And yet, here I was, comparing them to other girls right in front of them. Did they know what had been going through my mind? Charlie had warned me be...ore that ‘girls always know’. I felt myself shrinking back into my lounger, hoping no-one had been paying me attention.“See anything you liked?” Charlie asked playfully, but with the edge of warning in her voice.I paused, searching for a safe answer. “They’re cute, but I’m not on the market.”“Sandra,” Charlie saw my lack of understanding, “- the. "So, what's all this then?" she asked pointedly."I'm taking a self-defense class and I'm going to be late tonight. I thought it was a good idea to get ready early. Apparently I was wrong," he answered with some embarrassment."No, it wasn't a bad idea. We needed something to take our minds off the visit. It worked out for the better," she assured him.Rob grabbed his bag and ran down the stairs, avoiding the crowd at the elevator. Once at street level, he was able to capture a taxi, his outfit. For this one, all the middle school kids showed up already dressed, but I had to clap my hands hard to get their attention and get them to line up. I’d noticed that the previous week and wondered why Sensei Jim wasn’t more stern with them.“Listen up!” I said, taking my spot in the front of the class. “When you come into class, it’s OK to talk to your friends, but I want you lined up and quiet at 3:28pm. I shouldn’t have to clap my hands and wait for you to quiet down and then figure out your. ..Present – Maria – At the cabinWhat the hell! When did this bullshit become my problem? I decide to take a page out of Jens' playbook, pull out an air horn and let go with a long blast. It gets their attention so I look at them and order, "That's enough of this bullshit! Now Mabel tell me what has you so fired up since it's normal for Yasmeen and Zarika to fight all the time."Mabel answers, "If it was just the girls fighting I wouldn't be so upset. But the young mouthy girl was holding Zarika.