Textual Relations

The Invitation

Etta: Ok, how the hell did you do it?

Kick: You're back!

Kick: Far out Etta, I've been worried sick.

Etta: Calm down, it's only been a day.

Etta: Come on, how did you manage it?

Kick: Please don't ignore me like that again.

Kick: It's been a really long 24 hours.

Etta: I didn't ignore you, Kick. I just needed my space.

Etta: I'm sorry I took my shit out on you. I'm not going to try and explain why I was so upset.

Etta: Can we just forget it happened and move on?

Kick: You don't actually have to explain, I totally get it.

Etta: I need to know how you arranged all that.

Kick: I should have been more sensitive.

Etta: Kick?

Kick: Etta.

Etta: Move on.

Kick: Ok, ok! Moving on.

Etta: So are you going to explain how you did it? Or do I have to beg?

Kick: How I did what?

Etta: You know damn well what what.

Etta: <send photo>

Kick: Ahhh, that.

Kick: Yes, begging would be good.

Etta: Ahhh, that????

Etta: You somehow managed to get a cake, a day spa voucher, a gift card, and a plane ticket all hidden around campus from nearly a thousand kilometres away and all you can say is 'Ahhh, that'?

Etta: Tell me how you did it.

Kick: I will, once the begging is complete.

Etta: Don't feel like it now.

Kick: Then I'm not going to tell you.

Kick: How you like them oranges?

Etta: Apples, Kick. It's apples.

Etta: And if you aren't going to tell me then I'm afraid I can't possibly decide whether to accept your invitation.

Kick: Seriously?

Etta: Deadly.

Etta: How you like THEM apples?

Kick: Fine.

Kick: Jesus.

Kick: I contacted the Physics Undergrads at USyd through their Facebook page and asked for a favour. Then I bought everything online, had it mailed to the UGs, and they went out and stashed it all. Finally, I downloaded a map of the campus and they told me where to mark the X's.

Etta: And they just agreed to hide presents for some stranger???

Kick: I'm the PhD Dean's Scholar at RMIT, they practically wet their pants when I said I needed a favour.

Kick: It's just as much about who you know as what you know.

Kick: And in the world of best possible phys research positions I'm like the holy grail of who to know.

Etta: Wow. That is SO impressive.

Kick: Well, I wanted to do something for you and I actually had a feeling you might be a bit down on the day. It wasn't that hard surprisingly.

Kick: I hadn't factored in the possibility of pissing you off though, obviously, so I was a bit worried everything would get found and pinched.

Kick: Students can be such scabs.

Kick: Anyway, looks like it all worked out ok.

Etta: It did, Kick. It was really, really lovely of you. Thank you so much.

Etta: But just for the record, I actually meant your ego is SO impressive.

Etta: <t-rex-angry-laser-eyes.gif>

Kick: Ouch! You're clearly back in fine form.

Etta: You missed it, didn't you?

Kick: The sassitude?

Kick: Umm, sure.

Kick: So are you going to put me out of my misery, Dr Harvey?

Etta: You want to know if I'll accept your invitation to be friends?

Kick: I do.

Kick: I'll come to your graduation on the 9th December, then you come to Melbourne for my scholars' dinner the following weekend. Use those vouchers to get whatever you need. The ticket is a flex so you can take any flight down that day.

Kick: And then, we'll be official friends.

Etta: Do you pinky swear?

Kick: I truly do.

Kick: Come on, say yes.

Kick: You know you want to.

Kick: Look, I'll even beg.

Kick: <send photo>

Etta: If I agree to come can you agree to never pull that face again?

Etta: It's traumatising.

Kick: Deal.

Etta: Deal.

Etta: Oh my god, how exciting! I'm going to friendship you to death!!!!

Kick: Hah!

Kick: That's precisely what I've always been afraid of.