Doc's Place

Chapter 21 | Part 1

Friday, October 19, 1984

Return with Sara from the dojo, a massage, a shower and breakfast to find Samantha still snoring lightly. Strip, slip in beside her and push a nipple into her mouth. After a while, I bring her to orgasm a couple times. Samantha is still whimpering little gasps when I carry her lanky frame into the bathroom, and set her on the toilet. She shivers until I carry her into the hot shower. After I rinse the sex away, I towel off in the bedroom, dress and gather Samantha's clothes, shoes and jacket.

Turn to find Sara naked beside me. Sara leans back against me, wraps her arms about my neck, places my free hand on her breast and lifts her lips to mine for a kiss. Finished, I whisper, "Heather and Jenny tonight," and release her. Watch her move down the hall, slim and alluring.

Samantha squeaks, "Who is that naked bitch?"

She tries to push around me, so I lift and carry her, wriggling and grunting, to the bathroom sink. My nose touching hers, I whisper, "She is a guest in my house, Samantha." Narrow my eyes when she starts to say something else, so she purses her lips and drops her eyes. "We leave in two minutes," I tell her and step out, pulling the bathroom door shut behind me.

When Samantha and I pull into the parking garage, we see Thomas watching us from the door to the casino. As we park, he turns and walks inside. Samantha turns to me and says, "I'm sorry, Jill. Do you think it's appropriate for us to be seeing each other while I'm essentially working for you?"

"No, Samantha, it isn't," I say, pulling open the car door. Locking it, I push it closed and walk around to wait for her, scanning the garage for tiny women wielding edged weapons.

"I just realized it when Thomas saw us arrive together," she says as she locks the Volkswagen's driver-side door. Falling in beside me, she looks about us and asks, "Do you think we should break it off?"

Stop and ask, "Do you want my answer now?"

"Yes . . . no . . . I don't know," says Samantha, turning to look about us. Looking at me, she takes another step, stops and says, "I think we should . . . break it off."

"Done," I tell her as we walk into the elevator. Watch her as the door closes and we ride up, but she doesn't look at me, let alone speak. Ignoring two people in the lobby, we step to the Personnel door and tap.

George smiles and greets us as he opens the upper half of the door. He opens the bottom half, holding it for us as we pass through and then closes it again as he greets the first person waiting.

As Samantha joins Thomas at the coat rack, I find Liz sitting at her desk, re-writing script details. Ask Liz why that's necessary, but she just says it's important. Stand there for a moment, looking at her.

Lifting her eyes to mine, Liz asks, "What?"

Spreading both hands, I walk out. Samantha and Thomas stand with their backs to me as they prepare coffee. Back in my office, the phone is ringing. Remove my jacket and hang it on the back of the door as Annette tells me it's Tan calling. After a little encouragement, he whispers nasty things in my ear for a minute and then says he has to go.

Sit looking at my desk. Can't work on the next issue because shooting doesn't start until Tuesday morning, which is a month ahead of schedule anyway. Realize I'm facing an entire day without a goddamn thing to do. After some thought, I realize it's time to boost productive efficiency in gaming operations.

Walk up the hall to Glenn's office where he's meeting with Carlos and a tall, slim guy in a three-piece suit—looks like a corporate lawyer or a mob accountant. Ordinarily, I don't interrupt meetings but I have nothing to do, so I walk in and sit between Carlos and the other guy.

Leaning his shoulder against mine, Carlos murmurs, "Need to talk with you after this."

"Good morning, Jill," says Glenn. "I haven't had a chance to welcome you back. Are you doing well?"

"Yup," I tell him.

"Have you met our Gaming Security Manager, Norm Kotan? Norm, this is Jill Price."

Norm and I nod politely but say nothing.

Glenn says, "We were discussing operational security training for dealers, Jill."

"Operational security," I say, "so external threats only? Cheats and thieves?"

"Excuse me, Glenn," says Norm, "Not to be blunt but what's this bitch doing here?"

Glance at him and then at Carlos, who has his hand in front of his mouth, trying to hide a smile. Look at Glenn, who is grinning. Turning to Norm, who is not smiling at all but glaring at me through big, frameless glasses, I say, "Mr. Kotan, I have the confidence of Glenn and Morty because I speak plainly. Obviously, you do too. Tell me your objective so I can help."

Norm looks at Glenn, who simply opens his hand toward him as if to say, `Go ahead.' Turning to face me, Norm says, "Alright, Kerry North wouldn't authorize training for reasons that are now obvious. As a result, our dealers don't know the current cheats and theft practices in use out there right now. Both the casino and our patrons are getting ripped off every day."

Jump in with, "However, operational security training produces no income. It only reduces losses, so your budget is limited. Norm, you know the subject. Glenn can provide models and adequate sets. Video costs what, a minimum of a thousand dollars per minute of finished tape? So, the best value would be slide photography, right?"

Norm glances at Glenn and then looks at me. "Go on," he says.

"Buy a used Nikon with a strobe, spare batteries and a quality tripod. In fact, get Marketing to buy it, because they'll need the equipment for the long term and you don't. Shoot 64 ASA color slides. Get a contract for the entire job from a local film developer to conserve budget. Rent some white sun lamps. Buy a light table with lamps for close-up photography and a light box for viewing slides. I'll snap the pictures, with you directing the scenes, Norm. Start in early January and finish by . . . the end of the month, maybe. Does that cover it?"

Wordlessly, Norm reaches toward Glenn, who hands him a sheaf of papers. Norm hands them to me.

Scan through them. I could have read my little speech directly from these pages, down to the rented and purchased items.

"Wait! I was over at the Galeti Way storage facility with Dick in Purchasing. He has four big lamp stands over there."

"Really," says Norm, glancing at Glenn. "Did you know that?"

"Nope," says Glenn.

"Me neither," says Carlos.

"I'll handle scripts, personnel and the shooting schedule, Jill," says Norm. "You get the camera and peripherals and set up the contract through Purchasing to develop film."

"Hold it," says Glenn. "First, we get approval from Dick Scope. Norm, you draw up a formal proposal with resource requirements, quality levels and schedules so Morty and I can sell it to Dick. Then, we can start buying stuff and arranging schedules."

"How do you justify Jill's participation?" asks Carlos. "How does a communications manager get involved with operational security training?"

"Don't try to justify my participation," I tell them. Everyone looks at me. Norm asks, "What do you mean? You're the photographer."

Look at them but say nothing, waiting for them to get it.

"Okay," says Glenn. "We pitch it to Dick Scope with a quote from a professional photographer, which will push the price through the roof. He'll focus on that cost. Then I mention that Jill is a photographer who can shoot the whole project."

"Better yet," I say, "Whether he's head of a casino or a piss-ant dictatorship, every newly-appointed president wants to see his photographs published for all to see. When Dick makes the demand, I'll shoot the photos myself. When he sees your request, he'll remember."

"I was right at the beginning of this conversation," says Norm. "You are a bitch." Grinning, he adds, "A sneaky, manipulative bitch—traits I respect. I understand why Glenn and Morty respect you."

Glenn says, "The biggest hard cost will be the camera and peripheral equipment."

"Don't put it in the proposal," says Carlos. "As Jill says, let Marketing buy it. The Marketing budget can buy the camera out of petty cash. Annette can give you a signed purchase order from her desk on verbal okay from Kevin for the peripheral equipment."

"Let me pitch it to Kevin," I say. "I got that bitch in my pocket."

The three guys look at me and break into laughter.

Morty walks in grinning and leans against the doorframe. "What did I tell you, Norm?"

"Oh, this is who you were talking about? I pictured a blonde with big tits and a brain the size of a peanut."

"Fuck you in the ass, Kotan," I say.

That cracks them up again, so I stand amid the laughter and move to the door. Morty hugs my waist as I put an arm on his shoulder. "I'll talk to Kevin."

"That's appropriate," says Norm. "I do the work while the bitches manipulate each other."

While they're laughing their asses off, I turn to Morty. "Is this what it's like working with these casino operations assholes?"

"It certainly is," he says. "The fact that you pissed off Kerry, Phil and Paul just proves you're a standup guy."

As the three of them look at me, I pretend to lick my fingers, grab my crotch, give it a hitch and then flip them off. That produces howls of laughter as I stride past Kelly.

"Bunch of adolescent boys, aren't they?" says Kelly.

An image of Tan crossing the street to meet me last night flashes in my mind. "Thank God," I tell her with a wink and walk back down the hall, whistling softly. Now I have a lot to do.

Carlos catches up with me and softly says, "Got you on tape walking out to the parking garage late yesterday afternoon, Jill. A few seconds later, one of the porters follows you. You show up after a few minutes, change your clothes in the restroom and walk out to the garage. Come back, make a phone call and leave." When I nod, he says, "That porter has disappeared. No one has seen or heard from her since."

Shrugging, I say, "Put my gym bag in the trunk, made the phone call and left."

"See the porter?"

Shaking my head, I lie and say, "No, but I did talk to someone in the garage before I came in to change."

"Who?"

"Megan. She's a dietitian."

Watching me, he says, "That porter hires on two days ago. Yesterday, she follows you out to the garage and disappears." When I don't respond, Carlos says, "Happens to be your first day back from nearly two weeks' absence after you kill a half dozen professional hitters armed to the teeth and after you kick the shit out of six guys behind your house." Still don't respond so he says, "Which happens to be two days after someone scares the warehouse super into resigning and leaving town."

Look at him for a moment before I say, "Talk to Megan, Carlos. She'll tell you that nothing happened in that garage while we were out there. You want her number?"

He growls, "Always got an alibi and a witness." When I ask if he has any more questions, Carlos shakes his head and walks up the hall.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License

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Doc's Place Chat
© 2008, Michel Grover.
Chapter 21 | Part 1
Spring 2011

Lucia :

Mic has posted in the left frame paragraphs from Doc's Place, one of his copyrighted stories. I'm moderating chat here in the right frame. I post every day, but I don't post everything. I have formed a secondary group from which I may also post comments.

Maria :

Carlos, you sound pissed after that initial interview with Jill. What's your state of mind?

Carlos :

Yeah, considering only short-term objectives, I am. Every bit of instinct and experience I have tells me Price is involved. Even if I could prove it, I seriously doubt that I want to prove it. We've discussed this earlier in a lot more detail, which I won't bring up again now. Anyway, it's a complex situation at that point, all of which combines to piss me off.

Doug :

Did you ever discuss your suspicions about Jill with my father, Carlos?

Carlos :

Your father's a lawyer, Doug. There's no way he would allow me or anyone else to drag him into a conversation that someone could hold him responsible for later. No, I simply became the next in a long line of law-enforcement and prosecutor types, private and public, who saw where the evidence was leading and dropped the investigation and prosecution.

Carlo :

Just about had a catfight in the hallway of Jill's house. Laughed my ass off when I read Samantha's reaction to seeing Sara walking away naked.

Lucia :

Wouldn't have been much of a fight. I doubt Samantha has the training and experience in personal combat that Sara has, according to the story and Amalie's account.

Carlo :

That's not what I mean, Lucia. If I have an opportunity to watch two naked women tussling in the hallway early in the morning, now that's a reason for some early risin'.

Jules :

I'm with you there, Carlo. I'd have to join you.

This is not a good morning for Samantha. First, she's obviously not a morning person, as she shows when Jill has to carry her to the bathroom. Then she sees another naked woman—a gorgeous, young woman—walking away from Jill. Finally, she realizes that arriving at work with Jill may not set well with Liz or Louise if Thomas rats her out.

Alan :

Personally, I think Liz would have been cool with it. She might warn Samantha about coming to work in the mornings with Jill, but if word got back to Louise, her reaction might be a different story.

Amalie :

Whatever is the problem with Samantha and Jill arriving at work together? What difference does it make? Besides, it's of no concern to anyone but them anyway, no?

Doug :

It may be okay in France or the islands, sweetie, but that shit don't fly in the good ol' USA with its contradictory and pretentious moral standards. The do-gooders get one whiff of sex between co-workers and they go running like rats to the self-appointed morality police. Then, whether Liz and Louise think it's their business or not, they have to take action.

Maria :

Now that you say it like that, Doug, it does seem awfully contradictory and falsely moralistic for anyone to assume they know what's going on just because two co-workers—in this case, Samantha and Jill—arrive at work together one morning, or several mornings for that matter. In fact, I'm ashamed to say that I have been guilty, before my husband's death and my dalliance with several lovers of my gender, of assuming such a falsely moralistic stance. It seems trite and sophomoric now, but I must admit to having once been one of those morality police—or at least one of the rats.

Doug :

At least you learned your lesson, Maria. Some narrow-minded, pathetic people go through their entire lives without learning that others' personal lives are almost never their business. We're not talking about endangering children here, which is another situation entirely. We're talking about two consenting adult women arriving at work together.

Come on, Annie and Bill, I'm trying to get a rise out of you and you're not responding. Aren't you going to step up and defend the Mormon morality rat squad here? How about you, Marcus? Doesn't even a hint of co-workers sexing it up before and after work make your self-righteous Catholic blood boil?

Marcus :

Sorry, my libertine friend, but for me, the day has long passed when I care who is doing what with whom as long as they are consenting adults, as you say. As you know, my eldest daughter has lived for years in a lesbian relationship with her partner, whom she loves, and therefore, I love her too. I don't care about anything else; only that my beloved daughter loves this woman and that they are happy.

Annie :

I told you where the sympathies of my husband and I lie, Doug. Once we realized that we have gay and lesbian friends as dear as ours are to us, we ceased to care about such issues as what two adult women may be doing with one another, as long as they treat one another respectfully. My dearest friend in the world is a partner with Marcus' eldest daughter. My husband and I have grown to love them both, and we are proud of this friendship.

Now, I will add two caveats, which you have not mentioned. First, this is more than 25yrs ago, and social mores were different then, Doug, as well you realize, even though you were only a year old at the time. Second, people can consider themselves morality police, or members of the rat squad, as you call it, and not practice any religion at all. They simply have to be alert and interested in others, which some may call a busybody. Is this not so?

Doug :

Yes, it is. So, am I failing to get a rise out of anyone? How about you, Bill?

Bill Jr. :

I'm with Annie and Marcus on this issue, pal. If two women arrive at work together several mornings in a row, they could be carpooling to save gas money or for convenience for all I care. It's no business of mine. If one or both are friends of mine, then they remain such.

Les :

It seems that you're flogging a dead issue, Doug. If you're quite finished, I'd like to raise another issue.

Doug :

These religious people don't have standards any more. Where's the blind, stupid rage?

Les :

Superficiality is in the eye of the beholder, I hear, Doug. Anyway, I think it's hilarious that Jill shows up at work and stares at Liz for several seconds before the fact begins to sink into her mind that she has absolutely nothing to do.

Now, it isn't often that responsible, talented people find themselves in this situation, but when they do, look out. Not only are they going to find a way to keep busy, but also in doing so, they're always going to piss off someone.

Why, you ask? I'll tell you.

Any organization has fiefdoms, each with a private agenda. The person who sets this agenda is the one with the most influence in the fief, or department, and in the entire organization. The moment a person of Jill's energy and determination, not to mention hidden agenda, decides to get involved, you can bet someone is going to interpret her initiative as interference.

Since the four former executives have resigned; since Jill's boss, Louise is too distracted; since Kevin McVay is too numbers-centric and politically un-savvy; and since Dick Scope hasn't found his footing yet, there's only one person left for Jill to piss off. Does anyone have any guesses as to who that person might be? By the way, it's no fair asking Stephanie, because she already knows.

Lucia :

Peter Marriott, obviously, Les, but why should he care? Didn't Peter just tell Jill that he would eviscerate anyone who gets in her way?

Les :

Specifically, Lucia, Peter said he would eviscerate anyone who gets in the way of their agreed objectives. Now, all of a sudden, instead of making the new executives look like fools and pissing them off, as Jill and Peter agreed she would do, what does Jill do? She steps in to make her buddy Glenn look good. Trust me; Peter is not going to like this.

Lucia :

Okay, I get your point, Les. However, what can Peter do? He can't punish her because she's one of the aces up his sleeve, so to speak, in accomplishing her agenda. He can't cut her budget for several reasons: he doesn't want to and he already told Dick Scope to approve it. Changing it now would only make Peter look indecisive and foolish to his new executives.

Benny :

This is excellent analysis, Les. The only resource Peter can cut is Jill's time. Remember, Jill originally proposed that she take off 4hrs a day paid time off at one month. Peter revised that to take off 2hrs a day paid time off at 6mos because he thought he would need her at Doc's Place more than her proposed schedule would allow. You're predicting that as soon as Peter finds out what Jill, his agent provocateur, is doing, he will renege on his revision and instead impose Jill's original work schedule.

Les :

Yes, in my opinion, that's Peter's only option, Benny. Peter's direct order to reduce her time at Doc's Place every business day will create unforeseen consequences. I imagine Louise may jump Jill's shit about it, just as Louise did about Jill's leaving the property during work hours when Jill first began working at Doc's Place. However, Jill's most likely local critic will be the new HR Manager, whoever he or she may be. That will provide Jill and her audience past and present with significant amusement since Jill can't use Peter's direct orders as an excuse because those orders are on Jill's hidden agenda.

Avani :

Wow, Benny's right. This is tasty stuff, Les. Jill's increased absence from work will piss off the new HR Manager, who, in turn, will gripe to Louise, who begins to wilt immediately under heat and pressure at work. Jill's taking time off could drive Louise off the deep end even more quickly than she's going at present.

It's also bound to reach Dick Scope's attention as well. He could end up ordering Louise or the new HR Manager to fire Jill over this issue of absences—probably more than once. What do you think she'll do during her time off? Stephanie?

Steph :

Oh no you don't, Avani, I know what Jill does because I was there, so I'm not giving it away before it happens.

Carlos :

Don't ask me either, people, for the same reason.

Benny :

It's October in this story part, so we're coming into ski season, folks. At the first sign of snow, Jill's going to play hooky and go skiing.

Annie :

No doubt she'll zip back to Utah because she knows the ski runs back there. She also has a place to stay—that condo her grandparents left her in Salt Lake City.

Doug :

Going back to Les' mention of Jill's hidden agenda, I wonder if she wanders around looking for extra work as a method to push that hidden agenda. First, she realizes that she has nothing to do; then, after some thought, Jill realizes "it's time to boost productive efficiency in gaming operations." What thinking brings her to this realization?"

Try this on for size: Jill has already assisted slot operations by promising to attend the casual, off-site social gathering at Marty's house. We don't know what will happen there but I imagine that Jill's attendance at such a gathering will make contributions that the slot operations folks consider substantially helpful. Since Jill intends to help slot operations, she wants to assist table gaming operations as well.

Suze :

Good idea, Doug, and her attention will certainly contribute to table gaming operations, but how does doing so push her hidden agenda beyond boosting revenues?

Benny :

Good question, Snuze. How did you come up with that question and yet word it so well?

Suze :

You're an effete snob, Benny. You ask questions that allow you to show off your intellect, which you've already established but you can't restrain your self. However, I'll tell you anyway since it's straightforward, although you'll probably muck it up. We already know Jill doesn't initiate anything unless the benefits to her agenda are multivariate, multi-layered and multi-dimensional.

Benny :

Damn, your response has appropriate acidity, multi-syllabic words and everything. You outdid yourself this time, Snuze. Since your question deserves a response, I'll provide one.

I suggest that Jill thinks things are not necessarily moving along as she wishes—not that things are moving too fast or too slow—but perhaps moving without sufficient opportunities to embarrass executives and promote workers' rights, and yet she wants to avoid inserting herself overtly into a situation. Jill is beginning to develop a situation that will produce opportunities she may exploit in the future to draw Peter's attention to the hidden agenda she shares with him and away from the hidden agenda she hides from Peter, all while confusing the executives.

As Sun Tzu says in the Sonshi translation, "Calculate advantages by means of what was heard, then create force . . . to assist outside missions. Force is the control of the balance of power, in accordance with advantages." As helpful as this couplet is, I much prefer the Denma translation, "Having appraised the advantages, heed them. Then make them into shih to aid with the external. Shih is governing the balance according to the advantages."

Denma (pages 76-79) defines shih thus: "The original meaning of shih was the power of the ruler—his control over others. . . . By the time of Sun Tzu, people had begun to recognize that this power did not rest in the ruler's person but in his position. . . . Thus the ruler is powerful because he is at the head of a complex set of relationships. . . . Shih then, is a function of the relationship among things. . . . It depends on things arranged to connect with other things. . . . And there's a further crucial notion, which is timing: the right moment to step in, to take the shot, to release the accumulated energy. . . . In the Sun Tzu, this moment is called the node. It refers to the bumpy boundary between segments of bamboo. . . . It is very small." In the Denma translation, Sun Tzu describes these terms (page 79) thus: "Shih is like the drawing of the crossbow. The node is like pulling the trigger."

What we see Jill doing here is shih—gathering power until it is overwhelming and conditions are ripe for the node—the perfect timing for the sudden release of all that power.

Suze :

I was right. You did muck it up, Benny.

Doug :

Actually, Benny's suggestion provides symmetry and context, Suze. It solves multiple issues, both immediate and long term, as well diverting dear Daddy's attention from Jill's nefarious and real motives.

I love your discussion of shih and node, Benny. It puts both Jill's endless scheming and her action into symmetry and context as well.

Raj :

Ah Benny, we here in the Bengalaru group are thoroughly enjoying your analysis using different translations of Sun Tzu. Our group has been using the on-line Sonshi translation and we have recently acquired the Denma translation as well, which we appreciate very much, thank you. Previously, we were also using the Samuel B. Griffith translation by Oxford University Press, 1963, because that is the one Jill originally used ten years earlier while living in Japan.

The Griffith translation of the couplet (page 66) you quoted previously, Benny, provides the following: "Having paid heed to the advantages of my plans, the general must create situations which will contribute to their accomplishment. By `situations' I mean that he should act expediently in accordance with what is advantageous and so control the balance."

What Sonshi calls force, Denma calls shih, which Griffith calls `situations'. Griffith adds the revealing footnote: "The commentators do not agree on an interpretation of this verse." Small wonder, then, that the translations vary so widely. Whatever the most accurate translation may be, Benny, your additions from Denma translation are edifying. However, in 1984, Jill would have had access to neither the Sonshi nor the Denma translations; instead, she was using the Griffith translation, as she said back in 2008 in dpc5:4 and as we discussed a year later in dpc16:1.

Ultimately, however, the translation of Sun Tzu does not change the essential truth regarding Jill's actions at Doc's Place in October 1984. Upon this, all of us appear to agree. Jill has indeed paid heed to the advantages of Sun Tzu's plans and has begun creating `situations which will contribute to their accomplishment.' Jill is also acting `expediently in accordance with what is advantageous' so she can `control the balance.'

Benny :

You and your Bengaluru group make excellent points about the Griffith translation and its illumination about Jill's beginning to create situations to control balance, Raj. Do you and your group believe that Jill's action to assist Glenn with training dealers to recognize table games cheating is the first time she takes initiative in this story?

Raj :

No, Benny, we believe Jill has showed initiative previously but only within the context of the open and hidden agendas from Peter. This is the first time Jill shows initiative outside those agendas in advancement of the same. I imagine she'll do it again but up until her decision to walk down the hall to Glenn's office, Jill has more or less followed Peter's instructions. Her initiative outside of Peter's instructions will force Peter to limit her time every day at Doc's Place as much as her efforts to make Glenn look good. It's simple: if Jill is not at Doc's Place all day every weekday, she will not have time to interfere with Peter's petty manipulations of his Reno executives.

Benny :

I agree, Raj. By inserting herself into Glenn's meeting, Jill demonstrates her ability to wrest control of the Doc's Place executives from Peter so she can manipulate them and make them dependent upon her, albeit in support of Peter's objectives and agendas—open and hidden. This is not something that Peter's ego will allow. He must control and manipulate those people.

Raj :

Peter's ego demands that he also controls the process, Benny. Damn the unforeseen consequences that Les so eloquently predicted earlier in this discussion session. Control of the people and the processes is infinitely more important to Peter than simply accomplishing his open and hidden agendas and objectives.

Annie :

You two guys really feed off one another, don't you? The two of you frequently rise to the occasion when either of you elevates the discussion toward the higher plane you occupy.

Raj :

Forgive us here in the Bengaluru group if we correct you, Annie, by saying that it takes many of us performing frantic research and idea development within each context to challenge Benny, who tosses out his unique ideas and research, seemingly with little or no effort. As a group, we may love, revere and worship Amalie and Lupita, but we respect and admire Benny, despite his youth and inexperience, because of his thoughtful scholarship and casual brilliance. That said, we agree that every time Benny pops out with a bright idea, we as a group feel compelled to respond with research, challenges and more ideas. We often do so for no other reason that to goad Benny into a response of his own that sends us scampering down dark and scary alleyways and badger holes looking for nuggets with which to reply.

Doug :

What is the group's consensus on Suze, the cocklebur that has attached herself to Benny, Raj?

Raj :

Sorry, Suze, but we consider you a shallow and mystical person with no concept of reality. You can neither dish it out nor take it.

Doug :

Ha, thanks for your honesty, Raj. I suspected as much.

Suze :

Gee, thanks, Raj. I've never been anything but respectful to you and your group.

Raj :

The fact that you completely miss the point is neither a surprise nor a disappointment, Suze. This is not about politeness; it's about responding to Doug's question with honesty and respect, neither of which you recognize or comprehend.

By the way, Doug, you just won some of us a running bet. As a group, we wagered a considerable sum on who would ask me what we as a group thought of Suze. Three of us had bet on you being the one who would ask, so thank you.

Doug :

I've been thinking of asking for a while. At any rate, you're welcome. Glad to hear you won.