Well, so long as I was there, that was the important thing. As I pulled in, I found myself weaving past vans, trucks and cars, all seemingly arranged ...o make my path to the garage as difficult as possible. I finally walked into the kitchen to find people with trays of food rushing around, opening the fridge, the oven and the microwave. Since it seemed they knew what they were doing, I made my way carefully out of the kitchen and into the great room. From there I could see people outside around. I knew it was cushy because it was smooshed up against me.We had a pleasant time but at some point I realized they were making the assumption that we were together. And for whatever reason it seemed important to me that I clarify that. Like it would be wronging Melissa to leave that out there, I guess. I finally had a chance to explain that we had just met at the conference and were just friends— and then I realized that no one was waiting for any such explanation, and that by making it, I had. BELFAST CALM AGAIN.For the first time in nearly a year, a week has gone by in the city without members of the Patrol being directly targeted by either republican or loyalist insurgents. The picture seems to be much the same elsewhere in Northern Island, where it seems the terrorists are on the retreat.Daily Express. 15th December.MORE SECURITY PATROLLERS DEPLOYED.The tiny security patrol presence in Northern Ireland is to be increased, it was revealed in a statement by the Minister for State. ’ I waited. I knew there must be something. A bloke his age doesn’t waft through the woodland on a fucking Fat Boy without something having happened. At his age he ought to be out camping by the pond down the way and teaching his kids how to cycle, not cruising alone on a motorbike to get away from it all. ‘School … I did well,’ he said. He was too embarrassed to say it but I knew he’d had a nice family who got him into a good school and went to all the sports days and school plays to cheer.