There was severe punishment for breach of this mutual trust. After the divorce Rosemary had gone through some cathartic mental changes which was now ...anifested in her attitude towards life and behaviour towards her son, Eddy. For as far back as he could recall family life before he left for Britain had always been cold, reticent and distant between them. Since his return Rosemary has opened up to him and they became very intimate, both the mental and the physical kind. Eddy could remember. The leaders of the academic community are introduced to the audience when the Master of Ceremonies calls them out onto the stage and directs them to their seats to be ready to take notes while I present my research findings to the world. These presentations have always been open to the public and the small fifty person lecture theatre has usually been more than enough for the dozen or so people who turn up to listen. But when news of my thesis research subject leaked out so many people. Stu, I apologize for calling you an idiot," I saidas Carl's grip loosened and I slid back down into my seat.We ordered our food and the rest of lunch went by with no further talk ofme and my enjoyment at being a girl or of what was to come for me. Theboys talked about what we were going to do that night. The plan was totrick or treat a little bit, just to get some candy, steal some of theschool letters at the high school and then smash pumpkins after thelittle kids had gone in. Any time I tried. “I’m sure,” I reassured her, proffering a wink, “that would could come to an amicable agreement on making things good.”Charlotte wrote down her phone number on a piece of paper and handed it me.“Please call me,” she begged, as she headed back to the driver’s seat in her Cherokee. “I promise I will do the right thing.”“I know you will,” I replied, jokingly adding that “I know where you live.”I headed off to work, not giving the incident, another thought. At lunch, I found the crumpled-up piece.