Sure Thing is a short comic play by David Ives featuring a chance meeting of two characters, Melanie and Tommy, whose conversation is continually reset by the use of a ringing bell, starting over when one of them responds negatively to the other.

The play begins with Tommy approaching Melanie while she is reading in a gazebo. He asks "Is this taken?" To which she replies "Yes." The bell rings and Tommy repeats his question to which Melanie says, "No, but I'm expecting somebody very shortly." The bells rings again, and Tommy poses his question again. This process continues until Tommy is finally allowed to take a seat.

The bell acts as a buffer against all topics of conversation that are potentially negative to building their relationship, allowing
them to try another line. By the end of the ferences in opinion (i.e. literature, movie reversed to become perfect companions. Both fall in love and cherish the other forever.

Ives takes away any words or beliefs that could be offensive, whether they be sexist remarks or political affiliations. As with Bill's line:

"I believe a man is what he is. (Bell) A person is what he is. (Bell) A person is ... what they are."