"But we promised to wait fro Graham! Why are you such a glutton!", Tony shook his head.

"Glutton? Me? Look at you! No one's going to believe you are Mr. Saint with that tummy of yours. And I'm not a glutton. My washboard abs can vouch for it."

Jeremy snorted and coughed the water he was sipping through his nose while Tony laughed, just as Graham reached the table.

"Go ahead, Cam. I know how hungry you are. Don't invoke your washboard abs in vain!" Graham grinned as Tony shook his head, and Jeremy coughed once again.

"Excuse me?" Cam raised a single hand and beckoned the waiter.

"Here." Tony handed 2 posters and Jeremy handed 3 to Graham. Cam animatedly showed the waiter what exactly he wanted from the menu.

"Thanks guys! I appreciate this." Graham nodded.

"Why do you want a summer job so badly?" Jeremy asked, unable to stop his curiosity.

"Because I'm tired. Tired of depending on the pocket-money that my mother insists on giving me every week. Tired of seeing how much of that money could have gone into a decent college fund for my sister. Tired of how bored I am when you guys are not free because of your summer jobs... It's vexing!" Graham shuddered at the thought of sitting at home bored out of his brains.

"Frankly speaking, your reasons are better than mine. I'm in it just for the girls." Tony winked, suavely.

"I need the money for astronomy camp." Jeremy shrugged.

"And I need the money for my exquisite taste. As a food connoisseur, I need all the money I can so that I can taste only the best of the best." Cam said, joining the conversation.

"Ahem. If I remember correctly, that greasy hamburger the other day...." Tony trailed away, and raised an eyebrow.

"Haha, Tony! Why bring up last year's stories....." Cam managed a shaky laugh.

"Puh-lease! That hamburger went inside your stomach day-before yesterday!" Tony shook his finger in Cam's face in mock reproach.

"Shushshhshshs. The food's come. Just close your eyes and savour it." Cam flapped his hands in front of his plate and exaggeratedly inhaled.

"So you going to try out for any of these?" Jeremy asked, gesturing at the posters in Graham's hand.

"Wait-wait! Just a moment! I forgot! I have the best summer-job offer for you Graham!" Cam shook his hand in front of Graham's face.

"What?"

"How do you fancy working as a babysitter at Mj. Gen. Martinez?"

"You mean the retired Air Force Major-General? The one at the outskirts of town?", Graham asked, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

"The one and only!" Cam paused slurping his drink and grinned at Graham.

"Cam! I am so thankful to you! I don't know how I can ever repay you for this!"

"Buy me this pricey dessert here, and we can call it even!"

Maybe I should have thought well before wording out my gratitude. Next time, I should stick to free food discount coupons..... Graham thought.