The sun was going down and there were very dark gray clouds building in the south. "I think there's a big storm coming, Daddy." It certainly looks lik... it. I'll turn the TV on and see what they have to say."The news said heavy rain and likely thunder and lightning through most of the night. "I hate the thunder, Daddy." I know, but you're a big girl now and it shouldn't scare you so much anymore."Not being so sure of that, I snuggle against him even more. I remembered the big storm a few years. It was close to midnight and the neighborhood was very quiet. I was sitting on one of the reclining loungers with Kimiko sitting in my lap when I quietly told her that we had yet to ‘bless’ the balcony. She looked at me with her eyes wide open ovals, ‘Anata, everyone can see!’ ‘Yes, but there’s no one awake.’ Our building was still pretty vacant and we didn’t have any neighbors yet on our penthouse floor. ‘Anata, I think you very naughty! But I love you.’ she smiled as she slowly ground her. I made no attempt to give them a closer inspection as the "date" was a favor to my mother.The home next door, where Mrs. G had lived was dark and empty. It was sort of sad not to be able to run over and enjoy seeing her. Late that evening, I boarded the night train that would carry me back to school in Virginia where I was due back at noon the next day.I had been going steady with girl back in Virginia. On my return and with just two months remaining in my senior year, I knew I would graduate. She didn’t start with taps; she seemed to bring down the ruler as hard as she could. I grunted with each impact. After about eight of those she stopped and started rubbing me again.“That’s why it’s called a warm-up; I can feel how warm you are right through the cloth. Tell me, maybe you like this a bit?”I felt I had nothing to lose by telling the truth, “Yes, ma’am, it hurts but I sort of like it anyway.”She laughed at that. “I knew you’d be perverse; you quiet types usually are.” Perverse? How.