<exchange one, 1996> From: Jim Smith <JimSmith767494@aol.com>
Dear Jake,
Your mother and I have just got the hang of this email thing and thought we'd send you a short note to see if it works. By the way, have you got the £500 you owe me?
Best, Mum and Dad From: Jake Da MAAAAAAN! <u76353@cs.chipsod.ac.uk>
Oh, Dad, you're such a sneeze. Everyone else's parents got the email thing six months ago, and doing it through AOL is a cop out, maaaaaan. Can I stall you a bit on the half K? I need to buy some class platters for my Lounge night at the SU. Am revising hard.
<exchange two, 1997> From: Jim Smith <JimSmith767494@aol.com>
Dearest Jake,
Can't say how proud your mother and I were of you seeing you take your degree from Mick Hucknall. I know that an ordinary degree from the Metropolitan University of Chipping Sodbury doesn't seem much, but you shouldn't be downhearted: as you're the first Smith to do any subject harder than media studies or art history, you should be proud. By the way, when do you think you could repay the £2000 you owe me? From: Jacob Smith, BA <u76353@cs.chipsod.ac.uk>
Yeah, yeah, well I'm over that now. Me and Drongo are starting an Internet business. Is it okay if I keep the two big ones as seed capital? Off to the big city on Saturday, can I borrow the camper van?
<exchange three, 1998> From: Jim Smith <JimSmith767494@aol.com>
Your mother has been cutting out your appearances in the business pages and sending them to your relatives. We're very proud. Would this be a good time to ask for the £5000? From: Jake <jake@drongosmith.com>
I'm afraid that I have to reply in the negative as regards the cash loan, Dad. We're much more highly geared than we'd like to be as we expand through acquisition and strategic alliance. We do, however, expect either venture capital or an IPO to inject solid funds into the company before very long. I have a duty to my stakeholders first, and some of them haven't been paid for a couple of months. I'm sure you'll understand.
<exchange four, 1999> From: Jake <jake@drongosmith.com>
Good news, Mum and Dad! Our debut on the stock market has raised enough capital to ensure a decent future for DrongoSmith.com, buy me an electric blue BMW 7 series with a WWW numberplate, and repay your loan. I'm posting a cheque for the £10,000, plus the extra you wanted for the second home. From: Jim Smith <JimSmith767494@aol.com>
Thank you Jake, we always knew you'd come good, but we admit we weren't expecting it so soon. Your mother has framed the Time cover and put it over the stack of occasional tables in the hallway so her bridge team see it every time they come around. We have great plans for the money: see you at Christmas? From: Jake <jake@drongosmith.com>
I doubt the Christmas thing, Mum and Dad, as my venture capitalists are taking me on a skiing and 'mental realignment' holiday. They think I'm soft!
<exchange five, 2000> From: Collections Department
<collections@bramandstoker.co.uk>
Dear Mr Smith,
Our client, Mister Jacob Milo Smith of DrongoSmith.com has placed the recovery of the £150,000 you owe him in our hands. An invoice is enclosed: you have seven days to repay the funds before we come around and poke you with sharpened staves. From: Jim Smith <JimSmith767494@aol.com>
Jake, where are you? Jake!???????? | 
