X (childhood best friend after some Rosé) : But seriously! How are you?

1: Dunno. I feel well. How I am? Do you know how you are? Ha ha!

[X & 1 laugh like idiots for reasons not immediately apparent]

1: Do you remember that time-

X: -we ran full speed into the suspension parking rope we didn’t see?! Like, wind straight-up knocked outta us?

1: Ha! Fallen down?! (Snort)…then we got lost on a ski resort shuttle bus?! Until, like, scandalously late: 11pm?

[1 & X laugh like idiots for reasons becoming immediately apparent: they are idiots!]

X: Yeah, so Seattle suits ya, then? I heard you quit smoking cigs.

1: I did, thanks for the positive acknowledgement,

[X looks at 1 like “are you putting me on/being sarcastic?]

1: No shit; I’m not being disingenuous, there’s nothing to read between the lines.

[1 produces a joint, lights it adeptly, and offers to X]

X looks pissed.

*joints with filters look suspiciously like squares (mass-produced nicotene cigs).

1: Scallo, it’s nicotene I quit. This is grass I pay taxes on!

X: ‘