Round 2,356
by Ria


"Aw, come on, Gage, why won't you tell me?"

"I toldja, Chet, I'm NOT gonna let you ruin it for me this time!"

"Ruin it for...when have I ever ruined anything for you, you just tell me, and I'll back off!"

"Ha. Remember that time I worked so hard to get that date to go sailing, but we got rained in at another station? Remember, I ASKED Marco to call her for me, I ASKED him not to tell you about it, and you know why? Cuz I knew you'd do exactly what you did, you stuck your nose in it and what'd y'do? Y'took 'er out FOR me! She hasn't talked to me since!!"

"Gage, I was only tryin' to do a fellow firefighter a favor! It's not my fault that Marco's got a big mouth..."

"Yeah...your favors are like pourin' salt in a wound!"

"John, that's not true, remember the time you and Roy decided to trade cars? You two couldn't make up your minds one way or the other til I came along and suggested you trade with each other!!"

"Uh-huh. And see where your help got us? We wound up arguin' so much and finally decidin' that we shouldn't've traded in the first place!"

"Well, there now, y'see? I helped you guys see that what you had was what you wanted all along!"

"Right, Chet."

"Come on, Johnny! I mean it's not exactly like I'm asking you to tell the secret of the universe or anything..."

"DON'T! Don't even bring that up..."

"...I mean if it weren't for me, you'd have wound up cheatin' and broke that puzzle ball..."

"So he brings it up anyway."

::eyeroll::

"...and see, if you'd have wound up breakin' it, it mighta got stuck and Roy woulda never got it apart, and the secret inside would still be drivin' you nuts!"

"YOU'RE drivin' me nuts, Chet."

"Well, with you, Pal, it's a short ride, lemme tell ya..."

"Hey, 'specially with you drivin', you know the way better than anyone!"

"Very funny. I'm here tryin' to prove a point, and he's makin' jokes."

"Chet, you're the LAST one I'd take seriously around here. I can't even open a cabinet without the threat of somethin' jumpin' out at me!"

"Don't blame me, that's the Phantom! And anyways, you'd think after all this time you'd be wise to him and even paid him back. Y'know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you ENJOY gettin' plastered in the face with water."

"Shows how much YOU know."

"Hey, I know a lot about what goes on around here!"

"THAT's cuz you eavesdrop!"

"I can't help it what I hear sometimes, a guy can't go around with earplugs now can he?"

"In your case, you'd need corks."

"You're a real riot today, Gage. C'mon, why won'tcha tell me?"

::Johnny giggles::

"Chet, did it ever occur to you that the reason I don't tell you things is cuz I know you'll eventually find out anyway?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, what fun is that, me tellin' you something instead of lettin' you figure it out for yourself? That takes the thrill of the chase outta it! Besides the fact that anything I might tell you in confidence, you'd tell someone else. And not only that, anything you DO find out, you find a way to make fun of it! "

"John. I am offended that you think I'd make fun of something important to you. All I want is a chance to help make my friends happy. How can I do that when they won't open up to me?"

"Chet, the day I open up to you is the day they cart me off to the funny farm."

::Chet smirks::
"Funny, I thought that's where you came from!"

"SEE? SEE that?? I'm not tellin' you nothin' anymore, noooo way, I've learned my lesson, boy..."

"Aw, c'mon, Johnny, I was only kiddin'! You walked right into that one, you always do...aw c'mon Johnny...wait up a minute, will ya? Johnny...."