Joe also does not have a plumber’s license, although he says he does not need one because he has been working for another company that is licensed.
Title: “Double Duty”
[Scene: A dimly lit, upscale lounge. Gigolo Joe, ever the suave android, sits across from Lisa Ann, who sips a martini, intrigued by his double life.]
Lisa Ann: (smirking) So, let me get this straight. You’re not just a lover, you’re a plumber too?
Gigolo Joe: That’s right, Lisa. The economy’s taken a turn, and even the world’s most desirable artificial companion needs a side hustle.
Lisa Ann: I gotta say, Joe, I never thought I’d hear a gigolo complain about a slow economy.
Gigolo Joe: Oh, it’s rough out there. Love isn’t recession-proof. Used to be, I’d walk into a room and women would practically swoon. Now, they’re checking their budgets before they check me out.
Lisa Ann: (laughs) And plumbing pays better?
Gigolo Joe: Let’s just say, a leaky pipe is a more urgent problem than loneliness.
Lisa Ann: No kidding. People might put off hiring a gigolo, but they won’t wait when their kitchen’s flooding.
Gigolo Joe: Exactly! I fix a pipe, they pay me on the spot. No second-guessing, no “let me think about it.”
Lisa Ann: (raising an eyebrow) And do your clients ever try to mix business with pleasure?
Gigolo Joe: Lisa, you’d be surprised how many times I’ve heard, “Since you’re already here…”
Lisa Ann: (laughs, shaking her head) That’s gotta be one hell of a service package—”Pipe repair and pleasure included.”
Gigolo Joe: (grinning) I like to think of it as full-service maintenance.
Lisa Ann: So what’s tougher? Fixing a broken heart or a broken toilet?
Gigolo Joe: A toilet doesn’t text you at 2 AM asking, “Do you still think about me?”
Lisa Ann: (laughing) Fair point.
Gigolo Joe: But honestly, I’ve found a strange kind of peace in plumbing. The human heart? Messy, unpredictable, full of unresolved emotions. But pipes? Pipes follow rules. If something’s wrong, you find the clog, you clear it, and it works again.
Lisa Ann: Yeah, but in your main line of work, you’re the clog.
Gigolo Joe: (chuckles) And sometimes, I’m the plunger.
Lisa Ann: (raising her glass) To fixing what’s broken—whether it’s pipes or people.
Gigolo Joe: (clinking glasses) To double duty.
[Fade to black as they share a knowing smile.]
