Notes on an overheard conversation while sitting in a booth at a restaurant eating lunch on Christmas Eve

“While I was cleaning the house, I was harmonizing with Lilly Nelson—”

“Who? Lilly Nelson?”

“Who do you think I mentioned?”

“Lilly Nelson.”

“Do you think I said Lilly Nelson?”

“That's what I heard—Lilly Nelson.”

“So who is Lilly Nelson?”

“That's what I asked you—who is Lilly Nelson?”

“Who do you think it is?”

“I don't know. It could very well be a singer I've never heard of. You never heard of Front 242 [1], or Siouxsie and the Banshees [2].”

“Do you think I might have said Willy Nelson?”

“For all I know, she could have been the daughter of Ricky Nelson [3]. Like Kelly Osbourne.”

“Who?”

“Kelly Osbourne [4]. Daughter of Ozzy Osbourne [5], eater of bats [6].”

“But I didn't say Lilly Nelson.”

“But she could be a singer!”

“…”

“Let's see … I'm looking up Lilly Nelson.”

“Is this tunnel vision a programmer thing? You can't think outside the box realize I said ‘Willy Nelson?’”

“Tunnel vision? I'm the one willing to conceed she's a singer.”

“Must control … fist of death … [7]”

“Ah! She's an actress [8]!”

“But not a singer.”

“That's not out of the question. Eddie Murphy [9]. William Shatner [10]. Bruce Willis. They all had ‘singing’ careers.”

“Bruce Willis?”

“Bruce Willis. The Return of Bruno [11], 1987.”

“Why do you know that?”

“The same reason why I know Leonard Nimoy had a hit in the 60s [12].”

“But what does that have to do with Lilly Nelson? She's an actress, not a singer.”

“Because being an actress doesn't preclude a singing career.”

“If she has a singing career, I'm checking out of this universe.”