oom: and there is so little time ...
"Well, I guess it's getting pretty late. It's been a great evening, Laurie. You're sure you won't let me pick up the tab?"
As Laurie handed over her credit card, Dan finished off what was left of his water, watching as the waiter took it from her hands, along with the check, and left the table.
"Nah," she replied, "If I'm gonna be a kept woman for the military's secret weapon, then the military can stand me a bowl of spaghetti africaine every once in a while."
"Hey, you sound bitter."
"No. Not really. It's just that the only reason I'm kept around is to keep Jon relaxed and happy."
"Uh ...," Dan stumbled over his tongue, feeling he might have said something wrong.
"Is everything okay with you and Jon?"
"Me and Jon?" Laurie asked, as though surprised, "Oh, yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. Couldn't be better."
Silence fell between the two of them as the water returned with the receipt, and the two of them headed towards the roof.
"It's just that I keep thinking," Laurie began, glancing over at Dan, "I'm thirty-five. What have I done?" I've spent eight years in semi-retirement, preceded by ten years running around in a costume because my stupid mother wanted me to! You remember that costume? With that stupid little short skirt and the neckline going down to my navel? God, that was so dreadful."
Dan had to work to hide exactly how un-dreadful he felt her costume had been.
"God, yes. Dreadful."
"Y'know," she remarked, as they reached the roof, "When I think back ... Why did we do it? Why did we dress up like that? The Keene Act was the best thing that ever happened to us."
"Yeah, you're probably right."
Silence fell again, this time uncomfortable as Dan fingered the smiley face pin he'd been given by Rorschach.
After a moment, Laurie reached out to touch his hand.
"Hey, you remember that guy? The one who pretended to be a supervillain so he could get beaten up?"
"Oh, you mean Captain Carnage. Ha ha ha! He was one for the books."
"You're telling me! I remember I caught him coming out of this jewelers. I didn't know what his racket was. I start hitting him and I think, "Jeez! He's breathing funny! Does he have asthma?""
"Ha ha ha. He tried that with me, only I'd heard about him, so I just walked away."
"Ha ha ha."
"He followed me down the street ... broad daylight, right? He's saying "Punish me!" I'm saying "No! Get lost!""
"Whatever happened to him?"
"Uh, well, he pulled it on Rorschach and Rorschach dropped him down an elevator shaft."
At that, Laurie burst out laughing.
"Phaa ha ha ha! Oh, god, I'm sorry, that isn't funny. Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Ha ha ha! No, I guess it's not ..."
"Ahuh. Ahuhuhuh ... Jeez, y'know, that felt good. There don't seem to be that many laughs around these days."
Dan managed a small smile.
"Well, what do you expect? The Comedian is dead."
As Laurie handed over her credit card, Dan finished off what was left of his water, watching as the waiter took it from her hands, along with the check, and left the table.
"Nah," she replied, "If I'm gonna be a kept woman for the military's secret weapon, then the military can stand me a bowl of spaghetti africaine every once in a while."
"Hey, you sound bitter."
"No. Not really. It's just that the only reason I'm kept around is to keep Jon relaxed and happy."
"Uh ...," Dan stumbled over his tongue, feeling he might have said something wrong.
"Is everything okay with you and Jon?"
"Me and Jon?" Laurie asked, as though surprised, "Oh, yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. Couldn't be better."
Silence fell between the two of them as the water returned with the receipt, and the two of them headed towards the roof.
"It's just that I keep thinking," Laurie began, glancing over at Dan, "I'm thirty-five. What have I done?" I've spent eight years in semi-retirement, preceded by ten years running around in a costume because my stupid mother wanted me to! You remember that costume? With that stupid little short skirt and the neckline going down to my navel? God, that was so dreadful."
Dan had to work to hide exactly how un-dreadful he felt her costume had been.
"God, yes. Dreadful."
"Y'know," she remarked, as they reached the roof, "When I think back ... Why did we do it? Why did we dress up like that? The Keene Act was the best thing that ever happened to us."
"Yeah, you're probably right."
Silence fell again, this time uncomfortable as Dan fingered the smiley face pin he'd been given by Rorschach.
After a moment, Laurie reached out to touch his hand.
"Hey, you remember that guy? The one who pretended to be a supervillain so he could get beaten up?"
"Oh, you mean Captain Carnage. Ha ha ha! He was one for the books."
"You're telling me! I remember I caught him coming out of this jewelers. I didn't know what his racket was. I start hitting him and I think, "Jeez! He's breathing funny! Does he have asthma?""
"Ha ha ha. He tried that with me, only I'd heard about him, so I just walked away."
"Ha ha ha."
"He followed me down the street ... broad daylight, right? He's saying "Punish me!" I'm saying "No! Get lost!""
"Whatever happened to him?"
"Uh, well, he pulled it on Rorschach and Rorschach dropped him down an elevator shaft."
At that, Laurie burst out laughing.
"Phaa ha ha ha! Oh, god, I'm sorry, that isn't funny. Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Ha ha ha! No, I guess it's not ..."
"Ahuh. Ahuhuhuh ... Jeez, y'know, that felt good. There don't seem to be that many laughs around these days."
Dan managed a small smile.
"Well, what do you expect? The Comedian is dead."