© Ayr/Gray

Many thanks to Jenne Gray and C.E. Ayr for their photo prompt, The Unicorn Challenge. (07/12/2024). No more than 250 words in length.

It must’ve been destiny. Not one we would’ve immediately predicted, but here we are! Things could have turned out much worse: prison, rehab, unemployability, loss of life-long friends, multiple stretches in rehab, depression, loneliness…All that time we thought they were just screwing around chasing ghosts, they were building the foundations of solid late-life careers.                      

Shaggy cleaned up and starting working out, turning out to be a very shaggable guy. Hyperfocused on his calling, though, he never settled down long enough to produce a child to carry on the Rogers name. Not the same for Scooby Doo: dog-ettes find him and his laugh quite attractive. The resulting generations of pups appreciate Shaggy, and happily promote his business ventures, even the less-successful “Scooby Snacks Delirium” (a great line that suffered from poor marketing to an increasingly conservative populace). Still, Shaggy follows his dream. We all root for him!

Fred Jones, a northern sports news writer, never married. When Shaggy did his stint in prison, Fred stepped up to look after Scooby’s grands and great grands on his ranch. So much room to run!

Velma Dinkley and Daphne Blake are business partners in a multi-national organic esthetics company headquartered in northern Sweden. Not officially married, they’re devoted to each other and to Shaggy’s pursuit of a life that supports his sobriety. “The Codfathers Pi” seems the perfect solution!

The Mystery Machine’s been outfitted as a food truck serving remarkably tasty deep-fried fish pies. Trademark issues are still under negotiations, but we remain hopeful!

© Liz Husebye Hartmann (2024)