Ducky Park

You pull the giant shiny fish costume on, amazed at how the scales look and feel. It's a rubbery, slimy costume with an odor not unlike that of whatever fish Frank is supposed be.

As you slip the costume on you remember how brave Frank the Fish was on the cartoon; always rescuing his friend Happy from the evil clutches of Dastardly Dog. It would be good to parade around the park as the notoriously trustworthy friend of Happy Duck, you think as you walk out of the costume closet and through the expansive office to the door on the far wall.

You go through the door to the souvenir shop and the wave to the young woman behind the counter. She waves back smiling, but as you pass her she calls something to you that you can't quite hear beneath the costume. You turn around to find out what she wanted.

"I said your zipper is down," She tells you.

You flush with embarrassment and instinctively move your hands to cover your manhood before you realize that she is most likely talking about the costume zipper.

"Here," She says; "Let me help." She walks out from behind the counter and zips your costume up in the back.

"Thanks," You say; "If not for you they would've all known that I wasn't the real Frank the Fish."

She laughs a little at your remark. "You're a brave soul to wear that costume, you know," She says.

"Why's that?" You ask.

"The last three people dressed as Frank the Fish were killed. Some say the costume is cursed." She grins a little in mockery. "If you believe that sort of thing."

You swallow hard and try not to feel intimidated. You're glad the costume hides the look of fear that must be evident on your face. The last three people that wore this have died. The thought terrifies you more than a little.

"It's probably just superstition," You reason aloud to reassure your self as well as to sound braver than you feel.

"I don't know," She argues; "I knew the last guy. He was a real nice kid. A tarantula climbed up inside of there and bit him a half dozen times."

"I'll be fine," You tell her.

"Let's hope," She says; "Good luck out there."

You thank her and exit the gift shop, looking around in search of a destination. Where would it be better for Frank the Fish to hang out and greet Ducky Park patrons, you wonder. Initially you think the Water Zone would be best considering that you are supposed to be a fish and fish should be in the water, but then you start to think about the stage area where all the shows are.

The Water Zone seems the obvious place to find a fish, you think. But the show area is where people expect to find the celebrities.

Realizing that you can't stand there forever, you force yourself to reach a decision. What do you decide on?