Seeing how dejected I looked, Helen agreed to write to them, she said his photo looked quite good, he seemed handsome and in good shape even though he...was as old as her father.We corresponded and swapped photo's and arranged for them to visit us at our house. We had been nervous all day and at the appointed time the doorbell rang. I eagerly opened the door only to be very disappointed, the husband (Larry) was on his own. I invited him in and he explained to Helen and myself, that he had lost. ““But you seem to be quite successful” Mike persists. “Why pay for an expensive training course?”“Well I’m 30 and there are lots of younger girls coming up, some of them not even eighteen and I need an edge. I know some of the women you’ve trained and they’re good. They even seem to love the business. Me, I hate it and I hate men but I need another good ten years to be able to retire down here in Florida.”Mike looks at Gloria and they smile knowingly. Gloria produces a fairly thick. I don't know who has myshoes. So I'm sitting in my dressing room, staring at the dissolvingface of a woman on the edge, and trying to come up with a plan.Right now, more than ever, I miss teaching."Follow what you love," Mrs. Scheider had said. I thought that meantacting. But it occurs to me right now that all her advice was alsoabout not acting. It was about living."Knock knock," a familiar voice at the door. I look up and see Ellen,the real Ellen, standing there. She looks different, and I. “One more thing,” she said. “There’s a party this weekend – someone from school has a free house and Ellie’s invited me.” “Yeah, TJ told me. He’s asked me to go too.” “Are we going?” Cory grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.” Back in her room, Tilly beamed to herself. She wasn’t one for self-gratification but hearing what he had said earlier had made her stomach flutter and she wanted that feeling again just one more time. She collapsed onto her bed and rolled over to look at her.