Tara looked up, saw us in the stands, and just sort of waved. She thought they were clapping because of the great shot she had just hit. She was never...so wrong.The people on the other courts heard the clapping happen about every three or four minutes. Finally, they had to stop and see what was going on. They would watch for a couple of minutes and they would see nothing special happening. Then Sue would see them watching and she would again hit a high netball. The expressions on their faces. My ‘tree’ was actually a little potted evergreen twig about a foot tall, that Becky had given me earlier that week. She insisted that I needed something to make the place more cheerful during the holidays, and as usual, she was right. We had agreed to exchange modest gifts for the holiday, given our equally modest financial conditions, but I was unable to hold up my end of the deal. I handed Becky the box her present was in, and enjoyed watching her unwrap the box. Inside the box was a cereal. “You first. How long has it been since you had sex?” “This is such an enriching meaningful work discussion that’s vital to completing Nick Shaw’s final report. Isn’t it? Oh, let me answer.” Vivie loved to pry, but she rarely gave up salacious information about herself. “No, it isn’t. But since you insist I go first, you should know that I had sex last Saturday.” “Shocking, Vivie! Can’t believe you gave it up! And with whom did you share your coitus connection?” “No, no. You’re next.” Vivie. A bright light, so bright that it seemed like a dozen suns, seared his left eye. A moment later the same bright light attacked his right eye. His eyes wouldn’t reopen, no matter how he tried, and as he tried he could hear murmurs around him. His right hand was warm, and later something touched his left cheek. There were more murmurs around him, and then the constant rhythmic noise began to fade away.The rhythmic noise was back, and this time he could recognize the sound. It was an infusion.