I sat on my bed with my chin between my bended knees, wondering if I haddone something wrong by trying to help my brother out. I heard my brotherclose...the door to his room before I got up and headed towards the top ofthe stairs.I could hear my mom on the phone as I reached the staircase. She wastalking to some psychiatric office about scheduling an appointment for mybrother. I felt my stomach sink as my deliriously confused mother keptspeaking in frantic non-sequiturs as she tried to secure the. Cummings, Venera told me you would like to obtain your Master's. To be totally frank, I've known your name for quite a while; I've followed your disagreement with the court with much interest from last August on but I knew you even before that. Joseph Brother, your old boss, is one of my students. I was the one who recommended you for that job at the day-care." Venera told me as well that you are aware of the 'double blind' study with State, the School board and the University. It doesn't. .. Please." There wasn't any reason toplay this silly guessing game of hers a minute longer. "Well then, 'anything'or 'whatever' must mean, if I understand you correctly Valerie, is that youwould be willing to become my personal full time servant girl; is that whatyou're saying?" Her eyes shot up and shelooked at me with an unfounded show of utter disbelief. My acknowledgment tothis over dramatized reaction was one of simply setting my glasses back on theend of my nose as I replied? "Yes, I. Nervously she coughed and meekly asked, "Master, do I really need to wear that skirt as it is very short on me because of my height!" reaching into her case she retrieved a black short skirt which was maybe 4 inches longer than the blue one and said, "This one will still show off all that you want shown off but only when you want me to and not all the time!"I chided her about challenging my decision but accepted her explanation as to why she had done so, and agreed to allow her to swap the.