5 long minutes later, I’m parked in front of the restaurant. I sit motionless in the driver’s seat, staring into space. I could just turn around. ... could text her and tell her something came up. My brother needs me to help him with moving some furniture. I have to take my grandmother to the hospital. The dog died. Anything. I get out of the car and head for the entrance. The second I walk in, I see her. How could I miss her? How could anyone? ‘Stay casual. Laid back. You’re in control.’ I move. Ittook him three tries but Miss Matilda did not reprimand him for his ineptattempts. She brushed out his hair and tied a bright blue satin ribbon atthe top of his curly mop. As he was led down to breakfast, he couldn't help but think that life wasmuch better even if he had to dress like a stupid sissy. "Even my corsetdoesn't bother me," he thought as they entered the kitchen. He did notrealize just how much weight he had lost with the constant diarrhea anddiet. Plus with the tight corseting and. They were both naked. Their clothes were scattered on the floor just outside the sandbox. Plato remained standing before them, only now he was wearing Bermuda shorts and a T-shirt.“That wasn’t me,” he said sheepishly to Marcella. “I only provided the mood and atmosphere and then... observed.” He smiled as he pointed to each of them. “Richard... and you...” he said slowly, “did the rest.”He laughed as he continued to look back and forth between them and then said, “You two really love each. ”“Gee, thanks,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.“Uh, I guess that came out wrong, didn’t it?”“It did. How would you feel if I said that you were no Charlene Tilton or Farrah Fawcett-Majors?”“I’m not, but you’re right. I shouldn’t have said that,” she said, looking down.That more or less killed the conversation until we finished our lunch. We tossed our trash in the can by the door and I returned our trays to the counter. We began walking down 58th street towards Woodlawn.“Sorry about.