At last, the time was up. Loud knocks ? one, two, threeof them ? came from the inside of the machine. Three winches started to turn,and three nerveles... bodies began their slow descent toward land of the living.The fourth winch, however, did not even budge. Water continued to pour into thenow useless cup until it overflowed, creating little waterfall. The golden ball had claimed its sacrifice. The next tableau was immortalized in a well-known, anonymouspainting titled "Bad Luck." Three. Anyway, he got sprayed by a skunk one night right under our bathroomwindow and that was the last we saw of him.Then there was my mother's old boss. He used to try to take advantageof the girls in the office. A feel here, a rub there, and if he gotlucky a little more. Every now and then a girl would get pregnant andleave. No one dared speak up about it because they all needed theirjobs. And this was the 70's ? no one thought anything of it back then.Well, anyway, the boss started paying more and. I alsonotice her laundry basket is overflowing. Panties! I see her panties."Get this plastic off me," I demand again."Not yet," she delays."I can wear your panties if you want," I offer, "just not these. They'rea trap. I hate them." You are not wearing my clothes!" she chastises me. "Just settle down,"she adds, "and this will be over soon." Sit," she commands as she waves to her desk chair.A moment later, I'm sitting in her chair. I hear the crinkle of theruffles as I rest my ass on the. Arrogantly, you had hoped that she needed you. Now you understand more clearly that she does not need you. She does not need anyone. You had hoped that your beauty might seduce her, that your intelligence might intrigue her, that your submission might tease her unmercifully, but that illusion is now well beyond any realization. I know full well the depth of your hopes. Your hope, that she would fall in love with you. Your hope, that she would find your presence so comforting that it would.