Husband and I met Son for dinner at Salvatore’s, our neighborhood Italian restaurant. We usually choose sushi for our family outings, but on Thursday we were feeling a little parmigiana and pesto. Husband and I arrived first and greeted Sal as we walked in. Of course there’s a Sal at Salvatore’s. In fact, there are two: Senior and Junior. It was Junior minding the store that evening, and Son chatted with him briefly when he arrived before sitting down to join us.
SON: How you doing? What’s new?
OSV: Well, I finally got myself a netbook.
SON: What did you get, a Dell?
OSV: Toshiba.
SON: For like $250, $300?
OSV: $300. Well, it was $400, but they gave me $100 off because I also got a –
SON: Printer?
OSV: No.
SON: External hard drive?
OSV: No.
SON: Plasma TV?
OSV: No!
SON: What did you get?
OSV: I got a . . .
SON: You forgot, didn’t you?
OSV: Isn’t that part of your game?
SON: No game. What did you get?
OSV: A wireless plan with one of those –
SON: Air cards?
OSV: Devices.
SON: To connect to a network?
OSV: Verizon’s network.
SON: An air card. Good, Mom, that’ll be easier for you to carry around. Netbooks are like one and a half pounds.
OSV: Two and a half.
HUSBAND: That’s still better than your eight pound laptop.
OSV: Seven.
SON: You’re very particular with the details.
OSV: Me? Well, yeah. Where do you think you get it from?
SON: Get what from? Were you guys up at the condo last week?
HUSBAND: Yes, and we’d love for you and your girlfriend to come up and visit one weekend.
OSV: We’ll even spring for a hotel nearby so you don’t have to stay in our behind-the-garage guest room with the bathroom two flights up.
SON: Yeah, that would not appeal to me. The hotel’s inexpensive though, right?
OSV: It’s a Hampton Inn.
SON: Then it would be relatively cheap.
OSV: If it’s that cheap, you can pay for it.
SON: I thought I was your guest.
OSV: You are, but I wouldn’t want you to lose any sleep over us footing the bill.
SON: Don’t be ridiculous. I won’t lose sleep. I’m letting you buy me dinner, aren’t I?
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