Double Fudge

One night, the Hatchers are invited to Mr. Fargo’s one-man art show featuring a series of paintings with Tootsie’s footprints. Fudge doesn’t want Tootsie to come, but Mr. Hatcher reminds him that Tootsie is the star of the art show. At the art show, Fudge asks if Tootsie is famous because many people want to take her picture with Mr. Fargo, and Peter explains that Tootsie is just famous for one night. When Fudge learns that Mr. Fargo’s paintings are selling for thousands of dollars, he gets a “greedy look in his eyes” (124) and suggests that they make their own paintings at home and sell them. Jimmy meets up with Peter, and they watch as another of Mr. Fargo’s paintings is sold. When Peter comments that Jimmy’s father is rich now, Jimmy seems offended and asks Peter when he became so interested in money. Peter learns that Mr. Fargo is dating a woman named Beverly, and although Jimmy claims that he’s okay with this new development, Peter suspects that Jimmy is more upset than he lets on. Mr. Fargo and Beverly are talking about getting married, which means that Jimmy’s parents aren’t going to get back together. Jimmy worries that his family dynamics are about to change significantly, and he is nervous and confused. When the Hatchers return home from the art show, they discover that the Hawaii Hatchers have arrived in New York City and are ready to take them up on the “offer” to stay with Peter’s family.

The Hawaii Hatchers waste no time setting up their sleeping bags on the living room floor. They fall straight to sleep, and Peter and his mother start trying to prepare the apartment to accommodate their last-minute guests and feed “five extra mouths” (134) come morning. Fudge is excited to have guests spending the night, but Peter is filled with dread. Peter starts to become very angry with the thought of the Hawaii Hatchers invading his living space, and he has a panic attack. His panic turns to rage, and when he sees that the Hawaii Hatchers have filled the bathroom with their toiletries, he unleashes his anger and starts throwing their things. Suddenly, he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror, and he realizes that he’s “turned into [his] brother at the shoe store” (137). Peter calms himself down using Howie’s trick about counting to 10, and he decides to handle this like a mature adult. He goes to his mother and raises his concerns, but Mrs. Hatcher promises that this arrangement is only for a night or two.

At breakfast the next morning, Eudora asks Peter to take Flora and Fauna to school with him so they can experience a New York City school. When Howie sees that Flora and Fauna have been eating cereal that contains artificial sweeteners and flavors, he scolds them for “poison[ing]” their bodies with “unnatural ingredients” (143). Flora and Fauna tell Fudge that they don’t eat candy, not even on Halloween. Mini tries to eat a soapy sponge and growls like an animal when Mrs. Hatcher takes it away. At Peter’s school, the principal is thrilled to welcome the famous Heavenly Hatchers from Hawaii and announces that Flora and Fauna will be performing at a school assembly that day. Peter is humiliated, and although he tries to distance himself from Flora and Fauna, the principal ruins this plan and explains that Peter is their cousin. Peter fakes having the flu to get out of attending the assembly because he is certain that he will die of embarrassment when Flora and Fauna “embarrass” themselves in front of the entire school.