We hadn't seen a real customer for an hour or so; the twins, Millie and myself were sitting by the fire playing cards. Beverley was upstairs in her lo...nge watching one of her soaps, I believe.Anyway the door suddenly opened and in walked a very wet and bedraggled Mike. You know what body language is like; it was obvious to me that Millie had met Mike before. Those ten minutes that Millie took before she spoke to me that day Julia had visited, sprung to mind.Mike would have had to drive Julia up. Troy took a moment to remember why he was there then he finally started to talk.“Yesterday I was riding back from the store because I needed to get snacks, and I got caught in the hail, and your house had the covered porch so I pulled over to get out of the rain.” Troy said in a bit of a manic voice, he was nervous and it was obvious. But Bruce smiled and nodded, waiting for the boy to finish. “I didn’t know if you were home so I peeked in your window, and I don’t know why I didn’t knock or. Actually they were past the show and tell part. George's women Zeeta, Zaata, Meita, Taeta, and Swilea were practicing and Zeeta's daughter Cheela was right with them. George was watching the practice, but mostly he was entertaining Mela, Meita's daughter, and Suitea, Taeta's daughter.After I walked up I helped him play with the two cuties until the arrows quit flying for a minute and then I asked if he thought he was ready for a little riding up on the plateau.Of course I had a little. I strutted down the sidewalk to where the hotel where my dream lover had been. I was distraught to see the sign once glowing pink neon was now dead and a dim red color, the lights were gone from the inside, and the smell of scented oils and vanilla no longer lingered in the air, as a sweet reminding of what was to come. I took the walk down to that part of the city, it was quite different from the streets I last remembered, the air was sweet and it was well lit, beautiful women and handsome.