"Guys, seriously, what if they get like stuck in there?" said Palmer, sounding seriously worried.
"Then we'll hear the screams from out here." said Conrad reassuringly. Rhi giggled.
"You know, now that I think about it, I don't think they'll MIND getting stuck in there..."
"Oh honestly, I didn't want to picture that," Roger said, looking ill. Just then Mark and Lauren came bursting through the front door.
"I can't believe you guys did that!" said La looking exhausted.
"Oh you know you loved every minute of it!" said Rhi. At this Lauren turned a bright shade of cranberry.
"It wasn't that bad, was it?" said Mark provocatively. Collins laughed and turned to Angel.
"Oh...our little Markie is growing up," he said, wiping away a nonexistent tear.
"Well I can think of someone else who needs to grow up." said Angel with a wink.
"So where are we going?" Lauren asked, still slightly pink.
"Uhh, well, how bout the music store?" said Conrad, pointing to a folk instrument store right down the street. "Something different, eh?" Roger's eyes lit up at what seemed to be an ancient guitar in the front window. He didn't move for a good five minutes, while the rest of them went inside. Angel walked towards the drums.
"These sure ain't no pickle tubs..."
"That's for sure." said Collins as he sorted through a box of tribal instruments. "You know, these would make great sex toys.." Rhi snorted, while Palmer began shaking some type of tambourine.
"LOOK GUYS IM A DANCER!" said Palmer as she twirled and whirled landing on a pile of tourist t-shirts. Lauren tripped over a low basket on the floor.
"Oh damn," she said, landing on her ass. Mark quickly went over to help her up, planting a kiss on her forehead as she stood up.
"I swear, if he starts calling her pookie..." Roger said, walking in and going over to more guitars and mandolins.
"At least we'll know where he got the line from." said Conrad. Rhi raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think La is even stupid enough to fall for that."
"Hun, do you even know the girl?" said Conrad. "She'll fall for anything, especially the guy of her dreams."
"Good point." Rhi said, eyeing Roger quickly.
Lauren walked over, smirking. "What's up guys?" she asked. "How cool are these things?" she asked, showing them little cymbals, and proceeding to drop them on her toes. "Ow shit."
"You're too clumsy for this place." said Rhi practically pushing her out the door. Conrad walked over to Rodger who was slowly turning the tribal guitar around in his arms.
"Hey," said Conrad, "whatchu got there?"
"Ohh, it's a guitar," said Rodger "Isn't it beautiful?"
"But of course!" said Conrad, "How much?"
"Uhh.. I dunno I can't read Swahili." said Rodger. Conrad ripped the guitar away from him and read the price tag.
"Hmm.. well that's about $450 American dollars. Do you want it?" said Conrad.
"What? You can't be serious. I'd love it."
"Well today is your lucky day," says Conrad, "you need a present to show off, don't you?" smiled Conrad.
"Ill pay you back, I swear," said Rodger, "I don't know how though."
"Empty promises fill up my jar of life." said Conrad. "Don't worry about it my treat!" she said as a huge flirtatious smile inched across her face. Rodger just chuckled as Conrad tied some ribbon around it and handed the guitar over to its new owner.
"So where did you get all this money anyways?" said Rodger.
"I have my ways.." said Conrad, hoping he would get the clue to drop the subject. They continued on their way some more. They read the signs.
"Antique tribal vases and dishware," Palmer read aloud, and then watched as Lauren tripped on the sidewalk. "Oh hell no."
"We'd better not go in there," said Rhi noticing the "You break it you buy it" sign. "Don't wanna make Conrad buy the whole fucking store."
"Why am I the klutzy one?" Lauren asked, frowning. It was then that Mark tripped over the same bit of sidewalk that La had. Roger and Rhi looked at each other. "That's disgusting," Roger laughed.
"Ha-ha" laughed Palmer. "Klutz in Love- sounds like it would be great as a musical on ice!" They just looked at her.
"Ooh...it's SHINY!" they said, noticing what looked to be African clothing in new wave style...tribal prints made out of metallic fabric. Angel just sighed
"Wouldn't it be nice to get away from American stuff for one day?" Collins just smiled as he slid his arm around his waist, "That can be arranged my dear. I can guarantee I'm one hundred percent un-American." Lauren rubbed her eyes.
"It's too bright. It's like the African disco ball of doom."
"Come on, come on, don't be distracted by..GIRAFFE!" screamed Conrad as she ran into a giant toy store on the main street. Lauren laughed.
"Shall we follow?" They entered. Once inside they immediately saw what had caught Conrad's eye. A giant 7 foot tall plushie giraffe was the first thing to see. Conrad was now hugging it, and refusing to let go.
"I'm having them ship this home for me. They said they would."
"Holy shit, hun" said Palmer eyeing the creature up and down. "How much does it fucking cost?"
"Only like $350..." said Conrad quietly.
"You've lost your god damn mind..." they all said. Lauren raised an eyebrow.
"Where the HELL are you going to put that thing?" she asked. Rhi laughed.
"That's not a stuffed animal, it's a fucking COUCH."
"Uhh beside my bed..duhh." said Conrad as she signed the sales receipt. Mark shook his head, while La rolled her eyes.
"You're on drugs," she said, turning, and then gasping. "OH MY GOD. IT'S A RUFFAH!" she ran over to what resembled a Barbie doll. Lauren set the Barbie doll down, and they continued on their trip. Lauren shook her head as they passed what appeared to be a store for strippers. "God...you can't get away from them anymore," she said, as Angel and Collins eyed each other and ran in. Rhi rolled her eyes, while Roger frowned.
"Come on," said Mark to La, "Let's go and explore."
"What's THAT implying?" said Rhi. Conrad and Palmer looked at each other and started cracking up. Lauren shook her head.
"No. No and no. You are not getting ME into a latex cat costume. No."
"Come on, it will bring back memories. Please, for me, pleeeaaassseeee!" crooned Mark as he pulled off a classic Pookey face.
"You WANT memories brought back?" she asked, shocked. Palmer rolled her eyes.
"Where's the drugs?" Roger and Rhi asked at the same time.
"I just need to know that someone out there looks better in a cat suit than her..please?" said Mark, still holding his face at Pookey perfection.
"Oh guys, how am I supposed to resist that face?" said Lauren now pulling a Pookey face of her own.
"Oh that's easy," said Rhi as she walked over to Mark and slapped him across the face.
"OUCH! I so wasn't expecting that." said Mark now holding his face.
"RHI!" Lauren screamed, and ran over to Mark. "Are you ok?"
"Uhh yeah, I'm fine." he said, still rubbing his face, "but I'd be better if you go in there and find a cat suit for me."
"Yeah, if YOU plan on wearing it then sure." she smirked. Palmer snorted.
"But I want to see you... don't my feelings mean anything to you?" cried Mark.
"This is better than Days of our Lives..." Rhi muttered.
"Oh...stop with the face..." Lauren whined.
"Not until it works." said Mark.
"You watch that too?" said Rodger. She nodded.
"Gummy bear?" she asked, holding out the bag she'd pulled from her purse.
"Markie, I don't wanna..." La pouted.
"It's only for meeee.." Mark said now holding her closer and running his finger down her cheek.
"This disgusts me," Palmer said, walking away. Collins and Angel came out of the store, carrying about six different bags.
"Markkk..." Lauren pouted. "I don't want to; it would make me feel uncomfortable. And it would make me unhappy..."
"But it would surely fulfill my wildest fantasies.." said Mark. Rhi snorted.
"This is ridiculous," she said, chewing on the gummy bears. Angel raised an eyebrow.
"What are they talking about?" she asked.
"A cat suit, need I say more?" said Rodger raising an eyebrow.
"Cat suit?" said Angel, "Oh well they have like six of them in there." Lauren scowled. Mark smirked.
"There you have no excuse. Come onn.." he said pulling her hand toward the door. Lauren scowled.
"First you call me a whore, now you're making me dress like a hoebag..." she continued complaining as he yanked her in the store. Rhianna laughed.
"I need a picture of her in this...NOT FOR THAT REASON!" she said, noticing Roger's expression. Ten minutes later, they came back out of the store. Mark was beaming, and Lauren was fuming, wearing a headband with plastic cat ears. Rhi ducked behind Roger so as Lauren wouldn't see her laughing.
"Guys, shut up." said Lauren. "We're going back to the hotel, NOW." she fumed. Mark's eyes lit up at this idea so everyone followed. It was around three o clock. Naps would be a good idea before they all went out for dinner. They enjoyed take-out in the middle of Africa for a relaxed evening of fun and movies. The morning of their last day, it was bittersweet. Some of them were very glad to be getting out of Africa, while others were slightly heartbroken, and others were slightly oblivious.
"Guys, this is like it!" said Conrad, a mix of excitement and sadness. "Damn, I'm going to miss this place.." she trailed off as she folded her clothes into her bags for the four thousandth time. Lauren nodded. She turned to Conrad and whispered.
"What the hell am I supposed to do with a latex catsuit?"
"Uhh, Id take it with you, if I'm not mistaken, it holds some very special memories.." Conrad smirked. Lauren hit her with a pillow.
"I don't want to leave...do you think it would be illegal for he and I to live here? Like...now?"
"Well, considering your Swahili skills, it's probably not a good idea. But I'm sure you guys will be great pen pals!" said Conrad encouragingly. Lauren hit her.
"I can't do this! And Rhi's even worse...she didn't get her guy, and you know how often that happens. Basically NEVER."
"Oh hun don't worry about Rhi. You never know what could happen. And besides she doesn't always get her guy." said Conrad. Lauren shrugged.
"What are you wearing to the shin-dig tonight?"
"Me? Ohh well, I went out like three am last night and picked up some tribal stuff." said Conrad as she held up a loose African dress and a black pair of pants for underneath. "Look, these necklaces were made by people here. This symbol is a really important one of Hanukkah. And this one means life." Lauren turned to her.
"Ok Conrad...get some sleep..."she giggled."Hanukkah..." she snorted and walked out of the room.
"But its twelve thirty in the afternoon! I can't sleep now!" said Conrad sounding really confused.