A:
How's the ol' short story going, man?
B:
Oh, really good, actually, thanks, I feel like I've made a ton of progress lately.
A:
Terrific.
B:
Yeah, I think I finally have a good handle on the main character, and sort of getting character established early, right out of the gate.
A:
Perfect. How are you doing it?
B:
Well, heh. I'm a bit embarrassed now.
A:
Oh, no, don't be
B:
Well, it's just, I like my opening lines, I think it sets him up.
A:
What are they?
B:
Well... Ok, I'll just read them. Ahem. Oh, I should say, that, the main character, who's the narrator really and is retelling a story that happened to him earlier in his life, his name is never mentioned. But I have him nicknamed The Stranger, and he's this sort of grizzled old man, telling this story at a bar. So, this first part is dialogue, and it's him talking, and it starts. Ahem. Now, I'm nervous, haha. Ok. Here we go. It starts, "Well, I guess you could say I've always been a little different. Everyone else drinks to remember, but me? Me, I drink to forget."
A:
...
B:
You don't like it?
A:
Can he also checkout any time he wants, but he can never leave?
B:
What? No, he's not a guest
A:
What's with the "Hotel California" then?
B:
Wait, how did you know where it was set?
A:
... You're kidding. This is all actually set in a bar at the "Hotel California"?
B:
Yeah, I just made up the name.
A:
No, you didn't! It's a famous song! And "Some drink to remember, some drink to forget" is a lyric in it!
B:
But it's different! That's not what The Stranger says! And even if he did, it's just a coincidence, I've never even heard of that song.
A:
Oh, shut up. You totally have. It's the Eagles, everyone in the world has heard that song. Kazakh yak farmers sing along to the "But you just can't kill the beast" part.
B:
I honestly have no idea what you're talking about.
A:
Dude, you're either lying or have had a stroke or something. If you seriously don't know what I'm talking about, you need to go to the hospital, no joke.
B:
...
A:
...
B:
I was just messing with you! Of course, I know that song, duh. I gave up on writing that story months ago.