<em>Are you kidding yourself, Mike?</em>continued an inner-dialogue Michael had been having with himself. "<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 0.7em;">What are the chances...</span>" he spoke beneath his breath, just before Florence appeared by him.<br/><br/>The slap on the back greeting came as a surprise, though he didn't startle this time. "Uh, food? Sh-sur-re." Michael had already had his dinner but he'd leave that fact out for now.<em>Be present, Mike,</em>he mentally advised himself as he walked with Florence out the door.<br/><br/>At least her positive greeting had him feeling decidedly better than he had a few minutes ago.<br/>After a moment of walking in silence towards the food area Michael said: "So uh, it was all cool with my Mom." It was a lame opener to a conversation but he decided he wasn't going to ask Florence about class. "I had missed her call but she'd figured studying was the reason...I mean she was worried a bit, but once I explained...Did the usual Mom thing, though," he added with a laugh, half-honest half-self-conscious, "said about 3 times throughout the conversation to try and not forget my phone again." This time Michael gave a totally honest laugh, "and man, look here I am without it again. It's charging," he explained before joking "guess I'm not helpin' myself."<br/><br/>Scratching at his jawline a second, his inner dialogue started up again:<em>Yeah, no kidding. Maybe you're not helping yourself with this whole thing...It's not what you came here for..okay, it was a little..finally some new chance. What are the chances?</em><br/><br/>He was taken from his thoughts by Florence's voice, which he became aware of in a delayed fashion.<br/><br/><em>Be present - you're not helping yourself!</em>