Chapter 2. The Trouble with Money
Time passed, and despite his job at the coffeehouse, Joey continued to have money problems. Out of desperation, he started stealing food from Monica and Chandler's, although they actually knew about it and didn't mind.
Meanwhile, Rachel's spoiled sister Jill got financially cut off by Mr. Green, so the gang tried to teach her independence, as they had once done with Rachel. When Ross started dating Jill, however, it disturbed Rachel so much that she came over to Monica and Chandler's to look through their window into Ross's apartment. Unfortunately, Ross closed the drapes.
Rachel caught Monica and Chandler fooling around that night, and later on, she caught Joey sneaking in for more food. Then Monica and Chandler emerged from their bedroom, and they told Joey that they knew already, so he didn't have to hide his stealing. He was embarrassed but relieved.
The four of them discussed Ross and Jill's date, and Joey pointed out that he was still mad at Chandler for kissing his sister.
"That was like five years ago!" Chandler protested.
It was really only three years ago, and Joey could remember how he had once privately suspected Chandler of fooling around with his sister, just because he couldn't fool around with Joey himself. There was always a certain quality about Chandler that made you think he might be gay, underneath it all. Knowing how sensitive Chandler was about the issue, Joey did not mention it.
Rachel remained frustrated about Ross and Jill, no matter how much her friends told her to not be jealous. To her relief, she found out the next day that Ross had just been showing slides of fossils with his drapes closed. Rachel asked Ross to stop dating her sister, but Jill got upset when she found out.
Meanwhile, the gang discovered that Ursula was starring in porn films under Phoebe's name, so Phoebe got revenge by stealing Ursula's paychecks. Eventually, Ross broke up with Jill for good, and she stormed off home to daddy.
***
More time passed, and Joey attempted to do another medical study for cash, but they were only researching identical twins at the moment. Joey tried to hire an actor to play his twin, but naturally his scheme didn't work.
Luckily, Joey was able to commiserate with Chandler that night. Because of conflicting work schedules, Monica and Chandler had planned to celebrate Valentine's two weeks late, but they had also agreed to make their gifts, and Chandler had failed miserably, giving Monica an old mix-tape from Janice. When Monica angrily locked him out of their bedroom, Chandler retreated across the hall.
"Hey, um, can I stay the night?" Chandler asked Joey pathetically.
"Sure. But what happened? I thought this was your Valentine's night."
"It was, until I messed it all up."
"How?" Joey got them both beers and they sat down together.
Chandler told him what happened.
"But wait a minute," Joey said. "Monica forgot about it too and didn't make *you* a gift. She even tried to pass off Phoebe's sock bunny. How can she be angry at you?"
"I think it's because I took advantage of her guilt, with the cooking and the sex."
"Come on! The cooking was what she should have done for you in the first place; how hard is it for Mon to make a nice dinner for you if she forgot about a gift?"
"Well, um, Janice was singing on the mix-tape, and it kind of spoiled the night."
"Huh! If you ask me, Mon shouldn't have made the stupid rule that you have to make the Valentine's gifts. You guys aren't ten anymore; you could've bought her anything."
Chandler shrugged, then changed the subject by asking Joey how his medical study turned out, although he could pretty much guess already. "Sorry, Joe. Listen, do you need me to help you out with a little cash?"
Joey looked at him fondly, but shook his head. "No, I'll get by. Thanks, anyway."
They drank and played foosball until it was late, then Chandler slept in his old bed. Joey's ex-roommate Janine had taken away all her girly stuff and left it a bare bachelor's room again. How great was Joey, to break up with Janine and lose her half of the rent just because she was so snooty to Monica and Chandler!
Time passed, and despite his job at the coffeehouse, Joey continued to have money problems. Out of desperation, he started stealing food from Monica and Chandler's, although they actually knew about it and didn't mind.
Meanwhile, Rachel's spoiled sister Jill got financially cut off by Mr. Green, so the gang tried to teach her independence, as they had once done with Rachel. When Ross started dating Jill, however, it disturbed Rachel so much that she came over to Monica and Chandler's to look through their window into Ross's apartment. Unfortunately, Ross closed the drapes.
Rachel caught Monica and Chandler fooling around that night, and later on, she caught Joey sneaking in for more food. Then Monica and Chandler emerged from their bedroom, and they told Joey that they knew already, so he didn't have to hide his stealing. He was embarrassed but relieved.
The four of them discussed Ross and Jill's date, and Joey pointed out that he was still mad at Chandler for kissing his sister.
"That was like five years ago!" Chandler protested.
It was really only three years ago, and Joey could remember how he had once privately suspected Chandler of fooling around with his sister, just because he couldn't fool around with Joey himself. There was always a certain quality about Chandler that made you think he might be gay, underneath it all. Knowing how sensitive Chandler was about the issue, Joey did not mention it.
Rachel remained frustrated about Ross and Jill, no matter how much her friends told her to not be jealous. To her relief, she found out the next day that Ross had just been showing slides of fossils with his drapes closed. Rachel asked Ross to stop dating her sister, but Jill got upset when she found out.
Meanwhile, the gang discovered that Ursula was starring in porn films under Phoebe's name, so Phoebe got revenge by stealing Ursula's paychecks. Eventually, Ross broke up with Jill for good, and she stormed off home to daddy.
***
More time passed, and Joey attempted to do another medical study for cash, but they were only researching identical twins at the moment. Joey tried to hire an actor to play his twin, but naturally his scheme didn't work.
Luckily, Joey was able to commiserate with Chandler that night. Because of conflicting work schedules, Monica and Chandler had planned to celebrate Valentine's two weeks late, but they had also agreed to make their gifts, and Chandler had failed miserably, giving Monica an old mix-tape from Janice. When Monica angrily locked him out of their bedroom, Chandler retreated across the hall.
"Hey, um, can I stay the night?" Chandler asked Joey pathetically.
"Sure. But what happened? I thought this was your Valentine's night."
"It was, until I messed it all up."
"How?" Joey got them both beers and they sat down together.
Chandler told him what happened.
"But wait a minute," Joey said. "Monica forgot about it too and didn't make *you* a gift. She even tried to pass off Phoebe's sock bunny. How can she be angry at you?"
"I think it's because I took advantage of her guilt, with the cooking and the sex."
"Come on! The cooking was what she should have done for you in the first place; how hard is it for Mon to make a nice dinner for you if she forgot about a gift?"
"Well, um, Janice was singing on the mix-tape, and it kind of spoiled the night."
"Huh! If you ask me, Mon shouldn't have made the stupid rule that you have to make the Valentine's gifts. You guys aren't ten anymore; you could've bought her anything."
Chandler shrugged, then changed the subject by asking Joey how his medical study turned out, although he could pretty much guess already. "Sorry, Joe. Listen, do you need me to help you out with a little cash?"
Joey looked at him fondly, but shook his head. "No, I'll get by. Thanks, anyway."
They drank and played foosball until it was late, then Chandler slept in his old bed. Joey's ex-roommate Janine had taken away all her girly stuff and left it a bare bachelor's room again. How great was Joey, to break up with Janine and lose her half of the rent just because she was so snooty to Monica and Chandler!