Dagny Camouflages Herself in Laundry Basket

A Conversation Riding the Red Line to Rockville with Mala and Vega:

Vega: "The stupid State of Maryland is trying to collect back income tax from me. They want $4,000-something dollars."

David: "What! Did you mis-calculate when you filed or something?"

Vega: "No, they want money from tax year 2008."

David: "But... you hadn't moved here yet. You couldn't have worked in this state, then. You were still on the other side of the country living in Seattle. I remember: I stayed with you two for a couple months that year."

Vega: "I know! But they've been sending me harassing letters saying that's the amount they've somehow calculated and that they've referred my case on to a collection agency."

Mala and Vega Kvetch on Red Line

David: "That is wicked and evil! Or maybe they just got you confused with some other 'Vega' who also happens to live in your same apartment block and has an identical 10-syllable South Indian name?"

Mala: "Oh, don't even get me started about our names and the way the State of Maryland spells them! You wouldn't believe how many times I had to go back to the DMV with different documents to get my drivers license issued since moving back to this state..."

David: "Huh, you couldn't just swap your Washington state license straight across? Is this going to be a worse story than the nonsense Vega is going through?"

Mala and Vega in-unison: "Way worse!"

Mala's bureaucratic rigmarole really was way worse. But, that is another story...

Cousin Melodie's Boys Eli & Isaac Play Angry Birds Card Game

Melodie: "So, they're thinking about getting that $99 'return-to-the-motherland' ancestral tour... "

David: "What? What's that?"

Melodie: "You know: the deal that China offers overseas Chinese. You get a week or ten days or something seeing the Great Wall, Beijing, probably Shanghai and Xi'an. All the historic places. You never did that?"

David: "I never even heard about that. It sounds like something I've heard Israel offers to Jews from the diaspora... I didn't know China did the same thing, too."

Melodie: "Well, they probably just take you around famous places that I'm sure you've already visited dozens of times. But, I think it also includes accomodation and banquets--all the standard tourist package. You do have to get yourself to China--but then it's $99 for everything while you're there."

David: "Really! Hmm. Hmm... I shall have to look into exploiting that the next time I head back to China... "

A Conversation Upon Returning to Naomi's Virginia Home among Naomi, David, and Dagny the Grumpy Kitty:

Adult Kickball on National Mall

Naomi: "How's the kitten! Did you miss me while I was at work?"

Dagny: "Purr. Purr. Purr..."

David: "How is she letting you pick her up and hold her? She would never let me do that."

Naomi: "But I thought you said that she was being a lot nicer to you over this visit than when you were cat-sitting for me last time."

David: "Oh, she is. But you're staying here now, too. I think your being around the house more has made her a lot less skittish. While you've been at work Dagny and I have generally been walking circles around each other and keeping our distance."

Naomi Pauses in Sackler Gallery

Naomi: "How is that being any nicer?"

David: "Well, that last time I was cat-sitting while you were out of town she'd always be wandering around throughout the house hissing, yowling, and licking random objects. And if I came up close enough to have any contact she'd be sure to bite me at some point. This is much better."

Naomi: "Oh!"

Dagny: "Purr. Purr. Purr..."