KAY
One morning I’m a little slow getting started.(Ok, so I had that dream about Pierce Brosnan and the giant flat of strawberries. Arrest me.) Anyway, Wesley’s ready ahead of me, which almost never happens. He’s looking somber, which almost always happens. Cordy’s poking all the donuts, looking for the one she likes, which, any given day? 50/50 shot. “Would you mind not fondling all of those? Other people might want some, too.”
“Are you sure?” Cordy says. “Women your age have problems metabolizing carbs.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve got old age and treachery on my side...which, speaking of, give me a dime.”
“A dime?”
“Yeah, one of those little flat things that weigh down your purse.”
“ I don’t know why. You and Gunn just keep putting money in the curse jar anyway.” But she hands me the coin. She might be all right after all, in spite of herself.
“Why didn’t you tell anybody about this?” Wesley says, waving some little bit of paper around. Oh, crap, I think, but don’t say, he’s found one.
“It’s no big deal,” I say. “Just a kind of tribute thing. Tommy did it to me...before he uh... did it to me.Stan did it to the Munchkin. Ten years in, I get dimes, huh?”
“Not that. This.” He really wants me to look at this bullshit. Sighing, I give in.Kind of like me and Pierce.
‘Prepare to Die’ I read, “Junk mail’s getting really obnoxious nowadays.”
“ You could be in very grave danger.” Wesley says.
“Yeah, I could get shot or something....no, wait, that happened already. It’s all right, Wesley, the kind of twitch that does stuff like this does it because he can’t do anything else.They’re like...impotent. I’m safe as houses, huh?”
“I’d feel better if you stayed somewhere else for the time being, all right? Go home with Cordelia tonight.”
“No!” Cordy says, then she sees my look and says “ I’m sure Detective Howard can handle herself."
(Ok, so I had that dream about Pierce Brosnan and the giant flat of strawberries. Arrest me.)
wibble...
The dime thing is ringing a bell, but I can't quite remember the context. 'Splain, please?
It’s all right, Wesley, the kind of twitch that does stuff like this does it because he can’t do anything else.They’re like...impotent.
Heh. Makes me wish that Munch was eavesdropping.
Stanley used to ask the Munchkin for quarters because he had 25 years in as a cop(well Worden in AYOKS did that all the time, Stanley did it once.) It's a respect thing...it took the squad months to put it together...why a quarter? Especially, if he caught his partner slacking. Reading "Rolling Stone" iirc.
I'm guessing, Anne, that the Munchkin will hear the impotency spiel eventually. Or Kay will find out it's him and crack up laughing.
I figured that's something she's been waiting for a chance at.
Pierce Brosnan....strawberries....Pierce Brosnan...strawberries....
I'm in a happy, happy place.
Thought so. I know what's good, right?
You know what's good, and you write what's good, and happy.
I loved that "gimme a quarter" deal from first season H:LOTS. It took me a second to ping it, because of the switch Kay made to dimes.
In the book, it takes the squad almost a whole year to find out why the Big Man wants the quarters...the Munch-a-like is like "You want cigarrettes...I'll buy you goddamn cigarrettes. Just quit holding me up...it's not dignified."
"No, I don't want cigarrettes. Give me a quarter."
Then finally, at Christmas, he wishes his partner a Merry Christmas without adding "you miserable sonofabitch" like at Thanksgiving and doesn't ask for one, and the partner finally asks why. Kind of heartwarming, in a fucked-up way.
“Could you...give us a minute, Cordy?”
“If it means I don’t have to share my conditioner...gladly.” And she’s gone. I don’t even mind that she takes the last eclair, and I love those. As she would say, it’s totally worth it. “You know, Pryce, “ I say. “It occurs to me we have a situation here.”
“Wyndam-Pryce,” he corrects automatically. “It’s hyphenated.”
“Ok.... that was nice. That little trick in there. You really are the magic man, aren’t you?” I pace around a little...it’s habit when I’m on to something.
“I’m sorry?” It’s a shame he’s so smart, really. He’s cute when he’s puzzled.
“You want to make our kiss disappear. It’s not demons you’re chasing here...it’s cooties. Or temptation. I’m not vain enough to guess which. Temptation doesn’t stop being tempting cause it’s light out. Well, unless you’re tempted by a v...vodka tonic. Then, of course, everything looks different in the light of day. After your head quits throbbing, anyways.” Jesus, what am I babbling about? He probably thinks I’m crazy now. And I was thinking this would be awkward. You took care of that, didn’t you, Kay?
“So, is this Cordy thing negotiable? Cause I could stay somewhere else? I think you have more space than either Cordy or Gunn...you could Watch me...that was your old job, right? Watcher.” I start to see why Munchkin loves talking like that. Wesley starts scrubbing the shine off his glasses. I think I made him blush, too.
I thought Tim Bayliss was the only man in my age bracket to still blush. It’s kind of...touching. But after that, I don’t have the heart to press the point about Cordy. Let him feel like he’s taking care of me for a while...of course, I can take care of myself, and I’m not at all worried about some little freak that cuts out notes...hello?
I know Munchkin used to say the country was looking the same and losing its soul and stuff, so it could be a coincidence, but the building in this ad could be the spitting image of the Waterfront.
