O.S. Moises
After several days of continuous rain in GreenVille, it was finally winding down. People started coming out of their homes. While everyone should have been happy because of a short rainy season, they weren’t.
GreenVille’s hospital was getting calls from a lot of people. The doctors and nurse practitioners had never experienced anything like it before. Everyone was complaining about basically the same symptoms – after drinking water, they desperately wanted more. The doctors didn’t understand what was going on. Since these were unusual symptoms, they decided to test the water people said they drank. They were worried a virus like salmonella or e coli had contaminated the water due to the rainy season.
The hospital lab tested GreenVille’s water supply and was shocked to read the results. There was a new chemical compound in the water! They’d never seen it before nor did they know what it would do to people. To be safe, they sent it to Professor Fusionstein to hear what he had to say about it, since he was the Royal Scientist.
Professor Fusionstein couldn’t believe his eyes when he looked through his microscope. An unknown chemical compound was binding with the water, without changing its properties. It was similar, but different to the chemical make up of lactose (C12H22O11). He just guessed, but he would imagine some of the side effects would be diarrhea and extreme thirst.
Professor Fusionstein was amazed the lab could create it because it was a very complex compound. When they told him the sample was from GreenVille’s water supply, Professor Fusionstein became alarmed. He told them, “There needs to be a ban on drinking GreenVille’s tap water - immediately! It will make people very sick with diarrhea and extreme thirst. They will want to drink water, but drinking it will just make them thirstier.”
The hospital told Professor Fusionstein about all the calls they’d been getting. He shook his head and insisted again that people needed to stop drinking the water.
When GoGreen Man heard the news about the water, he rushed to Professor Fusionstein’s lab. “What is going on?” he asked.
“This is very bad,” said Professor Fusionstein. “All the water supplies are contaminated with something that makes people very sick and extremely thirsty at the same time. GoGreen Man, you need to check and see if someone is polluting the water.”
“I’ve been keeping an eye on the dam, which is where GreenVille’s water comes from because I was worried about Dr. Pollution destroying it. There hasn’t been anyone there, but I’ll go check again,” replied GoGreen Man.
As soon as GoGreen Man left, Professor Fusionstein got a call from the hospital. Since the water supply was contaminated, the lab had gone out and taken samples from rivers and lakes around GreenVille. They all had the same result – contamination.
Professor Fusionstein shook his head in disbelief, all the water was contaminated with the same chemical! It was not a naturally produced chemical, it was definitely man-made and the only person he knew able to make it was Dr. Pollution.
Still shaking his head, Professor Fusionstein thought over all the possibilities of how GreenVille’s water could have been contaminated. An airplane could have flown over dropping chemicals, but he would need to know if anyone suspicious had been reported.
GoGreen Man called him to report that there was not any unusual activity at the dam. Professor Fusionstein then asked him if he’d received a report about any suspicious airplanes flying over GreenVille. Unfortunately, he had nothing to report.
In GreenVille, there was chaos. Everyone was pleading for water or something to drink. Sandra Sunburn and Hannah Heart went to Water Woman’s house to see if she had any clean water to drink, but Water Woman was lying down with a stomach ache and extreme thirst.
“Are you okay, Water Woman?” asked Hannah Heart.
“I’m so thirsty! When I saw the news about the drinking water, I decided to drink some from my fountains since the water is usually extremely clean. But after I drank some, I was thirsty for more. I drank more and wanted even more, finally I had to run to the bathroom because my stomach was hurting. Now, I just don’t feel good at all,” she moaned. “Please give me some water…please.”
Sandra Sunburn and Hannah Heart told her that their houses were out of good water, but that they would look until they found some for her.
People everywhere were running out of clean water in GreenVille and they started worrying and complaining. Even King Nature was concerned, so he summoned his Royal Knight, GoGreen Man and his Royal Scientist, Professor Fusionstein. He also invited some congressmen over for a meeting, including Pol’ Tick Al.
The first think King Nature did was ask Professor Fusionstein what the chemical was that he found in the water.
Professor Fusionstein answered, “It is a very complex compound that could only be man-made. I’m not sure how, but it was put into all of GreenVille’s water; lakes, rivers, the dam.”
King Nature asked him, “Is there any way you can neutralize the effects of this chemical compound? Make it to where people can drink the water in GreenVille?”
Professor Fusionstein thought he could, but that it would take time. “The most important thing we can do is find a way for GreenVille to have some drinking water. Without it, people will be miserable and extremely sick. They could even possibly die,” he said.
King Nature then turned to GoGreen Man, “Who do you think did this to our water?”
GoGreen Man didn’t have any definite answers, “Since the entire water supply in GreenVille is polluted, the only explanation is that someone intentionally (on purpose) spread this chemical. We have no information on anyone flying in an airplane, which is the only solution we can come up with. Only from the air can the chemical spread throughout all of GreenVille at the same time. While we don’t know who did it, we suspect it is Dr. Pollution behind this.”
Pol’ Tick Al jumped in, “Aren’t you in charge of the safety of GreenVille’s water supply? Since you’ve become a royal knight, I think you’ve been neglecting your duty to keep GreenVille safe. You seem to have plenty of time to come to the Green Castle and visit the king, though. Other congressmen are very concerned about the lack of dedication to your job, GoGreen Man.”
“Now, Pol’ Tick Al,” interrupted King Nature sternly. “It is more important to find a solution than to start casting blame. I will go to GVTN and ask the citizens to share their clean water supplies with each other.”
The meeting ended with Professor Fusionstein and GoGreen Man telling King Nature they would do their best to find an answer to the problem.
***
Dr. Pollution watched King Nature give his speech on TV. “HAHAHAHA! I guarantee, King Nature, it will take a long time to figure out a solution to my chemical compound. By then, GreenVille will be out of drinking water and everyone will be miserable!”
***
Many people were gathering at Roger Recycle’s. Word had gotten out that he had fresh water stored. Roger Recycle was amazed at all the people lined up outside his home.
Two people stood out in particular, they were Hannah Heart and Sandra Sunburn. “Hi, Roger Recycle! We’re here to get some water, too. It’s amazing you stored water in recycled jars! Do you think we could get some for us and Water Woman. She’s sick in bed from drinking contaminated water from her fountains,” they called out.
“Sure!” Roger replied. “I have a lot of water jars. Isn’t it great?! People recycled their jars, I picked them up, cleaned them and reused them as water storage containers! This is a great benefit of recycling! I have been storing water for a while, because I didn’t want the jars to just sit empty. I had no idea we would really need them because of dirty drinking water.”
***
You would think everyone would conserve (use less) water in GreenVille, especially with the emergency but, no. Waste Woman was asking her servant if she had enough fresh water for the swimming pool.
The maid answered, “Yes. Your private indoor reservoir is full of good water.”
Waste Woman ordered her to bring some up to the bathroom, so she could bathe in clean water.
The servant, who shouldn’t have been surprised by anything Waste Woman demanded, asked her, “But what about all those people in GreenVille who don’t have enough clean water? King Nature asked people with good water to share with those who don’t have any.”
Waste Woman refused to listen and told the maid that the people who didn’t have water were just lazy. “They should always store clean water, like me,” she said haughtily. “Besides, that’s their problem not mine.”
***
Professor Fusionstein was in his lab discussing the problem with GoGreen Man. GoGreen Man was puzzled because he couldn’t find any person who had been in the skies over GreenVille in the past few days.
Professor Fusionstein shook his head in disbelief, “How could all the water be ruined at the same time? Dr. Pollution must have used a different tactic, one we haven’t thought of, to disperse the chemicals. I have to find a quick solution for people to be able to drink the water. Roger Recycle has now run out of his stored water and there is no clean water to be found. While I’m figuring out what to do, why don’t you go observe Doomsville. See if you can catch Dr. Pollution doing something.
***
When Dr. Pollution heard that the clean water was almost gone from GreenVIlle, he knew it was time to make his move. The time had come to get rid of GoGreen Man. He picked up the phone and called Petrol Pirate, “Petrol Pirate, go on TV and announce you have a lot of bottled water to sell to the citizens of GreenVille. Then tell them the only people who will get the water are those who are willing sign a petition saying they want to kick GoGreen Man out of GreenVille! Don’t give anyone water who won’t sign the petition!” Dr. Pollution was rubbing his hands in excitement as he talked to Petrol Pirate.
“You are truly a genius!” Petrol Pirate told him. “I can make money selling water, plus I can get rid of GoGreen Man at the same time! It’s brilliant!” Within minutes, Petrol Pirate was at the TV station advertising his bottled water…with his condition, “Fresh, clean water available for GreenVille! Why stay thirsty when you can have fresh, clean water. All you have to do is pay a tiny sum and sign a little petition!”
When GreenVille’s citizens saw the commercial, they were excited about having some water. The lines outside Petrol Pirate’s stores were very long, although the commercial had just run.
Roger Recycle, Sandra Sunburn and Hannah Heart were among the citizens in line for the water. They were surprised when they saw a lot of people without any water in their arms. When they asked what was going on, they were told that Petrol Pirate wanted them to sign a petition to get rid of GoGreen Man in exchange for drinking water. While the threesome was glad so many people refused, they were saddened to realize the water problem was all a ploy to get rid of GoGreen Man. Hannah Heart, with a trembling voice said, “We need to go tell GoGreen Man.”
GoGreen Man was upset to realize the citizens of GreenVille were being punished because of him. It infuriated him to think that Dr. Pollution and Petrol Pirate were using the citizens’ desperation to turn them against him. But, being the kind of person he was, GoGreen Man told his friends, “If one person must be sacrificed to save the citizens of GreenVIlle, then I will gladly be that person.”
Hannah Heart cried out, “No, GoGreen Man! We need you here! Without you, Dr. Pollution will always have his way and GreenVille will surely be destroyed!”
Roger Recycle felt that they needed to be patient and wait. He was sure Professor Fusionstein would find a solution. “Besides,” he said. “People still have a little water left. They are being very careful with it.”
Pol’ Tick Al heard the news that Petrol Pirate had a large amount of water. He went on to make a public announcement, “We should thank Petrol Pirate for having this available precisely when we needed it. I just spoke with him and he has enough water for GreenVille to last several months. He should be honored and praised for rescuing GreenVille from death. Petrol Pirate has done a great thing for GreenVille – go buy his water…and sign his little petition. It’s for the good of GreenVille!”
Many people in GreenVille didn’t want to sign the petition at all, but they were running out of water. It was because of those people that Petrol Pirate called Dr. Pollution, “Water is selling ok, but it’s not going as well as I’d expected. Some people are just refusing to sign the petition.”
Dr. Pollution urged him to wait a few days. “In a few days, your business will grow like it’s never grown before. Plus, you will be able to get rid of your enemy, GoGreen Man. HAHAHAHA!”
***
When GoGreen Man saw the suffering of GreenVille’s citizens, he couldn’t wait any longer. Just because he was trying to save himself, he was destroying the people he was hired to protect. He called GVTN and told them he would be coming by to make an announcement.
Hannah Heart, when she found out tried to hold him back. “Wait, GoGreen Man!” she cried. “You haven’t even talked to Professor Fusionstein about this – he might have a solution. I’ve been praying that things will work out.”
GoGreen Man thanked Hannah Heart and told her, “I appreciate what you’re saying, but this is between me and Dr. Pollution. I have failed GreenVille by not protecting their water supply. It’s too hard and too selfish to just do nothing and watch the people of GreenVille suffer from extreme thirst.”
Since Hannah Heart couldn’t do anything to stop GoGreen Man from going to the TV station, she did the only thing she thought would help. She went to Professor Fusionstein.
Professor Fusionstein excitedly welcomed Hannah Heart into his lab. “Hi, Hannah Heart! You have great timing. You’d never believe what I just did – I found a way to clean the water!” He was pacing around his lab in excitement.
Hannah Heart was glad, but told Professor Fusionstein about what GoGreen Man was on his way to do. He reassured her, “Don’t worry I’m on my way to the station anyway to tell them what I’ve discovered. Everything is going to be fine.”
At the station, the reporters were already talking on air about what they thought GoGreen Man would say. Watching it with great delight was Dr. Pollution. The citizens of GreenVille had stopped what they were doing to listen to the special report.
Before GreenVille’s eyes, GoGreen Man slowly stood up and went to the microphone. He started to speak, “Dear citizens of GreenVille, the honorable King Nature and my friends, it has been a difficult time…”
By the time Hannah Heart and Professor Fusionstein got to the station, GoGreen Man had already started his resignation and farewell speech.
“…I have lived in GreenVille all my life. It has been an honor to serve you, King Nature, and the citizens of GreenVille, but today, I have some sad news. I am here to announce my…” he paused taking a moment to compose himself. He was so sad and really didn’t want to go through with it, but had to do something to help GreenVille. GoGreen Man continued, “I am here to announce my…” Again he stopped, but this time it was because of Professor Fusionstein.
“STOP, GoGreen Man!” shouted Professor Fusionstein. “I found a solution!”
Everyone at the station eagerly turned their mikes and cameras to Professor Fusionstein so they could hear what he had to say.
“I came here today to tell GreenVille, you don’t have to worry about drinking water. I have developed a solution to our problems. My invention is called O.S. Moises [he showed a picture of it]. This invention imitates the way trees absorb water and filter it – a process called osmosis. As the water goes up the tree, it is filtered through many cells, which cleans it. In the tree, it is a slow process. I, however, have discovered a way to make it faster. It won’t make all the water in GreenVille potable (drinkable), but it will filter enough for people to be able to drink and be satisfied.”
He told them he’d already set up the O.S. Moises outside the university lab and would be putting more up around GreenVille that afternoon. Anyone could go get drinking water from them. The water from the O.S. Moises had been tested and there was nothing harmful in it. He also told them, “I promise you, the citizens of GreenVille, I will find a way to clean up the rest of the water as soon as possible.”
When everyone heard the news, they were thrilled. They praised Professor Fusionstein’s genius and GoGreen Man’s willingness to sacrifice for them.
GoGreen Man, overcome with emotion, went up to Professor Fusionstein to hug and thank him.
“GoGreen Man, we need you in GreenVille,” Professor Fusionstein said. “You are like a son to me, I can’t just let you leave.” That day the bond between Professor Fusionstein and GoGreen Man was sealed even more.
***
The good news was broadcast all over GreenVille and Doomsville. When Dr. Pollution saw the announcement and the rejoicing in GreenVille, he was aghast (horrified). “How did he come up with that? Osmosis? Impossible! Oh, Professor Fusionstein, you will one day find out you are no match for me, Dr. Pollution!”
***
Everyone, who had been lined up a Petrol Pirate’s store for bottled water, was now leaving to go get free, clean water from Professor Fusionstein’s O.S. Moises. Petrol Pirate was in shock. “How…did…this…happen? I’m doomed again! I listened to Dr. Pollution and now look what happened! What will I do with all my water in storage? No one wants to buy it now!” he mourned.
Even though people desperately wanted water, they were being helpful to the elderly and sick, making sure they were being taken care of first. It was a time that made King Nature proud of his citizens.
Only a few of the citizens had signed Petrol Pirate’s petition, but those that did went up to GoGreen Man and apologized. GoGreen Man was gracious with his understanding and didn’t blame them for trying to help their families. Regardless, he was very thankful to still be in GreenVille.
***
A few weeks later, there was more good news in GreenVille. After working tirelessly that whole time, Professor Fusionstein had finally cracked the chemical compound and found a way to neutralize the polluted water. It was more good news for GreenVille’s citizens. Although it was fine using the O.S. Moises, they really liked the convenience of turning on their water and using it.
Professor Fusionstein asked GoGreen Man if he would use his GreenCopter to spray the neutralizing compounds all over GreenVille since it was the fastest way to get it into the water. GoGreen Man was honored to be a part of cleaning up GreenVille’s water supply, and was glad to do it.
As GoGreen Man dropped the neutralizing chemical compound all over GreenVille, below him on the ground, the citizens of GreenVille walked and played. Life was returning to normal. All was well.
The only problem was that Professor Fusionstein still didn’t know how Dr. Pollution contaminated all the water in GreenVille. Would Professor Fusionstein ever know? Would this mystery ever be solved?
