It’s as important to you as air and water.” Lying there with my eyes still closed, I responded, “I would love some human touch, but that would r...quire a relationship, which is not a good idea for anyone. It would be nice, sometimes, I’ll admit, to have someone to cuddle up with.”“You don’t want a relationship, you don’t want a one-night stand with a stranger, and you don’t want a friends-with-benefits arrangement because one or the other would eventually want that to develop into a. One day he's playing "Mad Scientist", as he likes to call it when doing his own experiments, Stuart decides that he needs more chemicals and heads for the storage cabinet. As he has a brilliant mind, he is absent minded and so engrossed in what he's doing that he fails to notice the small pool of liquid that someone has spilled right in front of the cabinet.As he pulls on the door, he steps in the pool of chemicals and loses his balance. In his effort to keep his footing, he holds onto the door. He fumbled with the key, finally got it in the ignition, then, engine roaring, tires squealing, he tore out of the parking lot, not really sure where he was going. Tears blurred his vision as he drove down the street. ‘You’re just like your father, ‘ Coach had said. Was he just like his father? He’d just seen his father fucking Miss Conklin and Lisa Dutille. He was upset but wasn’t sure why. Why did it upset him that his father was doing exactly what he, Rick, was doing? And why was he angry at. But it ain't fun. But the important thing is to be prepared." Yes. And thanks. You'll hear from me." Good luck, Patrick. Travel safe."I followed Ted's advice and got fuel and bottled water. Then I drove back to Broken Hill, the summer sun pouring through the right windows. After the road to White Cliffs and Wilcannia I caught up with some dump trucks and slowed down a bit to keep out of their red dust. When I passed the sign for the UNSW Fowlers Gap Research Station and knew it was only a bit.