How could it be otherwise? I worked every waking minute. Shortly after I turned forty-three, I ran into Nora at a cocktail party, a benefit for some c...use that I couldn't avoid.She stood in front of me, looking lovely but older. Her jaw gaped, and she was holding her breath. With effort, she closed her mouth and sighed."What's your secret, Tom?" she said calmly. "Have you discovered the fountain of youth?" Just clean livin', Nora," I quipped, but by then I didn't need her validation that I. She thought about it and said well if you are still gonna go and Denny is sick there is no reason Ray can't go. So we left at 8 am and we drove 2 hours to get there. We parked the car and walked up to the line for our tickets. Ray was a little short of cash, so I paid for it and he was real happy, and kept thanking me. We rode all the roller coasters and spent the day eating anything we wanted and when it was very late, I told Ray I was really tired and wanted to get a room and sleep until. Her brothers had been playmates and school friends of mine, living in the next road to my family. My older brother and I had spent many hours in their house and they in ours. Allie, being eight years younger, had been the nuisance we had to put up with, pubescent boys rarely want anything to do with little girls, being far more interested in the older ones. Our families had drifted apart as we four boys grew up and left home to go to university and, in the case of Allie’s eldest brother, the. He could no longer look anymore, walking outside after she leanedand kissed him again as the applause and squeals would be deafening."Hey!" said Johnny, grabbing his shoulder as he stepped from the room."What are you doing?" What am I doing?" said Kyle, pushing his hand off his shoulder."Please?" I meant like where are you going?" said Johnny. "It's our dance now." Oh you've got your new dance partner," replied Kyle, putting his handson his hips. "Obviously the one you wanted all along, so.