I was just promoted to senior software engineer, so naturally, I was a gifted problem solver. Detective Tom is on the case. Oh boy, this might be the biggest case I have ever been on. First order of business, I need to get some clues from the locals.

After speaking with over a dozen of people, I couldn't find a single person who could give me a straightforward answer about where those hippos came from. One lady said that they were from two rival zoos in the area. Each zoo decided they were going to settle the score, so they sent out their best fighters. That theory is totally ridiculous because if I were the head of a zoo, my best fighter wouldn't be a hippo. I would probably send a lion. They're not called the king of the jungle for no reason.

Walking down another aisle, I approached a couple to see if they had any idea where those hippos came from. "Hey, what's the deal with those hippos out there?" I said, pulling my cart next to theirs.

"Oh, you mean Bertrand and Gerald?" the man asked.

"Oh, are those their names? So, wait, they actually came from two rival zoos?" I said, clenching my cart. I couldn't believe that crazy lady was right.

"Oh no, who told you that lie?" the women next to him said chuckling. The man joined him as he clenched his stomach from laughing so hard. When they were finished, the women continued, "Somebody told me they swam across the ocean from Africa in a race to prove which one of them was the best hippo, but they ended up in a tie. Now they're trying to decide what the next challenge will be."

"Whoa, really? I didn't even know they could swim that far. But of all places, why did they pick this store?" I said. Maybe the Hippos are the true apex predator.

His boyfriend grabbed his stomach and was on the floor in tears, laughing. "Oh, stop it, you're going to scare that dud so bad he'll leave the city," he said. Collecting himself, he got off the ground, and they walked off laughing. I'm kind of hoping they get eaten by the hippos; They simply couldn't understand. This was no laughing matter.