"Don't try to feed me that." Jan, that's the official reason I'm asking for time off," he said. "I'll fill you in on the rest of it later if you absol...tely have to know. As I said, I'd prefer you just let me explain it afterward."Jan crossed her arms and glared."Fine," Jan said. "I can't stop you from taking leave. If you're authorized, you're authorized. But we're going to have to discuss the rest of this later." Yeah, I guess," Bryant said."You guess?" Jan shot back."Christ, Jan, we've been. " Okay. When I was a guy, I was what they call a 'playa.' I chased after the ladies and had a long list of sexual conquests, beginning when I was fifteen. But let me clarify one thing. I'm not from the ghetto. My people were middle-class Blacks from upscale Severn County, Maryland. In high school my favorite subject was English. I was an aspiring writer. After high school, I didn't want to go to college right away. I wanted to go out and see something of the world, and get some experience, so I. Before she knew what had happened, I’d said so long and was in my car and pulling away from the curb. It was a nice night. I felt strange, kind of like a kid, a high school freshman, going on a first date. I wasn’t sure of myself at all. No passes, I told myself, don’t make any passes at her or you’ll blow it. Then I remembered something she’d said, about how she was going to explain something to me. Why was she ducking me? Well, whatever it was I wanted to know. You’re going soft in the head. "Yes." Sue's just gone on. They're in Studio 1. Right there." He pointed at a door that had an illuminated "No Entry" above it. "Go in, but try to be quiet." Patrick, we've got to be quiet now." 'Kay."There were some chairs near the door, so I sat down with Patrick on my lap. But our presence hadn't gone unnoticed and at the first break Sue said "Gordy?" Yes ... and Patrick." Hi, Patrick." Hi, Sue." Have you heard, Gordy?" No. Nothing. As I told you, we were having guests for dinner..." Patrick.