eXile: Hello, is this Rob Cottrell?
    Cottrell: It is.
    eXile: Rob, hi, it's Matt Taibbi from the eXile.
    Cottrell: Matt, hi, I was just writing a reply to your message right now.
    eXile: Oh.
    Cottrell: What it says is, on the venue, if it really is up to me, then the choice is Uncle Guilly's.
    eXile: Guilly's works for me.
    Cottrell: Regarding Stringer, the thing is, I've just taken a subscription out to Stringer, and I think that's probably of more practical benefit to the staff than a furry animal. Can I get away from that? Can I get a waiver?
    eXile: God, I don't know. He's a real stuffed animal fan, Leonid. If it's too much trouble to stop by a kiosk and grab even a little one.... It would mean a lot to all of us.
    Cottrell: And Ricky Martin-that's a dealbreaker, I'm afraid.
    eXile: You can't do it?
    Cottrell: I can't do it.
    eXile: Even one verse?
    Cottrell: Not even one verse, I think.
    eXile: How about a different song? How about "Pop goes the weasel"?
    Cottrell: Um.... How about not?
    eXile: How about not?
    Cottrell: You see, I'm not trying to haggle my way out of your tournament. You judge that as you see fit. I want to have lunch with you anyhow. So I don't think the special conditions, the singing and the rabbit, really ought to apply.
    eXile: I see.
    Cottrell: I'm not trying to haggle my way out of this tournament. I just really want to have lunch with you, that's all.
    eXile: I see. Well, obviously, I, uh, really want to have lunch with you, too. It's just that we were really sort of counting on that Ricky Martin thing. Well, anyway.... Why don't I go back to the coaching staff here, and we'll have a little huddle, and see if we can't work something out.
(negotiation for Thursday time and place follows)
    eXile: ...why don't I sit down and have a talk with the folks at the paper here, and we'll see if we can't work something out...
    Cottrell: Yes, and if we can arrange a lunch on Thursday, that would be good.
    eXile: You can't budge on this Ricky Martin thing, huh? Is it a personal thing, about Ricky Martin?
    Cottrell: Um....
    eXile: I mean, he's loved by millions.
    Cottrell: Uh, yeah, well, I think it's more just intrinsic long-term shyness when it comes to singing the "Vida Loca."
    eXile: Do you have any other performance skills? Do you juggle, or anything like that? Anything along those lines?
    Cottrell: (pause, ignoring question) What do you do?
    eXile: Me? Well, I do juggle. That's one thing I do, I guess.
    Cottrell: Uh-huh.
    eXile: (lying) I play the harmonica. You know, something along those lines. We're trying to get a bargain here...
    Cottrell: I'd like to hear you play the harmonica, that sounds like a possibility. How about I listen?
    eXile: Mmm-hmm... Wait, what? No, no, it doesn't work that way. [laughs]
    Cottrell: (adopting businesslike tone) Listen, I'd really like to meet, and I trust you'll spare me the Ricky Martin, but one thing is that I'd really like to find a day. You say you're pressed tomorrow. Does lunch on Thursday sound fine in theory?
    eXile: Well, in theory, yes, but it would have been nice to get that in by the next issue. But, okay, why don't I give you a call tomorrow morning, and we can try to figure something out?
    Cottrell: Okay, whatever. Look forward to it!
    eXile: Bye.