Sorry I Asked

"So, how is George doing?" I asked, after Ethan hung up the phone. 

It had been quite a lengthy conversation to say the least.

"Okay," he replied. 

"How is his summer going?" I asked.

"Okay."

"Is he looking forward to school starting?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"You know, that was an awfully long conversation for just 'okay' and 'yeah'."

Ethan sighed.

"He went to the zoo and saw monkeys," he said.  "Their junk was hanging down."

[crickets]

"Oh, and he asked how my tree-wife is doing and I said..."

"Hold on a second!  Back up.  Your tree-wife?"

"We're going to have mutant tree babies."

[more crickets]

I was too afraid to ask.

- 24 August 2012

Read the precursor to this conversation: George Calling.