Many if not most people would havebeen ready for the padded cell if they had gone through what I had. Forinstance, Larry..."That asshole!" I mumbled o...t loud and fell gently asleep.I opened my eyes and realized I was looking at the ceiling of my ownroom. Rays of the sun were streaming in through the window, forming analmost perfectly square-shaped bright spot on the wall, so it had to belate afternoon. As soon as my still sleepy brain had comprehended thismuch, I noticed something about myself.. . soil that contains gold dust and the occasional “picker” (gold that can be pinched between thumb and finger and picked up) and that gold seeks the bottom ... because it’s heaviest and likes to hide. Bedrock is as far as it can go.Disinterest and low mineral prices keep the amateur prospector home for years ... but the flood is an annual occurrence: gold keeps moving to the bottom of creek and riverbeds. That’s general physics.Sure, there’s the “crank hobbyist” ... he’s the guy who kept your. We can't have anybody become suspicious now, Melody." Okay . . . Mommy," sighed Melody. She asked, "What do we do first?" We have a busy day. We'll need to take you shopping to buy you all of the things that a girl will need, including clothes. I'll have to teach you all of the things that a girl your age should know. We'll have such fun . . . you'll see." Great," grumped Melody, visions of periods and hair curlers dancing in her pretty little head. Mark slugged his new sister in the arm.. She was lean and lanky with nicely tanned limbs. She wore sandals with a long, white, terry cloth wrap with which dark blue stripes, with a white bikini top, and topped it off with the wide brined white hat with a dark blue ribbon. As with most hats, there was something about how she wore it. A bit off to the side with the brim coming down to shield her face. It seemed as if she always wore hats. She carried a woven beach bag, and carried her casualness off with style. "Can I help you miss?" I.