Mary would sit in her doorway and watch them, always nervous that one of the creatures would come too close. If one did, she'd make a vague shooing mo...ion. Sometimes that worked and sometimes it didn't. Once, a rat had sniffed at her hand.No better, no worse. It was important that she kept hold of that thought, because it was the mantra that governed her life. No better, no worse. The day had given her nothing, and it had taken nothing from her.A couple walked past her doorway. They were. "After we settled up, I had won three hundred and thirty dollars, and my mother won three hundred from Mr. Parsons too. At the rate we were beating him, he'd probably lose six or seven thousand dollars in a year. He didn't seem at all worried by it though, and neither did Uncle Bunny when he paid me the thirty dollars. I was going to be rich if I could keep these guys playing me like they were.After golf, we all went home together, and had an early dinner. Mama was worried because she had. Neha- bhiya me itni pareshan hu or aap has rehe ho me aap se kabhi baat nahi karungi vo uth ke jane lagi mene us ka hath pakad kar bitha liyaJay- sorry neha ye koi bimari nahi he ye har ladki ko hota he isse periods kehte he neha- acha yani me bilkul thik huJay- ek dam aagar ye nahi hota to tum bimar hoti neha- par isi to mera mood ek dam kharab kar rakha he vaha gila gila lag raha he or vo mujhe bahut pareshan kar raha he or me kisi ko bata bhi nahi paa rahi thi.Jay- hota he first time hota. Once it arrived and he tasted it he was more than satisfied. It was, truly, better than his mother's soup and she was considered to be an exceptional cook.Back at work after lunch Sol demonstrated the first of his three major virtues; concentration. As he settled in to his work he concentrated on his task to the point where he totally tuned out the world. All that he was aware of was the task in front of him and the telephone on his desk. As days, months, then years went on this degree of.