Marija: waving a Star magazine “Joe… you know I love Angelina and JLO the most. They’ve always been my favorites. But peace sells… and who’s buying? No one! Time for your meds.”
Joe: picking up a crumpled magazine from the trash “Mom… you should’ve saved your Star magazines instead of throwing them out. They’re collector’s items! I could’ve scanned them, made something real from them.”
Marija: furiously scratching a new scratch-and-win card “Joe… Star magazine is a waste of money! Unlike this!” she holds up her card triumphantly “My new investment!”
Joe: groans, rubbing his forehead “Yeah… like Kanye says, the lottery is just there to tease you. You’ll never hit the jackpot. Peace, fame… it’s all the same.”
Marija: ignoring him, scratching faster “And Nelly? She better be serious about marriage and family, or she’s out.”
Joe: grinning confidently “Mom… I was Nelly Furtado’s dance partner, remember? She’s the only one I’m serious about—and the only one I’ll let in the house. She’s serious about marriage and family, Mom. That’s why she counts.”
Marija: crosses arms, sighing “Get serious, Joe… stop daydreaming. I’ve put up with your fantasies for 28 years, letting you rent this room, build your websites, and pretend you’re changing the world. Peace sells… but who’s buying? No one!”
Joe: leaning against the wall, muttering “I know, Mom… but someone has to try, right?”
Marija: snapping her fingers, pointing at him “Your dad says it best: there has always been war, and there will always be war. The world doesn’t stop for dreamers.”
Joe: straightening up, determined “I get it, Mom. But it wasn’t a waste of time. Yugoslavia has had peace for 26 years thanks to my Gospa page and the United Nations. Those pages I built, the work I did—they helped people see that peace is possible. Small victories count, Mom. It matters.”
Marija: pauses, frowning but intrigued “Hmph… 26 years, you say? That’s… something, I suppose.”
Joe: “Exactly! And I can keep building, Mom. I’ll help Angelina, Jennifer… your favorites… in ways that actually matter. And I’ll make money too. Show me the money, and I can skip the meds. Even better—I’ll be quiet, headphones on, polyphasic sleep style.”
Marija: raising an eyebrow “Poly… what now?”
Joe: “Polyphasic. Multiple short sleeps. Keeps me sharp under pressure. Like Da Vinci or Michelangelo under Pope Leo. If you let me work day and night, I’ll turn ideas into results—and I won’t touch your scratch cards or your Star magazines.”
Marija: snorts, smirking “Alright, soldier. Show me results, make the money… and maybe you skip the meds. But if you touch another scratch-and-win, I swear I’ll hide your headphones too.”
Joe: salutes dramatically “Yes, ma’am! Operation ‘Mom-Approved Peace, Profits, Celebrity Intel, Collector’s Star Magazines, and UN-Gospa Glory’ is officially underway. Day and night, polyphasic style, headphones secured, scratch cards respected, Star magazines scanned in my dreams.”
Marija: laughing, scratching another card “Now get moving! Time waits for no daydreamer—even one quoting Kanye or thinking he can dance his way to world peace.”
Joe: “Copy that, Mom… Nelly, your favorite stars, UN peace, Yugoslavia, and maybe even a jackpot… here YUGO!”