Back at Emelio’s.. picking up right where we left off.
Amanda finally arrives! 
Amanda: Hi.
Lee: Hi!
Amanda: Sorry I’m late. Do you have change? I need to call home.
The moment Amanda arrives, Sonja looks away. 
Lee: Oh, sure, yeah. Here you go. 
Amanda: Oh, good. Thank you. 
Lee: Okay.
Lee holds on to Amanda’s purse for her.
Amanda: I’ll be right back.
Sonja pays for her drink.. says thanks to Norman and leaves with no further interaction with Lee.
Lee notices..
We see on the way out, Sonja has a good look at Amanda at the telephone, as she makes her way out of the bar.
uh oh. I guess the audience may be thinking this Sonja is jealous and checking out the competition? I’m not sure if I was wondering if this Sonja may be the help Alexi had arranged to carry out his plan. Do you remember what you thought?
Amanda doesn’t seem to notice. Until Sonja turns around one last time to look at Amanda as she heads out the door. 
Amanda definitely notices now. Hmmm I notice Amanda for once, doesn’t smile back! 
We cut back to Lee deep in thought. Very deep in thought! 
The shot widens and we find Lee is now sitting at a table with Amanda. 
Lee: I think I just got hit on by a Soviet agent out trolling.
Amanda: Really?
Someone walks past… so they try to look less like they’re lying, sneaking and working for the government.
Lee: Yeah. It’s nothing to worry about. I’ll file a 760—the casual contact boys’ll have a look and come up with an ID… 
…Oh, you know what?
Amanda: Hmm?
Lee: You know what Norman called us earlier? [Lee tries to brush it off, and move away from work thinking. Me like!]
Amanda: Uh-uh.
Lee: Regulars. 
Amanda: Regulars? 
Lee: Yeah.
Amanda: Really? 
Lee: I kinda like it…
…What do you think?
Amanda: Well… I don’t think we’re regular at all.
Lee: Ah, Amanda…
Amanda: Oh, come on.
Lee: We are-
Amanda: Listen! We act like strangers at work, we sneak around and we invent stories…
(Lee chuckles)
…about how we spend our evenings… I would love to be regular.
(Lee nods)
Lee: Well, me too.
…And we will be. 
[Oh? do tell! what do you have in mind Lee? I don’t see how ‘regular’ can be these two anytime soon?!]
There’s no explanation to this cryptic remark. Instead.. Lee gives her a little ‘come here’ motion…[who could resist!]
He gives her a big smile.
And they both silently lean over their dinner to give each other a quick peck.
Too cute.. 
They immediately look around to see if anyone saw them.
The look on Lee’s face here is too cute!
…And it’s straight back to dinner.
LOL. Just what did Lee mean about ‘they will’? And.. it seems to me that Amanda knew what that meant. What do you think?
How cute are these two everyone?! 
This post will be short – and very sweet!!!
Can’t wait to hear from ya!!!!
"Just walk with me.." 
I think Amanda and Lee have a different perspective of the “Regulars” tag. Lee not having ( it is assumed ) a stable and consistent relationship with someone before is happy to be noticed as a true couple. While Amanda is looking at the logistics of their “secretly dating” and not even her mother or sons knowing how important this person has become ( although Dotty definitely suspects… Mothers always know. ) She, having had a relationship in a regular way before, is comparing this relationship to that. She would like to openly show their affection to each other. ( Dotty…. “ Why don’t you invite your man home for dinner one evening so we can all get to know him…..” Not possible ( although really, why couldn’t she have him over as a co-worker from IFF ??? Ok ok they need drama I know ) )
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I enjoy what we got, also, in the scene. This is the first kiss of the season, even with Unfinished Business first (which flows beautifully between ATWAS & Stemwinders, I must say), and more than the kiss to me is the demeanor of Lee, as so many of you have already beautifully noted. He is contented and relaxed.
I wonder if maybe Amanda’s response to Lee’s comment about being normal perhaps was, indeed, referring to his becoming incorporated into her family and all of her worlds finally intertwining so she can relax and enjoy all the pieces of her life more wholly. But I also wonder if she’s not itching (albeit patiently) to hear him say those important three words that have yet to be said. It has to be on her mind, IMO, because I do feel like the “question” she didn’t ask him in UB when he was under the drug’s influence was about that. So I think it is on her mind! And hearing him say that could be another step to “normal”, for her. Maybe. Just thinking (or rambling) through possibilities while typing.
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I think that the odd little smile that Sonja gives to Amanda as she leaves gives Amanda pause. Why is this strange woman smiling at her so?
I like how Lee’s now finished business regarding his parents and his past three years with Amanda have led him to being accepting of this whole “regular” concept. He seems to be enjoying and willing to accept regular.
Amanda and Lee have never had to act like strangers at work or invent stories about their evening before. If they are doing so now wouldn’t it lead to more questions or more focus on them? Aren’t they basically considered partners? They seem to be sharing the Q Bureau and work on cases together. There’s no need to act like strangers.
I was not a fan of Amanda sort of dousing Lee’s excitement about the regular comment. I think Lee’s “we will be” comment shows that he’s looking at a future with Amanda and in a positive and hopeful way. I can’t currently think of an episode where Lee talks about his future, either positively or negatively. Might have to check on that one.
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So, I’m going to reply to my own comment, because while reading the next post I suddenly remembered in The Pharoah’s Engineer how Lee told Amanda that Birchwood was the future if they were lucky.
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Oh valeriejw, that is a wonderful recollection about Lee looking toward their future. When we learned that Lee spent time visiting the intelligence retirees at Birchwood, it was so incredibly satisfying! In addition to being gifted with banana bread, peach brandy and Rupert’s stories; they loved on Lee like surrogate grandparents, filling an empty place in his heart. To also realize that he looks forward to one day being a surrogate grandfather for others, well it warms my heart!
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I’m sorry but it looks like I may be the lone dissenter on this scene. I do not really care for it. The only thing I honestly can remember about my first impression is that I thought TPTB were throwing major temptation in front of Lee way too soon after their ATWAS kiss. Sonja’s hair, youth, shirt, and flirtation with Lee all screamed to me that Lee was in woman trouble.
The other things I don’t like about this scene I cannot remember if I’ve always felt this way or if I’ve developed the viewpoint after rediscovering the series as an adult. Amanda’s hair doesn’t look good at all compared to how it used to look in S3 – she is not looking as beautiful as she normally does. I also don’t like how she blows up Lee’s excitement about being “regulars”. He’s getting used to the idea of being in a monogamous relationship (I’m assuming) and she shoots him down. Poor Lee. And their little quick kiss also bugs me. Not that they are kissing, but the whole trying to keep it on the down low aspect of it. It comes off as cheese to me. Maybe when I was 14 I was excited about this scene, but I don’t remember one way or the other.
I think perhaps I’m the most disappointed that we didn’t get to see them sneaking around and spending their evenings together. We went from ATWAS to this. I know UB was probably meant to air first, but that is not what we got. I’m having a hard time inserting it when I think about how I feel about this episode.
No idea what Lee meant by that. I can only guess that they’ve got some sort of plan or timeline for when they’ll take their relationship out of the closet in terms of Dotty, the boys, and Joe. Or maybe they plan to keep their relationship a secret at work (yeah right) for a year and then tell Billy. If they can prove they can work together that whole year with no issue, then surely Billy would be okay if they were romantically involved?
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Should have said that Lee was headed for woman trouble.
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“I also don’t like how she blows up Lee’s excitement about being “regulars”. He’s getting used to the idea of being in a monogamous relationship (I’m assuming) and she shoots him down. Poor Lee.”
I also do not care for Amanda raining on, what is to her, Lee’s silly excitement about being regulars (at Emelio’s); HOWEVER, I absolutely adore how he turns the tables on her by letting her know he intends for them to be a regular (aka normal) couple. His enigmatic smile and gesture lures her into meeting him halfway and … SWAT! Sealed with a kiss. She must realize she is his one and only! Lee is committed to their relationship … poodle hairdo notwithstanding … what a man !!
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😀 love it! I wish it felt a bit more romantic than a sneaky little peck with a table and their dinner between them. I’m guessing it was meant to be humorous for the audience (SMK humor), but I think the way it was executed makes it awkward to do and awkward for me to watch. I’m glad other people really like it – that’s what makes the blog so much fun – we don’t all like or dislike the same things for the same reasons.
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I hear you. Just random thoughts. Lee meeting her in the doorway/lobby area of Emilios,and greeting each other with a kiss before walking in together would have been nice too. Two things don’t change from the main scene. First, no one sees the kiss and second, they’re still “regulars” getting their back booth, salads, etc. He could have still had the scene with Sonja, then roamed toward the front to meet Amanda. That just prevents her from seeing him talking to Sonja. It may not improve things by too much, but it makes the moment between Lee and Amanda more deliberate.
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Like your thoughts on this much better than what we got!
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Hi everyone!
I’ve been having so much fun reading everyone’s comments!!
I’m so thrilled you have all shared your thoughts with us all and I’m loving the discussions!
Real life is very busy for me.. so I don’t get to stop by regularly – sorry about that!
I wrote the blog posts for stemwinders about 2 months ago – before i knew life was going to get pressured.. so even my own posts are feeling a little fresh to me! haaaa..
I’ll be aiming to publish about 2 posts a week.. I wish I could do more but I need what I’ve written to last till my big scary deadlines have passed and I don’t want to put the walk on hold if I can avoid it. So… just filling you in on what to expect..
We’ll likely be walking through the two stemwinders right up until November!
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Oh, these are way too special a set of episodes to anything but go through them as slowly and enjoyably as possible…
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Yeap, let’s take this walk through the two stemwinders as slow as possible.
I want to enjoy each single step of this walk. 👣
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I like this scene, it’s sweet and authentic. Perhaps been hit on by a soviet agent isn’t your average small talk over dinner but it doesn’t seem to phase our favourite spies.
One thought: does the fact that the barman could answer a quiz on their habits and the soviets know where to come not cause either of them to think a) their cover is compromised
B) their secret relationship is a pretty open secret.
Regardless, the talk about being ‘regular’ is a nice shout out to season one. Both of them seem very happy and content and it’s lovely to see them do couples things.
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LOL I just said the same thing over on post 1 – that Lee and Amanda are compromised..
they should be thinking they are compromised, but at this stage I don’t know if they are.
yes Lee doesn’t seem to worry about their secret relationship being noticed by Norman.. I find it strange but then, maybe I’m paranoid!
yeah! love this!!! maybe this little dinner is a nod to the one they missed when Lee became undead at the end of Remembrance of things past? They both were a little wistful they wouldn’t get their hamburgers and red wine..
Oh! and we had the end of Dead Men Leave No Trails..
Lee: You and me?……Your house, just like,…
(Lee playfully looks around) … uh…a couple of normal people?
Amanda: Let’s give it a try. (Amanda reaches for his arm.)
Lee: Yeah.
Seems they’ve been giving it a really good try.. and they are now well and truly succeeding! 🙂
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I love this scene too, Michele. It does make up for the opening scene. I suspect TPTB behind scenes were just messing with the viewers’ heads in the last scene 😀
Regarding their “secret relationship” and “secret dinner venue”, maybe they in that phase of every relationship that they just don’t think too much and just feel very intensely. A rather unfortunate (and dangerous) phase given their jobs….!
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We cut back to Lee deep in thought. Very deep in thought!….
Lee: I think I just got hit on by a Soviet agent out trolling
Hmmmm… 🤔
Why was Lee soooo deep in thought?
Was he just reflecting the scene with Sonja, was he pondering whether to tell or not to tell Amanda or did he just have an epiphany what Sonja was up to? I thought he knew right away what was going on…
And if he KNOWS, why does he say “I think I just got hit on by…” instead of “I just got hit on by…”?
Isn’t he entirely sure about it after all?
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whoooo this ties into what I just said to gruvy granny in post 1… I think Lee can’t be 100% sure what just happened.. and that the Russians design their approach that way..
The moment she orders a Vodka very cold – he’s taking particular mental note in a professional capacity me thinks..
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In previous episodes, Lee points them out, such as, that’s the KGB’s number 4 guy,etc. In this instance, perhaps he was deep in thought trying to place Sonja, but he just didn’t know this KGB operative. That’s why he plans to file a casual contact report to ID her.
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Oh yeah… Lee usually knows everyone! 🙂
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Perhaps the Russians 💂 placed a newbie Lee doesn’t know yet into DC…
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Sounds good to me! 🙂
rofl what’s with all these fabulous emoticons?! How do you do that? do tell! 🙂
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I got a new smartphone (do you also call those computerized cellphones ‘smartphone’ in English?) ’cause my old one caused me more and more problems. This is really smart with those emoticons, I found some very cute.
May I introduce:
😎 – Mr. Agent I
🕵 – Mr. Agent II
👩 – Amanda
👦 – Lee
👨 – Lee’s Dad
👧 – Lee’s Mom
👵 – Grandmother (Dotty??)
💂 – Russian (Agent?)
🤴 – King (Eddie?) / Prince (Terry?)
🎅 – Santa
🤶 – Mrs. Santa
👰 – Bride
🤵 – Groom
🎷- Sax (Billy Bluenote)
🍩 + ☕ – Billy
I found plants and fruits, candies, cakes and cookies and so much more. 😀 💖
I’ll show you in my coments. ☺
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Very cute! Billy with the donut…lol!
Marshmellows could be Dotty too. 😉
How about Phillip and Jamie?
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Well, I’ll look for some marshmellows for Dotty…
Hmmm, Phillip and Jamie, hmmm 🤔, let’s see…
What about those:
For Phillip – he seems to be the more athletic one to me
🏃
🏀
🏈
🥈
For Jamie – he seems to be less athletic to me
🚶
🐠
🤡
⚗
Unfortunately there are not so many kids emoticons – and NO marshmellows either… ☹
But there are some flowers, so I could give Dotty a cobined picture, like this one
👵+🌺 – Dotty
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😥 Oooops, missed the
⚾ for Phillip
AND last but not least
🎁 +🍫 – Francine
or better this one 🐒 for our beloved co-worker? 😉
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Oh wow, Lee&Amanda! These are awesome! Thanks for sharing 🙂 If anyone wants to continue on with these, I’d suggest copying them over to Ned’s. They might be easier to find in the future.
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The bartender isn’t creepy to me, he’s just settling the nerves of his newly regular customer. Lee must feel the place is relatively safe if they’ve been going there for weeks and are obviously a couple to anyone paying attention. With that being said, a probable Russian spy who so blatantly approaches him in this “safe place” has got to peak his personal and professional interest and I enjoyed their interaction since he was not flirting with her, especially since it didn’t seem to concern Amanda. And Amanda definitely keeps her own counsel, doesn’t she? She knows something is not right with Sonya and it’s satisfying that Lee’s comment at the dinner table confirms her own suspicions. Even if Sonya’s not a trolling Russian spy, she is an interloper and we’re not meant to like her one bit! The quick “kiss and glance” is very cute. I greatly enjoy relaxed Lee. He’s comfortable in his own skin, he’s comfortable with Amanda, and this may be the first time we’ve truly seen him content and happy. Content, happy, and relaxed Lee is SEXY! The two of them together are sexy! Things are getting steamy!
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Hi Katjielee!
Great to hear from you!!
Yes I think you are on to something.. Lee does seem to feel safe here..
Yep – I see this the same way. though maybe I wouldn’t say I enjoyed him smiling at her haaaa but that’s just me being unreasonable maybe 😉
You don’t find Norman creepy (and that’s cool), but I see it as a red flag which further adds to your point that Lee should not feel safe at Emelio’s anymore!
Indeed! good call Katjilee! I agree, that Amanda didn’t return the smile said much.. that is not usual for Amanda.. smiling for her is a bit of a reflex.
Can I just say: Hooooo Haaaaaa!!!! You’ve summed it up perfectly!! 🙂
At the same time, the episode for me starts with an undercurrent that this is all going to be fleeting.. and I get a hint of an ominous vibe.. especially knowing Alexi and his black bread are after Lee – and Amanda!!!
One last random thought.. if Amanda weighs 115 pounds, I thought they should stop sharing entrees and let her eat a whole meal 😉
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We waited a whole long, long summer for that kiss back in the day… and it’s one of my favourites because everything about the body language of it says that they have become very used to these tiny moments of simple affection since we last saw them. The tender smiles when she comes in even though he must have seen her not that long ago at work, the way he unhesitatingly takes her purse to hold… these are two people completely at ease with each other now and easily demonstrative – in a sneaky, irregular spy kind of way, of course. 😉
Even the way they both laugh over Norman’s description of them as regulars is such a couple thing. Amanda may be the one to complain about the lying and the sneaking, but this new Lee doesn’t dismiss that complaint the way he might have in the old days, he agrees, empathizes, more or less promises that that will change and then seals it with a kiss. They are adorable!
I want to see more of that “we act like strangers at work” though – I feel like that would be hilarious, especially after those knowing looks Billy and Francine exchanged at the end of All the World’s a Stage. Could there really be anyone at the Agency who believes that?
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Of course, nothing screams ‘ THIS GUY IS TAKEN” like having him hold your purse. LOL. (I am not saying that Amanda did this on purpose, but the message should be very clear to Sonja)
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Good call Cindy!!!
And Lee’s accepting it also screams – I’m hers! 🙂
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I really enjoyed your comment clagjanet!
Terribly swoony!!!! and fabulous!! – ‘Adorable’ is the perfect description!
Yeah! Definitely a recipe for some good comedy!
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(after the quick peck) They immediately look around to see if anyone saw them.
Yep, camera was on and got got you pretty nice.
Millions of people could witness it! 💏😍😘
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ROFL 🙂
And I like what I see!
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Yeah, me two!!! ☺
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Norman probably saw them too. I wonder if he opted to be kind and leave that out of his description of ‘regulars’ (i.e, Booth in the corner, 2 salads, split an entree etc…) when he was talking to Lee. 😉
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As observant as Norman is…. its quite a possibility, although Lee and Amanda might not kiss 💏 each time they are at Emilio’s, just when there is a camera and enough audiance like us SMK-Fans who start swooning while watching them…
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Lucky us!!! 🙂
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Ohhhh yeahhhh…. Very lucky us (and happy us) 😀
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Did anybody else think they should look around to see if anyone is watching BEFORE they kiss rather than after? 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
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First thing Amanda sees when she enters is Lee looking at a pretty young woman. That she quickly leaves him to phone her family, tells me that she is incredibly secure in their relationship. At the table, Amanda obviously hasn’t commented on it because it’s Lee, who brings it up, telling her he was “hit on by a Soviet agent.” This tells me that he, too, is incredibly secure in their relationship. I so adore the honesty and trust emanating from both of them in this scene! IMO, it definitely springboards from the Unfinished Business episode and validates the JWWM change in episode order.
When Amanda alters the meaning of being “regulars” from restaurant patrons to their relationship, Lee is undaunted. In his mind, he knows that’s their destination … WoW! That’s a huge step forward from “Lee the Loner” to him being a part of Amanda — and her family! He knows they’re a package deal and it’s not scaring him away. To the contrary, it prompts Lee to state, unequivocally, “Well, me too and we will be” … [someday]. Yes, “someday” is certainly implied IMO at the end of his statement, but for Lee to acknowledge where he wants them to be is huge … HUGE !! Lee is the optimist here and it makes me very happy.
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I totally agree with you, Nancy.
…she quickly leaves him to phone her family,…
That makes me wonder. Why is Amanda calling home if she just left – hmmm… Perhaps her family wasn’t home when she left… 🤔
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“That makes me wonder. Why is Amanda calling home if she just left – hmmm… ”
My best guess: Amanda purposefully used a pay phone because it limited the length of the conversation. If she called from her desk at the office, Dotty was liable to lengthen her inquisition indefinitely, cutting short Amanda’s precious time with Lee.
NOTE: In the 1980’s, people needed to keep inserting coins into a pay phone to continue the conversation.
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Well, I assumed she was home after work to freshen up and change her clothes, perhaps even preparing dinner for her mother and he boys… but perhaps they came straight from the office (or at least Amanda did).
Yeap, I remember making phone calls with public phones back in the 80s…. yessss, I’m that old… it wasn’t different here in Germany or Berlin (West) and either you hadn’t enough change or the phone / phone booth was broken…. 📞
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Well they probably left work together and then Amanda wandered around for 10 minutes to throw everyone off the scent and then met up with Lee. Spy dating requires these type of diversionary tactics
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rofl. yes us smk fans know about coin operated phones.
Remember this fabulous season 1 gag?
Lee: no. I want you to find a phone and tell Billy where we are, tell him they’re smuggling airplane parts to the middle east..
Amanda: What about you?
Lee: what about me?
Amanda: well there’s so many of them!
[Lee the hero cocks his gun.. determined and outnumbered]
Lee: alright, go!!
[ummm Amanda isn’t moving…]
Amanda: I don’t have change!
ROFL!!! I can’t wait to start on season 1 again 🙂
Nancy I like your idea re the pay phone limiting the length of the call – that’s a good trick!
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“I like your idea re the pay phone limiting the length of the call – that’s a good trick!”
Thanks iwosd. We all know how Dotty can run on! Must admit, I used that trick myself to avoid too many questions while away at university (phoning the folks) … back in the day!
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I brought enough change to talk to my mom for an hour on a payphone while at university (but we’ve always been close). My dad made me call collect (i.e., he’s the one I’d rather avoid questions from) so I couldn’t avoid the length of the call. I’d have to use the excuse, ‘Oops….someone else wants to use the phone.’
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Brilliant!
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When call waiting came in, I would fake the ‘click click’ to tell the person I had to get off the line because the incoming call was for my parents.
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This all goes to show that devoted S&MK fans have been honing our “diversionary tactics” (as Michele “coin”-ed it, above) for decades!
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Incredibly swoony observations Nancy!!! 🙂
I’m feeling uneasy about what’s ahead for Lee and Amanda.. given the risks they are taking, and people are noticing.. but… the way their relationship is so secure is extremely heartening, reassuring!!! They’ll be okay!!! 🙂
I sooo agree! A little line like this would have flown by me if I wasn’t doing the walk – I need to take my time and soak it up… and here is a little gem that was waiting to be discovered! Quite a stunning statement that says so much – as you’ve summed up so well!
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