." Phil." Phil, it was timing and providence," I said. "That's all. Chuck knowshow I feel about this. I am simply grateful Annie and the girls arefine..."Phil smiled. "Regardless, young lady. I remain impressed. You are quitecharming, and very pretty, and most gracious." Thank you, sir."He leaned forward. He looked into my eyes. He nodded, as if confirmingsomething to himself."I want you. I mean, I want to hire you. I know how you got railroadedout of the local schools. I wish I had been able to. Even though mom had said I should see other girls, I didn’t believe she really wanted me too. In the entire world, she had specifically asked me not to be with only one person, Laurie Zander. I had a mother at home who loved me, a mother who had opened herself emotionally and physically for me. So there I was, like a fucking idiot, with Laurie Zander, in a fucking motel – literally. You know the one, outside of every small town, no questions asked. So we had sex. Sex is fun. Sex feels good, but. But whatstrange creatures we are! And what a strange place this is! People writeabout the strange planets & satellites we've discovered in the solar sys-tem; but is there any place around here that's stranger than this planet?--with its highly reactive atmosphere & covered with a sort of green stuffthat turns out to be fantastically complicated solar-powered systems ofchemical reactions, with other similar systems moving about in their midst.And among them, us: naked, bifurcated sex maniacs,. How dare this divorcee bitch just walk into Vicky's yard and try to seduce her husband? It was outrageous. Joan felt she had to do something about it, but she wasn't sure what.If she just walked through the gate and told them to knock it off, they'd probably deny that anything was happening. Joan decided the best she could do was spy, find out everything that happened, and then report it to Vicky. She just hoped Don didn't lose his head completely and go too far."Shelly," he was saying.