Here's something short and sweet just so I can introduce a couple of characters. Enjoy!
Since Lorelai decided to let Lane and her band use their garage to practice in, she and her girls were finally going to clean it out for them to do so. They hadn't used their garage in quite some time now and were actually afraid to open it. So, they are standing out of the closed garage doors wondering how long it had actually been since they've been in there.
"Well?" Lauren asks.
"I'd say three years." Lorelai says.
"I'd say more like four." Rory tells them.
"It hasn't been four years since we stepped inside our own garage."
Rory shrugs. "It was when we got the Jeep."
"That wasn't—It was!" She exclaims.
"We got as far as opening the door before something flew out and scared you." Rory explains.
"Yes, it scared my while you stood by calmly like Dr. Dolittle chatting with the bat." Lorelai remembers.
"It was a bat."
"Wearing an Ozzfest t-shit, I believe."
"Will the man ever live that down?" Rory wonders.
While Lauren was listening to her mom and sister discuss the bat from four years ago, she walks over to the garage doors. "What are you doing?" Lorelai panics as she and Rory run over to her.
Lauren rolls her eyes. "Bat or no bat, you promised Lane and her band the garage. And they'll probably need to actually get in there to do so— "
Lorelai smiles trying to hide how frightened she actually was. "I guess we're going in."
"I guess we are." Rory frowns.
"Alright." Lorelai and Lauren grab one door while Rory grabs the other. "On three. One, two, three!" Lorelai counts before they open the door to the very, very cluttered garage. Rory gasps. "What? What is it?"
"Those are the boxes from our attic that you had to give away two years ago!" Rory yells at their mom.
Lorelai looks confused. "What?"
"I spent three days boxing all the stuff from the attic and you were going to call the charity to get it picked up."
"I made an appointment, the guy didn't show." Lorelai says defending herself.
"He didn't."
"No. I don't think." Lorelai says, unsure.
"Unbelievable." Rory glares with disappointment.
"Wait. I remember, I was doing something and I told Lauren to stay and wait for the guy." Lorelai says as she looks at her daughter who is looking through their junk.
Lauren laughs. "Yeah, I remember that. I got bored sitting for two hours so I left a note saying the stuff was in the garage."
Rory shakes her head. "You were doing something? What was so important that you left your eleven-year-old daughter to wait for a guy to pick up boxes. An eleven-year-old who had zero patience."
"Hey, I resent that." Lauren frowns.
"Well?" Rory asks Lorelai.
Lorelai sighs. "I went for coffee."
"They aren't allowed to go into someone's garage." Rory informs them.
"How was I supposed to know?" Lauren asks. "Plus, I wrote it in the note. If it's in the note, they should have known it was okay."
"How did he know it was authentic?" Rory asks. "It was in kid handwriting."
"You're being very mean to someone who is helping you clean out the garage so that your friend and her band can practice."
"Alright. Alright." Lorelai says, getting in the middle of them. "Let's just get this over with."
They begin pulling things out of random places. "I can't believe how much junk we have." Rory says.
"Hey, these are souvenirs from our life's journey, Girly Girl. This is not junk." She grabs a doll that was basically in pieces. "This is junk. That over there is junk. Basically everything I'm looking at is junk."
"We're pack rats."
"We're Sanford and son."
"Hey!" Lauren gasps as she grabs a round blue pillow.
"What?"
Lauren hugs the item close to her. "Hug-a-world." She says, smiling widely. "It's my Hug-a-world."
"Where's the world?" Lorelai asks, looking slightly amused.
They look at the 'world' that is just now solid blue. "It's faded." Lauren shrugs.
"Hey, I remember this!" Rory exclaims, matching Lauren's excitement. "Oh, look there's something." She points.
"Canada." Lorelai smiles. "Nice. Okay." She goes to grab it from Lauren, but she pulls back.
"What are you doing?" Lauren glares.
"Throwing it out."
"You can't throw out Hug-a-world." Rory tells her.
"I'm not. I'm throwing out Hug-a-Canada."
Lauren slaps her mom's hand away. "I learned my seven continents on Hug-a-world. Don't you remember?"
Lorelai rolls her eyes. "Yes, I do. You were five and annoying."
"And we used to squeeze it tightly, then whatever our pinkies would end up that's where we were going to go when we grew up." Rory explains.
Lorelai nods. "Yes. Many trips to Uzbekistan was planned that way."
"We can clean him up and keep him." Lauren says.
"Throw him there. I'll see."
Lauren smiles, gratefully. "Thank you!" And she tosses Hug-a-world to the side.
"Now, if I clean that, does it cancel out me not getting rid of the boxes?" Lorelai asks Rory.
Rory and Lauren glance at each other. "We'll consider it a wash." Rory tells her.
Lorelai smirks and looks back over at it. "How about if I chase it and bring it back?"
"What?"
"It would like to see the world." Lorelai points to the rolling Hug-a-world.
Lauren gasps. "It's moving!"
"Something's there besides Canadians." Lorelai tells them.
"I hugged it!" Lauren grimaces. "I hugged it really tight."
"Yes, you did." Lorelai matches her grimace.
"I have to shower!" Lauren runs out of the garage, back towards the house.
"Not if I get there first!" Rory yells, following her.
Lorelai sighs as she looks back at the still cluttered garage. "What about the rest of the garage!?" She yells.
It took a couple days to clean out of the garage, but they finally did it, and Lane and her band were now able to move their stuff in and start practicing.
"I already talked to the neighbors. Keep the doors closed. Music must stop by eight." Lorelai informs them.
"Don't worry, I have to be home by six." Lane assures her.
"We'll be done by eight, don't you worry." The lead singer, Zack promises while he checks Lorelai out.
Lorelai glances at Rory who is watching with disgust. "I won't." Lorelai smiles, kindly.
"Okay, okay, okay, Lorelai." Zach smiles.
"So, Rory showed you the key, you're welcome to anything in the kitchen which is nothing, but the water's yours for the taking. Just replace the bottle if it's out."
"You ask, I will obey." Zach says as he steps closer to Lorelai who steps back slightly.
"Super." Lorelai walks over to Rory who is watching her mom and Zach. She was amused by Zach's attempt to flirt with her mom. "Do you need any help?"
"Nope." Rory shakes her head.
"Need any help, please?" Lorelai begs.
"I'm good, Pamela Des Barres." She teases.
"When did you turn on Mommy?"
"He's cute." Rory laughs. "And you know, if you latch on now, you're totally entitled to half of everything—"Lorelai gasps. "—when he dumps you after he's famous."
"Since you don't need any help, simply a new place to live, I'm gonna just go and check on the good daughter who is in the house not being mean to Mommy." Lorelai turns back around and Zach gets in front of her, blocking her way. "You're back, hi."
"Listen, we're gonna be playing a gig next month. I think you'd really get into it." Zach tells her.
"Oh, well, I'd love to get into it, Zack, but I have this medical condition where I can't listen to music."
"You can't?"
"No." Lorelai sighs, dramatically. "My ears. The hollow tubey thing inside is very tiny and it will literally explode if I listen to anything loud and musical."
"That sucks."
"I know. Thanks for the invite, I'm sure it's gonna be great." Rory walks back over, getting back into her mom's view. "So, you guys have a good rehearsal. I'm gonna go inside and write to Tipper, great gal. See you guys later." Lorelai walks away.
"Bye, Pam." Rory smirks.
"She is some kind of fine." Zach tells Rory.
"Zach, some help would be great." Dave tells him.
"Relax." Zach walks into the garage.
Rory walks over to Lane. "I can't believe you are letting us rehearse here." Lane says, looking very grateful.
"You can thank us in the liner notes." Rory tells her.
"Right under, 'Our Lord, Jesus Christ.'"
"That's good billing. Are you guys playing a gig this month?" She asks, overhearing Zach tell her mom that.
Lane shrugs. "Abby's birthday party, her folks are letting her have a band."
"That would be great."
"Let's just hope she doesn't wreck the car again and her mom doesn't cancel it."
"I'll hide the key myself." Rory jokes.
Lorelai is out on her little coffee date/excursion with Alex, the guy that she met last week. They are at a coffee shop testing out samples of coffee for his business he's opening up.
Alex walks over to where Lorelai was waiting patiently with two other samples of coffee. "Now this is the Sumatra blend." He says as he sets the cups with the other little coffee cups on their table. "It's supposed to be a little sharper than the Colombian."
"You know; this is pretty much what I thought heaven would look like." Lorelai says, smiling. Sampling different kinds of coffee on a date was right up her alley. "There might have been a unicorn in the corner, but, basically, this is it." She says making them both laugh. "So. I had 15 of these tiny coffees."
Alex nods. "Yes, you have."
"And you're telling me that all this tasting is completely free?"
"Yes."
"So, I'm a cheap date."
"The tasting is free, but I have to promise to stock my coffee chain from this warehouse, so this date is costing me about 11,000 a month." Alex teases.
Lorelai smiles proudly. "I hope I'm worth it."
"So far, so good."
"So, you were telling me about your kids." Lorelai says, continuing their conversation from before.
"Right. They live with their mom but I get them quite a bit. They both recently started soccer because apparently it's the law."
"Oh, I know. Lauren got caught, but Rory's still got an outstanding warrant on that one." Lorelai jokes. "So, how old are they?"
"Six and nine."
"Good ages."
"I haven't really hit a bad one yet."
"Lauren is a lot like me at that age, so beware of 13, but with Rory, I think it's gonna be 43."
"Really?" Alex asks, looking amused.
"Not sure why, just have the feeling that's the year she's getting the Mohawk." Lorelai takes a sip of one of the coffees. "Mm! We like sharper. When you guys open your coffee place, it must be on the menu. So, let's see, we've covered work, kids, shall we move on to hobbies?"
"Not a hobby guy."
"Hallelujah."
"Most of the time I'm working, with the kids, or I'm charming the chicks with the coffee." Alex explains. "A few times a year I go camping or fishing. I actually really love that stuff."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Absolutely. How about you?"
"There's a reason they call it the great outdoors, right?"
"I was actually thinking of going fishing this Saturday."
"That sounds like fun." Lorelai says, trying to sounds as convincing as she could.
"There's this great place, beautiful, perfect fishing. You wanna come?"
And apparently it was working. "Huh?"
"I'd love to take you."
"Oh, yeah, sure! That would be nice."
"Great, it's a date."
"Yes, it is a date." Lorelai smiles but insides she was freaking out. "It is a fishing date."
Lorelai is sitting in the kitchen at the inn, where Sookie is working on a cake. Lorelai was still beating herself up for making Alex believe that she fishes.
"Dumb, dumb, dumb!" Lorelai complains as she palms her forehead repeatedly.
"Oh, come on." Sookie smirks.
"I fish. I also body-surf and walk on the moon without a spacesuit."
"You were trying to impress him. You like him."
"I like him, but I'm not sixteen. I don't lie to guys to make them like me. I just got stuck when he said fishing and camping. I was trying to be nice and not say, 'Fishing, great. Cold, wet, and smelly. My favorite things after the witches from Macbeth.'"
"Honey, we all do it." Sookie assures her best friend. "When Jackson and I first started dating we went to a pickling festival. He wore a shirt with a giant front on it. So, I'm trying to make conversation, I say, 'Hey, cute frog.' And he says, 'You like frogs?' And I said, 'I love frogs.' So for out six-month anniversary, he gives me a frog figurine. And then when Christmas came he gave me another frog figurine. And then he told his family what to get me, and all of a sudden—"
"Your frog collection."
"I'm the frog girl."
"You never told him you don't like frogs?" Lorelai asks.
"No. He has the best time buying them for me, so I let him buy them."
"That's sweet." Lorelai frowns. "Maybe I could go fishing. Maybe. Once."
"Tell me about Alex."
"Well, he owns an iron company. They do gates and statues, big fancy stuff. He's divorced, he has two kids he's crazy about. He's nice, he drinks a lot of coffee." Lorelai smiles. "It's all good, it all works."
"So?" Sookie questions.
"So, I'm going fishing. I'm the fish girl." She sighs.
Sookie gasps, happily. "Frog girls welcomes you to the club!"
A woman walks into Luke's diner and walks over to Jess who is wiping down a table.
"Excuse me. Hi, I'm looking for a Mr. Lucas Danes?" She asks him.
Jess turns to Luke who is across at another table. "Oh, Lucas."
"What?" Luke asks.
"I.R.S."
"I'm not I.R.S." She says as Jess walks away and Luke takes his place. "I'm not I.R.S."
"I'm Luke Danes." Luke tells her.
"Luke Danes, sorry." She smiles. "Hello, Luke Danes, I'm Nicole Leahy. I'm Taylor Doose's attorney."
"Geez." Luke groans in annoyance.
She pulls out some paperwork from her bag. "He wanted me to bring—"
"The lease agreements." Luke interrupts. "I know. I told him to walk them over here. But what's the fun of being Taylor, right?"
"I'm sorry, this is a bad time, it certainly won't take me very long."
"No, it's fine. Whatever. Let's get this over with."
"No problem." Luke walks behind the counter as she follows and sits on the other side.
"You want some coffee?" Luke asks.
"Yeah, sounds great. I really just need to witness your signature, it's actually just a formality." Nicole explains.
"In other words, completely ridiculous and unnecessary." Luke says as he pours her coffee.
"Mr. Doose really likes things to be formal. And neat. And in triplicate. He just loves things in triplicate." She smirks before taking a sip of the coffee. "That's a really good cup of coffee."
"Thanks. So tell me something, what's it like being Taylor's lawyer?"
"Well, actually I'm not exactly Mr. Doose's lawyer, or only lawyer." Nicole corrects him. "He's one of our select clients. All our attorneys deal with him on a rotating basis. It's my month."
"My condolences."
"Yeah, my father always said, 'That which does not kill you, makes you stronger.'"
"You're gonna be really strong."
Nicole laughs. "He's not that bad."
"Well, if you run into someone pinned under a truck, pick it up. It'll be a piece of cake." Luke jokes. "Okay, looks like that's the whole nine yards." He says as he finishes signing the papers.
"Great. You and Mr. Doose are officially in business together." Luke rolls his eyes. "I'm so sorry, I meant that as a good thing."
"It's okay." Luke smiles.
"Well, I will let you get back to work." Nicole goes to pay but Luke stops her.
"Oh, no. On me."
"Tell you what, it's business. Let's let Mr. Doose pay for it."
"Even better."
Nicole smiles one last time at Luke before she walks out of the diner. "That was interesting." Jess says as he walks up to Luke.
"What are you yammering about?" Luke asks.
"Gloria Allred wants to go slumming."
"Shut up."
"She was coming on to you."
"She was not." Luke argues.
"Didn't you hear her panting when you were signing?"
"Didn't see it." Luke says as he walks away.
Jess follows him. "She laughed at your jokes. We both know there has to be an ulterior motive for people laughing at your jokes."
"Okay. Whatever." Luke says, having enough. "Even if there was something, which I'm not saying there was, she's a suit, not my type."
"Yeah. Especially since she's not a monk."
"You mean I don't go out that much?" Luke asks.
Jess shrugs. "Take a look at a calendar. When was the last time you went on a date?"
"Last month, wise ass! I went out with Joanna Cooper."
"You gave her a ride home."
"That is the end of a date."
"Only if you go on a date first."
"I won't discuss this."
"Suit yourself. I've got to meet Rory anyway. See, I'm going to pick her up, spend a few hours actually being with her, then give her a ride home. That's the end of a date." Jess explains sarcastically.
"Or I'll stay open a few hours later which means you're here till ten. That's also the end of a date." Luke threatens.
Jess shakes his head. "Hopeless."
"Bye now."
Lorelai is sitting at her table at Luke's Diner and was already eating and waiting impatiently for her daughters to arrive. Luke walks up to refill her coffee.
"Hey. Got any good stories?" Lorelai asks with a smile.
Luke thinks for a moment. "No, sorry." He says, smiling back.
"Nothing? No crazy, colorful uncle? Best friend with a funny name?"
"Jeff Smith."
"Skeletons in the family closet, war wounds, funny-shaped scars?" She continues.
"It really throws you off when Rory and Lauren are late, doesn't it?"
Lorelai sighs. "Big time." Rory and Lauren walk in carrying books. "Oh, thank God!"
"Sorry." Rory says as they walk over to her.
"Didn't Luke keep you company?" Lauren asks.
"He tried, but he's got nothing." Lorelai tells them.
"Thank you." Luke says as he walks away.
"So, what's with all the books?"
"We are going to fish." Rory tells her.
"With these?"
"Yes."
"So we throw the in the water and try to knock the fish out?" Lorelai questions.
"Rory and I were talking and thought it would be a good idea to get some books. Maybe they'll help for when you go fishing." Lauren explains.
Lorelai grimaces. "You're serious."
"You want to learn to fish?"
Lorelai opens one of them. "Exciting, huh?" Rory smiles.
"Oh, I can barely keep still. 'Chapter one. Technique.'" Lorelai reads. "'For deep-water fishing, an angler'—what's an angler?"
"That'd be you." Rory tells her.
"Better remember that. Okay. 'For deep-water fishing, an angler,' me again, 'can choose a wire line using a down-rigger or a vertical jig. Whatever your technique, a good way to attract fish is the appropriate lure.' Oh, what about the sequined top I wore to the Christmas party?" Lorelai asks.
"Yes, I think that's exactly what he's talking about." Lauren says sarcastically.
"'For bottom feeders, consider small, dark-patterned lures.' Simple, yet elegant, 'In areas where the forage fish are Cisco, you're limited to the larger, flashy baits.' I am telling you, the larger, flashy baits will make me look cheap."
"Okay. Let's review. What do we know so far?" Rory asks.
"I need flashy baits if I'm going to invest in Cisco unless I choose to cast a troll in my down-rigger."
Rory and Lauren smile proudly. "That's good."
Luke walks back up. "Doing a little studying?" He asks.
"Mom's learning how to fish." Lauren says.
"Your what?" Luke asks, looking at Lorelai as if she's crazy.
"I'm learning how to fish." Lorelai tells him.
"Oh, sorry. Wrong inflection. You're what?"
"Go away."
"Why are you learning how to fish?"
Lorelai looks at her girls, trying to figure out what to say. "It's something I wanted to do. Some friends might fish. And I thought if they can it, I can do it. And what if I am a really great fisher, I mean, what if that's my calling? The thing I'm meant to do. All this time I've been sitting here with a gift to fish and I am squandering it. It's like if Mozart walked right by the piano store and never played a note."
"So you're going to fish to fulfill your destiny." Luke says, trying to understand.
"Right."
"You're going to learn to fish to fulfill your destiny from a book."
"Yes."
"And you both sanction this." He says to Rory and Lauren. "Possibly there's another way to learn to fish."
"The fishing channel."
"I fish." Luke states.
"Oh, yeah, we've seen those boot thingies outside drying off." Rory says.
"Those would be called waders."
"I'm sure I'll be reading about waders in one of these cliffhangers here." Lorelai tells them.
"If you want, I can show you a few things, get you started." Luke offers. "Make sure you don't strangle yourself with your own line, the basics."
"Are you sure you don't mind?"
"I can come over tomorrow after work."
"Great. Thank you. Ah!" Lorelai grabs Luke's arm before he can walk away. "Just for the record, I don't want to learn that." She says as she points into the book. The girls grimace at the picture as Lorelai forcefully shows them.
Rory walks into the headmaster's secretary's office at Chilton.
"I got a note that I was supposed to come see Headmaster Charleston." She says to his secretary.
"I'll let him know that you're both here." His secretary says.
Rory looks confused. "Both?"
"Both." Paris says from behind her. Rory turns to find Paris sitting with her arms crossed looking just as displeased as she does at this moment.
"Both." Rory sighs.
"Take a seat, please." The secretary tells her.
Rory walks over and sits down next to Paris. "So what this time?" She asks. "Trying to have me deported?" Earlier Paris tried getting Rory to resign from her vice-presidency, but it was against the rules.
Paris glares at Rory. "Like I called this meeting."
"I didn't call this meeting." Rory argues.
"Save that for Sundance, you snitch."
"I didn't snitch!"
"Said the weak-kneed turncoat."
"Nixon's bad seed."
"Daughter of Judas."
Headmaster Charleston opens his door overhearing their argument. "Ladies, come in, please." Rory and Paris walk into his office. "Chilton Student Council president and vice president in my office not what I would have expected, I must tell you." He says as he closes his office door and walks over to the two. "There's been quite a stir about you two in the past several days. The school is buzzing with talk of your clashes in student council meetings—"He informs them as he walks up behind the two who are already sitting. "—your face offs in the cafeteria, a screaming match at the school newspaper's office." He finishes as he walks behind his desk.
"Excuse me, Headmaster, in regard to the incident at the Franklin, Ms. Gilmore submitted a piece that was poorly— "
"It was not poorly." Rory interrupts.
"I re-edited it. She took it very badly." Paris continues.
"There was nothing wrong with it." Rory argues.
"In regard to the student council meeting—"
"Oh, you mean, the one where you tried to impeach me because you haven't been diagnosed yet?"
"If you just allow me access to my briefs—"
"Do you want me to quit?" Rory asks. "Fine! I'll quit. I never wanted this stupid job in the first place."
"Who forced you to take it?" Paris asks her loudly.
"You did! You didn't think you'd get elected unless I ran with you." Rory reminds her.
"That's not true."
"It's completely true!"
"Shut up!"
"You shut up!"
"Enough!" Headmaster Charleston yells. "This behavior will stop this instant. It is disgraceful especially from the political leaders of this campus. Now, I'd like to know what is actually driving this recent rash of infighting." The girls look away, refusing to explain. Headmaster Charleston rolls his eyes at their immaturity. "Oh, good, I get to guess. Well, let's see, perhaps you're arguing over the same boy?"
"Sure." Paris says quietly. "We're girls, so we could only be arguing about a boy. Sexist, white-haired— "
"Paris, are you muttering?" He questions.
"No, sorry."
"Alright, if it isn't a boy, perhaps it's a popularity someone didn't get invited to someone else's party? Or perhaps this is a power struggle of some sort." The girls still refuse to explain themselves. "No? Well, then I'll stop guessing and start lecturing. Ms. Gilmore, you will not be quitting the student council, is that clear?"
Rory sighs. "Yes, sir."
"The student body elected you and you will fulfill your commitment. And in the future, think long and hard about accepting any responsibility If you intend to run away from it at the first sign of conflict. And Ms. Geller, you worked very hard to get to the position you hold in this school yet you're willing to throw all that away on petty vendettas and childish antics. Indeed, it makes me wonder, if you two can't resolve your issues in this sheltered, some would say pampered environment, how on earth will you ever survive in college? As student council officers, you represent Chilton to those inside and outside these hallowed halls. Right now the world sees us as a group of sniveling, spiteful vindictive individuals. Not really what I'd hoped for. Nor is that how I portrayed both of you in my personal letter of recommendation to Harvard. I would hate to write a second letter to the university correcting my errors in judgment. However, I've done it before. Am I making myself clear?" He asks them both sternly.
"Yes, sir." They say in unison.
"Delightful. You may see yourselves out." He says, dismissing them.
Paris and Rory walk out into the hallway from Headmaster Charleston's office. "Well, that was delightful, wasn't it?" Rory asks Paris who still looks upset. "I'm not sure which is more embarrassing having Charleston yell at us or knowing we actually had a 'shut up, no you shut up' fight in front of him. So, what do you think, Paris? Do you feel as completely rotten as I do?"
Paris finally looks at Rory. "No." She says simply and walks away.
Luke is grabbing everything he is going to need to teach Lorelai how to fish out of his truck. And Lorelai walks out of her house dressed in full fishing attire. From the fishing hat, to the fishing vest that is decorated with bait, and down to the waders on her feet. She was ready to fish.
"Hello, sailor. Bait your hook for you?" She asks as she struts down the porch.
"You look ridiculous." Luke tells her.
"I look adorable. No one ever told me that if you fish you get to buy an outfit. I do just about anything if I can buy an outfit."
"I'll just let that go by because we have a lot to do here." Luke says as he looks her up and down.
"Okay. I'll just get my purse before we go."
"Go where?"
"To the lake."
"You're not ready for the lake."
"Then what am I ready for?" Lorelai asks.
Luke points behind her to the little kid size pool he set up in her front yard. It's filled with water and fish. Lorelai gasps. "You're putting me in the kiddie lake?"
"Got to crawl before you walk." He says as they walk closer to it.
"Hey. They're so cute." Lorelai says when she sees the fish. "Hello. Hi, boys. Oh, look, they're all singing—" She demonstrates with her mouth. "—in a little trout choir."
"I would get too attached." Luke says while he prepares everything.
"Hi, Gomer."
"There you go."
"Aw, don't be scared, Pinky."
"And now there's Pinky."
"Pinky Dowdy from fourth grade, see her eyes darting back and forth all panicked. She got that way from dodge ball." Lorelai explains. "It's okay, Pinky, nobody's gonna hurt you." She tells the fish. "Hey, Pete, stop crowding Pinky. It's okay, Pinky, just go over there, behind Shirl."
"Okay, now that everybody knows each other, take this." Luke hands her the fishing pole.
"What's that?"
"Your rod and reel."
"I don't know if the guys will like this."
"Well, we can skip the lesson and take the trout out for some beers." Luke says sarcastically. "It's up to you, really."
"No, I'm going to learn." Lorelai smiles.
"Okay, I already went ahead and threaded your line through the guides and put a hook on it." He shows her.
"What kind of bait is that?"
"A cork."
"Remind me not to let you cater at my parties."
"It's to cover the hook. Alright, this little metal thing is the bail. It's very important, it keeps your line on the spool."
Lorelai nods, confidently. "Line on the spool, got it."
"Take the rod in your right hand, press your right index finger on the line, holding it against the pole, with your left hand, slide the bail over." He demonstrates. "But don't let go of your index finger or all the line will spin off your spool. Now, pull the pole back over your shoulder to the 10 o'clock position."
"Great. Now I got to go buy a watch."
"Flip your wrist forward to 2 o'clock, at the same time releasing your index finger casting your line out into the lake in front of you." Luke casts the line into the kiddie pool and reels it back in, handing it to Lorelai. "Now, you try."
"Okay. Now I do something with my right hand, my right index finger, and with the bail and the spool, I pull the thingy—" Lorelai tosses it behind her instead, catching the bush. "Oh! Now that's be embarrassing if I wasn't dressed this way." She jokes.
"You released at eleven. You're supposed to release at 2 o'clock. Try again."
Lorelai reels the line back in. "Okay." She casts the line again, this time making it into the pool. "Ah! I made it in the pool!"
"I can see that."
"Why aren't you excited?"
"I am."
"Well, jump around or something."
"You're going in the pool." Luke threatens.
"Fine."
"So, what do you think? Ready to take the cork off, try your luck?"
"I'm ready, but they're not."
Lauren runs up and laughs when she sees her mom's outfit and the kiddie pool they are fishing in. She drops her school bag on the porch and walks over to the pool. "No way." She says when she sees the fish. "What happened to the lake?"
Lorelai frowns. "Luke said I'm not ready for the lake."
"I agree." Lauren smirks. "Nice outfit."
Lorelai smiles proudly. "Thanks."
"You're not really going to catch them, are you?" Lauren asks them sadly.
Luke grabs the other pole. "Not anymore. Here. You want to try?" He asks Lauren.
Lauren jumps over excitingly. "Yeah!" Luke demonstrates how to use the pole just as he did with Lorelai and then he hands it off to Lauren. She casts the line and makes it right into the pool. "I did it!"
"Hey, no fair." Lorelai complains. "She made it on her first try."
Lauren laughs. "Let me guess, you made it in the bush your first try."
Lorelai glares at her daughter. "Do you want to swim with fish?" She threatens but only makes Lauren laugh more.
"She plays soccer." Luke shrugs.
"So what?"
"So, she has some athletic ability."
"Aw, thanks, Luke." Lauren says.
"I said some." Luke teases. Lauren playfully elbows him in his side.
They are quiet for a few moments as they all stand looking at the pool while Lorelai and Lauren hold their rod and reel. "Man, you need a lot of stuff for fishing." Lorelai says, breaking the silence.
"Well, normally you don't bring your own lake."
"Right, right."
"So, tell me why you're doing this?"
"Because you told me to."
Lauren glances at the two of them as she listens to their conversation. She was curious to see Luke's reaction when her mom tells him the truth. "No, I mean, tell me why you're learning to fish."
"Oh. I told you some of my friends are going." Lorelai lies again.
"What friends? Sookie?" Luke asks.
"What?"
"Is Sookie going fishing?"
"Well—"
"Mom." Lauren says, looking up at Lorelai.
Lorelai smiles, nervously. She wasn't sure why she was so hesitant about telling Luke the truth, but she was. "Okay, fine." She gives in. "I met this guy. And he's kind of an outdoorsy guy."
"Oh, just your type." Luke smirks.
"No, not exactly." Lorelai laughs. "But he's nice and he's talked about fishing and I think I said something like 'that sounds great.' And so he invited me, and here I am."
"I got it." Luke says as he turns back to the pool.
"Sorry I didn't tell you."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I don't know, I just felt stupid getting roped into the thing in the first place, and then—Plus you don't want to hear about my personal life." During this time Lauren had walked to the pool in the middle of their conversation. It was kind of heartbreaking to watch her mom explain herself and Luke's somber face as he listened.
"So, this'll be your first date or—"
"Second."
"Second date."
"He took me to this coffee-tasting place."
"Coffee-tasting?" Luke questions, intrigued. "Just your type." Lorelai nods, agreeing. "Well, I think that's great."
"Thank you." Lorelai says, kindly.
"When are you going?"
"Sunday morning."
"Well, it's hard to be a fisher woman without your own pole." Luke tells her. "You can borrow one of mine."
"Really?"
"My tackle box, too, if you want."
"That would be great." Lorelai says, looking very grateful.
"Hey, guys." Lauren says as she looks behind her at her mom and Luke. "Have we named them yet?"
Lorelai smiles, trying to hold her laughter in as Luke rolls his eyes. "It's like you're one person." He says shaking his head. Lorelai lets her laugh out and winks playfully at her daughter who starts laughing, too.
Rory is tiredly resting her head on the kitchen table early Sunday morning with her eyes closed. Lorelai had to wake up very early to go fishing and she ended up waking her daughter up in the process to well—help her get up.
"Could you please just make coffee!?" Lorelai yells from upstairs.
"I'm not going anything for you, ever!" Rory yells. She was very angry that Lorelai woke her up this early when the sun isn't even up.
"Don't be mad."
"You set my alarm for 5:15 a.m."
Lorelai walks into the kitchen dressed again in her fishing outfit. "I did it for purely practical reasons."
"Which are?"
"My alarm is just not as reliable as your scream."
"You will pay."
"That's fine, honey. Now, coffee?" Lorelai asks as she turns the coffee maker on.
Lauren walks down stairs and into the kitchen holding a very hard and tired scowl on her face and wrapped tightly in her blanket. "I officially dislike the both of you." She tells them sternly. "There's too much talking going on so early in the morning."
"I'm writing this in my ledger of all the crummy things you've done over the years and when I leave this house, mark my words, you will pay." Rory continues complaining.
The doorbell rings. "Great." Lorelai says. "It's 5:30 a.m. and I have no coffee in my system." She runs to the front door and opens it for Alex who is holding a small bag.
"Hi." He says.
"Hi." Lorelai smiles.
He holds up the bag. "Coffee and donuts."
Lorelai gasps. "I like you. Come on in." Alex walks in just as Rory and Lauren approach. "These are my daughters, Rory and Lauren."
"Hi, I'm Alex."
"Nice to meet you." Rory says. "Would have been nicer in the daylight but—"
"Alright, let's go." Lorelai says as she holds her fishing pole. "It's not like the fish are going to wait for us all day, right? I'll take that coffee now, thank you." Alex hands her the bag and she blows air kisses to her daughters before she walks to the door, struggling to keep her fishing pole from bouncing off the walls. "I've got it."
"Your mom's never been fishing before, has she?" Alex asks.
"She does it all the time." Lauren says as she tiredly walks to the couch and falls onto the bottom of it.
"She a well-seasoned fish killer." Rory adds.
"Uh-huh." Alex smirks. "I made lunch reservations at the Shahaela Lodge and Spa afterward. Think she'll like that?"
"We're sure she'll love that."
"Good. Go back to sleep." He says following Lorelai out of the house as Rory walks to the couch and falls on the very top, falling back to sleep.
Luke is serving food at his diner and when he walks by the window he sees Nicole again talking with Taylor among all the construction. She spots Luke and gives him a small smile and wave. He couldn't stop thinking about what Jess said the other day about not getting out and dating, and then since teaching Lorelai how to fish for her date, he just couldn't stop thinking about Nicole.
"Jess, coffee over here." Luke says as points to a table before walking out of the diner. "Miss. Leahy?" He calls out catching Nicole before she could walk away.
"Dr. Danes." Nicole smiles. "Hi, how are you?"
"Good, good, and it's Luke." He says, smiling back at her.
"Okay, Luke. What can I do for you?"
"I wouldn't cross there." Luke says, pointing to the road.
"Why not?"
"Well, Taylor's a stickler about jaywalking and he's town magistrate and I'd hate for you to be disbarred."
Nicole nods, agreeing. "Well, that would be a bad way to end a career. Thank you."
"Sure, so did the lease forms all work out? I mean, was my signature okay?" Luke asks. He was trying hard to come with some things to say, but he was thinking maybe Jess was right. He doesn't know what he's doing.
"Your signature was just fine." Nicole assures him.
"Good, because you never know."
"Well—"
"Listen—" Luke interrupts. "I was thinking about that cup of coffee you had at my place the other day. I felt bad for making Taylor pay for it, not that I ever feel bad sticking it to Taylor—" He laughs awkwardly. "—I just thought it might get you in trouble with the clients. Hate to see you disbarred again."
"To be honest, I paid for the coffee myself."
"Oh, well, then, at least let me pay you back for it."
"You want to give me $0.75?" Nicole questions.
"No, no." Luke laughs. "What I meant was—" Luke thinks for a moment unsure if he wanted to ask or not. "Ah, what the hell. Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?"
Nicole smiles. "Yeah." She says quickly.
"Really?" Luke asks, looking surprised.
"I'd love to have dinner with you."
"Great, okay. Uh. Well, I have your card. Why don't I give you a call this week and we'll make that happen."
"It sounds good."
"Yeah, sounds good. So, see you. Watch those crosswalks."
"Thanks, I will."
Luke walks back into the diner where Jess is smiling after watching him through the window. He grabs the coffee pot and glares at his nephew. "Shut up."
"I said nothing." Jess shrugs.
"Well, don't." Luke walks away.
Rory walks into the house later that night after going to Lane's cousin's wedding, and then spending some time with Jess.
"I'm home!" She calls out.
"Upstairs! In the bathroom!" Lorelai yells.
In the bathroom Lorelai and Lauren are sitting on the floor, by the tub, looking down into the water where a fish is swimming around. "Hey." Rory walks in. "Oh, no." Rory says when she sees the fish.
"Isn't she cute?" Lauren asks.
"What happened?"
"The cork fell off my hook and Jayne Mansfield over here bit." Lorelai explains.
"Jayne Mansfield."
"Not the brightest fish in the pond but she's pretty."
"You caught a fish." Rory says, surprised.
"She caught a fish." Lauren laughs.
"You brought it home."
"She brought it home."
"How will you take a bath?"
Lauren and Lorelai shrug. "I don't know." Lorelai says.
"How long will it live?"
"Hard to say." Lorelai frowns.
"What'll you feed it?" Rory asks.
"See, this is why I don't fish."
"She is kind of cute." Rory smiles.
"And she has a great tail swish." Lauren adds.
"So, besides bringing home a pet, how was the fishing?" Rory asks their mom.
"Good." Lorelai says. "The lake was beautiful, snowy and sparkly and right down the road from the Shahaela Lodge and Spa."
"We knew that." Lauren tells her.
"How could you know that?"
"Alex told us." Rory says.
"Two dates and you're both already in cahoots with each other."
"Eh, What can I say? We're wily." Rory jokes. "So, are you going out with him again?"
Lorelai smiles happily. "Uh-huh."
"Camping?" Lauren teases.
"Uh-uh." Lorelai shakes her head.
Rory laughs. "Good."
"Do you think we should try to rehabilitate her, and send her back into the wild?" Rory asks.
"Unfortunately I think she's already domesticated, baths and scented candles." Lorelai says, looking around the bathtub area.
"We'll just have to keep her." Lauren shrugs.
"Maybe we can train her to do tricks."
"Tomorrow." Rory says as they stand up. "Night, Jayne."
"Night, Jayne." Lorelai says as she follows her girls out of the bathroom leaving the fish to swim in its solitude around the tub.
