I know I am difficult, but that’s just the way I am. You have to take the good with the bad.” I was happy to hear she wasn’t offended. “What ...bout you?” Jennifer inquired, “are you married?” “Yes,” I replied, “for the time being and as long as I mind my manners.” Jennifer smiled, a lone finger hooked into her pear-drop necklace. “Well,” she said, “I have to go, but it will be nice knowing you’re right next door if I need rescuing.” Our conversation was all too short. As quickly as she had. One of them brought it out and we passed it around having some good laughs about it, but none of us were willing to try again. Personally, I hadn’t had the stuff in probably five years now. But I could see in Jess’s eyes that she wanted to do it and wasn’t going to give in easily. We argued back and forth for a bit, at one point Jess asking, “What? You scared I’m going to take advantage of you?” That was good for some laughs. Eventually I caved, and while Jess dug out two double shot glasses, I. But he’d much rather sit with Jimmy or Clark or any of the guys. No one wants to sit with a girl! Plus, she’s the biggest tattletale in the class. She told the teacher yesterday that Clark gave her the bird, and Clark got in trouble.David was beginning to like it here in Oakdale. He still missed the boys he played with back in the city. But he loved the freedom the suburbs offered. He heard Mom tell Aunt Lucy the children here were “wholesome,” not like those gangs in the city. She was much. The bathroom is free. I’ll take mine after you.”“You won’t come with me?”“I will if you need me to, but I think you’re fine to do that alone right now. On Thursday, you will be doing this on your own.”“OK,” she said, donning her robe and heading to the bathroom.She was back in just under ten minutes and dropped the robe to get dressed. She looked somewhat better, but that was mostly due to the fact that she was feeling better, and taking better care of herself. A couple of days of good meals.