” she whispered to Kate across the table.“Do you think you will get a standing ovation this time.” she giggled.“I doubt it, look I’m sorry I...upset you again. I wanted nothing more than to have you on stage when the girls told me how good you were. I just couldn’t figure out how to ask you.”“It’s ok, I was upset that you didn’t ask but I do understand.”After that the meal went pleasantly, they still got the odd look from other people nearby but nothing to obtrusive. While they ate Jenny and Kate. I kept to the truth about me, apart from my latest job, that way I didn't have to worry about being caught out in a lie.Karen, although she had no proper training, seemed highly knowledgeable regarding computer hardware and well grounded in most of the general software on current release. I forgot to ask what her official job was but got the impression that she was a general gofer. She was more than happy to muck in as I tried to follow some of the cabling into the dirty and dark recesses of. There was still Babe Ruth League to look forward to. The team had done pretty good. We went twelve and one, losing our last game because the damn shortstop, who shall remain nameless, bobbled the ball in extra innings and let the runner from Wingate score.Mr. Hallowell turned out to be a pretty good student. He listened when I explained why I did certain things and asked questions when he wasn't sure. He might not be the best coach next year, but he'd be a coach.Tests were done and final papers. What's more, that I'd woken it and it was watching me, somehow.I watched and waited, hardly daring to breathe, and slowly, the intensity of the light from Room 497 diminished till it was back at its original level. I wondered if I should go through. I told myself that it was more important to get at the data on the network. Actually, I was terrified by the malevolent presence of Room 497; had a terrible foreboding that I was to find something utterly vile and incomprehensible in there.So I.