Okay, what's happening here is that Nadine and I are attending a college. We're each on a kind of a budget. Actually we're each on a kind of a tight budget. Despite the budget constraints, Nadine and I go off on a shopping spree. While we're shopping, we find some really neat shoes and stuff, at absolute rock bottom prices. The only way we could have got the stuff any cheaper, is by shoplifting. (After a little chat with a Judge, back in my younger days, I really don't do that kind of thing anymore.)

After we return to our shared dorm room, following our shopping spree, we total up what we have spent. We saved a whole bunch of money, but we also spent almost $1000 each. My parents are just not gonna give me an extra $1000, no matter how much I saved by bargain shopping. Nadine tells me that, if her parents find out that she spent $1000 on clothes and stuff, she's out of college and behind a sales counter, working for a living.

Nadine and I then check around and find out that a college girl can earn maybe $10 per hour, tops. That would mean 100 hours of work each to pay back the $1,000. If we can find 100 hours of work at $10 per hour, somewhere near the college, we either give up our social lives or flunk out of school. Worst case, maybe both.

I'm in our dorm room, making a list of things that Nadine and I can do to get out of our financial predicaments. Things look really grim and maybe the best option I can come up with here is suicide.

Suddenly, Nadine prances back into our room and tells me, "Guess what, Linda, I got us a Halloween party gig at $1000 each!"

My spirits soar for a moment! Then, I come back down to earth, hard. I ask Nadine, "Exactly what do we have to do to earn the magic $1000?"

Nadine says, "Well, we work at a Halloween party. We serve refreshments and sort of run the games and stuff."

I ask Nadine, "Do you mean that we dress up like maids and prance around the party with trays of goodies?"

Nadine says, "Well, yes we'll pass out trays of goodies, at the party."

Staying focused here, I ask, "Dressed as?"

Nadine says, "Well we certainly won't be dressed as maids! We'll even get to wear masks to the party."

Still staying focused, I ask, "Dressed as?"

Nadine takes a deep breath and says, "Remember the neat stiletto heels we found at the going out of business shoe store sale?"

I sigh, "Yes, I remember the stiletto heels. Would you like me to remind you of the price, even at a deep discount, of the really neat stiletto heels that we bought?"

Nadine says, "Well, it's a good thing we got them, because that's what we're going to be wearing to the party!"

Since I have dealt with Nadine for some time, I understand what she has just said and, more importantly, what she has not said. It's now my turn to take a deep breath, "We'll go to the party wearing just masks and the stiletto heels, right?"

Nadine says, "Well, we can also wear earrings and makeup."

I snap, "Nadine, I'll die before I prance around a party in the nude."

Nadine asks, "Then, you're going to tell your parents about the $1,000 you spent?" (Nadine has also dealt with me for some time.)