Annotated Interlude 2 Page 12
Miranda is born in the early ’90s, which means either she’s been conceived as of this page, or she will be soon. Either way, Cohen and Jessica Lake have been an on-and-off thing for a while.
So this was a handy way to establish some more background: (1) Cohen and Lake aren’t exclusive, and he’s not just pining while they’re apart, he’s having casual sex and it’s fine; (2) Walker may or may not be having sex with her Being at this point, but she has an active sex life with other humans, and her disability doesn’t get in the way of that; (3) there is no Unresolved Sexual Tension between these two. Because it’s been resolved. And the resolution was “nope.”
The fact that it’s probably the funniest page in the chapter was just icing on the cake.
Best comment on the original: “Too bad. They missed their chance to do it when they first met in the ’70s, when Disco Stu was a young and impressionable college student and Ann was still years away from menopause.”
Walker (thinking): May as well leave him in business . . . as long as he keeps making his original research available.
Cohen: So, be honest with me . . . do you think the company’s objectively worth bidding on? Not that I have any interest in selling my baby, mind you.
Walker: Mmm . . . I can see it cleaning up nice. Its biggest problem has been lawsuits, and those are largely your own fault. The foundation is solid. Five years under my leadership, and I could build something worthwhile on that.
Cohen: What makes you think I won’t build it up to your standards in five years anyway? After all, everything I know, I learned by studying from the best . . .
Later:
Cohen: I don’t want to be the one to say it, but . . .
Walker: That was dreadful. Let’s never do it again.
Cohen: Thank you.
