The white powder fell into a small pile onto the dark wood. I took a piece of card and out of my back pocket and began racking the white powder into t...o lines. Max slid off the couch and joined me on the floor with a rolled up bill in his hand. I watched him as he lent over the table and in one swift motion snorted the cocaine. I followed his example and did the same."She does not need that fucking shit." Carlos said peering into the living room. "She's acts like a crack addict without drugs.". "See you in the morning," added Sarah's Clan."We are heading back to our ship," said Keriann."We are as well," added Siobhan."Well in that case let's walk back to the spaceport together," said Erin."Terry," said Sarah, "were the children satisfied with your comments?" I hope so. I tried to get across the idea that we had to use the planet's resources to survive long term, but that we had to do it wisely. It was an awkward lead into the topic. I suggested that they look at the plans we have for. "No! No! Please Martha. Not on my feet. No!" she wailed but Martha was implacable."I said last night that even you would not enjoy this punishment. I take it from your reaction that it really works. I've never seen it, let alone received it, but I heard it works a treat on recalcitrant tarts. A very prosperous pimp told me that on Earth. Shall I add another stroke for not addressing me as Madame?"Jacqui was on her knees now with her arms round Martha's legs begging and pleading incoherently to. And then, aloud and annoyed with myself for dredging up such obvious platitudes, I said, "Damn!" and looked around to see if anyone in the subway car heard me. I had very few fellow passengers and none interested in my problems.I thought about the things my team did not do, at least not very often. The outfielders almost never got the ball properly to the cut-off man and often threw to the wrong base; that needed work right away. I had not seen anybody hit behind a man on first or really try to.