My walk was delayed several times as I stopped and chatted with neighbors. I was talking with Doreen (who had hosted the party a couple of weeks ago) ...hen she waved over two women from across the street. I knew that the house had recently sold and I assumed that these were the new owners. I learned that Kathy was recently divorced and owned the house and Nina was her sister. Doreen was gushing on and on about the changes Kathy had done inside the house and how beautiful it was. We chatted a. I try the water with my big toe, it's still warm enough to swim in. A wave brushes past our ankles and you jump and squeal when the cool water hits your skin.“Come on, let's go!” I start wading deeper into the lake. The water is up to my hip and you're still ankle deep. I use my hand to motion you to come further, and you oblige. Once you reach me, I give you a light splash of water. You yelp again, and splash me back. I run ever deeper, until I'm already swimming. I notice my blonde hair. I wasn’t sure I wanted the Foundation to get into the business of equipping a navy, but we needed to do something about defending the people of Tapato.The pier on Teramisili was in sight when Gash came forward to where we were sitting.“I’m not going to be able to stay here,” he told us. “We’ve received a distress call. Pirates are trying to board a yacht.”“Of course,” I told him. Then as an afterthought I added. “Why don’t you take Gerald and the four Royal Guards with you?”“But we are supposed. This time Melissa made no effort to hide the roll of her eyes. "I. Don't.Think. So," she said with exaggerated deliberateness. "But I think we canmake this trip happen. The wagon will be perfect for it."That fall, the women had treated themselves to their first-ever new car, a1964 Ford Country Squire Station Wagon. It had cost more than threethousand dollars?almost half of Melissa's annual salary. Claire had wantedto spend a few hundred more for a Mercury Colony Park wagon, but Melissahad said.