Lucille in Stars Hollow

The Gilmore Girls' cotillion

Well, our Friday night was off to a fabulous start!

When we arrived at the Gilmore's, a new, shy maid answered the door.

After letting us in, she ran to hide in the kitchen. That's when we heard the arguing.

I thought it was a nuclear bomb for a moment.

Richard and Emily came down the stairs, arguing about so event they had to attend.

"Oh, god, this is bad," Rory said.

"I know. I wish we had brought some popcorn!" Lorelai chimed in and Rory scolded her.

Emily: "This is the fourth event you've taken upon yourself to turn down on our behalf and I am on the board of all of those foundations! Now, how do you think that makes me look?"

Richard: "Like your husband is busy and had a great deal of responsibilities."

Emily: "I have responsibilities too!"

Richard: "I understand your social engagements—."

"Oh no, he made a grave mistake," I tutted.

Emily: "They're not just social engagements!"

Richard: "Anything at which you serve tea is a social engagement, Emily."

Emily: "That's it! I'm getting a tape recorder so you can hear for yourself how pompous you sound!"

The two went upstairs again.

"Maybe we should leave," Rory suggested.

"Are you serious?" Lorelai asked. She was clearly enjoying the show. "We have dinner theater here!"

"Mom, it feels wrong. They probably didn't want us to see that."

"Please, it's fine, Rory."

Emily and Richard came walking down the stairs, Emily holding a tape recorder to Richard's mouth.

He saw us. "Oh."

Emily turned and put the recorder down.

Lorelai, being...Lorelai, clapped and I could see that my grandparents were very uncomfortable.

"Brava!" She said. Now, I was sort of beginning to pity them. Lorelai sure did have a lot of fun making a mockery of their yelling.

Lisa turned to me and back at the group standing in silence. "Free entertainment at dinner? Seems like my kind of meal."

I elbowed her.

That following Monday was a big day for Luke's.

It was swamped. Good for business, not good in terms of affecting Luke's attitude.

"Why so snippy, Luke?" I asked and Lisa and I were drinking our coffee.

"Well, it's very busy as you can see. And I was supposed to have help," he looked at the entrance to the stairs. "But he's not showing."

Almost on cue, Jess came down, wearing a shirt that Luke was definitely not going to find appropriate.

"What is that?" Luke asked.

Jess answered, "That is a shirt."

"Change. Now."

"Why? I like it."

"How can you like it?" Luke looks so disgusted.

"It brings out my eyes," Jess says so calmly, it's hard not to laugh. I almost choke on my coffee.