‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Of course. So what, I go away every year on my own and get it out my system?’ ‘I’d hope not every year.’ ‘But somet...mes? And that would be okay?’ ‘Let me think about it.’ She nodded slowly. She stayed quiet for a while, but he didn’t say anything else. ‘I’d tell you,’ she said. ‘Or not. Whatever you wanted me to do. Tell you first, or not tell you ever. If you were willing to do this for me.’ ‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘I think I’d want you to tell me.’ ‘It wouldn’t hurt you?’ He. Petersen,”she said in a scolding little girl voice, “you know it’s wrong to lie, and you know that I’m wearing while panties with lace trim, don’t you!?!” “Well, uh, maybe I got a glimpse,” he stumbled, “but it was just and accident, I didn’t mean to peek!!!” “There you go, telling more fibs,” she teased, “I saw you peeking you naughty boy!!!” By now sweat had broken out on his face as the little Lolita. She, too, moved on. But I realized that I was just prey sitting here. I’d have to find a different site for reading. I finished my beer and went out for a walk, taking the Upfield with me.I walked down Maitland Street, intending to sit in the park near Narrabri Creek. But I noticed a branch of the Commonwealth Bank, went in and checked my balance and withdrew several hundred dollars in cash. Then I walked over to the park, sat and read for over an hour, Bony (of course) solving the case. I then. It was a very human, very life-like gesture. More than anything else, it helped to calm me down. I nodded. “Again, I apologize for my response. I wasn’t expecting to speak to...” and I waved at him.“A talking statue?” he asked and I nodded. “No need to apologize, sir. I am only a statue. I have no feelings to hurt.”“I would have said the same thing about a construct, but I have been proven wrong on that point.”He looked at me again with that raised eyebrow. “And what construct convinced you of.