What's the story

What's the story with you and Janine? Are you dating or just friends?

*Any non-Irish person should be aware that it is not necessary to take the question literally i.e. one shouldn't start to explain your life story when greeted with 'What's the story?' rather they should respond in kind e.g. Greeting: 'What's the story?' Response: 'What's the story?' There are several variations on the theme, the most popular being 'What's the story, bud?' or the pithy : 'Story, bud?' or the pithier still 'Story?'