On the record, you have a big stack of get-out-of-hell-free cards at your disposal for your various past services.”The lady that told me I would get...no signal snarkily said, “See. No one is going to come here to pull you out of the hole you dug for yourself. Go ahead, call the president, as if you could even get through the switchboard.”“As you wish,” I said, getting ready to push the dial button on a number I knew rang the red phone.That is the same red phone he answered on Christmas. In case the significance of that date escapes you, that was the day that Haley’s Comet passed closest to the earth. He died on February 9, 1986, again as Haley passed closest to the earth. He always said that he was going to follow Mark Twain’s example and ‘come in with the comet and go out with the comet.’ He did.’ I must have looked somewhat confused, because he looked up at me and added, ‘It’s all part of the story. Be patient. I’m getting to it… I’m getting to it.’ He smiled, took a deep. We head into town and pull up to a bar I hadn’t frequented in at least a decade. When I ask why this place they said chances were slim we would run into any of Emily’s friends. ‘Not a lot of wines on the menu,’ John chuckled. ‘Besides, Don’s band is playing so I figured that might help cheer you up.’ Brian hadn’t said much up to now. I suppose it was because his wife and Emily were good friends, so I’m sure it didn’t go over well that we were together. But if I had to guess, John probably threw. Unaccountably, Paul was morenervous this time than he had been before the first trip.Yes, this was a longer trip, a deeper immersion, butthat made it no more dangerous than the first one."Remember, Paul," said Susan as the cyclotron once morehummed into life, "while you rode along with the fulltwo hours subjective time of your first trip, you needto fast forward yourself on this trip when you've seenwhat you're going back to witness. You really don't wantto live through the full eleven years of.