You, uh, you missed about fivecalls from your daughter. Carrie, right?"I nodded silently. Carrie was probably getting freaked out with me notanswering... Before the Shift, I was known to swing by a pub for an hour orso after the day to have a drink with the guys. Now, though, I didn'tthink Carrie would believe that to be the reason I wasn't returning hercalls.Carlotta climbed in behind the wheel and started the engine. I leaned tothe side, resting my head against the glass as she backed up and. " Just relax it will be just fine.Fay said that she hoped I was right and that we could pull this off. Later Fay asked me to go to bed early. She said she wanted to polish her act.WE DID!!The next morning Fay and I made plans, she was to get beer and snacks and a bottle of white grape juice. I was going to stop by a state liquor store and get some 190 proof grain alcohol.The poker players came at seven and I had the chips and cards out on the round dinette table.Fay hustled us beers and food.I. "And I say, "Well you fucked up then, pal, cuz I ain't a woman."But he kinda laughs and don't ask me how I heard him of vice versa cuzI don't know I'm still trying to work out how I was suspended in liquidwithout drowning, but he laughs and says, "I didn't say Marz needswomen. You'll do for us... after some rearrangements." And then hestarts telling the little green guys something in some funky languagewith a lot of clicks and beeps but I missed that becauseSuddenly I'm on a beach and I'm. U give me a present packed and ready and I wont even open it .. not happening .. but I couldn’t show my eagerness needed to play it cool .. so I acted and said “smooch ?”“ yeah why u only said to be SOPRTY remember .. ? 10 seconds I will count “ she gave smirkI guess she didn’t expect that it was a gift rather for me .. I said “ well if only she agress else not ““I would be glad .. she said “ And man u had to look at my cousins face .. million dollar expression .. I wish I had a camera then .