In number twelve, he walked around the room, checking the paint and cleaning up any little spots on the window and the sill. When he was satisfied, he...went to the storeroom to bring up the new carpet. Laying it only took about three hours. That done, he hung the new drapes and went back to the storeroom to get the new TV and the furniture items. By eight, the room was made up, vacuumed and ready for occupancy. He went to the office and asked Margie to come and give her approval.She was. I put the receiver back in the cradle and quickly stripped off my pajamas. I took a quick cold shower to clear the cobwebs from my mind and then started getting dressed.“Do you want me to go with you?” Sofia asked.“That’s probably a good idea,” I said.She got out of bed and started for her room to dress. I told her I was going to make some coffee and went down to the kitchen and turned on the Mr. Coffee, which was already set up. Elyse liked coffee first thing in the morning and didn’t want to. My hair is allover the place and I'm going to have to wear a pony tail and my face isso dull." Sam though, "Huh dull, I know women that would kill for thatface and never wear makeup again." Sam then said,"OK, come here and we'llget you all dolled up." Mario clapped her hands with glee and quickly satdown to have her "face put on"Samantha was attempting to broach the topic of Mario's current femininestate as she was applying makeup to Mario's face. She asked, "Mar youknow I can't call you Mario. What?’ ‘A website! Get it?’ Sam laughed. ‘Very funny. Stay in school.’ ‘Daaad.’ Out on the porch, Sam walked over to his mother and kissed her curly white hair. ‘Hi, Mom. How ya doin’?’ and sat down in the wicker rocker. ‘It’s a good life if you don’t weaken,’ she said, without removing her eyes from the paper. ‘How’s everything with you, Son?’ He didn’t answer right away, and eventually felt her eyes burning into him over the top of the paper. ‘What’s eating you?’ Noncommittal, he asked,.