But really, why …?

Brown: So, I was thinking about taking up a new line of work.

Orange: Really? Some people would kill to get paid what we do.

Brown: C’mon, admit it. Doing nothing but sitting at a table, staring at something while wearing a decent dress and shoes I’d never choose to wear isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Orange: So … what do you want?

Brown: To break free of everyone’s expectations, including my own.

Orange: No, you don’t.

Brown: How can you say that?

Orange: I have to. We need to bring more conflict into this relationship.

Brown: Must we?

Orange: Yes.

Brown: Oh, all right. Um … you’re not very tall, are you?

Orange: Well, I, uh, I tried to be.

Brown: I don’t like your manners!

Orange: I’m not crazy about yours. I didn’t ask to see you. I don’t mind if you don’t like my manners. I don’t like ’em myself. They are pretty bad. I grieve over them long winter evenings, and I don’t mind your ritzing me, or drinking your lunch out of a bottle. But don’t waste your time trying to cross-examine me.

Brown: Well, you’re a cookie full of arsenic.

Orange: Maybe I left my sense of humor in my other purse.

They exchange glances.

Brown/Orange: Match me, Sidney!

Originally published at http://randomandsundrythings.wordpress.com on August 8, 2022.