Out in the hall, Adam leans against the wall and grinds his forehead into it a bit, as his conscience writhes. I hope you at least had the sense to have safe sex, you you So-Not-My-Boyfriend-Anymore Guy That I Barely Recognize.
Frink and I spend the commercial break staring at each other, trying to will our eyebrows to return to their natural resting places. Frink asks me if I think it's the first time he's done it. Me: "No way. Didn't you hear the wistful way she said, 'It'd be nice sometime to talk'? No way is that their first time." Frink gets distracted by a Desperate Housewives commercial: "Oh, Susan. Haven't you learned yet not to date the utility men?"
At school, Adam and Joan are walking along as she bores him senseless, yattering about how "Jack" has to pay for his fairy-tale crimes. Adam tells her, "You and Grace have to get a grip. It's not real." Joan makes a lot of noise about teaching Grace that laws have a purpose. Adam: "Good luck. She's going at this like she's bringing down Enron." I think Grace could kick Kenneth Lay's ass. Joan: "Oh, she's just justifying immoral behaviour because of a past injustice." Isn't that what makes the world go 'round? Wait, that's love. Sorry, my mistake. Joan: "That's a society based on revenge, like before the Magna Carta." Before the Magna Carta? Because we've evolved so much since then. She starts to pull some book out of her bag for reference, when some jerk zooms past her and knocks her a bit. Adam shouts, "Hey, watch it, moron!" Joan's taken aback by his outburst and asks if he's okay. He claims he's fine. Other than being eaten alive by his conscience, which makes a guy a bit moody. Joan bends down to pick up her bag and leaves behind a black gift box, which had gotten knocked out. Of course they both notice it, and Adam bends down to pick it up. He studies the logo on top and then says, "Jane an airbrush?" Joan's bummed that it's no longer a surprise, but smiles anyway: "Yeah anniversary present!" Adam opens it slowly as he says he's been saving up for one for months. She says she didn't want to have to watch him "drool in the art supply store anymore." Adam looks slightly pained. She asks, "What's wrong? You look like you're gonna hurl." Adam cites some agreement not to get each other big presents. Joan: "I know, but you've been working so hard, and I wanted you to have it." Heh. I know where she's coming from. Frink's always all, "Let's set a limit on gifts" and I'm all, "Um okay " knowing I'll never ever be able to adhere to it, and by now he knows it's hopeless and that my mad rationalization skillz will always overpower his good common sense. She simpers a bit: "Don't I get a hug?" Weakly, Adam says, "Yeah," and pulls her into his arms. She smiles over his shoulder, and he looks troubled as he strokes her hair.













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