Bring the G&G for plan B. Ernie repeated the little rhyme to himself. Ralph had made it up so Ernie wouldn't forget his role in the heist. Luckily Ernie had no trouble finding all the supplies Ralph had requested at the Five and Dime store. Now he stood patiently twisting and untwisting the plastic shopping bag around his wrist and chewing a big wad of strawberry flavored gum while Ralph worked. With his other hand, Ernie fingered the two other packs of gum in his pocket, one watermelon and the other regular bubble gum flavor. He decided he would try the regular gum once the piece in his mouth ran out of flavor.

"Ernie!" hissed Ralph, kneeling in front of the safe with a stethoscope against the lock.

"Yeah, boss?" answered Ernie.

"Do you have to chomp so loudly on that god-awful smelling gum? I'm trying to open a safe here if you haven't noticed."

"No, boss." Ernie swallowed the gum and tried to stand still. A few minutes later he quietly popped another piece of the bubble gum into his mouth. He bit down silently and was rewarded with a burst of sweet sugar.

The minutes ticked by. Ernie could see a patch of sweat form on Ralph's back. After what felt like an eternity, the dial on the safe made an audible click. Ralph looked up at Ernie grinning.

"And now we take these lovelies and sneak out of here without activating the motion sensors." Ralph held up a diamond necklace he'd pulled out of the safe.

Ernie nodded enthusiastically but didn't say anything because he'd shoved two more pieces of gum in his mouth while he'd been waiting. The gems sparkled like nothing Ernie had ever seen before. They would be rich now. Ernie imagined a life of leisure lying by a pool in a mansion.

"Careful now," said Ralph pointing to the right and left where red lights indicated a series motion detector trip wires along the floor. "Step over each of these very carefully."

Ernie followed Ralph's lead, taking great pains to avoid triggering the alarm. They were just inches from the door when, without thinking, Ernie blew an enormous bubble which popped with a loud snap in Ralph's ear. Ralph yelped, tripped, and dropped the necklace. Ernie tried to grab it but instead fell on top of Ralph. A piercing siren began to wail and a second later footsteps could be heard in the corridor.

"Quick, Ernie," yelled Ralph, scrambling to his feet. "Plan B!"

Ernie reached into the bag and pulled out two gorilla masks. He pulled one over his face and tossed the other to Ralph who did the same. Then Ernie pulled the remaining pieces of gum and a handful of empty wrappers out of his pocket and offered them to Ralph.

"What's this?" asked Ralph, looking confused.

"G&G for plan B!" said Ernie. "Gorilla mask and gum."

"Gun, you moron!" shouted Ralph. "Not gum!"

"Oops," said Ernie as the security guards burst in.