Michael68: Hey, Dave!! This is the new Instant Messenger service. Pretty cool, right?

King Dave: Sorry I missed you! I'm probably in class or something lol

Michael68: …I just messaged you.

King Dave: Sorry I missed you! I'm probably in class or something lol

Michael68: Is this like an automated voice mail?

King Dave: Sorry I missed you! I'm probably in class or something lol

Michael68: Okay then.

King Dave: Sorry I missed you! I'm probably in class or something lol

Michael68: Liz, are you there? Your status says online.

Queen Liz: Yes! Direct messaging! We're living in the future now!!

Michael68: We are for sure!

Michael68: I'm glad I got you and not some repetitive message. That's all I can get from Dave.

Queen Liz: Does his status say "away"?

Michael68: ...Ahhhhh. Yes it does.

Queen Liz: Yeah, that’s one of the first things I figured out. You can make a message for people to see when you're online but not at the computer.

Michael68: Interesting...

Michael68: To think that computers have changed from massive boxes taking up multiple rooms to this…

Queen Liz: Yeah...

Queen Liz: Anyway, what's up?

Michael68: Not much. Just testing this new service.

Queen Liz: It's crazy that they didn't even announce it, right?

Michael68: Definitely. This is amazing.

Queen Liz: And it's FREE!

Michael68: Even more amazing.

Michael68: Our tech guys stumbled across it this morning and we've all been trying to figure it out since.

Queen Liz: LOL

Michael68: Henry’s already got it down to a science, I think. I'm going to help Mom sign on when I get home.

Michael68: That way we can all talk to each other without having to use the phone so much!

Queen Liz: Good luck getting Mom to understand computers lol

Michael68: Haha, yeah. I'll try my best.

Michael68: Dave's online now!

Queen Liz: He is!!

Queen Liz: Let's pester him.

Michael68: Dave, you're back from class!

King Dave: Hey!!

King Dave: Kinda sorta

King Dave: I'm in the computer lab, supposed to be working on a paper

King Dave: But it's slow going so I opened AOL to see what's up…and there's a whole new application here!!

King Dave: FINALLY we can talk to people we actually want to talk to in private!!

Michael68: …Supposed to be working on a paper?

King Dave: Yeah lol

Michael68: Dave. Go back to your work.

King Dave: But it's borinnggg (:

Michael68: You have a wife and kids to take care of! You can't slack off in school!

King Dave: I need to let my brain recharge. It's been thinking all day :(

Michael68: …

King Dave: What are you up to? Supposed to be working on something of your own?

Michael68: I know how to multitask.

Michael68: But I'm on break right now, anyway.

King Dave: And still at your computer?

Michael68: You never know what will come up.

King Dave: That doesn’t sound like being on break to me :P

Michael68: GET BACK TO WORK, DAVID.

King Dave: Okay, okay, fine :P