Animate Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

interrupted you, but I thought it was time to return the favor. I brought you a coffee.”
    I grin like an idiot. “Wow, thanks,” I say, stunned and unsure what to do. I finally step forward and gingerly take the drink from her.
    “Of course, I had to guess what you drink…”
    “And?” I start to turn the cup to read what’s been checked off.
    “Venti Cappucino with extra foam.” She watches for my reaction.
    “Extra foam?” I laugh, before my mind goes to dark places.
Does she think I’m wimpy?
    “The foam is my favorite part. Isn’t it yours?”
    “Well, it is now.” I smile. “Thanks, this is perfect.” I lift the cup up and carefully take a swig, watching her the entire time.
    “So I talked to Nick about you.”
    My mind starts reeling.
Good God, no.
I can only imagine what embarrassing stuff he could say about me. “Really? What about?”
    “Actually, he said you’re the best animator here.”
    “Really?” I shake my head in disbelief. I know Nick likes my work, I overheard him once discussing me with Joel, but this is too much.
    “As a matter of fact he said you’re one of the best he’s ever seen, and that you and Joel make a great team. You are the Rod Scribner to his Bob Clampett.”
    “You know Rod Scribner?” I ask, not masking the awe in my voice. “He’s my favorite Looney Tunes animator from the golden age, when they really knew how to make cartoons.”
    “Sure, he was a brilliant animator that worked with Bob. They made magic together.”
    I’m one crazy guy, when talking about the greats of animation excites me like this. My emotion overcomes me and I bite my bottom lip to stop from saying anything stupid.
    Her profound compliments have forced me to lose all logic and reason. For a moment I flash to an image of me falling to my knees and begging.
Marry me, Brooke. We can honeymoon at Comic Con, and have our very own
Three Little Bops
.
    “I warned you that I’m a geek. I’m a huge cartoon buff.”
    She can’t be real…she’s just too good to be believed.
    I struggle to gather my thoughts.
    “Well Scribner and Clampett are two of my heroes. I know Joel fancies us as a great cartoon duo: the human versions of Ren and Stimpy, Fred and Barney, or Beavis and Butthead. I swear, if we’re a duo we’re Pinky and the Brain, and I’m definitely the Brain, whether he accepts that or not.”
    Brooke laughs and looks over, noticing the caricature of Andy and I on the couch that Dani’s left on my desk. Before I pull it off the table to hide it she asks, “Is that your girlfriend on the couch with you?”
    “No!” I say abruptly. “That’s just a stupid joke the guys were playing on me and Andy.”
    “That’s one elaborate joke,” she comments suspiciously as she steps back. “Well, I’ve got to get going. I just wanted to bring you your coffee.”
    I fear she’s mad at me, so it takes all my courage to look her in the eye and smile. “Thanks again. That’s so cool you got
me
coffee.”
    “You’re welcome, Brain,” she replies smiling, as she heads down the hallway.
    Of course as the afternoon wears on, I get more and more agitated remembering the awkward moment of Brooke coming all the way to my cube with coffee only to find another girl practically lying across my desk. Then to top if off, she sees an elaborate drawing of me grabbing some whorish looking chick’s tit.
Damn it all.
She must think I’m a complete and utter, asshole.
    By five forty-five I face the reality that I’ll go completely mad if I don’t talk to her again. I slowly stalk my way over to the executive offices, and happily discover that Morgan appears to be gone for the weekend. I peek into Brooke’s office to see her typing away on her laptop. I knock gently on her open door to get her attention.
    She looks over at me. “Hey, Nathan. What’s up?” She says. I can hear the exhaustion in her voice.
    “Can I come in? I want to clarify something.”
    “Sure,” she replies pointing to