Night fell.
West Side.
A bar.
"Hi, Monica."
A bearded young man pushed open the door and walked in, nodding a greeting to the woman in red seated at the bar.
"Chandler, I have some bad news."
Monica warned him.
"Have you ever seen me listen?"
Chandler gave his usual self-deprecating reply.
He had encountered too many upsetting things growing up. Nothing much could move him anymore.
Monica smiled helplessly. "The bar is shutting down. I heard they're turning it into a coffeehouse."
"Only selling coffee?"
Chandler frowned. "Then where are we supposed to hang out? We can't spend every day in a coffeehouse, drinking coffee and chatting, can we? That'd be so lame."
"Exactly."
Monica agreed. "A coffeehouse doesn't have the same atmosphere as a bar, and this place is right downstairs from us. It's so convenient."
"Let's go complain right now. If they turn it into a coffeehouse, we'll never come here again."
Chandler waved a hand.
Monica merely rolled her eyes and did not join in, because she knew Chandler was a coward at heart and had no nerve to lead a protest.
Sure enough, Chandler was all talk. When Monica ignored him, he gave an awkward smile.
"How's the roommate search going?"
Monica graciously changed the subject.
"More or less settled."
Chandler smiled with satisfaction.
"Is it that handsome Italian guy?"
Monica's eyes lit up.
"No."
Chandler shook his head. "It's a photography instructor."
"Ooh..."
Monica wailed. "Why not pick that handsome Italian guy? He was so stylish."
"The photography instructor often brings models over."
Chandler grinned mischievously. "And his sister is a porn star."
"But the handsome Italian guy is really handsome."
Monica protested.
"But the photography instructor's sister is a porn star."
Chandler emphasized.
"But the handsome Italian guy had such seductive eyes, especially