Yes friends... something new! This may become a series to accommodate a million half-finished moments.
Life in Drips and Sputters
"Life is not like a box of chocolates," the announcement of which proves that a Ziva devoid of a case is a thinker of improbable thoughts.
And since the weakest link always bites, McGee chews on the morsel first. "Because you do know what you're gonna get?"
"Because every package I have ever received includes a diagram of the latitude and longitude of each flavor. There can be no mystery with pictures to follow."
Polishing off an organic granola bar, a matter of much speculation moments before this candy debate, Tony swallows cardboard and considers his partner.
"You're the death of simplicity."
Swiping the crumbly evidence from his lips, Tony stands and demonstrates the possibility of a thoughtful leer. Too long trained against such techniques, Ziva barely spares him notice.
"Out of professional interest," Tony says, "how many boxes?"
"Pardon?"
"That you've received. How many?"
"Well," the forgotten probie tosses in, "if we consider the height to hip ratio..."
"No one asked you," Tony says without bothering to aim eyes at the target. "The question remains, Agent David."
"A woman's consumption is not measured by the number, but the strategy."
And he's stopped a little short by this. Trust women to have a chocolate war plan. "Shove in the pile or one at a time?"
"One at a time. Unless the spirit moves me."
Her English, Tony notes, arrives in perfect execution in matters of spite and flirtation. It's unclear which motivates her at present. But by the fullness of her lips and the soft challenge of the gaze finally secured, he's angling for the latter.
And perhaps, in the theory of chocolate boxes, she's right. After all, some cosmic devil cues the dead body and Tony wonders if it's possible to scratch the varnish off one's karma. Because she can argue that this predictable end to their moment, so brief as to be invisible, proves one can indeed know what they're going to get. Flirtation with a spring-loaded center and no resolution.
Tony prefers to think that life is like a glass of vintage wine with a waterproof Rolex swimming at the bottom. Reality informs that life is more a cheap, dollar-store box of imitation chocolate. Indeed, you never know what you're gonna get but in the end, it's all the same dull flavor.
Flavor only lives outside the box.