Carly Shay was getting ready to leave for her big date when her friend, Sam Puckett, walked into their apartment.

"Uh, hey Sam." Carly said nervously when her friend plopped onto her sofa. For the past week Sam had always visited Carly the minute before she was about to leave for a date, then followed her on that date. Carly was hoping and praying Sam wouldn't do that this time, but she knew there couldn't be another reason why she was here.

"Wow, what are you all gussied up for?" Sam asked as she flicked on the TV. Carly clenched her teeth and answered, "Just a, uh, date."

"Where's the guy taking you to?" Sam asked while channel-surfing.

"Oh just the Groovy Smoothie." Carly said apprehensively.

"Ah sweet!" Sam exclaimed, turning her attention to Carly fully, "They've got a new bacon-flavored smoothie I've been dying to try!" She marched over to the door and looked outside. "When's pretty boy getting here? I want my bacon smoothie!" Carly sighed and sat on the sofa. She knew nothing would get Sam away from her now. While thinking over ways to get Sam to stay at the apartment, the doorbell rang. Immediately, Sam flung the door open.

"Hey, Car-" the boy began to say but Sam grabbed his arm and flung him out the door.

"What're you waiting for?" she yelled at Carly. Carly rolled her eyes and left.

At the Groovy Smoothie, Carly's date was not going as planned. She tried to strike up conversation but her date kept glancing wincingly at Sam, who was slurping her smoothie messily.

"Hey, listen to this joke I heard!" Sam said, "Knock knock."

"Who's there?" Carly asked lazily.

"Orange." Sam replied.

"Orange who?" Carly asked.

"Orange you glad I didn't say banana!" Sam said, and laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. She took another loud slurp of her smoothie.

"Hey pretty boy, why don't you say something?" she asked, spraying spit all over the table. The boy looked very disgusted.

"Oops, sorry 'bout that!" she said, wiping the spit off the table and back into her cup, "Waste not, want not."

"Sorry, Carly," the boy said, standing up, "it's just not worth it." With that he ran out of the restaurant rather hastily.

"What got into him?" Sam asked, totally oblivious. Carly rested her head on her hand, feeling horribly embarrassed.

"Gotta go." Sam said, glancing at her watch, "My mom'll kill me if I'm not back by curfew. Later." Then she he left.

Carly let out an exasperated sigh. She just had to get Sam away from her while she was on dates! At this rate I'll die old and alone. she thought bitterly.

"Wanna buy a pickle?" asked the voice of the smoothie salesman Tibo, holding a stick with pickles stuck on it.

"No, I'm too depressed." Carly answered, slumping back in her chair.

"A pickle will cheer you up."

"No, Tibo."

"What you got against pickles?"

"Fine, I'll buy a pickle!" She dug into her purse and pulled out a wadded dollar bill. Happily, Tibo plucked a pickle off his stick and gave it to her.

"Wanna buy another pickle?"

"Go away, Tibo!"