Penny: Aw, you're the best! You're my Wozniak, dirk.
Dirk: I like how you think that's reassuring.
One hour later...
Narrator: You find yourself pacing at the airport and decide to call Penny.
Dirk: Penny? I'm at Gate G. I've been here for over forty minutes and I haven't seen your cousin.
Penny: He says he's there waiting for you. He's the guy in the red shirt!
Dirk: There's nobody in a red shirt except...Oh...
Narrator: You see the hot stud you were eying earlier. For the past ten minutes, you've been unable to ignore his ripped body and amazing ass. A vision of lump, taunt musculature bulging through that tight denim. Unexpectedly, your eyes meet as he approaches you. You wave and smile and whisper into the phone.
Dirk: You never told me he was, well, black.
Penny: Well, if you ever checked MyLifeIsAwesomerThanYours wall, you'd know my family is a big melting pot.
Dirk: I had to delete my account because of your cousin Julie, remember?
Penny: Julie was pretty nuts about you.
Dirk: How about 'just plain nuts'? She kept posting pics of the fibroid she removed, saying it could've been our baby.
Penny: Oh that Julie. She was always so creative. You have to admit, that fibroid was pretty cute.
Dirk: You could've told me that Philbert was black, it would've made him easier to find. I'm not racist, I just...
Dirk: Oh hi, you must be Philbert.
Penny: I gotta get going, Dirk. Bring Philbert to the restaurant, ok? Oooh, I'm so excited with you guys finally meeting; you have so much in common.
Dirk: I'm Dirk; sorry for the wait. Uh, I'll get your bags.
Narrator: The car ride is tense. You sit, trapped in thought, wondering what to say or do. Not sure of anything. Phil sits content in silence, staring straight ahead. Possibly asserting threats in every direction. Possibly thinking how annoying you are. Man, he sure is quiet or maybe tired or maybe he already hates you.
Dirk: So where did you go to school?
Phil: I'm military. I don't go to school.
Dirk: Oh, military, that's cool. You can use your GI bill to fund your education.
Phil: You think I'm poor? I'm not. My father's a state senator who served in Vietnam. I'm doing this because I want to serve.
Dirk: I didn't mean-uh, well, anyway, thanks for your service.
Phil: Don't thank me. I haven't done jack yet. I just got out of boot camp. Flew back to see my mom, gonna start infantry training in a few days.
Dirk: Boot camp? Right on. I bet you learn a lot of interesting stuff there. What's the most interesting thing you've learned there?
Phil: ... How to kill a man with my bare hands.
Dirk: Uh, it's nice to finally see family, right?
Phil: Twenty bucks for what amounts to a bowl of rice? Christ almighty!
Dirk: Oh that Penny, running late. Let me, uh, give her a call. (Dials up phone) Penny, we're here, waiting.
Penny: Already? You know, I was thinking you and Philbert would be so wrapped up in conversation, you'd lose track of time and forget about me.
Dirk: Ha, not at all. Nope, not at all. I know exactly how long we've been standing here. He keeps grumbling about 'sloppy, indulgent civilians' every five minutes.
Phil: ...oversized portions for people who lead such boring, meaningless lives, that going out to a restaurant actually excites them.
Penny: I'm still at the lab. Gross! This laptop has some serious issues; G key keeps making a squishy sound each time I press down on it. I'm going to need several showers after this. I don't know how much longer I'm going to survive without my own computer.
Dirk: You better be walking through that door in the next ten minutes, Penny.
Penny: Ok, ok. I'm leaving right now. Go grab a table.
Phil: Did you see that guy? In sweats? You know what he could use? A run through the Crucible?
Penny: Remember, my cousin's shy, ok? Go talk with him, connect. And remember, he's been in boot camp for the past thirteen weeks. He's probably forgot how to talk to civilians. In fact, I bet he's feeling more awkward and self-conscious than you are.
Phil: Decadence to this degree is the sign of civilization in decline. Look what it did to Athens.
Dirk: Somehow I doubt it. Hurry the Hell up.
Narrator: The waiter sets some bread down and takes your drink orders.
Dirk: Ice tea for me, please.
Waiter: I remember you, three packets of Splenda, right? And you, sir?
Phil: Water, no ice.
Narrator: The waiter strolls away as Phil picks up his napkin, unfolds it and places it on his lap with deadly precision.
Dirk: (Thinking) Maybe he does feel out of place. Perhaps I can make an effort to start up a conversation.
