Helping Out
Josh
"That is the last time." I looked over at Donna who was rolling her eyes. "I'm serious. That is the last time you accept an invitation for me without asking first."
"It was the President of the United States, my boss, your boss. I didn't think a consultation was in order." She said. It was late and we were driving back from Manchester. It was slow going because of the snow.
"And exactly what was going on in the kitchen with you, CJ, and the First Lady?" I asked. I hate it when all of the women get together, it always feels like they are talking about me.
"We weren't talking about you." She smiles lightly. I snorted.
"Yeah, right."
"Can I ask you a question without you getting weird?" Donna asked carefully.
"Yeah." I replied hesitantly.
"What do you think about inter-office relationships?" She asked, I looked at her sideways. "This question doesn't have anything to do with you or you and Amy."
"Then why do I feel like it is?"
"Because you're arrogant and think that everything is about you."
"Well, I think you'd be surprised on how often things ARE about me."
"Josh."
"I'm just saying . . ."
"Josh." She gave me that "let's get back on subject" look.
"Well it depends on the people in the relationship."
"Well, what if it was Pierce and another intern?"
"No, they are too immature."
"How about if it was Bonnie and Ed? Or Larry and Ginger or vice versa?"
"Uh, that might be okay, if they kept it out of the office. But I don't think Bonnie or Ginger can tell Ed and Larry apart." I mused.
"What about Senior Staff?" Donna asked slowly. I turned to look at her and focused back on the road.
"Now you better just tell me who, because I know it's got to involve CJ since she is the only female on Senior Staff." I told her.
"Well, why don't I just let you think on that and we'll see if you are as smart as you think you are." She said smugly. After a few moments it clicked.
"You're kidding right? CJ and Toby?" I exclaimed.
"I'm impressed you got that hint."
Donna
"Did CJ tell you?"
"Well . ." I stalled.
"What did she say exactly?"
"She has feelings that run deeper than just professional and friendship for him Josh."
"Wow, who woulda thought." He sighed.
"I think he likes her too."
"No way."
"Why not?"
"Because Toby's not like that."
"Oh grow up Josh. He's a man, of course he's like that."
"No. He doesn't let personal bleed into professional."
"You are one blind puppy." I laughed at the ridiculousness of him.
"Did you just call me a puppy?"
"A blind one yeah."
By the time he dropped me off we agreed not to talk about the CJ and Toby anymore. But as soon as I got to my apartment I called him on his cell phone and decided for him that we would form Team CJ and get the two of them together. Call it an ingenious moment, Josh called it a stupid, meddling moment, but I have a gut feeling that it needs to be done.
"Josh it would help if you came up with some ideas." It's Saturday morning and few senior staffers and assistants are in. I'm sitting in Josh's office while he tries to ignore me.
"Didn't I fire you?" He asks, exasperated.
"No, I quit."
"Donna, this won't work."
"With that attitude it's a wonder you get as many girls as you do."
"Well sorry if I don't want to be involved in a plan that is the equivalent of locking them in a meat locker together. This isn't a half hour sitcom Donna."
"Fine, be the lonely downer that you are always are when love is involved." I got up and walked to the doorway.
"Hey, I'm not a downer." He stood up behind his desk.
"Delusional Deputy Downer." I tilted my head to the side.
"I had a great scheme to get together with Amy."
"And she saw right through it. So maybe it's better if I don't get your input on this. I'll ask Charlie because he's the real stud around here." I knew that would get to him.
"We'll talk at lunch." He said as he shooed me out of his office, I smiled and turned.
Josh
"Hey Toby."
"Hey Josh." He didn't look up from his desk.
"How's the speech going?"
"It'll be ready in an hour." He answered. It's Monday morning and after working all weekend he was finally on final drafts of the President's speech to the DNC in Boston.
"Good. Good." I hesitated and then turned, but the thought of going back to my bullpen area and telling Donna that I had failed at my mission made me freeze and I turned back around. "Let's get lunch in a couple of hours." Toby looked up and agreed and rushed out of there back to my office.
"I'll have a burger and if you could make sure that it is very well done that'd be great." I ordered from the waitress. Toby ordered a sandwich and some soup and she left the table.
"Should you be eating burgers and fries?" Toby asked.
"This is why I didn't invite Donna to lunch."
"So what's goin' on?"
"How is it with you and Andi?"
"You want to talk to me about Andi?"
"I'm just taking an interest in your personal life."
"Don't do that."
"C'mon, what's going on there?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"She won't remarry me, how many times do I have to tell people that. It's not really something I like reliving."
"Okay, so no Andi. What about anyone else?"
"Who else? What are talking about?"
"Are you seeing someone else?"
"Yeah Josh, in between playing tennis at the club and my cooking classes I've been seeing someone that you don't know about." He replied dryly. Why am I so bad at this? It's because I'm a man and men don't do this. We don't meddle in other men's lives. But here I am, under protest, meddling in Toby's life.
"You should get back out there." I tried to sound encouraging.
"People are always saying that. What does it mean? Get back out there. Get back out where? Back into dating? I'm forty -five years old, this is it. I've got two beautiful children an ex-wife and a grueling job. Where exactly should I go?" He laughed a nervous laugh, like he knew I had someone in mind but didn't want to know who.
"I don't know what the phrase means but I'm just saying that if there is someone 'out there' that you might want to, I don't know, hook up with?" I said uneasily. "You should." I finished. This is a very uncomfortable moment.
"Did you just say 'hook up'?"
"I think so." I couldn't believe it myself. "Look, all I'm sayin' is carpe diem! Seize the day! Don't let time pass you by." Our food decided to finally arrive.
"I don't know what your on Josh, but snap back to reality." Toby advised as he started to eat. I dropped the subject and accepted that unless I told him outright what I was talking about I wouldn't get anywhere with him.
Donna
"Hi Donna, have you seen Leo, I can't find him or Margaret." CJ stood in front of my desk and looked exasperated.
"They are in a meeting with the Vice President." I informed her.
"Oh."
"I'm gonna get some lunch. Do you want me to order you anything, I'm getting a salad for myself." I offered. She declined but didn't leave my desk. I figured now was as good a time as any to broach the Toby topic.
"Are you taking a date to the state dinner?" I asked carefully. CJ, as usual, caught on before I could go any further.
"No, and I don't need to." She looked at me sternly.
"I was just asking because there are other people not taking dates to the Spanish ambassador's State Dinner."
"Donna."
"In fact . ." I started.
"Donna." CJ stood up straight and tilted her head at me, willing me to shut up.
"I'm just saying." I defended. She sighed and walked back to her office. A few minutes later Josh appeared in the doorway and motioned for me to join him in his office.
"Well, Ethel, what now?"
"Hey don't blame me." I defended myself. "It was your idea to talk to them separately; I suggested tricking them into eating lunch together, alone."
"They eat lunch together all the time."
"But not since Thanksgiving."
"Okay, matchmaker time is over, let's get some real work done." I left his office.
"Maybe Toby is just scared that she'll break his heart like Andi did." I said thoughtfully. Finally, it was the end of a hectic Monday, and I was headed home. I wrangled Josh into walking me.
"I don't want to talk about this Donna."
"It's love Josh, real love. You see how they are with each other, it's real. We gotta help fate out a bit."
"Well, maybe she doesn't want to make it happen with him because she wants to be taken seriously as a professional."
"I think it's him." Josh looked at me with arched eyebrows. "I think he's had his heart broken and doesn't think anyone can mend it." I continued.
"Nah, it's her. She doesn't want to give up control, she's a control freak Donna." He tried to point out.
"If you want to talk about control freaks take a look at him! Hello!" I countered.
"She would rather date guys with no possible future."
"He would rather let his heart get taken for a walk." I answered exasperated.
"Okay, okay, look, there is no reason we should fight over this. That's just stupid." He said as we reached my door. I agreed and we called it a night. I don't know why our discussion got so heated but at least he had the common sense to stop it.
"Oh, and by the way, I'm right and your wrong so just stand there and get used to the feeling cause it's not gonna change on this issue." He called out as he walked down the street. So much for common sense. I guess that was expecting too much.
Josh
"That is the last time." I looked over at Donna who was rolling her eyes. "I'm serious. That is the last time you accept an invitation for me without asking first."
"It was the President of the United States, my boss, your boss. I didn't think a consultation was in order." She said. It was late and we were driving back from Manchester. It was slow going because of the snow.
"And exactly what was going on in the kitchen with you, CJ, and the First Lady?" I asked. I hate it when all of the women get together, it always feels like they are talking about me.
"We weren't talking about you." She smiles lightly. I snorted.
"Yeah, right."
"Can I ask you a question without you getting weird?" Donna asked carefully.
"Yeah." I replied hesitantly.
"What do you think about inter-office relationships?" She asked, I looked at her sideways. "This question doesn't have anything to do with you or you and Amy."
"Then why do I feel like it is?"
"Because you're arrogant and think that everything is about you."
"Well, I think you'd be surprised on how often things ARE about me."
"Josh."
"I'm just saying . . ."
"Josh." She gave me that "let's get back on subject" look.
"Well it depends on the people in the relationship."
"Well, what if it was Pierce and another intern?"
"No, they are too immature."
"How about if it was Bonnie and Ed? Or Larry and Ginger or vice versa?"
"Uh, that might be okay, if they kept it out of the office. But I don't think Bonnie or Ginger can tell Ed and Larry apart." I mused.
"What about Senior Staff?" Donna asked slowly. I turned to look at her and focused back on the road.
"Now you better just tell me who, because I know it's got to involve CJ since she is the only female on Senior Staff." I told her.
"Well, why don't I just let you think on that and we'll see if you are as smart as you think you are." She said smugly. After a few moments it clicked.
"You're kidding right? CJ and Toby?" I exclaimed.
"I'm impressed you got that hint."
Donna
"Did CJ tell you?"
"Well . ." I stalled.
"What did she say exactly?"
"She has feelings that run deeper than just professional and friendship for him Josh."
"Wow, who woulda thought." He sighed.
"I think he likes her too."
"No way."
"Why not?"
"Because Toby's not like that."
"Oh grow up Josh. He's a man, of course he's like that."
"No. He doesn't let personal bleed into professional."
"You are one blind puppy." I laughed at the ridiculousness of him.
"Did you just call me a puppy?"
"A blind one yeah."
By the time he dropped me off we agreed not to talk about the CJ and Toby anymore. But as soon as I got to my apartment I called him on his cell phone and decided for him that we would form Team CJ and get the two of them together. Call it an ingenious moment, Josh called it a stupid, meddling moment, but I have a gut feeling that it needs to be done.
"Josh it would help if you came up with some ideas." It's Saturday morning and few senior staffers and assistants are in. I'm sitting in Josh's office while he tries to ignore me.
"Didn't I fire you?" He asks, exasperated.
"No, I quit."
"Donna, this won't work."
"With that attitude it's a wonder you get as many girls as you do."
"Well sorry if I don't want to be involved in a plan that is the equivalent of locking them in a meat locker together. This isn't a half hour sitcom Donna."
"Fine, be the lonely downer that you are always are when love is involved." I got up and walked to the doorway.
"Hey, I'm not a downer." He stood up behind his desk.
"Delusional Deputy Downer." I tilted my head to the side.
"I had a great scheme to get together with Amy."
"And she saw right through it. So maybe it's better if I don't get your input on this. I'll ask Charlie because he's the real stud around here." I knew that would get to him.
"We'll talk at lunch." He said as he shooed me out of his office, I smiled and turned.
Josh
"Hey Toby."
"Hey Josh." He didn't look up from his desk.
"How's the speech going?"
"It'll be ready in an hour." He answered. It's Monday morning and after working all weekend he was finally on final drafts of the President's speech to the DNC in Boston.
"Good. Good." I hesitated and then turned, but the thought of going back to my bullpen area and telling Donna that I had failed at my mission made me freeze and I turned back around. "Let's get lunch in a couple of hours." Toby looked up and agreed and rushed out of there back to my office.
"I'll have a burger and if you could make sure that it is very well done that'd be great." I ordered from the waitress. Toby ordered a sandwich and some soup and she left the table.
"Should you be eating burgers and fries?" Toby asked.
"This is why I didn't invite Donna to lunch."
"So what's goin' on?"
"How is it with you and Andi?"
"You want to talk to me about Andi?"
"I'm just taking an interest in your personal life."
"Don't do that."
"C'mon, what's going on there?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"She won't remarry me, how many times do I have to tell people that. It's not really something I like reliving."
"Okay, so no Andi. What about anyone else?"
"Who else? What are talking about?"
"Are you seeing someone else?"
"Yeah Josh, in between playing tennis at the club and my cooking classes I've been seeing someone that you don't know about." He replied dryly. Why am I so bad at this? It's because I'm a man and men don't do this. We don't meddle in other men's lives. But here I am, under protest, meddling in Toby's life.
"You should get back out there." I tried to sound encouraging.
"People are always saying that. What does it mean? Get back out there. Get back out where? Back into dating? I'm forty -five years old, this is it. I've got two beautiful children an ex-wife and a grueling job. Where exactly should I go?" He laughed a nervous laugh, like he knew I had someone in mind but didn't want to know who.
"I don't know what the phrase means but I'm just saying that if there is someone 'out there' that you might want to, I don't know, hook up with?" I said uneasily. "You should." I finished. This is a very uncomfortable moment.
"Did you just say 'hook up'?"
"I think so." I couldn't believe it myself. "Look, all I'm sayin' is carpe diem! Seize the day! Don't let time pass you by." Our food decided to finally arrive.
"I don't know what your on Josh, but snap back to reality." Toby advised as he started to eat. I dropped the subject and accepted that unless I told him outright what I was talking about I wouldn't get anywhere with him.
Donna
"Hi Donna, have you seen Leo, I can't find him or Margaret." CJ stood in front of my desk and looked exasperated.
"They are in a meeting with the Vice President." I informed her.
"Oh."
"I'm gonna get some lunch. Do you want me to order you anything, I'm getting a salad for myself." I offered. She declined but didn't leave my desk. I figured now was as good a time as any to broach the Toby topic.
"Are you taking a date to the state dinner?" I asked carefully. CJ, as usual, caught on before I could go any further.
"No, and I don't need to." She looked at me sternly.
"I was just asking because there are other people not taking dates to the Spanish ambassador's State Dinner."
"Donna."
"In fact . ." I started.
"Donna." CJ stood up straight and tilted her head at me, willing me to shut up.
"I'm just saying." I defended. She sighed and walked back to her office. A few minutes later Josh appeared in the doorway and motioned for me to join him in his office.
"Well, Ethel, what now?"
"Hey don't blame me." I defended myself. "It was your idea to talk to them separately; I suggested tricking them into eating lunch together, alone."
"They eat lunch together all the time."
"But not since Thanksgiving."
"Okay, matchmaker time is over, let's get some real work done." I left his office.
"Maybe Toby is just scared that she'll break his heart like Andi did." I said thoughtfully. Finally, it was the end of a hectic Monday, and I was headed home. I wrangled Josh into walking me.
"I don't want to talk about this Donna."
"It's love Josh, real love. You see how they are with each other, it's real. We gotta help fate out a bit."
"Well, maybe she doesn't want to make it happen with him because she wants to be taken seriously as a professional."
"I think it's him." Josh looked at me with arched eyebrows. "I think he's had his heart broken and doesn't think anyone can mend it." I continued.
"Nah, it's her. She doesn't want to give up control, she's a control freak Donna." He tried to point out.
"If you want to talk about control freaks take a look at him! Hello!" I countered.
"She would rather date guys with no possible future."
"He would rather let his heart get taken for a walk." I answered exasperated.
"Okay, okay, look, there is no reason we should fight over this. That's just stupid." He said as we reached my door. I agreed and we called it a night. I don't know why our discussion got so heated but at least he had the common sense to stop it.
"Oh, and by the way, I'm right and your wrong so just stand there and get used to the feeling cause it's not gonna change on this issue." He called out as he walked down the street. So much for common sense. I guess that was expecting too much.