Seventy Seven "Tough enough?"

"Bad to the bone"

Friends Guest
Courteney Cox as Monica
David Schwimmer as Ross

Special Guest

Salma Hayek as Janet

Ross pulled up the the warehouse where Rachel had her new job. It was the just the same dumpy place she went to the interview for. They sat in the car as the cars engine idled.
"You're gonna work here?" Ross said.
"Yep."
"I could have gotten you into a quilting bee or something. It would be a lot better than this place." Ross said.
"I know, but how long would it have been before I got bored or made someone in the bee angry?" Rachel said. "At least here I'm making and speaking an exotic language." She said.
"Spanish isnt all that exotic, you know." Ross said.
"I could do that, make it exotic." She said with a slight teasing look.
"If it makes you happy, then it makes me happy." Ross said. "I'll pick you up at five." He kissed her on the lips.
"See you later."
She got out of the car and waited for Ross to leave. Then with heavy heart and stomach full of butterflies, she opened the creaky metal door to enter the warehouse.

Monica swung open the door to Phoebes apartment with Chandler in tow.
"Pheebs? You here?" She said looking around. "God, shes tough to find these days."
"Thats for sure." He said. "Are you gonna tell me why you brought me here?"
"You havent been out in weeks." She said. "No dates, nothing! And thats gonna change tonight." She gave him an envelope. "These tickets are to the Kenny G concert in town tonight. Dont say a word, I know you secretly worship the guy." She said.
"Ok but why are we here?" He asked.
"I have to cater a big function tonight at the restaurant. Big league or something, I dunno. I thought Phoebe would go with you since Rachel is at work and Joey would rather die than go to the concert. But since shes not here, we're in quite a pickle here."
"Guess I have to find a girlfriend between now and what 7:30?" Chandler said. "I can manage."
"Ok. If you're sure." Monica said handing him the tickets. "Good luck."
"Thanks." He took the tickets in hand. "I'll need it."

"The Source"

Rachel walked into the telephone room where she was to work and looked around. There were cubicles everywhere. One phone per cubicle. Phone books were on the desk, next to a large list of names that she had to dial up. Plus that all important paper that told her what to say when someone did pick up. She stood in front of an empty one and read the motivation poster.
"Hang in there kitty?" She asked herself. "Great."
"Hola?" A woman behind her asked.
Rachel turned. "Hi."
"I'm Janet." Janet held out her hand.
"Janet? Your name sounds familiar." Rachel said.
"A lot of people are named Janet around here." She smiled. "You're not gonna sit there?"
"Its empty, I thought we could sit where we wanted?" She asked.
"Nope." She pointed. "That desk is reserved for someone." She thought for a second. "To tell the truth she sits anywhere wants. We were telemarketers for a new paint on hair years ago. I worked with her." She said. "Thats her over there." She pointed to a big burly woman drinking coffee. She crushed the coffe cup with both hands turning it into dust. It was a ceramic coffee mug.
"Thats a woman?" Rachel whispered to herself.
"Yep." Janet said. "Just be careful. She likes to pick someone just to hassle. I fear its gonna be you senorita. Cause your new, green. Ok?" "Thanks for the advice." Rachel said not knowing whether to run or to try and find a seat.
She sat down at the cubicle at her left. She was about to put on her telephone headset when she was tapped on the shoulder. Rachel froze in fear. The hand that tapped her felt way too big to be Janets. She turned around slowly.
"Hi." She said.
"You." The woman said. "Your ass is in my seat."
"Really?" Rachel got up. "I'm sorry I didn't know. There was no name here." She smiled shyly.
"Are you getting smart with me?" She thundered.
"No, no. I'm not getting smart. Its not possible." Rachel stuttered.
"You're new, so I will give you the ground rules." She said. "Ground rules so I don't toss you butt on the floor and walk on you."
"Ok." Rachel said.
"My name is Pearl." She said. "Wherever you sit, that is my seat. For today, you are in my seat. You will move over there." She said. "Tomorrow that will be my seat. And so on and so on, till I get sick of you. Comprende, greeny?"
"Si." Rachel managed weakly.
"Good." Pearl moved into her seat. Rachel watched as she put on her headset. She immediately made a call. The thick burly sound that came out of her changed into a sweet sounding voice as she made her calls. Pearl shifted. "I don't like people watching over my shoulder." She said with that "sweet" voice.
"I'm sorry!" Rachel moved to her seat. She was next to Janet now.
"Oh my god." Janet said.
"I got this job cause I knew it wouldn't be anything like I did before. Man, thats true, and I havent even started working yet." Rachel said.
"I pray for you senorita." Janet said.

"Ok." Chandler said out loud. "I've got two choices. I can get Rachel to come with me to see Kenny G or I can wait to see if Phoebe ever comes home." He circled the room. "I guess I know how to solve this." He picked up the phone.
"Hi, this is Phoebe Buffay. I'm not home, I'm upstate visiting my mom. Leave your message at the beep."
"Well that decides it." Chandler said. "It's almost five now. I think I can beat Ross back to the magazine place. Thats the only chance i can get to ask her."
He picked up his tickets and his jacket, then left.


Rachel walked with Janet out of the building.
"Oh my god. I can't believe I'm comin back tomorrow." She said.
"I say every day I'm not coming back, but I do anyway." Janet said. "But I need the money. See you later."
"Yeah, bye." Rachel said as two cars pulled up. Ross got out of one and Chandler got out of the other. They turned and looked at each other.
"Hey Ross." Chandler said.
"Chandler, what are you doing here?" Ross said.
"I had two tickets to a concert tonight." Chandler said. "I thought I would take Rachel, as a friend."
"But we were going to a late night dino exo." Ross said.
Rachel leaned over to Chandler. "Whats the concert."
"Kenny G. Monica gave me the tickets." Chandler said softly.
"Sold." She said. "I'm sorry honey, but I'm really in the mood of something a bit quieter."
"Ok." Ross said. "Bring her home before curfew."
"Curfew?" Rachel asked.
"Kidding." Ross said. He kissed her on the cheek. "Bye honey."
"Bye." Rachel said.

After the concert

Rachel and Chandler got back into his car after the concert. They rode home in silence.
"That was a great concert." Rachel said as they arrived at her home. He got out of the car.
Chandler opened her door for her.
"It was great." He said.
"Chandler." She said. "Have you noticed how awkward it is to be around me lately?" She asked.
"What? What, what what do you mean?" He stuttered.
"Everytime we are aroune each other its uncomfortable." She said. "And I think we know why."
"We do?"
"We just have to get used to being just friends again." She said. "Maybe if we hung out more like we used to, it'll feel alot better. After all, we did have a great friendship. Didn't we?"
"We did." Chandler said looking at her.
"It wont take that long." She said "Night."
"Night." He said. He walked to his car. He stopped and turned around. "Ah to hell with it. I still love you."
"What?" She asked.
"You heard me, Rachel." He said "I love you and I always will!" He kissed her on the lips. "We can't go back to being friends. Not when I'm always going to feel this way. I'm gonna go. I can't stand being around when I know I cant have you." He jumped in his car and drove off.
"Chandler!" Rachel shouted after him. She sighed and turned around. She squinted. Was it her imagination or was someone watching from her apartment? A dark figure moved away.
"Can't be. Did Ross see this whole thing?" She asked.