For as much as the children would change their mind about what they wanted Tillie remained forever patient with them and in turn they all liked Tillie... The afternoon seemed to pass a little slower than normal. Tillie thought maybe the heat was keeping people inside and then she thought that the heat made her notice the time pass more than usual. Tillie looked up at the clock again, only fifteen minutes to go. She sighed with relief and started to put things away so she could close the store. Cecelia's.One thing I could do was to see that Marie was going to be okay. I went over to St. Cecelia's, and, as she and I got the serving line ready for lunch, we talked about her future plans. I knew that Marie was married, and that she and her husband lived alone now. They had raised two children, but one of them had died in late childhood, of some illness. The other one was married, and she lived somewhere in Nebraska. I knew that Marie's husband was disabled, and that he lived on his. As I wastrying to figure out how I could remove it from the box, it started toglow. First dimly, then brightly. I tried to close the lid, but it wasstuck. A beam of light shot off the crystal into my face, and then thelight filled the room for a second. Then it was gone.Before I could register what just happened, I spied a man sittingcomfortably on my couch. On closer inspection I realized he was veryshort, perhaps 4 feet tall. He was wearing some kind of green pants anda white tunic-like. "I have clothes at home," I objected."Final!" she repeated."Just because I came to your house doesn't give you the right to order me around." I'm older than you," she countered.I was starving and the aroma coming from the food Margaret was setting on the table was tantalizing, but getting off to the right start was critical."Let's get something straight. I say what we do and when we do it. Now, sit down and eat." I love it when you talk to me that way," she said, plopping her ass in a chair.In.