1. The strategy meeting is complete chaos today.
  2. Well, we have a little time, so if they want to argue [cdb]until they're blue in the face, I won't stop them.
  3. But I am going to sneak out and find something to [cdb]nibble on, because I'm starving.
  4. OK, there must be some fruit here... Huh?
  5. Hey, Claudester.
  6. Hey, Hapi. Aren't you supposed to be in the meeting?
  7. Yeah, but I got hungry and slipped out.
  8. I didn't even notice you leave. You're even more [cdb]slippery than I realized.
  9. Well, it's not like the meeting will unfold differently [cdb]if I decide to stick around.
  10. And since I'm not the only one who skipped out, I guess folks will have to be mad at us together.
  11. Ha! Guilty as charged.
  12. Still, the implications are different for me than they [cdb]are for the great King Claudester.
  13. If someone gets mad at me, it's no big deal. But you probably get the wrath of everyone raining [cdb]down on you for even the slightest misstep.
  14. Sad but true.
  15. Hey, so I know you love to run out and do stupid stuff [cdb]like this sometimes...
  16. But did you take on all this responsibility because you [cdb]wanted to? Or would you walk away if you found [cdb]someone to take your place?
  17. I already told you. There's a huge list of things I want [cdb]to see accomplished, remember?
  18. And sure, it's a heavy burden, but that's all the more [cdb]reason I can't let someone else shoulder it for me. It's up to me to carry my own water here.
  19. Then I guess it's not enough for me to just give you [cdb]my support.
  20. What do you mean?
  21. Well, I'm not really carrying anything at the [cdb]moment—water or otherwise.
  22. So I was thinking it might be nice to take some of the [cdb]load from you.
  23. Just because you aren't as overloaded as me doesn't [cdb]mean you don't have commitments.
  24. I don't know how I feel about burdening you with my, [cdb]you know...burdens.
  25. Sure, but if you keep it to yourself and it crushes you, [cdb]that doesn't help me either.
  26. I'm not as weak as you think I am.
  27. Well, no matter what, it's all gonna work out.
  28. It definitely will.
  29. You know what? Maybe I'll take you up on that offer [cdb]of help after all.
  30. Whatever you need.
  31. In that case, I'll start off with a tough one...
  32. How do we handle the fact we skipped out on the [cdb]strategy meeting?
  33. Uh, well I can't take that off your shoulders, so... I'll stand there and take the scolding with you.
  34. Scolding, huh? You called it "the wrath of everyone" [cdb]like a minute ago!