“Okay, Bill, are you sure this is the plan?” Molly whispered, peering through the bushes at the brightly colored balloons bobbing in the breeze. “Absolutely, Molly! It’s foolproof!” Bill replied, adjusting his ski mask. “What could go wrong?” “Uh, I don’t know, maybe the fact that we’re robbing a children’s party? You think they’ll just let us waltz in and take the presents?” “Relax! We’ll just blend in. Look at those kids! They’re too busy with cake and games to notice us.” “Right, because nothing screams ‘party crasher’ like two adults in ski masks.” “Okay, fine. We ditch the masks. But we still need a disguise. How about we pretend to be clowns?” “Clowns? You want us to dress up as clowns? You do realize clowns are terrifying, right?” “Exactly! Who would suspect terrifying clowns? It’s genius!” “Genius? More like a recipe for disaster. What if we scare the kids?” “Then we’ll just take the presents while they’re crying. It’s a win-win!” “Bill, I’m not sure that’s how it works. What if the parents see us?” “Parents? Pfft! They’re too busy trying to keep the kids from eating too much cake. Trust me, they won’t even notice.” “Okay, but what if we get caught? I don’t want to end up on the news as ‘The Clown Bandits.’” “Relax! We’ll be in and out before they even know what hit them. Just follow my lead.” “Your lead? Last time you led us into a petting zoo. I’m still traumatized by that goat.” “Hey, that goat was a wild card! This is different. We’re professionals!” “Professionals? We’re two people who can’t even steal a parking spot without getting caught.” “Exactly! So we need to up our game. Think of the presents, Molly! The toys, the games, the—” “—the disappointed kids? Bill, this is a terrible idea.” “Come on! Just imagine the look on your face when you’re swimming in a sea of plush toys!” “More like drowning in guilt. What if we just… I don’t know, donate some toys instead?” “Donate? Where’s the fun in that? We’re thieves, not Santa’s helpers!” “Right, because nothing says ‘thief’ like a bag full of stuffed animals.” “Okay, okay! How about we just grab the big stuff? The bikes, the video games—” “Bill, we can’t just take the kids’ bikes! What are we, monsters?” “Monsters? No! We’re just… opportunists! Think of it as a redistribution of wealth.” “Redistribution? You mean theft! You’re really trying to justify this, aren’t you?” “Absolutely! It’s a heist, Molly! A glorious heist!” “Glorious? More like a disaster waiting to happen. What if we trip over a kid?” “Then we’ll just roll with it! ‘Oops, sorry, little buddy! Just a couple of clowns here!’” “Bill, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think we need a new plan.” “Fine! What if we just go in, grab a cupcake, and leave? No one will suspect a thing!” “A cupcake? That’s your big plan?” “Hey, it’s a start! And who knows? Maybe we’ll get inspired!” “Or maybe we’ll just get kicked out. Again.” “Okay, okay! Let’s just go in and see what happens. But I’m still wearing the clown wig.” “Fine, but if we get caught, I’m blaming you!”