Crooks and Castles

Chapter Five

Q: What American television sitcom was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons?
A: Friends.

In Angel's not-so dingy bedroom, Judith gave her favourite listening stance. She wasn't really in the mood for his usual blathering, but Angel was her friend. She had to be there for him; for anything, anywhere, every day. Always.

She was a small woman with bright blue eyes and pale skin. Very pale. Her bony face, full eyebrows, and short chin made her look a little daring than women her age and her white hair was never dried; as she always had the habit of gelling or wetting it.

Judith Archibald or Jude as she preferred to be called, sat on an armchair with a stick of Vogue cigarette between her slender fingers. She crossed her legs on the surprisingly creaking stool before her, but of course, that wasn't the only thing creaking.

Her friend Angel paced up and down the bedroom, dressing and shamelessly bickering.

"I have never had to beg a woman for her time and her attention," he had said with all amount of seriousness. Judith stayed quiet the whole time, listening and nodding when it was needed.

"I mean, what does she think she is?" he asked presently, acting like an already rejected suitor.

"Obviously something you can't get," Judith said sucking a mouthful of cigarette smoke. She smiled, releasing two trails of smoke from her nostrils.

Angel brushed the smoke away and shot her a disapproving look, "You are not in the slightest way funny or helping matters here. I didn't call you here to smoke and look at my naked body."

Judith raised her small arms in the air. "In my defence, I wasn't trying to be funny or help."

"You're the worst."

She gave a wintry smile. "Okay, let's be serious," she chortled and stubbed out her cigarette into an ashtray. "I really can't remember the last time you were so interested with a female, Angel. Why do you want her so bad? Or is it sex?"

"Well..." Angel trailed. He didn't know what to say anymore. He wanted to have her in his bed, that was his motive at first but now, he didn't know anymore. He was confused, more confused than he ever thought he'd be. And the only person he could talk to wasn't even trying to help him. She was playing the enemy.

"You're not saying anything," Judith declared.

"I can't think with all this smoke in the air," he protested and sat on the bed with a sigh.

"And you say you are a man?" Judith chuckled. "Let's face it, I'm more of a man than you'd ever be."

"Ah, shut up. Though my mother named me Angel, I'm still a hundred per cent sure she does think of me as a man."

He tugged at his tie, loosening it. "Come on, Jude. Tell me what to do," his voice was serious again. "She's making me fucking sick."

Judith looked at him worriedly. "Are you sure you're ready for something serious? I mean I'm not happy with the way you're living now, no one is. But are you sure you're ready to let someone in?"

Angel looked at his friend like she had gone mad. "I never said I wanted something serious. This girl just drives me crazy and I want to know why," he said sternly. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Jude, I didn't mean to sound like that. You know when you said serious-"