As the arc slowed to nearly nothing, she picked up the weight and set it in motion again, only this time higher. You stood in front of me this time un...il the swinging weight had come to a complete stop. When it did you just stood there, a calculated pause I guessed, taking in the scene before going back into her suitcase and pulling out candles and a lighter. "I have taken the liberty of disabling the fire alarm in the room," she said. "I am going to paint your fucking tits with hot fuckin'. But sure enough, when his voice returned it was no longer that usual deep resonant tone but a high-pitched sound like Minnie Mouse's. He sounded so silly, Madge! I had to try real hard not to laugh. But he did his exercises, and in time he brought it down to a pleasant woman's voice. I must say, I found it charming, once he could speak up without squeaking. I'd close my eyes and imagine that I had a new girlfriend already, and we'd talk about all kinds of things, and he began to adopt some of. .. What began as a night planned for the deflowering of pretty young things turned into my living heck."Ooo-oo," I grunted, holding my stomach. "I think I must have rabies or something. My intestines feel like they're imploding." You do look ill," agreed Lardo."Hey-maybe we oughtta stop here at this clinic and get you something for that," offered Chet, steering the 4-by-4 into a tree-lined parking lot."God, I hope I don't need surgery or nothing," I groaned. "That wouldn't be good considering. She proposed, and I counter proposed. She asked for the house; she got it. She asked for alimony; she'd get it when I got a job. She asked for half of my vacation and sick leave accruals; she got those too. She asked for half of my retirement; she failed there; I guess I had to be grateful for small favors.She sneered at me when we left the courthouse. I just looked at her coldly. Her boyfriend was still inside, but would be getting out in a few days. He would no doubt be buoyed by the fact.