With the economy the way it was, we'd been deluged with applications. Naturally I'd had to read them all myself.She apparently chose to accept my not-...uite-apology -- or Miriam was distracting her. "What -- aaaaah -- do you think about this one?" Stacey asked."She seems like a good prospect," I offered, belatedly handing over the hairs. "I think she might clean up quite nicely." I hadn't had time to re-read it and couldn't remember the details of Irene's resume, but nobody made it to an. Padhaai mein woh hamesha tez rahi thi, MBA thi. Apne dam par Mumbai mein naukri kar rahi thi, sel-made-woman thi, independent, strong , achchi salary kama rahi thi, apne paise se car kharidi thi, Juhu main ek kaafi mehenge bade flat mein kiraye pe rehti thi. Aur inhi sab ke kaaran un mein zyada self-respect,EGO aa gaya tha. Jab bhi unke maa-baap unke rishte ki baat karte toh har ladke ko kisi na kisi baat par reject kar deti.Maa-baap pareshan hote toh unse kehti ki unhe kisi mard ki zaroorat. He asked me to dance when a slow number came on and soon steered me to a somewhat darker corner. He wasn't pushy as we held each other just tightly enough to feel each other's attributes. My dance partner sensed my nervousness and asked if I had done this before. I asked what he meant and he said my obvious nervousness suggested this was my first time on the pull. It's a good thing he asked this in a kindly fashion, otherwise I would have just run off the dance floor and left. I nodded a 'yes'. Which, of course, wouldn't do. I wanted her to be proud of me even more than I wanted to be proud of me. But, are slaves supposed to proud of themselves after all? Shouldn't a good slave's goal, her only goal, be her Mistress' or Master's satisfaction? I pondered that while I fixed breakfast, then I walked up and down the living room until Ann finished her preparations. Making a mental note to ask her about that I joined her at the table, not really hungry, just picking at things, slowly.