forest of the Horizontal Bop-she-bop.

“There! Nimbo, just past the Mound of Vesuvius and the Perpetual Fires of Delight which attract so many locals and tourists. It is not much farther unto the Great Temple of the Alpha Red! Do you smell its Sweet Perfumery, my Pet? Faster, faster, I sayeth to Thee!”

The pair approacheth the reasonably awesome Temple of the Alpha Red where Vestal Cheerleaders told fortunes and hawked Souvenirs. It was here, in this fabled land, where Sassy–the Alpha Red–worshipeth WinkwinkNudgenudge, the Androgenous God/dess of the Double Entandre.

“Tarry not, Nimbo!” sayeth the Knight. “Onward, unto the Temple and the answer to the question whicheth hath burn-ned in my Hearth and Loins all these many days.”

With the Great Monolith of Perpetual Joy is in sight, the Knight approached the shoulder-high white picket fence and the Gate Keeper who stood just inside. He dismounted, tied the Tiger to a parking meter and drop-eth a coin in the slot.

“I would liketh to speaketh to Sassy, please.” sayeth the Knight boldly. “I haveth a question only she, the Alpha Red, can answer.”

“Do you have a shrubbery?” iterated the Gate Keeper, an old man who bore an uncanny resemblance to Eric Idle.

"What’s that??

The craggy Gatekeeper pointed to the side of his head. “TAKE THE LINT OUT OF YOUR EARS, SQUIRE!” The noble Knight complied.

“I would liketh to speaketh to Sassy, please.” repeat-eth the Knight, not quite so boldly this time.

“Do you have a shrubbery?” the Gate Keeper reiterated.

“A what?” sayeth the Knight.

“Never mind. Whom shall I sayeth is calling?”

“Tis I, Myself.”

“Right. But who ARE you?”

“Myself. I am MYSELF! Who else would I be?”

“Look, Sport, the Alpha Red is terribly busy. There’s a Shriners convention due here to-” The Knight pulled out his Tiger License and showed it to the Old Man who then knodded nowingly.

“Tell Her Graceiness,” sayeth the Knight, “that the guy who was here last month selling Fine Kitchen Cutlery has returneth with a question which hath burneth in his Hearth and Loins for, lo, these many days now and that I can nay leave without an Audience anon.”

“Sure, pal. Hang on. I’ll be right back–anon.” The Old Man turned slowly and walked away. ?I wonder what happens when someone wants to write him a check! ‘Let me get this straight, Squire, you want me to write a check to Myself, right?’"

The Brave Knight checked the meter and inserted another coin. Momentarily the Gate Keeper returneth and leadeth the gallant Knight forthwithin.

There, before the Monolith of Perpetual Joy, flanked by three handmaidens in scanty Cheerleader outfits and chewing gum, stood the Goddess Sassy wearing an all-but-transparent Emerald Green robe she found on Sale at Nordstrom’s. Her silky red hair glow-ed as if burning in the partially-cloudy Moonlight.

"Ms. Sassy, Oh, Star of the Night, Queen of Temptresses, She who must be Obeyed. I am a humble Knight who has come afar anon with a burning in his–ah–HEARTH and Loins. With this Sword of Truth as my Witness, I covet Thee as no Man hath covet-eth a Goddess afore. Sayeth not but an Affirmation and I shall spend the remainder of my earthly daze in ceaseless toil to cover thine Credit Card debt, anon. Willst Thou be so kind as to marry-eth me??

The Goddess looked over the Knight in stainless-steel Armor. Walked around him once and sayeth: “And you’ll throw in a set of fine Kitchen Cutlery?”

“Gladly, Oh, Usurper of Men’s Tongues! Complete with the matching Steak knives with the unbreakable handles and–if you act now–I will throw in a handy Device for turning Carrots into curly-cues!”

“Hmmm.” she hesitated. “I have one of those.”

“But, Waif, there’s more! I have, defacto, engaged a Coach designed by that Framed Artisan, Michael Angelo, a Surrey–a Surrey with the Fringe on Top. It will whisk us wayward, anon, to begin our incessant Moon of Honey which begineth with two nights and three days at the Fabulous “SpaceOut,” Cupid’s Mythical Adult Motel and Casino; where–joined together–we might Idle away the Hours playing Video
Canasta! Willst Thou grant me just this one Wish and I will never ask for Anything else ever again; as long as the grass grows and the river flows, anon. Oh, Please, sayeth Thou wilt be mine!!”

“Well, you’re such a Cutie, sure, what the Hell. I wilt! Wait 'til Mom hears I’m going to “SpaceOut” and play with Myself.”

At that moment, A bolt of Lightening shattered the Sky! A clap of Thunder shook the Heavens!! The very Earth beneath their feet s-h-u-d-d-e-r-e-d!!! and the Cheerleaders fainteth gently to the ground in perfect three-part Harmony.

“Oh, Joy. Huzzah! I am made Wholly. No utterances of the conglomeration of entries in Funk and Wangles, nor any combination thereof, couldeth hope to expresseth the Joy in my Lo–Hearth, anon!”

“Yeah, me likewise. Favio, eat your hearth out. You ain’t got nothin’ on my Pookie-pie! We’ll register for virtual gifts at Merlin’s Gift and Curio Shoppe where guests might select among tasteful, modestly priceth Treasures such as a basket of Starry Nights to use at our convenience, or one of those Magic Grills guaranteed-eth never to burn Beast or Fowl.” She became lost in thought. “Ooh!” she sayeth to
herself, “Maybe some nice person will spring for a few ounces of Wild Abandon! Wouldn’t that be sweet!”

“Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Let the Word, henceforth, be
inseminated far and wide; to every planet, every city, castle and burb, that we are as good as Hitch-ed. Announce to every man, women and other; without regard for race, color or political affliction, that they be Invited and Urged with the Hole of our Hearths, to join Sassy and Myself at a Virtual Celebration at the Hall of the Mountain Polka King, anon, to share in our Festivities of Joy, to make Merry–and have a chance at splendid Door Prizes!”

“Make sure, Sweetie, that you put on the invitations that our guests should go easy on the Mead, we wouldn’t want anyone to end up in the Alc, anon.”

And then the evil wizard – who has nothing against either of these two people but doesn’t really have anything better to do at the moment – jumps in.

He casts an evil spell by which, from sunup to sundown, Sassy will exist as a hawk and Myself will be a human. From sundown to sunup, Sassy will exist as a human and Myself will exist as a wolf.

Shazam! Abraca-pocus! Ta-da!

And then Persephone, Goddess of the Underworld, who was there when Sassy was dubbed Alpha Red (and I’ve got a picture to prove it), smacks Snooooooooooooooooooooopy upside his head, turns to Sassy and Myself, and says “never mind. You’re not a wolf and a hawk. He’s just having a bad sorcery day. Go ahead, get married, and send me a postcard from the honeymoon, okay?”

:::grabs Snoooooooooooopy by his ear and drags him out:::

and long log times…our hero continues.

Mulitudes of gratitude, Fair Persephone. Now that you have neutered Snooooopy, we can commense with the making of Mary!

And who, may I ask, is this Mary? Hmm?

Whoa. WHOA! Look, people, I’M not the evil wizard here! Let’s not blame the messenger. I’m a part-time sewer worker/part-time lute player picking up a few extra bucks by helping the evil wizard out. I order eye of newt, tongue of dog and all of the other stupid evil-wizard-ish ingredients that he needs, clean up after his two dozen pet rats (and God knows they poop like there was no tomorrow), open particularly difficult jars for him and deliver his evil curses. I need the money, you know? It’s either this or work as a stripper. I’m sure you don’t want the latter to happen.

Why, the wench at the tavern in the next towne over, you know, Mary, Queen of Scotch. The one with the patch and a mean husband, Oh dearest mine.

Weel, alright then… but I really prefer brandy.

Snoop only a cur would mention a four-letter word in the presence of a Lady, much less the Alpha Red! Personally, I think you are a few links short of a lesh and one more such transgression, and I’ll have you skinned, stuffed and sold at KMart!

Here’s a Ducket, get a new flea collar.

Oh, the humanity!

Any Alpha Red who can’t handle the word poop can’t exactly be the most powerful Alpha Red around. Maybe she should be demoted to Beta Pink.

Oh, and by the way …

Poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, poop, POOP! I am the MASTER of POOP!