Happier than she had been when she had arrived, that was good, she must have gown accustomed to the Polars by now. She eyed the table apprehensively, ...he giant, furry aliens bustling and brushing shoulders as they chewed hunks of steak and shared side dishes between their neighbors. Though they had human cooking utensils, the Polars still preferred to cook their food in the traditional manner, the appetizing scent of food roasted over an open flame hanging in the air.“I’m uh ... I’m a. She’d grown up playing on teams with boys who are better than anyone in Kansas City. Playing — starring — on a boys’ team here is a step. A small one, but a step.I drove Gertie to another pimp meeting in the Forgotten Northeast. It was ten in the morning and she had a thick sheaf of paperwork — mostly contracts — in her case. This would be a watershed day in the life of Harold Hudson.Gertie got her usual greeting — enthusiastic hugs and cries of ‘Gertie!’ — from the four pink-haired, naked. ‘I’m on time so don’t bitch at me!’ she angrily retorted. She was the catalog manager and chief of the complaint department. She was very good at her job, deftly handling orders and satisfying the complaining masses. Her lunch break consisted of a tuna sandwich and a coke. Nine hours later, having handled several dozen return complaints and numerous catalog orders, she gathered herself up and headed for the car. ‘How about going with me for an after work drink?’ said Gene. ‘Two things prevent. How does that sound to you? Alun was both excited and disappointed. Well, er, how can I put this?Um, well its fine, but youve left out the interesting parts. Liz put on a face. What on earth do you mean? she asked.Well, I just thought I could go a bit further. Alun stuttered.Oh, I see, well Ill need to be convinced of that, so thats all yourgetting for the moment, so agree or go. Liz stood up and went to thekitchen for a glass of white wine.When she returned she was pleased to see that.