Birthday Presents

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Tabitha and Scott.

Subject: Billy's Birthday Present

Me and Tabitha were milling around the apartment when someone knocked at the door. We don't get a lot of visitors at lunch time on a Friday, so we were wondering who it could be. Tabitha was closer, and less lazy, and answered the door. On the other side was a woman we'd never seen before.

“Umm. Hi. Can we help you?”

“Yes, hi. I'm Rosemarie.”

“Billy's Rosemarie?”

“I like to think of myself as my own Rosemarie, but yes, I'm dating Billy.”

“It's nice to meet you, although I didn't expect to meet you until tomorrow night at the party. Billy said you were coming right?”

“Yup, I'll be here. That's actually the reason I stopped by. We've only been dating a little while and I'd really like to get him something for his birthday, but I really have no idea what would be good.”

“Well you came to the right place! Come in! Sit down! Can Ann get you a drink?”

We sat and discussed what to get Billy. We ruled out anything shopping related, gift cards and the like. We came up with a couple of options, and settled on Rainbow 6: Las Vegas for the Playstation 3. Billy had been meaning to buy it for a while, and hadn't gotten around to it. That's when Scott came home.

“Hey guys. Look what I got for Billy. That new video game he's been wanting.”

“Aww shit!”

“What a greating! I feel so welcome here.”

Scott squints at Rosemarie. “Who's this gal? She doesn't look like Sara.”

“Scott, this is Rosemarie, Billy's girlfriend.”

“Is the party now? I thought it was tomorrow night? The beer isn't in the fridge yet, Tabitha said I had to leave room for regular food until tomorrow night.”

“Well you left chicken and the milk on the counter so you could put the growlers on the top shelf.”

“You know warm beer just isn't as good.”

“I think that's my cue to leave. I'll have to go with one of the other items we discussed. Thanks for all the help!”

To Scott, “Save me some of that beer!”

“Nice to meet you! See you tomorrow!”

Rosemarie leaves.

“So she seems nice.”

“Yeah, definitely.”

“She had me at 'Aww shit!'”

Rosemarie

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy

Subject: Billy's New Squeeze

“Billy, where are you going?”

“Out.”

“Out? I thought we were having dinner in tonight?”

“I already told Ann I wouldn't be here.”

“You're going out and skipping dinner? Don't lie to me.”

“I'm not, I'm going out to dinner.”

“Alone?”

“Why would I eat alone when I could have the pleasure of your company?”

“You better not all be going out to dinner without me. That'd just be mean!”

“That's not it. I'm sure they'll be here soon. I have to go.” Billy walks out and passes Ann, Sara and Tabitha on the way in.

“Billy's not eating with us.”

“I know, he told me.”

“Well why not? What's he doing?”

“He's eating with Rosemarie.”

“And who is Rosemarie? You guys are all being particularly exasperating!”

“Now you know how we feel most of the time.”

“I'm not exasperating! Who's Rosemarie and why is Billy eating with her instead of us?”

“Rosemarie is his girlfriend, and I imagine he's eating with her because he's hungry and it's dinnertime.”

“Girlfriend? Since when does he have a girlfriend? Why am I always the last one to find out these things?”

“Maybe it's your completely absurd hours. Sometimes it's hard to catch you when we're both awake to tell you anything.”

“And by the time we see you again we've forgotten that you don't know whatever it is that you don't know.”

“Well gee thanks. Have you guys met her?”

“I met her, but only by accident. I ran into them having lunch one day. I'm the only one. He says he'll bring her around sooner or later though.”

“Well I'll have to bug him about it later then. Any other secrets you need to reveal before dinner?”

“The Geico caveman evolved and moved out of their cave and into a tent.”

“That's a big step for them!”

“Dinner will be ready in a little bit, and Scott should be home by then. Sound good?”

“Definitely, I'm starving! So this Rosemarie girl, she hot?”

Sara rolls her eyes and ignores Frank.