Dialogue One: The Dumping "We

Dialogue One: The Dumping "We have to talk," she said flatly. "Oh crap." He knew that tone of voice. "What's on your mind?" his jaw clinched involuntarily. "Michael came up from San Diego last week…for Christmas…he gave me a call. I saw him last night." The words were mechanical, no sugar. "And?" He waited expectantly. Michael was the ex. He had gone to school down south and they had broken up. At least that was the story when they had started to date in September.

"Well…" She let it hang there like a fart in the wind. The whole scene stank to high heaven. "Well what?! Well what Betsy?" It was more an accusation than a question. An indictment, "Well what Betsy? You got something to say? The pitch of his voice rose slightly. His words came out quickly. "What did you do? Wish him Merry Christmas?" Her eyes soften for just a flicker and then turned to ice. "Yep. That's exactly what I did. And then we went to dinner.

And do you want to know what we did next?!" The pitch of her voice rose to match his. She wasn't backing down. He shifted gears. This was dangerous and unknown territory. "I thought you said you couldn't stand him. That he treated you like shit." He strained to sound rational, concerned. Too late. "I did." "Then why are you seeing him again? What's going on?" The pitch jumped up again. "I don't know.

I just saw him and we started to talk and I don't want to see you anymore. OK?" "You got to be turned and kidding me! What about our plans for Christmas? What about the last three months? What about U.S. " She looked him in the eye and shook her head from side to side. "Sorry." Flat, like black. "Why?" It was almost a whine this time. "I don't know. I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment." This stopped him cold.

"Well I guess I'm not," he said softly and turned his back and walked slowly out the door. The Dumping.2 "We have to talk." "Oh crap." "I saw Michael last night." "And…" "Well…" "Well what!" "We went to dinner." "And what?!" "You really want to know?" "I thought that was over!" "I can't see you anymore." "You've got to be kidding!" "Sorry" "Why?" "I'm a glutton for punishment." "I'm not." He turned his back and walked slowly out the door.

Dialogue Two: The iPhone Boogie "I want an iPhone 5 for Christmas Daddy." She waited expectantly as they rode in the car. "You're eleven." He replied evenly, "Why do you need an iPhone of any number?" "Madison has an iPhone." She was sure he'd see the logic. "Then let Madison's parents buy you an iPhone." He tried to sound reasonable. "But I want an iPhone for Christmas Daddy," major pleading, minor whine. "I'll make a note of it." "Really." Major sarcasm. "And I want you to clean your room.

But you can't always get what you want." "Madison gets what she wants. Her parents care about her." Low blow. She was firing guilt trips over the divorce. He held tough. "Go live with Madison's.