Authors Note:  Just a cute little ficlet I thought up at work.  Takes place in my present ReBoot universe.  No offense guys…

It was quiet in the Diner that time of day. Just before the dinner rush.  Little Enzo Matrix thought he enjoyed it most of all, because not only did it feel like he had the Diner to himself, but he had an almost unlimited supply of energy shakes. He sat in Dot's booth now, his homework spread out before him on the table and the half-empty shake cup within arm's reach.  Normally, he put off doing his homework as long as possible but Bob had  promised to take him circuit racing if Enzo was done, by the time Bob
finished helping Dot take inventory.

Normally, his brother-in-law could persuade Dot to leave the work for later but Dot had been adamant that afternoon, since she had put off inventory for several cycles and the new fall menu was a big success. Dot had to be certain the supply had kept up with the demand. Enzo was off the hook, only because school had just started and he was 'getting acclimated', so Ms. Brody said.

Enzo looked up as the door being forcefully pushed open interrupted the quiet. It smacked against the window and Enzo flinched. Matrix walked in, followed by Ray Tracer.

"It wasn't too bad mate," Ray grinned at Matrix's back. The search engine leaned Baud against the counter, immediately drawing Cecil's attention.

"That is not a prop for your means of conveyance, Monsieur Tracer."

"Come again?" Ray asked.

Cecil made a noise of disgust and moved away. Ray shrugged and hopped up onto one of the stools. Matrix was already muttering over the energy shake he had helped himself to.

"What's up, Little Mate? Homework beatin' the chips out of you?"

"Yeah," Enzo sighed, "What's up with you guys? Why's Matrix mad this time?"

Matrix grunted and shot Enzo a glare but the little sprite smiled innocently.

"I don't want to discuss it," Matrix grunted.

"He's mad because Mouse and AndrAIa beat us at jet bowling."

"What?" Enzo snorted a laughed and Matrix glared at him again. "Wish I could have seen that!"

"Kid --," Matrix began.

At that precise moment, Bob chose to make an appearance. The Prime Guardian of the New Collective practically stumbled into the area and flopped down unceremoniously in one of the booths.

"Rough second, mate?" Ray inquired.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Bob moaned. He turned to first Matrix, and then Enzo, "Why didn't you tell me your sister was such a taskmaster?"

Both Enzo's turned to look at Bob with expressions that clearly said, "You're kidding, right?"

"First Matrix and Ray get their bitmaps kicked by their girlfriends," Enzo said, "Now look at you Bob."

"It's a dark day for the male species." Ray muttered.

"Yeah, this is pretty pathetic," Matrix chimed in, "What are we, men or mice?"

"Yeah," Ray said, "I thought we were supposed to be the dominant species?  The hunters? The kings of our castle!"

"Yeah," Bob agreed. "It's time we took back what's ours!"

"Yeah!" Both Ray and Matrix gave raucous cries of agreement.

"Bob?" Dot came from the basement. Clipboard in hand, glasses perched firmly on her nose, the Command.com said, "So this is where you went to.  You can rest later, we have a lot of work to do."

"Why don't we save it til later?" Bob said.

"Honestly, Bob, the sooner we get it done, the better."

Bob stood up, "Actually, honey, the guys and I were going jet bowling."

"We were?" Ray asked.

"Yes, we were." Bob said, pointedly, "Besides, I don't think I should have
to do work on a Friday night."

"Oh really?" Dot said mildly.

"Yeah," Bob stood up, "I'm a man, I work hard, and it's my right to relax on a Friday night."

"Is it?" Dot adjusted her glasses.

Emboldened, Bob went on, "My right as a man. It's just the way it is, as a man, I am allowed certain perks associated with my gender."

"Really, like what?"

"Well --," Bob looked to his friends for assistance.

"The right to spend Sunday in front of the vid-TV wearing nothing but our underwear." Matrix said.

"Watching sports," Ray added.

"And eating junk food." Bob said. "The right to fill a barbecue grill with as much red meat and artificial pork products known to sprite kind. No chicken or fish for us!"

"And don't forget the beer."

"Yeah," Bob said. "As men, we will guzzle beer, we will leave the toilet seat up, we will hold burping contests, and we will watch movies featuring either psychos, killer robots, or big guns!"

"Yeah!"

"And why?"

"Why?" Ray and Matrix called out.

"Because we're men!"

"Yeah!"

"I see," Dot said, calmly, regarding her husband for a nano. "Now if you don't get your little blue ASCII back downstairs and help me finish that inventory, Mr. Manly Man, you're going to be in a heap of trouble, got it?"

Bob swallowed, "Yes, dear." He practically fell over himself getting out of the room.

Dot turned to regard Matrix and Ray, "Don't you two have something to do as well?"

Both men couldn't get out of the Diner fast enough.

Enzo chuckled, as he remained bent over his homework. Dot brought him a fresh energy shake. "How's it going, sweetie?"

"Okay, I'm almost done," Enzo smiled at her. "Dot - I could never figure that out."

"What?"

"How you do that?" Enzo said, "Get everybody to ask 'how high' when you say 'jump'?"

It was now Dot who chuckled. "It's very simple sweetie," Dot gave him a smug smile. "I am woman."