’now don’t get me wrong, my upbringing hadn’t been far short of idyllic.There had been no arguments or hardships in my childhood. Corporal punis...ment never happened and even on the rare occasions I got grounded, it was never for more than an hour or so. I’d been a much-loved only child,only ever in danger of being cuddled to death.Yet I had noticed undertones since my eighteenth. Nothing directed against me, understand. No, all of the stress had been between my parents. Innocent youth as I was,. “This is Mrs. Somerset, she’ll be your teacher next year. Or perhaps a little earlier, if she can make the time.” “Nice to meet you,” I voiced again. “I’m not sure if I’m all that pleased to meet you,” she declared, “I mean, just look at you! Bridget has told me that you have nothing but sex in your head, but wouldn’t have thought it would be that bad. When have you put on these pants?” Wilting under her words, I looked down at my crotch and gasped. Right there between my legs was a huge, dark. At first, all I could make out, were some fuzzy figures. But, as I drew nearer, I could see a small boy, standing next to a young woman. There seemed to be something perched on her shoulder. My eyes really straining now, I thought, could it really be a monkey???? My question was answered, as I traveled the remainder of the distance between us. It was, indeed a monkey!!!! I was momentarily distracted, from my true purpose for wanting to introduce myself, by the delightfully, animated creature,. It’s not the first relationship that’s ended for him. He’s only 16, and there have already been so many chicks…but somehow this is different. Could he really have been in love? He feels a crushing weight on his young shoulders and suddenly the whole world seems dark. Chip, watching his young friend closely, can feel his distress and instantly responds to it. “I’m sorry, man. Lisa felt it would be better this way,” he says in a quiet, almost gentle tone. He reaches into the pocket of his jeans.