Rubber Ducky

Bao has no shame. He dragged Bud all the way to the board and looked at ads together with him. However, when Bud decided on which ad he’d respond to, Bao ditched him! Bud was left all alone. “So much for the tour…,” Bud sulked. Even though he wasn’t happy about his current situation, it was a good opportunity for Bud to meet some folks from around town. What’s better is that he could earn some beans too!

The ad that caught his eye was a baobear requesting for help on cleaning out their bathtub. Seemed like an easy enough task. I should be done in less than twenty minutes, he thought. That was how long it took him to clean the bathtub at home. He pulled out his cellphone and typed in the phone number from the ad.

“Hi! I am calling about the bathtub cleaning ad you posted up. Is that still available?” Bud asked politely.

“Yes, it is!” They sounded rather pleasant. “Why don’t you come by and we can chat face to face.” 

Bud was given the address and he followed his GPS all the way until he made it to the front doors. It looked like the baobear lived inside a…bathhouse? Bud shrugged. Maybe it wasn’t their home. Regardless, he was ready to work and make some money!

Once he stepped inside, a yellow and blue baobear greeted him. “You must be Bud!” They didn’t seem phased by Bud’s baobaby form at all, that was a good sign.

“I am! And you are Ducky?” 

“That’s me!” Ducky waved for him to follow them. “I love baths. My favourite bath is in this place, but the bathhouse is so understaffed that they don’t have the time to clean up the bath.” Their ears flattened on their head, representing Ducky’s displeasure. “So, I asked them if I could post an ad on their behalf!” 

He guessed that must mean he is being paid by the bathhouse and not Ducky directly. It didn’t matter to him so long as he was paid fairly. “I see. Do you work here too?”

“Nope!” Ducky smiled.

“Oh…so…you won’t be helping me?”

Ducky stopped in front of a sliding door, which looked like it led into a private bath. “Nope. You will be helping me a lot though.” They slid the room open and the bath, which looked more like a hot tub, could be seen. It was HUGE.

“W-what?!” Bud yelped. “That could fit a dozen baobears…”

“What can I say?” Ducky walked in further. “I love my baths. This is my favourite bath! You can really lather up and make as many bubbles as you please. The water stays super hot for a long time too.” The bath-loving baobear peeked inside the tub. “Looks like you got your work cut out for you!”

Bud peered inside too. It was filthy! He will need to scrub hard. Not to mention his small form was a hindrance. Oh no… Bud was not looking forward to this already. He really wished Bao were here to help. That guy just left me! Bud fumed, but there was no use in getting upset now. He had work to do, and he better get started if he wanted to get home that same day.

Ducky had no idea where anything was; they were just a customer. So, Bud had to run around looking for cleaning supplies. Luckily there were some staff members who helped him with gathering them up. Once Bud got all his supplies, he rushed back to the tub and started scrubbing away. It was so tiring. Out of desperation, Bud kept his thoughts on the money he would make from this job. All the food and fun he could have with the earnings. It was all that kept him strong. By the end of it, his arms ached so much. Bud was filthy, and needed a bath himself. On the other hand, the bathtub was so shiny! It practically sparkled. A testament to how hard Bud worked.

Ducky reappeared when Bud finished. “Wow! This is amazing. It's almost brand new.” Their eyes lit up.

Bud was slumped against the wall, trying to catch his breath. He nodded meekly, unable to respond. 

“Well, I better go speak to the staff members and get you your pay. Plus, I am taking a bath right now!” Ducky paused and looked at Bud. “Would you like to join me?” 

At the invitation, Bud perked up. “R-really?” His eyes widened. A nice hot bath sounded perfect.

“Yea!”

Bud was so happy that Ducky invited him along. He was definitely going to enjoy it.