I also hope you are not embarrassed.” “Why should I be? I don’t hide my sexuality, though I would never flaunt it, especially professionally.”...She laughed again, “Not for yourself, surely. But it can be uncomfortable meeting someone from that other life. You may be assured, I have been involved in this part of our world long enough to realize anyone I meet here will surely not be prudish, nor judgmental.” That had flashed through my mind. A married woman in a lesbian bar, not far from her home.. At the end of February, I had my six-monthly review. Adam Ransome and someone from Billingham Personnel talked me through what I had done, and what I hoped to do. It was a very positive experience; I was assured that they would recommend that I be confirmed in a permanent position at the end of the year, and they even sounded hopeful on the subject of starting a Ph.D. – the main big sticking point being my not having yet found something sufficiently precise as the subject for my doctoral. “5dollars a game to 11”, I said while pretending not to notice him as I just kept shooting. “ Ok thatsounds good, you can take it out ” he said smiling at me. I stripped out of my warm ups and hit the court in my shorts and jersey, he checked the balland I quickly made a lay up. “ I’m Steve by the way” he stuck out his hand to shake mine, but Ijust nodded. “Mandy”, I replied. He looked older but it didn't matter, this was my court, thegame was over quickly 11 to 5. “damn girl you're good” he. How are they hanging mate?”“I’m fine Dave. How are you?”“Hey, mate you can help me out. I have these two women who want me to take them to the drive-in movies tonight. I’m keen on one of them but the other one keeps getting in the way. Are you free tonight?”“I’ve got to get the unit sorted out. I have some friends coming down tomorrow to stop with me. It’s a bit of an issue at the moment.”“Come on mate. I’ve always been there for you. I just want you to keep the other one busy so I can pay.