RuBARB

The first time I saw RuBarb, I melted. Literally! (My human counterpart will tell you that he created Rue as a tribute to a real furry black kitten who used to own him, but then, he's got Neko on his computer, so there you go!) The best way to describe her is, "A mystery, wrapped inside an enigma, surrounded by soft black fur." Nigel Carrotte informs me that you can add to that, "And two sets of claws so sharp they oughta be made illegal!" And he should know ;) .

1981: Rudelle Barbara Purrenstein is born to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Purrenstein (of the Boston Purrensteins). (I'm told Mrs. P. picked that name because it means "lively". Rue tells me, she doesn't care what it means. She hates it. Always has. Always will. She prefers "Rue" (meaning "traveller")) She leads a pretty uneventful life, for the most part, until...
1994: On her 13th birthday, Rue refuses to eat her cat food. Turns out she's become allergic to meat. Her parents don't believe her, and, thinking she's being disobedient, arrange to have her sent to St. Switchhit's School for Wayward Girls in New York. Being a sensitive girl, Rudelle hates it immediately, and keeps escaping. Unfortunately, she always gets caught.
1996: After numerous failed attempts over the last two years, Rudelle finally makes her most successful escape, hitch-hiking across country and finally winding up in Acme Acres where, tired, hungry, and in desperate need of a bath, she's found at Acme Loo by Bugs Bunny and Rhubella Rat. Eventually, she hides out at Acme Loo until she's discovered by the headmistress of St. Switchhit's, Miss Treatment. Bugs intervenes on her behalf and, thanks to a call to her parents, informs her she can stay at Acme as long as she likes. Rudelle also starts calling herself "Rhubarb" (after an H. Allen Smith book), but Bugs, in his haste to put one over on Miss Treatment, types it as "RuBarb". Ms. Purrenstein likes the spelling, so "RuBarb" she becomes ("RuBarb"). It's also during that first year at Acme that she meets Nigel Carrotte, an albino rat who'll play a very important part in her future (that is, if he can survive her flashes of temperament... and those claws!) ("The Bloomin' Loonies: Entrances") Later that same year, she deals with her parents' sudden divorce, a failed suicide attempt (her own), being catnapped by Miss Treatment, and her dad's remarriage (to Millicent (Millie) Rat, a former receptionist at St. Switchhit's) ("RuBarb 2: When The Roof Caves In, The Bottom Drops Out"). All this, and joining the Carrottes' band, The Bloomin' Loonies, as bass player! ("The Bloomin' Loonies $4.95: The Sound Of Carrottes")
1999: RuBarb graduates, with honors, from Acme Looniversity. During the last three years, her relationship with Nigel has become more serious than even they could have possibly anticipated.
2000: On the 4th of July, RuBarb and Nigel are married (along with Lionel and Miranda) in an elaborate double-ring ceremony.

Oh, well, back to the drawing board...

1981:	Rudelle Barbara Purrenstein is born to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Purrenstein (of the Boston Purrensteins). (I'm told Mrs. P. picked that name because it means "lively". Rue tells me, she doesn't care what it means. She hates it. Always has. Always will. She prefers "Rue" (meaning "traveller")) She leads a pretty uneventful life, for the most part, until...
1994:	On her 13th birthday, Rue refuses to eat her cat food. Turns out she's become allergic to meat. Her parents don't believe her, and, thinking she's being disobedient, arrange to have her sent to St. Switchhit's School for Wayward Girls in New York. Being a sensitive girl, Rudelle hates it immediately, and keeps escaping. Unfortunately, she always gets caught.
1996:	After numerous failed attempts over the last two years, Rudelle finally makes her most successful escape, hitch-hiking across country and finally winding up in Acme Acres where, tired, hungry, and in desperate need of a bath, she's found at Acme Loo by Bugs Bunny and Rhubella Rat. Eventually, she hides out at Acme Loo until she's discovered by the headmistress of St. Switchhit's, Miss Treatment. Bugs intervenes on her behalf and, thanks to a call to her parents, informs her she can stay at Acme as long as she likes. Rudelle also starts calling herself "Rhubarb" (after an H. Allen Smith book), but Bugs, in his haste to put one over on Miss Treatment, types it as "RuBarb". Ms. Purrenstein likes the spelling, so "RuBarb" she becomes ("RuBarb"). It's also during that first year at Acme that she meets Nigel Carrotte, an albino rat who'll play a very important part in her future (that is, if he can survive her flashes of temperament... and those claws!) ("The Bloomin' Loonies: Entrances") Later that same year, she deals with her parents' sudden divorce, a failed suicide attempt (her own), being catnapped by Miss Treatment, and her dad's remarriage (to Millicent (Millie) Rat, a former receptionist at St. Switchhit's) ("RuBarb 2: When The Roof Caves In, The Bottom Drops Out"). All this, and joining the Carrottes' band, The Bloomin' Loonies, as bass player! ("The Bloomin' Loonies $4.95: The Sound Of Carrottes")
1999:	RuBarb graduates, with honors, from Acme Looniversity. During the last three years, her relationship with Nigel has become more serious than even they could have possibly anticipated.
2000:	On the 4th of July, RuBarb and Nigel are married (along with Lionel and Miranda) in an elaborate double-ring ceremony.