Earthquake!

A conversation with Yoshi and Gregor at schMOOze University, circa 1996 (schMOOze was a Multiple-user-domain, Object-Oriented social network for English language learning)

Yoshi asks, “have you begun plannning the demo at tesol yet?”
Colega grins.
Gregor laughs. “Begun, yes.”
You say, “Yes.  I get to rant on about pedagogy, they do the hard part demonstrating it.”
Gregor says, “We’re worried about our tech setup…we didn’t get what we asked for.”
Yoshi jumps up and down and exclaims, “earthquake here!!!”
Gregor [to Yoshi]: We proposed a hands-on workshop in a lab….but there is no lab. :o(
Yoshi says, “and its terrible too.”
Gregor [to Yoshi]: Are you serious!?
Yoshi nods.
Gregor helps Yoshi hold onto his computer!
You ask, “Are you okay?”
Yoshi says, “yes.”
Gregor’s eyes widen!
Gregor can’t believe he and Colega are “witnessing” this!
Yoshi says, “sorry to interrupt.  please go on.”
Gregor laughs out loud!
You exclaim, “Yoshi!”
Gregor exclaims, “Sorry to interrupt?!?!?!?!  Ha ha ha ha!”
Yoshi asks, “what?”
Colega [to Yoshi]: You’re incredible!
Yoshi asks, “what’s so funny about it?  my language?”
Colega exclaims, “Such calm! Such composure!”
Gregor exclaims, “I think an earthquake is well worth interrupting a chat about our stupid  presentation!!! Hee hee!”
Yoshi smiles.
Gregor grins at Yoshi, shaking his head in amazement.
Colega stares, open-mouthed, at the screen.
Yoshi says, “every time when there’s an earthquake, I feel as if it’s the end of my real life.”
Yoshi exclaims, “but i’d rather be in that situation while I’m mooing here!”
Yoshi laughs out.
Gregor exclaims, “Colorado has no earthquakes you can feel… I have only felt one tiny tremor in my life, when I was maybe 5 years old. When I think of earthquakes, I think of San Fran and Kobe… I’m not so calm about it!”
Yoshi says, “we have several of them a year here.”
Gregor exclaims, “I know…I can’t imagine!”
Yoshi says, “and I hear it’s one of the very first thing that frightens people from other countries without it.”
Yoshi says, “so,…do you have at least ethernet line from the local net?  if you want me to, I can bring some 8-port hubs there.”
Gregor says, “Here in Colorado, the earth seems  very solid… with the mountains thrusting out  of the plains, it’s as if we can see the bones  of the earth…when I see earthquakes on TV, it’s as if there is nothing solid in the world.”
Gregor says, “Hee hee! Back to business.”