Gemma & Rufus

[Scene opens at Gemma, a restaurant in between NoHo and the East Village, with the sun setting and Rufus meeting friends for cocktails]

Friend: It's so great to see you, Little Pizza!
S.A.: I know. It's been too long. How have you been?
Friend: Oh, I'm grea... Oh, this is Kristin, Erin, you know Rod...[as she continues to introduce me to friends and colleagues in the medical profession]...This is Little Pizza.

[Time lapses, and strangers approach me curious to know the origins of my name]
I simply point to her and say she just started calling me Little Pizza, it doesn't really bother me.

Erin: I don't get it but that's alright. I'd rather call you by your real name. What is it?
S.A.: It's Chip Douglas. Honestly you could call me anything. By the time I have my fill of Peronis, I'll probably be responding to Rufus.

[Erin introduces me to Kristin (again)]
Erin: Kristin, this is Little Pizza. His real name is Chip Douglas, but he said we can call him Rufus.
Kristin: Rufus? Why would I call him Rufus?
S.A.: It's really not a problem. You can call me whatever you want. It's really not going to matter. No offense, but hopefully I never have to see any of you people again.
Kristin: Well, that's not very nice.

It probably wasn't a nice thing to say, but as a male I hope to never have to see anyone who considers urologic oncology a profession at their place of business.